Norwich Crackdown

[bottlemasher]

sorry if this has been posted

Norwich police are at it again

Check out the comments


   /content/edp24/news/commentary/story.aspx - Norfolk News - EDP24

[Zoidburg]

As a rule cyclists draw far less "heat" to use the 70s blacksploitation film term than motorists do from the rozzers so I am unmoved by the story.

Ride like a knob and get a fine, fairs fair.

As for the comments, well it is Norwich.

[FatBloke]

"Careless cycling"? £2500 fine? Is that real?

[Regulator]

sorry if this has been posted

Norwich police are at it again

Check out the comments


   /content/edp24/news/commentary/story.aspx - Norfolk News - EDP24

I spotted it during my daily trawl through the press cuttings this morning.

It's the usual 'let's look as though we're doing something' from the Norfolk Constabulary.

[Regulator]

"Careless cycling"? £2500 fine? Is that real?

The maximum fine for 'careless cycling' is £1,000 and for 'dangerous cycling' is £2,500 (under the Road Traffic Act 1991) - but this is on conviction by a court.

The maximum fine for cycling on a pavement is £500 - but again that is following conviction in a court.

The most the police can do is issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for £30.

[fuzzy]

"Careless cycling"? £2500 fine? Is that real?

The maximum fine for 'careless cycling' is £1,000 and for 'dangerous cycling' is £2,500 (under the Road Traffic Act 1991) - but this is on conviction by a court.

The maximum fine for cycling on a pavement is £500 - but again that is following conviction in a court.

The most the police can do is issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for £30.

The Police can report the cyclist for summons to Magistrates Court where on conviction, the £500 fine may apply........

But you know that anyway Greg

[spindrift]

The cops stopped me on London Street. I was ready with an excuse and apology, and they gave me a reflective badge and advice on cycling!

God bless 'em, they do a tough job with little reward.

The EDP letters pages had requests from cyclists as to how many injuries had actually occurred, no answer was forthcoming, yet on every single road in the Golden Triangle, the uni side of the city, you have cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement. Some people block the remaining gap with their wheely bin.

Now, driving on the pavement is an offence, and the cars haven't been lifted there by Chinook, so what's the deal?

[Regulator]

"Careless cycling"? £2500 fine? Is that real?

The maximum fine for 'careless cycling' is £1,000 and for 'dangerous cycling' is £2,500 (under the Road Traffic Act 1991) - but this is on conviction by a court.

The maximum fine for cycling on a pavement is £500 - but again that is following conviction in a court.

The most the police can do is issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for £30.

The Police can report the cyclist for summons to Magistrates Court where on conviction, the £500 fine may apply........

But you know that anyway Greg

Just for clarification I was responding to this line in the article (and FB's comment) "Fines on a sliding scale can be issued by police for cycling on the pavement to dangerous or careless cycling, with a maximum fine of £2,500" which appears to suggest the police can issue fines of up to £2,500 which, of course, they can't. 

[Biggsy]

Is it true that cycling on a footpath is legal if it's not alongside a road and there are no "no cycling" signs?

[ScumOfTheRoad]

"Not stopping at junctions."
Seems a curious thing to say - most juntions in the UK has Give Way lines, and all you are required to do in a car or on bike is slow down and check the road yoy are turning into is clear.

[JStone]

... cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement...

I often wish I had the courage to simply walk over the cars in such a situation - up the bonnet, across the roof and down the boot - and sue the driver if injured in so doing. Seems to me to be just the same situation as a farmer blocking a footpath, when IIRC it's allowed to use 'reasonable force' to remove the obstruction. Since the alternatives for the pedestrian are usually trespass on the adjoining private property or risk to life walking on the carriageway, the over the car route seems to be 'reasonable force'.

Don't expect the police would agree, and probably get knifed by a driver if I tried it ...

[fuzzy]

"Careless cycling"? £2500 fine? Is that real?

The maximum fine for 'careless cycling' is £1,000 and for 'dangerous cycling' is £2,500 (under the Road Traffic Act 1991) - but this is on conviction by a court.

The maximum fine for cycling on a pavement is £500 - but again that is following conviction in a court.

The most the police can do is issue a Fixed Penalty Notice for £30.

The Police can report the cyclist for summons to Magistrates Court where on conviction, the £500 fine may apply........

But you know that anyway Greg

Just for clarification I was responding to this line in the article (and FB's comment) "Fines on a sliding scale can be issued by police for cycling on the pavement to dangerous or careless cycling, with a maximum fine of £2,500" which appears to suggest the police can issue fines of up to £2,500 which, of course, they can't. 

I know that and you know that (the reasoning behind your post) but I am trying to learn the Jedi Pedantery methods sometimes seen round these here parts

[tiermat]

The EDP letters pages had requests from cyclists as to how many injuries had actually occurred, no answer was forthcoming, yet on every single road in the Golden Triangle, the uni side of the city, you have cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement. Some people block the remaining gap with their wheely bin.

Now, driving on the pavement is an offence, and the cars haven't been lifted there by Chinook, so what's the deal?

This issue came up in the village I used to live in, and yes THEORETICALLY the car could have been airlifted/craned/flown in by a dozen pink flying elephants, so all the police can do is fine you IF they see you driving on the pavement, not just because you car is on the pavement....

[fuzzy]

... cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement...

I often wish I had the courage to simply walk over the cars in such a situation - up the bonnet, across the roof and down the boot - and sue the driver if injured in so doing. Seems to me to be just the same situation as a farmer blocking a footpath, when IIRC it's allowed to use 'reasonable force' to remove the obstruction. Since the alternatives for the pedestrian are usually trespass on the adjoining private property or risk to life walking on the carriageway, the over the car route seems to be 'reasonable force'.

Don't expect the police would agree, and probably get knifed by a driver if I tried it ...

Genius! Riding along cycle path that is obstructed by a parked vehicle- take a detour through the garden that it is parked outside.

[spindrift]

The EDP letters pages had requests from cyclists as to how many injuries had actually occurred, no answer was forthcoming, yet on every single road in the Golden Triangle, the uni side of the city, you have cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement. Some people block the remaining gap with their wheely bin.

Now, driving on the pavement is an offence, and the cars haven't been lifted there by Chinook, so what's the deal?

This issue came up in the village I used to live in, and yes THEORETICALLY the car could have been airlifted/craned/flown in by a dozen pink flying elephants, so all the police can do is fine you IF they see you driving on the pavement, not just because you car is on the pavement....

The cops say it's a council matter, the council say it's up to the cops...

[fuzzy]

The EDP letters pages had requests from cyclists as to how many injuries had actually occurred, no answer was forthcoming, yet on every single road in the Golden Triangle, the uni side of the city, you have cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement. Some people block the remaining gap with their wheely bin.

Now, driving on the pavement is an offence, and the cars haven't been lifted there by Chinook, so what's the deal?

This issue came up in the village I used to live in, and yes THEORETICALLY the car could have been airlifted/craned/flown in by a dozen pink flying elephants, so all the police can do is fine you IF they see you driving on the pavement, not just because you car is on the pavement....

The cops say it's a council matter, the council say it's up to the cops...

F*%$ em. Dust off and nuke the site from orbit- Only way to be sure.

[Pancho]

... cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement...

I often wish I had the courage to simply walk over the cars in such a situation - up the bonnet, across the roof and down the boot - and sue the driver if injured in so doing. Seems to me to be just the same situation as a farmer blocking a footpath, when IIRC it's allowed to use 'reasonable force' to remove the obstruction. Since the alternatives for the pedestrian are usually trespass on the adjoining private property or risk to life walking on the carriageway, the over the car route seems to be 'reasonable force'.

Don't expect the police would agree, and probably get knifed by a driver if I tried it ...

Sometimes their inconsiderate and inconsidered parking means you have to physically squeeze past. This happens quite often, actually, even if it may appear that there is plenty of room for, say, a ped pushing a solid, paintwork scratching pushchair or simply wearing a wax jacket with protruding poppers at the cuff.

Well, that's my experience.

[hellymedic]

By coincidence, my wheelchair has pointy scratchy bits too...

[Pancho]

Is it true that cycling on a footpath is legal if it's not alongside a road and there are no "no cycling" signs?

Of course, as the highway acts apply only to the highway (and any footway that makes up part of the highway).

Once you're talking about public footpaths it's a whole different ball game and a civil matter. AIUI, the landowner could take you to court but what exactly he'd be suing you for I have yet to work out - damage to the path surface, maybe!

[TimO]

If the footpath is council owned, and there are local by-laws which disallow cycling on them (which I think has to be indicated by a sign), then you could come unstuck.

I do recall that there was a case in one of the London Parks (may have been a Royal Park), where I chap avoided a fine for cycling on a footpath, since they had "No Cycling" marked on the surface, but no actual sign, and this was found to be insufficient by the court.  Whether this applies more generally I don't know.

[tonycollinet]

The EDP letters pages had requests from cyclists as to how many injuries had actually occurred, no answer was forthcoming, yet on every single road in the Golden Triangle, the uni side of the city, you have cars parked on the pavement. Sometimes so far over you can't walk down the pavement. Some people block the remaining gap with their wheely bin.

Now, driving on the pavement is an offence, and the cars haven't been lifted there by Chinook, so what's the deal?

This issue came up in the village I used to live in, and yes THEORETICALLY the car could have been airlifted/craned/flown in by a dozen pink flying elephants, so all the police can do is fine you IF they see you driving on the pavement, not just because you car is on the pavement....

The cops say it's a council matter, the council say it's up to the cops...

F*%$ em. Dust off and nuke the site from orbit- Only way to be sure.

Is that official police advice??