London police crackdown

awavey

Mayhemwmb wrote:

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Careful what you wish for. If the plod start enforcing 'the law' only, they could fine you for not having rear and pedal reflectors.

Pedal reflectors?????? Where is that covered - Certainly not in the highway code........

erm try point number 60, which is probably 60 more than the number of lesser spotted bordering on the mythical clipless pedals you see around with such reflectors...

https://www.gov.uk/rules-for-cyclists-59-to-82/overview-59-to-71

...only been in there for 30 years :roll:

awavey

CRAIGO5000 wrote:

That's amazing. The irony as the copper preaches safety while the white van man goes through a red light.

There's just no point in ANY of the police doing this. It's a waste of time and a waste of resources. If Mr white van man doesn't give a shoot when the lights are full of hi-vis coppers, he's not going to be arsed in a week when this all blows over and some nodder is in his way. More drivers share the attitudes of the above van driver and if they can get to their destination more quickly, or squeeze through that tiny gap that doesn't exist or jump a light in order to gain that tiny and pointless advantage then they will take it 100% of the time.

dont disagree at all, even with a the police and a camera crew filming watching how people approach the ASL is instructive, the moped certainly stopped rapidly given the road conditions.

and as for the van, sheesh, that was almost pure comedy gold, here is some guy lecturing us on cycling safely and behind him theres a van who has no intention of stopping on amber at all. and not one of the trained and experienced observers whose very being there is to observe this stuff, notices anything.

so Im not sure either what the point is, other than to show something is being done (though its timing might not be connected, lots of the police authorities seem to have all been to some cycling safety boot camp and running similar schemes though not in the numbers the met are using).

but singling people out to lecture them with advice seems the wrong approach, have any of the cars been stopped and advised about switching to winter tyres yet, or carrying blankets, first aid kits, warm drinks, not setting off unless their trip was absolutely necessary.

I mean my bike is off the road at the moment, but I dont always clip my lights in when its daylight as it saves faffing around later when I reach my destination, or more importantly leaving them behind and then finding out when its dark theyve disappeared. Id be quite ticked off to be stopped in broad daylight (I dont wear hi-viz either) to be advised to use some lights, whilst other vehicles are actually doing stuff thats breaking the rules.

The Rookie

Mayhemwmb wrote:

PoweredByIdris wrote:

Careful what you wish for. If the plod start enforcing 'the law' only, they could fine you for not having rear and pedal reflectors.

Pedal reflectors?????? Where is that covered - Certainly not in the highway code........

Covered under RVLR (Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations) and as pointed out the answer is yes as well.

I have rear reflectors (3M Diamond tape) and sort of pedal Reflectors (3M diamond tape on the crank arms) which are usually hidden by the panniers anyway!

jonnyboy77

Police visibility was notably lower this morning? I don't think I saw a single one between Putney & Blackfriars ...

redhanded

I saw exactly zero police on my route from Chiswick to Tower Hill.

slowbike

robwatkins wrote:

Edit: just watched this video on the BBC about Operation Safeway - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25089161. Skip to 44s and watch the second van jump the lights on amber at what looks like quite a speed, moments before it goes red. The police (three of them!) don't even bat an eyelid and continue to stand around talking to each other .

He may have gone through on Amber - just ... of course he should've stopped - but then Mr Plod wasn't in a suitable place to judge when the lights were on the turn so not able to catch the marginal jumpers ...

theotherjake

So much for keeping a presence up til Christmas, on my journey from Southgate to Soho this morning I saw zero Police even at Oxford Circus...

robwatkins

Slowbike wrote:

robwatkins wrote:

Edit: just watched this video on the BBC about Operation Safeway - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25089161. Skip to 44s and watch the second van jump the lights on amber at what looks like quite a speed, moments before it goes red. The police (three of them!) don't even bat an eyelid and continue to stand around talking to each other .

He may have gone through on Amber - just ... of course he should've stopped - but then Mr Plod wasn't in a suitable place to judge when the lights were on the turn so not able to catch the marginal jumpers ...

I take your point but the fact the police aren't set up to do anything about these types of offence highlights how one sided the crackdown is. The vehicle speeding to get through the lights is a big danger to cyclists and the law should be enforced properly.

goonz

Think most of the coppers are in the East side of London. Saw a fair few on my in this morning.

slowbike

goonz wrote:

Think most of the coppers are in the East side of London. Saw a fair few on my in this morning.

I saw a policeman yesterday ...

Well - I say I saw one - a police car overtook me on the way to work and then a bit later went the other way ... I'm assuming it actually had a copper in the car ... may have been 2!

Yes - it's that unusual for me to see a police car (or man) that I can remember it ... no crackdowns where I ride - but then there are no lights to jump either

helz

I saw a few police at Aldgate this morning - one of them was talking to a cyclist who was waiting at the lights - no idea what about.

Squawk

Passing through Brixton at the big junction near the academy, coming from the city towards the station this evening. Police officer stood on the island. Car pulls right up to the front of the ASL, and sits there for a good minute while the police dude stared at it. Never batted an eyelid.

Butterd2

Other than a couple on the one way system in Greenwich on Monday I've not noticed any police on the Greenwich, Deptford, Jamaica Road run this week, hardly feels like a "blitz". Shame really as a push on policing the ASL and RLJ's could make a real difference.

alan_sherman

Quite a few out today, not many at each junction though. A couple at Putney Hill south circular intersection. Also some on the Fulham Road major junctions and outside the V&A and Science museums

TheBigBean

One quite old police officier near Angel this morning asking a cyclist to back up to behind the line. It was a bit like being at school.

(not sure which part of the Highway Code requires a vehicle to reverse at traffic junctions.....)

Colinthecop

TheBigBean wrote:

One quite old police officier near Angel this morning

Old....?

I think all Cops look about 12 nowadays. :oops:

FransJacques

http://www.bikeradar.com/commuting/news ... nth-39154/

Just 10 a month? Christ, there are 10 cyclists each MINUTE that break laws. Assuming each traffic violation by a van, car, motorcycle, bus or cyclists should be caught and penalised, even a 90/10 law-abiding rider (like me) need not worry about this.

It's like the police saying "we'll catch one expenses cheating MP a year". Which is about par for the course.

Squawk

That's each, not the entire force. Bit of a difference ;-)

TheBigBean

I can't think of a vehicle type / category to whom I would find it remotely challenging to issue 10 fines in one day.

I do also think it is pretty poor form to crack down on cyclists because a lot of have been killed by lorries.

superkenners

Lots on CS2 this week, at the main junctions but not at some of the dodgy one. Spoke to one of them asked him about the Borris lanes, was told they were only advisory for drivers (not that you can see them after dark), so it turns out the whole super highway thing is actually a big downgrade as the old cycle lanes with a white line actually had some legal rights to go along with them. Total joke. Would be interested to know whose decision that was.

The Rookie

TheBigBean wrote:

One quite old police officier near Angel this morning asking a cyclist to back up to behind the line. It was a bit like being at school.

(not sure which part of the Highway Code requires a vehicle to reverse at traffic junctions.....)

None but if he crossed the white stop line on red then being offered the choice between backing up or a ticket I'd have been taking the backing up!

TheBigBean

Back out in force this morning warning motorists about ASLs. Warning not fining.

Was amazed some motorist pulled off a very aggressive undertake of a car whilst overtaking a cyclist right in front of the police. Obviously no reaction from the police.

Guanajuato

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25618915

Looks like the results of the crackdown demonstrate what we've all known all along, that its the #bloodymotorists that are the bigger problem.

cookeeemonster

Guanajuato wrote:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-25618915

Looks like the results of the crackdown demonstrate what we've all known all along, that its the #bloodymotorists that are the bigger problem.

And bear in mind that cyclists filter to the front by their very nature...so it's not uncommon to have between 2-15 cyclists at the front depending on the junction compared to (normally) 2 cars at the front - my point being that there were a hell of a lot more 2 wheeled targets than 4 wheeled for this type of operation/police trap.

awavey

is it wrong to be more worried how people were arrested for assault at these junctions :shock:

The Rookie

No mention made of where the assault occurred.......I suspect it was a case of a suspect being ID'd while stopped for the road traffic offence.