Westminster Council clamping down on cyclists...

A council determined to make them obey the Highway Code is to deploy enforcers in a hunt for so-called “Lycra louts” as they whizz through red lights** or ride listening to iPods**.

from highway code:

148

Safe driving and riding needs concentration.
Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as

[*]loud music (this may mask other sounds)

but this is not preceded by a** MUST **so it is not law so how can anyone be targetted for it?

A council determined to make them obey the Highway Code is to deploy enforcers in a hunt for so-called “Lycra louts” as they whizz through red lights or ride listening to iPods.

Can we also expect them to hunt down motorists and ask them to turn down their radios/cd players/8 tracks etc?

Can we also expect them to hunt down motorists and ask them to turn down their radios/cd players/8 tracks etc?

How about pedestrians who cross without looking, concentrating on their iPods or blackberries? Don't they count as road users?

Drop the Cllr a line here and ask her to justify her comments.

http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/forms/emailform.cfm?cllr_id=23&comments=&CFID=2646881&CFTOKEN=42507214

Done:

I am a frequent commuter to and through your area, and I do so on a bicycle.
I have just read your comments in the Standard "We're always getting little old ladies who are knocked down and abused by a cyclist, who leave them on the ground as they ride away".
Do you have any evidence to suggest this is as frequent an occurance as you imply?
How many "little old ladies" have been mown down by cyclists in the last, lets say, 24 months?
I await your reply with interest

Will post reply (if she bothers).

"Could Angela Harvey, chairman of Westminster's scrutiny committee justify her comments that "We're always getting little old ladies who are knocked down and abused by a cyclist, who leave them on the ground as they ride away. "
I have recently been hit from behind whilst waiting at a red light on my bicycle.
I frequently see car drivers stopped in ASL's, driving in cycle lanes and using mobile phones, would it not be best to tackle these bad drivers too? "

Having recently been punted off my bike by a little old lady who left me there and drove away I know how all the poor little biddies feel.

email sent.

I find that sexist, ageist, and heightist. Will no-one think of the tall young boys?

I was abused by a cyclist the other day, but only because I'm young, nobody could hear me weeping when he left me traumatised on the floor.

Drop the Cllr a line here and ask her to justify her comments.

http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/forms/emailform.cfm?cllr_id=23&comments=&CFID=2646881&CFTOKEN=42507214

I did. She hasn't called back. I'm gonna have fun with it.

I've sent her a friendly email about me being abused by the old ladies during my daily commute. It's time to do something about that nuisance.

If I am stopped by a council worker who attempts to fine me for something I feel is not in breach of any 'law' (for instance listening to an iPod at a reasonable volume) - I would simply refuse to give my name or comply in any way and ride away.

They will not, I assume, be given powers of arrest.

What on earth could they do ? Run after me and then what . . . ask me again for my details ?

If I have done something that was in breach of a 'law' - I would consider whether I thought that law was reasonable or the circumstances in which I breached it were reasonable - again if I thought it was unreasonable I would ride away.

This diffusion of police powers to bouncers, PSCOs, council workers and so on - is very dangerous.

If you really want to know that sort of information then you could submit a freedom of information request

http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/councilgovernmentanddemocracy/dataprotectionandfreedomofinformation/foi/

If you do that the Council will have an obligation to respond (assuming your question is not obviously ridiculous)

You could probably find out lots of info about cycling "issues" in the way, or equally lots of details about Cllr Harvey

...............................................................................

Mrs Harvey,

You are quoted in the London Evening Standard 07.12.09 (link below) . . .

(http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23780505-danger-cyclists-to-be-policed-by-council-staff.do)

. . . as stating:

"We're always getting little old ladies who are knocked down and abused by a cyclist [sic], who leave them on the ground as they ride away."

Could you point me towards the data that informs this statement, a link to road traffic accidents in London that specifically record cycling accidents involving the elderly would be ideal - failing that whatever data you yourself base your information on should be sufficient.

Thanks in advance for any help.

All the best.

...............................................................................

If you really want to know that sort of information then you could submit a freedom of information request

http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/councilgovernmentanddemocracy/dataprotectionandfreedomofinformation/foi/

If you do that the Council will have an obligation to respond (assuming your question is not obviously ridiculous)

You could probably find out lots of info about cycling "issues" in the way, or equally lots of details about Cllr Harvey

I was going to do just that in my email ! . . . "to save the bother of placing a FOI request could you point me towards the data that shows . . . . . " - that kind of thing, but I thought it best to save these kinds of tacit 'threats' in case she is unresponsive to my initial message.

Good god, I have turned into an old man !!

Bring back Esther Rantzen and That's Life!

[/goes off to kill himself]

Give them a pole with a noose like dog catchers have to stop the fleeing menaces, a stun gun to deal with resistance and an axe to deal out the punishment.

Give them a pole with a noose like dog catchers have to stop the fleeing menaces, a stun gun to deal with resistance and an axe to deal out the punishment.

I like it, I like it alot.

Nothing brings a community together better than summary justice from arbitrary figures of authority.

Article here:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23780505-danger-cyclists-to-be-policed-by-council-staff.do

Essentially the police will "delegate authority" to the council's own "inspectors" who will hand out on-the-spot £30 fines.

Thoughts?

I think I've met most of the people writing in the comments, shouting, always shouting. We all run into the little old ladies, though. Have to, really, shame not to. The look on their little old faces as they lose control of their bowels. Not for the last time, Norah! Fantastic.

I like it, I like it alot.

Nothing brings a community together better than summary justice from arbitrary figures of authority.

Perhaps some of these too.

2 Attachments

i hear they are going to put chemicals in the water to genetically modify us so that we turn into human versions of these

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=we9_CdNPuJg

so they'll be carrying a fog horn around, one toot and you're down.

The ipod zombies will be immune to the horn.

is there a particularly lax 'elderly care home' in the vicinity of Westminster council? Maybe they need to tighten up on their security.......

what a ridiculous statement. FFS. Can't wait to see her reply if there is one.

I hope it happens, bet loads of threads will appear bitching, but hey if you can't do the time don't do the crime.

The anti social idiots have had it too good for too long

Can we also expect them to hunt down motorists and ask them to turn down their radios/cd players/8 tracks etc?

If anyone is found listening to an 8 track in their car they should be given a fucking medal.

8 track users may not neccesarily conform to the above stereotype, but probably do

Well this would be a farce....
Council and on the spot fines.
Lol