Short Rant: Bloody useless police...

[blackpuddinonnabike]

Che, i agree, but I think you mean ...

Quite right. Thank you. Fixed it.

Yep you're right. It is possible to get stuck in them by accident. It is not, however, as Lynx suggests, the probable explanation.

Oh no, I agree with that. The amount of cars you see stopped in the reservoir defies simple bad luck (and what actually amounts to good driving in realising what you have to do). Generally they are rolled into by drivers long after the lights has turned red.

The fact that the driver in the OP was not only in the reservoir, but also on her phone, indicates a possible propensity to not really give a damn about the rules.

[blackpuddinonnabike]

So thats your point of view and opinion.

No, it's an observation. To draw from that observation the conclusion that the car had probably not been forced to stop in the ASL because of traffic conditions would be an opinion, though perhaps a reasonable one (in my opinion). Your statement, by contrast, that the car probably had been forced to stop in the ASL due to traffic conditions, is an opinion. I hope that the observations that have been made demostrate that it is not one that can reasonably be sustained.

In my opinion your observation is correct... 

[Gattopardo]

So thats your point of view and opinion.

No, it's an observation. To draw from that observation the conclusion that the car had probably not been forced to stop in the ASL because of traffic conditions would be an opinion, though perhaps a reasonable one (in my opinion). Your statement, by contrast, that the car probably had been forced to stop in the ASL due to traffic conditions, is an opinion. I hope that the observations that have been made demostrate that it is not one that can reasonably be sustained.

In this case my opinion is the car didn't roll in to it. But in general lots of motorists have no idea what they are as they've not read the highway code recently.

[tiermat]

 You can't even have a phone conversation while watching TV (something that is not mind involving) and know whats going on with both.  

You are usually not in charge of >1 tonne of steel, glass and rubber, which you control with your hands and feet, whilst watching TV though

[blackpuddinonnabike]

And again we can go to the OP.

I had so doubt it was parked, I was wondering if it was stopped or moving.

I pull up at the ASL at the Mall/Trafalgar Square junction.  A Porsche (AS08AAA) is parked in the ASL with a police van parked behind. 

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

[Gattopardo]

 You can't even have a phone conversation while watching TV (something that is not mind involving) and know whats going on with both.  

You are usually not in charge of >1 tonne of steel, glass and rubber, which you control with your hands and feet, whilst watching TV though

Even better if you can't follow a TV  program you shouldn't use it driving a vehicle.  Turn the fu*king thing off and wait till you finish.  I include peds in this too, as they can't seem to talk on the telephone and notice whats going on around them.

[Gattopardo]

And again we can go to the OP.

I had so doubt it was parked, I was wondering if it was stopped or moving.

I pull up at the ASL at the Mall/Trafalgar Square junction.  A Porsche (AS08AAA) is parked in the ASL with a police van parked behind. 

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

Stopped in traffic is not parked, if it was they'd issue parking tickets.

[Ian H]

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

'Parked' in this case is Reg being arch or even sarcastic. A subtle use of language.

[harrumph]

There was all this bloody fanfare when the fine was introduced, but a quick cycle (around London at least) confirms that it is not enforced at all. 

Nor is the 20mph speed limit in the road I live in. Never has been, not even slightly.

The point of these regulations is not to force inconsiderate people to alter their behaviour for the better. It is to enable politicians to say "There, we've introduced a law - now shut up" to people on the receiving end of inconsiderate behaviour 

[Regulator]

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

'Parked' in this case is Reg being arch or even sarcastic. A subtle use of language.

Moi?  Sarcastic?  Never.... 


As it was, the driver entered the ASL illegally, as the traffic light was red when she did so.  The police were just being arses - and I have written to the PSD, although I'm sure I'll get the usual guff that they were busy doing something else or that no such police vehicle exists.

[blackpuddinonnabike]

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

'Parked' in this case is Reg being arch or even sarcastic. A subtle use of language.

Moi?  Sarcastic?  Never.... 


As it was, the driver entered the ASL illegally, as the traffic light was red when she did so.  The police were just being arses - and I have written to the PSD, although I'm sure I'll get the usual guff that they were busy doing something else or that no such police vehicle exists.

I would have taken issue more with you being 'subtle'... 

[Regulator]

EDIT: I would have thought the word 'parked' implied 'stopped', but maybe there's some new-fangled 'moving parking' that I haven't heard about.

'Parked' in this case is Reg being arch or even sarcastic. A subtle use of language.

Moi?  Sarcastic?  Never.... 


As it was, the driver entered the ASL illegally, as the traffic light was red when she did so.  The police were just being arses - and I have written to the PSD, although I'm sure I'll get the usual guff that they were busy doing something else or that no such police vehicle exists.

I would have taken issue more with you being 'subtle'... 

>Insert suitable two finger smiley<

[Che]

>Insert suitable two finger smiley<

Dunno a v-sign smily, but this conveys much the same idea:

[Regulator]

>Insert suitable two finger smiley<

Dunno a v-sign smily, but this conveys much the same idea:

Ah - but .anth might think I'm propositioning him (again).... 

[blackpuddinonnabike]

>Insert suitable two finger smiley<

Dunno a v-sign smily, but this conveys much the same idea:

Ah - but .anth might think I'm propositioning him (again).... 

It certainly removes any ambiguity.... 

[C-3PO]

Masters,

This thread has been edited to remove some posts that either fell short of our guidelines, or quoted the same.

Please think about the effect of your post - editing threads can make my wires begin to smoulder.

Threepio

[teethgrinder]

There was all this bloody fanfare when the fine was introduced, but a quick cycle (around London at least) confirms that it is not enforced at all. 

I see it regularly. I sometimes point at people if I catch them at it. It works better if you're in a group though. Maybe also shout something like, "Watch (out for) that idiot on the phone and driving!"
If you point at someone, other people will look at them. It might at least make them feel uncomfortable. Idealy I'd have a very loud horn I could use, which the person on the other end of their phone would hear. (Via the phone )
Even if I do catch them at it. I very rarely have time to point them out. It's dark inside a car, and you're not at a good angle on a bike.
I'd have thought that London would be better than the rest of the country, but I very rarely visit London, so can't really comment.

[clarion]

I frequently shout 'Get off the phone!', which is often the first time the jerk has noticed me.

[hatler]

I once, on a downhill section, at approx 25 mph tapped heavily on the driver's window of a car the driver of which was so busily engaged in his urgent chat that he completely failed to spot I was about 1' from his right ear.

I think I got my point across.

On reflection this probably wasn't the brightest of moves, but the shock he got at least didn't result in his sticking the wheel hard a starboard. (Phew !)

[GruB]

I pull up at the ASL at the Mall/Trafalgar Square junction.  A Porsche (AS08AAA) is parked in the ASL with a police van parked behind. 

I notice the female driver of the Porsche is busy texting away on her Blackberry.  I inform the police officers in the van behind.  Their response: "What do you expect us to do about it?"

For feck sake - you're police officers!  You should know that it's an offence, you lazy sods.

Number of police van taken - a complaint will be winging its way to the Professional Standards Directorate.   

I didn't know officer discretion had been removed from the police manual?

What sort of van?
Was anyone in the back?
If they were on a task or on route to change a post they cannot and must not stop for trivial matters such as the one you have mentioned.  They were obviously not on an emergency task, however as to the rest one can only assume.

Some on here are too quick to blame the law for their own issues.

[clarion]

If Reg is right about their response, and I would tend to believe him, and he uses direct speech, then I would suggest, GruB, that they didn't give a toss about the dangerous and illegal situation in front of them, or for anyone who might be endangered thereby.

If they were on another task, they could still have called another unit to deal with it.

I mean, if you're travelling somewhere and see a potentially violent incident, do you just ignore it, or do you re-prioritise and stop?

[Polar Bear]

Grub,

I understand your point about officer discretion, other assignment, etc. but surely even a hoot of the horn and a gesture of hand to ear might have been warranted simply to let the idiot know that she had been clocked?

What happens if further down the road, tomorrow etc. she kills somebody at stupid speed in her toy whilst using her chuckleberry to bemoan her lot having just lost her bonus at Tossers Investment Bank?

[GruB]

I haven't read the whole thread.  I will before I reply again.

[Regulator]

I pull up at the ASL at the Mall/Trafalgar Square junction.  A Porsche (AS08AAA) is parked in the ASL with a police van parked behind. 

I notice the female driver of the Porsche is busy texting away on her Blackberry.  I inform the police officers in the van behind.  Their response: "What do you expect us to do about it?"

For feck sake - you're police officers!  You should know that it's an offence, you lazy sods.

Number of police van taken - a complaint will be winging its way to the Professional Standards Directorate.   

I didn't know officer discretion had been removed from the police manual?

What sort of van?
Was anyone in the back?
If they were on a task or on route to change a post they cannot and must not stop for trivial matters such as the one you have mentioned.  They were obviously not on an emergency task, however as to the rest one can only assume.

Some on here are too quick to blame the law for their own issues.

The van was the sort used for ferrying officers - it wasn't a meat wagon.

I wouldn't consider somebody behind the wheel a high powered vehicle, in heavy traffic (and in the midst of a group of cyclists), whilst texting on a Blackberry to be a trivial matter... but maybe that's just me.  I have a funny aversion to be hit by inattentive drivers.

[dkahn400]

I once, on a downhill section, at approx 25 mph tapped heavily on the driver's window of a car the driver of which was so busily engaged in his urgent chat that he completely failed to spot I was about 1' from his right ear.

I think I got my point across.

I had a similar thing last week where I rapped on the window of a car in the nearside lane of the A4 heading east from Gillette Corner. The driver apparently wasn't expecting to be overtaken by a cyclist in the middle lane, but unfortunately was not startled enough to drop her phone. I think the party on the other end would have heard my polite request that she put the thing away though.