Police in nothing-better-to-do shocker

@stevo_com
If things 'could decend into chaos' without the enforcement of pointless civil byelaw, we should be thankful for a lot of the police mentioned on here over the last few days. But I think people riding on a bit of park that hasn't got a cycleway (even though there's an obvious 'desire-line' due to one ending fairly frustratingly nearby), means we should question whether police when acting under request from local authorities shouldn't be able to say to local authorities ''its your fault that the planning is wrong, sort out the cycle paths sensibly then we'll stop the piss takers''.

I would imagine this sort of work (that seems not-very-worthwhile) must be quite demeaning and frustrating for officers, who might rather be doing something more useful.

Of course users should Write That Letter too. But Police I hope have an obligation/right to question what they're being asked to do when it may be an operation that seems unjustified or knee-jerk.

There have been a few residents giving out leaflets in the last few days about the speed limit (5mph) through the common.

they do have that right and most thankfully use it. but sometimes it can just come down to following orders and doing what you're told to do that shift. I'm pretty sure that can happen in most jobs.

I'm not defending either party here because that's not my job, just adding a bit to the explanation.

Skullhead,

Transport networks and infrastructure are continuously developing entities and it's not really for the police to get involved in the planning and implementation aspect other than to comment on how it will affect their ability to do their job. Furthermore, planning is not solely controlled by local authorities, there is a significant aspect of public input into the process.

If, at the end of the day, the majority response is a non-continuous cycle lane and an obvious but illegal desire line and that the police should be ticketing breaches of the law, that is what they have to do. They are public servants and as such must serve both the public good and the public interest.

True

You got the bigwigs making decisions, and the PC who have to actually enforce it. Not always gonna be a success.

Personally, I'm up for some chaos.... like getting rid of all traffic lights and road markings.

"But Police I hope have an obligation/right to question what they're being asked to do when it may be an operation that seems unjustified or knee-jerk."

also, some might think that if the police don't do this enough. all things considered, if they want to keep the job, they have to follow orders. You might say, if you dont like doing these types of not-very-worthwhile things then quit. But I'd say that these things make up 5% of a police officers duties, the rest are actually helping people/getting bad people off the streets/protecting people(even if that means protecting them from themselves). Noone goes into the job because they have a life long desire to stamp out RLJ's. Sometimes people forget how much they actually do and focus on what they don't do.

@ Skullhead
"Of course users should Write That Letter too. But Police I hope have an obligation/right to question what they're being asked to do when it may be an operation that seems unjustified or knee-jerk. "

Also things that may not seem worthwhile to you are to other people. It is impossible to judge any situation without knowing the background.

Using the example of cyclists using the path on the Common: The cyclist will be on the path for say a couple of minutes, someone walking the same direction as the cyclist will be on the path 5 mn or longer and might have 5 or more cyclists passing by (when none should have been there). Completely different perspective.

Said it before and I'll say it again, coppers are good for fuck all!

Said it before and I'll say it again, sweeping generalisations are good for fuck all!

+1

Clapham Common is a pain in the arse.
I use the one described in the OP one the way home only. It's not marked at all from North to South, but at the far end is a ben over sign with a no cycling sign on it. However, it's twisted round, so it doesn't line up with the tarmacced path either.

The cycle path crossing the Common to Cedars Road lines up exactly with the path to Clapham South, so it seems entirely reasonable to assume that it is a continuation of the same cycle path.

As far as I can remember the "official" cycle path has no signs saying its a cycle path anyway.

I totally agree, there are lots of paths on the common and none of them are marked with a no-cycling sign a. The official paths have bikes painted on them and are adjacent to the pedestrians path.

Have a look tonight and try it. I am pretty sure there is a sign pointing to it when you come from North and join the small road.

From the North (i.e. Riding up Cedars Road, across the cycle path marked with painted on bikes) you cross Windmill Road. Directly opposite is a tarmacced path. This has no signs at all. This I've checked several times.
This is crossed by another path which goes left/right, again neither of these is marked from this junction. Straight on (the continuation of the path from Windmill Road) has no markings or signs either. However, at the point where this tarmac point crosses the dirt running track you pass a sign which faces the opposite way. This is a clear "No Cycling" roundel. However, the signpost is bent and twisted.
You can't see this if you ride North to South. If you use this path South to North then it's hard to complain you didn't know it was not a cycle path, since the sign is there.

+1

Are you plod?

^^ erm how does that make them any money though?
Its like where I live in the well known Ghetto that is East Finchley. At least once a month the police mount this massive operation at the station in evening rush hour where they double check every ones travel card and generally hassle innocent people. There are usually upwards of about 10 of them carrying out this essential procedure. It really is unbelievable

TFL pay for the police support.

if people didn't cheat we wouldn't need the police :)

phew. glad i missed that. i usually cut across there. very slowly mind. i usually ride slow through the common. shared space innit. kids walking to school, dogs running around, other commuters madly cycling like lunatics. enjoy the common. it's the last bit of greenery till battersea park or hyde park.

will take the long way round. and ensure i do cycle slowly.

There have been a few residents giving out leaflets in the last few days about the speed limit (5mph) through the common.

This might be because of a fatal collision on The Avenue a couple of weeks ago. I ride past the site every morning, and until recently there were loads of big homemade signs, saying things like 'SLOW DOWN - IT COULD BE YOU NEXT' (along with all the usual flowers, etc.). Perhaps the enraged parties are extending their campaign to the rest of the Common. (I'm not sure whether any cyclists were involved in the accident.)

Are you plod?

No, although there is a history of law enforcement in the family. However, my respect for the station of policeman is more derived from various periods of employment in civil service, criminal justice, reform and rehabilitation services.

I realise as much as anyone else that there officers who are literally worse than useless, but I think the evidence clearly shows that they are are outweighed by those who are an asset to society.

Don't get me wrong, I don't easily bow to authority and I won't hesitate to remind the police that a uniform does not exempt them from criticism and scrutiny.

A pedestrian was ran over by a van in Clapham Common in June which probably explains why there is a campaign on speed etc..
http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/whereilive/localheadlines/display.var.2356278.0.appeal_after_fatal_clapham_common_accident.php

Coming back tonight was stopped by bike copper & told about 5mph speed limit. Walking pace? What's the frigging point in being on a bike? Meh.

Anyway, using the illegal bit, was stopped by some noddy police. They were very nice and handing out leaflets about a meeting on Sat with the council to sort out the crap signs and/or make it a cycle path. All the action is the result of a cyclist thumping a ped. F'ing idiot.

They agreed it was a stupid part of the common & were very apologetic about stopping everyone.
I take back my rude comments.

The best bit was that a guy on a mtb behind me said "but it's ok to ride on the grass, isn't it?" and the coppers said yes that's fine. I guess the common is for 'common' usage, just the paths that are ped specific? Makes the whole thing a bit ridiculous.

if writing letters to local govt ever did anything they would make it illegal...

essentially as it's a footpath not a road. bikes=road. but a white line and a symbol changes it. crazy.

you could just get some paint

There was a policeman hiding behind a tree on the path leading to Cedars Hill this morning. He said good morning and asked the guys behind us to stop as they were going too fast. He said to me "you're ok, you're going at the right speed"...damn

One of the guys who was going too fast was on a Charge plug, anyone here?

And how does he determine if somebody's going "too fast"? Would a radar gun even work on a cyclist?

Yes, but the tolerances against anything less than 20mph make them so unreliable as to be redundant.