Police spotting (junction watch)

I assume you offered them cycle training?

I did ask the guy if he rode a motorbike or had noticed how people on motorbikes filter. He said: Its for your own safety (many times). I asked to be arrested if he believes that I committed a traffic offense. He said: "it's common sense, you don't ride into oncoming traffic". I pointed out that I was filtering in view of on-coming drivers with enough space for them to pass. He kept repeating: its for your own safety" and wouldn't listen.

I rode off having had enough and because I was getting pissed off with this whole business.

Report him for wasting police time

plenty of police activity around shepherds bush in the last few days, be careful

That it then? All the rozzers back to the doughnut shop today.

Still some out at Oval and Blackfriars circa 9:30am. None of them talk to me for the most part cuz I is sitting in traffic stream instead of ASL innit.

Loads at Elephant South junction this morning. Ignoring the motorbikes in the ASL as per...

Problem solved. Hi viz donuts.

Problem solved. Hi viz donuts.

We need these as saddle danglers, but it might mean the police would make more of an effort chasing us.

One of my fav. things I've seen whilst riding in London was a guy roll up to a red light, do a cyclo-cross dismount, jog across with the peds and then jump back on and ride off, all without pause.

That's ace. :)

Still a few at Shebu. Just move over to the right so they don't have a chance to stop ya.

Not so many po-po this morning east via commercial road, though I saw a cyclist running a red with 3 cops just having a conversation at the lights and didn't care/spot him whilst he was doing it...

number of cyclist fatalities in which earphones were a factor:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_cyclists_ksi_known_or?unfold=1#incoming-453434

zero.

Still a few at Shebu. Just move over to the right so they don't have a chance to stop ya.

I didn't see any at Shebu this morning (other than a pissed off looking copper trying to convince a bus driver it was not okay to abandon his broken down bus in the middle of the road), perhaps indicating that my observation skills are piss poor and I should never drive a large vehicle.

Loads of coppers still at Oxford Circus. Saw a PCSO cross the road and nearly get wiped out by a RLJ'er, she did nothing, let him go. They were more interested in a scooter further up the road.

I was east-bound on fUxbridge at perhaps 7:30? I moved over specifically so if the lights changed and I had to stop I wouldn't have to engage with the fluoro 'Plodders'.

#ploddergeddon

number of cyclist fatalities in which earphones were a factor:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_cyclists_ksi_known_or?unfold=1#incoming-453434

zero.

How patronising was that response then.

Our view is with the Mayor that all cyclists should follow the highway
code which has been put together by years of collision research and is
intended to keep all road users as safe as possible.
Years of research that you just stated was incomplete and inconclusive.

Fffffuuuuu...

number of cyclist fatalities in which earphones were a factor:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_cyclists_ksi_known_or?unfold=1#incoming-453434

zero.

Actually, that's not fair. There's a significant difference between the statements that the number of cyclist fatalities is zero, and the number of proven cyclist fatalities is zero.

The office is fair to say that they have no evidence for it because of the reasons they gave (which are justified).

What you do with that lack of information is up to you. What you can legitimately say is that there is no evidence to say that cyclists have died as a direct result of wearing headphones. But to assume that their response is a statement of zero related deaths is misleading and false.

It's fair to say that when Boris referred to the "absolute scourge" of cyclists using earphones he had nothing on which to base the claim.

To misinterpret the Freedom of Information request doesn't really have much bearing on what Boris said.

I agree that he has no statistics or significant research with which to base the claim of a 'scourge'.
But I also agree with the Met's sequence of arguments that headphones diminish your external audio perception, in turn diminishing road perception, diminishing your compliance with the Highway Code.

Sorry, that should have said the Freedom of Information request's response

To misinterpret the Freedom of Information request doesn't really have much bearing on what Boris said.

Yes it does, in context Boris was responding to the recent fatalities. He could have mentioned anything- speeding, drivers on mobiles, blue stupid paint, anything. He's a canny politician so he lobs a hand grenade into the debate and waffles on about earphones. He hysterically inflated the danger and the obvious implication was that cyclists were at fault. It turns out he had no sensible reasons to make the claim, but the damage is done, most people went away with the impression that cyclists are foolhardy and reckless. At best, that's unhelpful.

Fair enough. Wasn't aware of the context. I take it back.

Be good to somehow get footage of Boris riding. How the hell that man is in politics is beyond me. He's an embarrassment to the nation.

number of cyclist fatalities in which earphones were a factor:

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/number_of_cyclists_ksi_known_or?unfold=1#incoming-453434

zero.

I beg to differ with this. A cyclist who was killed in Bermondsey a few years ago had his headphone use mentioned in the inquest.

I know this doesn't mean that the headphone use was a causative factor but given that the cyclist cycled out of a side road directly into the path of a passing HGV without looking, the coroner probably thought that the cyclist might have been able to hear the oncoming lorry coming along at speed even if he didn't look.

I'll dig out the report when I have moment later. Maybe Skydancer knows the case I am thinking about.

Think it was at the junction of Weston St and Snowfields.