Catching Real Criminals

[clarion]

Seems that the City of London Police have too much time on their hands, yet not enough to actually learn about the law:

Bikebiz link

Carlton Reid reports on a woman stopped by Police for carrying her kids on the back of a Yuba Mundo.  It seems that they advised her that, if they saw her again, she would be stopped again.  Sounds like harrassment to me.  But, you know, it is reported that these ignorami actually advised her to ride on the pavement.

What hope do we have?

[starkj73]

Searched for what?

Nobody involved in this incident was dancing?

[Riggers]

WPC breaks down in tears over her mistake in stopping the mother, and blurts out "Just think of the children!"



Just daydreaming.


"She's dirty Sarge, don' ask me 'ow I know, I jus' do. 'Er 'n' bloody kids swannin' dhan the road like Lady muck, like she 'owns the bloody place, wiv 'er oighty-toighty ways. 'Ow can she be alahd to get away wiv it!?"

"Alright, alright, let it rest constable. Didn't they teach you anything at Hendon? Peruse the highway code if you wish to venture into the seemingly dark and mysterious world of transport law."

[teethgrinder]

She wasn't breaking any law. She should have cycled off on the road once the police were finished and let them arrest her. A bit inconvenient for her, but I reckon it might be more benefit in the long term.
I think I'd have even told the police that I won't cycle on the pavement because it is illegal and if they are going to arrest me for riding on the road, then they might as well do it now and save themselves the trouble of chasing after me.

[Karla]

I think I'd have even told the police that I won't cycle on the pavement because it is illegal and if they are going to arrest me for riding on the road, then they might as well do it now and save themselves the trouble of chasing after me.

A cycling policeman?  I wanna see a Fuzz vs TG bike chase!

A bit like this one

[Nightfly]

Cretins  .

[Torslanda]

What concerns me is that the officer deemed it necessary to call for back up when dealing with a mother and 2 children.

maybe she was concerned they may have been 'turrists'

[clarion]

You could pack a heck of a lot of plastic explosive in a Yuba if it were to be one of those notorious bike bombs.

[Torslanda]

does Al Qaeda know?

[teethgrinder]

A cycling policeman?  I wanna see a Fuzz vs TG bike chase!

I wouldn't fancy my chances running away from the police! Not when the police have helicopters, cars, horses, CCTV and are well trained at catching people.
But yes, one of those plods on their mountain bikes vs me on my fixer, I reckon it'd be an easy win.

[Charlotte]

She's clearly got a higher moron tolerance than me.  I very much doubt I'd have been able to resist giving them the Arkell v. Pressdram response, followed in short order by continuing about my lawful business.

Nucking Fumpties.

[Regulator]

She wasn't breaking any law. ...

Yes she was - Bikebiz are wrong in their assertion that she wasn't.  You are only permitted to carry passengers on a cycle that has been specifically designed or adapted for the purpose.  To do otherwise is an offence.

Her Yuba had not been specifically adapted - in fact the Yuba people say that you shouldn't carry passengers unless the bike has been adapated (with the Peanut Shell seat and the passenger accessories, Hold-On safety bar or the SoftSpot padded seat).  She simply had the wooden shelf on the back.

As for the other suggestion she says they made, I think I would treat her account with some scepticism at this time.

That said, I think the police should simply have suggested that she get the appropriate adaptions done, for her safety and that of her children, and then sent her on her way.  

[Riggers]

  bloody spoilsport Reg.

[geraldc]

I'd be interested to see if she'd modified the bike much. If I was carrying people regularly, I'd put on stoker bars for them to hold onto, and maybe raise the platform for them to put their feet on, without them, it's pretty much the same as just riding on the bike rack of any bike.

[delthebike]

She wasn't breaking any law. ...

Yes she was - Bikebiz are wrong in their assertion that she wasn't.  You are only permitted to carry passengers on a cycle that has been specifically designed or adapted for the purpose.  To do otherwise is an offence.

Her Yuba had not been specifically adapted - in fact the Yuba people say that you shouldn't carry passengers unless the bike has been adapated (with the Peanut Shell seat and the passenger accessories, Hold-On safety bar or the SoftSpot padded seat).  She simply had the wooden shelf on the back.

Carlton Reid is replying to the comments why not put this in the story comments?
You may as well kill the story there as well as here! 

[Gandalf]

Interesting.  The young woman I saw this morning bearing a small child on the top tube had better watch out then.

[Regulator]

She wasn't breaking any law. ...

Yes she was - Bikebiz are wrong in their assertion that she wasn't.  You are only permitted to carry passengers on a cycle that has been specifically designed or adapted for the purpose.  To do otherwise is an offence.

Her Yuba had not been specifically adapted - in fact the Yuba people say that you shouldn't carry passengers unless the bike has been adapated (with the Peanut Shell seat and the passenger accessories, Hold-On safety bar or the SoftSpot padded seat).  She simply had the wooden shelf on the back.

Carlton Reid is replying to the comments why not put this in the story comments?
You may as well kill the story there as well as here!  

I intend to when I get back from work...  


I accept the police attitude was unhelpful but she was (from the info provided in the article if would appear) commiting an offence.  Yuba do actually have adaptations available to allow you to carry passengers, so she should really use them.

I love seeing kids being carried on bikes - it gives me hope for the next generation... but I do get concerned when people don't take the simple steps that they could take to make carrying kids safer (and no - I don't mean helmets).  It gives the anti-cycling brigade ammunition.

[clarion]

Not convinced, Regulator.  I've checked the Yuba website, and, while a number of adaptations are available - softspot seat, peanutshell childseat, accessory bars and running boards, none of them are specified as essential for adapting the Yuba for childcarrying.  In fact, this quote implies that the bike is suitable as is, and may benefit from the accessories.

Replacing the mini-van: The unique steel chassis makes the Mundo the bike for taking your kid(s)* to places: kindergarten, school, soccer. It’s time to replace the mini-van, conveniently take your little one(s), groceries, gear or any cargo to the places you love.

*depending on your family needs you can customize/ accessorize the Mundo Cargo Bike with the Peanut Shell seat (2 can be used) and the passenger accessories, Hold-On safety bar or the SoftSpot padded seat.

My bold & italics.


So do you have a source for your view of Yuba's approach?

[mrcharly-YHT]

hmm

I think I'm with Reg on this one.

Yuba supply a bunch of things such as straps and footrests. She didn't have those on her bike (although she says she had the footrests - can't see them in the pic and the kids feet seem to be dangling in midair).

[clarion]

In fact, mrcharly, that photo is not of the bike mentioned in the article,  but from the slideshow photos on the Yuba homepage, showing two kids on the back of a Yuba carrying panniers.

Which leads me to posit that Regulator's suggestion is unsubstantiated.

[geraldc]

Yuba's American, what passes there, may not pass here.

[mrcharly-YHT]

I'm familiar with the Yuba - there are about 4 in regular use around York, 2 for carrying kids.

The normal running board is a long way down, small kids couldn't reach it. If you look at the Yuba site, all the pics of small kids on bikes have them sat on child seats

[clarion]

The test is whether it is built or adapted for carrying a person.  Yuba's site says it is.

In the absence of some comment such as 'WORNINGGG! HAZZARD!! Do not carry yor children on our bike without availing yourself of the opportunity for us to cross-sell an accessory product!' then it is legal.

[geraldc]

The front kid in the photo is holding a stoker bar, I think all the passengers on the yuba website hold stoker bars.

Cargo Bike Photos, Utility Bicycles, Bikes to Carry Stuff & Kids

[Cudzoziemiec]

I'm going to put my hand up and admit to carrying my son, aged 6, on the standard, unadapted luggage rack on the back of my bike. Only short distances, mind. Illegal? Yes. Dangerous? If I thought so I wouldn't have done it.