Cycling laws that need clarifying

[Dr_Paul]

The majority of bikes in cities appear to be electrically assisted these days, many have adapted the speed limiter to allow higher levels to be attained, this presumably would put them at jeopardy for 20 mph limits as the non mechanical exemption should not apply.

Many of the electric bikes around my way are used by 'box boy' delivery lads, and they all go at considerably over the 15.5mph at which the motor should cut out. This is especially the case with the ones that look more like motor-bikes, with small wheels and fat tyres. On clear roads I ride at about 15mph on my bike and when doing 20mph in my motor, they whizz by, and the rider isn't using his pedals. I was recently driving at 30mph down a main road, and an electric bike, not one of the motor-bike ones, was keeping level with me, again not pedalling. These blokes must have tampered with the motor cut-out. Presumably this isn't too difficult to do.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2024 ==

Interestingly yesterday I was sitting on a road side bench in Goldsmith Avenue Portsmouth waiting for my train home. This is a road which has recently been fitted with dedicated cycle lanes protected by bollards. There were several Ambulances with Blues and twos going just stuck in the traffic as the ex football traffic which was solid in both directions could no longer move out of their way by bumping on to the kerb. THere was one Ambulance that was next to me with its lights going for in excess of 5 mins. Whilst Im sure it must have improved safety for cyclists and e scooters it must have destroyed emergency vehicles respone times on a saturday afternoon at least. Goldsmith Ave is one of the major roads in to the city.

Again, look at what the Dutch have done. Emergency vehicles are permitted to use cycle paths when they come up against traffic on a shout, and the paths are designed with this in mind. The users of the path can clear the way much easier than cars can.

The bus lanes on Waterloo Bridge have been turned into bike lanes, which are separated from the roadway by a three-foot fence, and have stout concrete bollards at either end. There is now just one traffic lane each way, so buses are now mixed up with the motors and lorries. Any emergency service vehicles would have to go in this single lane, because they can't use the bike lane. There is a single-lane pinch-point at the southern foot of Blackfriars Bridge, so all northbound traffic, buses and all, are squeezed into one lane. However, I think that emergency service vehicles are able to use the wide bike lane if the road is (as it often is) jammed, as it doesn't have bollards on it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Sep 2024 ==

The opposite in areas such as Southwark in London , new-builds for social and low-cost housing schemes have not only no provision for car ownership, planning permission approved specifically deprives residents of vehicle ownership, if your address is such a new-build in a CPZ ( controlled parking zone) a parking permit is required for the vehicle to be parked in on a public road within the CPZ, parking permits will not be granted on the basis of the planning permission approval.

A friend of mine was a Councillor on Hackney Council for many years. He told me some 20 years back that many housing developments in the borough were specifically designed without any car-parking spaces specifically in order to deter people from owning motors.

 

[JohnMcL7]

In response to the original query about cycling while over the limit this story highlights a recent example:

Solicitor says wearing Lycra or cycling while overweight should be criminal offence, as drunk cyclist knocked off bike by police fined £350

In one of the more bizarre court proceedings we’ve seen in recent years, a defence solicitor has said that cycling while overweight or wearing Lycra “possibly” should be a criminal offence.Solicitor Seamus Quigley’s joke – or at least we assume it was joke – came as his client, Caolan Roberts...

road.cc

 

[Bikeman78]

In response to the original query about cycling while over the limit this story highlights a recent example:

Solicitor says wearing Lycra or cycling while overweight should be criminal offence, as drunk cyclist knocked off bike by police fined £350

In one of the more bizarre court proceedings we’ve seen in recent years, a defence solicitor has said that cycling while overweight or wearing Lycra “possibly” should be a criminal offence.Solicitor Seamus Quigley’s joke – or at least we assume it was joke – came as his client, Caolan Roberts...

road.cc

Under the influence is a vague statement. Does one pint count? If someone is riding so badly that the Police feel the need to stop them, it shouldn't really matter whether they are drunk or not. I've cycled home after many a trip to the pub and never been stopped.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Under the influence is a vague statement. Does one pint count? If someone is riding so badly that the Police feel the need to stop them, it shouldn't really matter whether they are drunk or not. I've cycled home after many a trip to the pub and never been stopped.

The definition of drunken cycling is based on whether you are cycling competently or not, depending on the individual this can mean it's more or less alcohol than a car. If you read the full story, it sounds like they wanted something to get him on because he was generally behaving badly, a bit like the way you'll only ever get a ticket for having a headlamp bulb out in a car (for instance) rather than just advice to swap it ASAP is if you've committed the "offence" of annoying a Police Officer.

 

[Bikeman78]

The definition of drunken cycling is based on whether you are cycling competently or not, depending on the individual this can mean it's more or less alcohol than a car. If you read the full story, it sounds like they wanted something to get him on because he was generally behaving badly, a bit like the way you'll only ever get a ticket for having a headlamp bulb out in a car (for instance) rather than just advice to swap it ASAP is if you've committed the "offence" of annoying a Police Officer.

That's fair enough, but if you are cycling like an idiot whilst completely sober, I don't think the penalty should be any different. For example, I suspect most of the delivery cyclists are not drunk but they are the worst offenders.

 

[Krokodil]

That's fair enough, but if you are cycling like an idiot whilst completely sober, I don't think the penalty should be any different. For example, I suspect most of the delivery cyclists are not drunk but they are the worst offenders.

There are usually other charges that the police could sting them with if they wanted to. Lights for a start. Riding on the pavement too.