Why are Police now enforcing laws & advising cyclists?
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-250804...
Why has it taken the recent spike of deaths to trigger this action? It is not as if the recent deaths are anything above the normal annual figures!
Courtesy of http://fullfact.org/factchecks/londons_cyclists_ro...
Meanwhile is there any legal basis for offering riders "advice"?
Surely that could be done by volunteers from BRAKE rather than using police resources, and leave the police to tackle all those unfit vehicles!
BBC News said:
About 2,500 traffic police officers will be on London's streets during rush hours following the deaths of six cyclists over 14 days.
Operation Safeway will see Metropolitan Police officers deployed at 166 key junctions where they will issue fixed penalty notices to people breaking road traffic laws.
About 650 officers will be at 60 sites across London on Monday.
There have been 14 cyclist deaths in London this year, nine involving HGVs.
The officers will also be offering advice to anyone seen putting themselves or other road uses at risk. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other motorists.
The number of police and locations will rise as the operation progresses. The force said it would continue until Christmas when it would then be reviewed.
The force said the operation was not costing it extra money.
Why the sudden change in attitude to cyclists? Apparently this operation has resulted in many cyclists being stopped and "advised" over matters such as cutting corners and wearing headphones, while some of the HGVs stopped have been found to be unfit for the road!Operation Safeway will see Metropolitan Police officers deployed at 166 key junctions where they will issue fixed penalty notices to people breaking road traffic laws.
About 650 officers will be at 60 sites across London on Monday.
There have been 14 cyclist deaths in London this year, nine involving HGVs.
The officers will also be offering advice to anyone seen putting themselves or other road uses at risk. This includes pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and other motorists.
The number of police and locations will rise as the operation progresses. The force said it would continue until Christmas when it would then be reviewed.
The force said the operation was not costing it extra money.
Why has it taken the recent spike of deaths to trigger this action? It is not as if the recent deaths are anything above the normal annual figures!
Courtesy of http://fullfact.org/factchecks/londons_cyclists_ro...
Meanwhile is there any legal basis for offering riders "advice"?
Surely that could be done by volunteers from BRAKE rather than using police resources, and leave the police to tackle all those unfit vehicles!
The recent fatalities have been more high-profile, down mainly to the short time frame they have occurred in. Personally I think this is a good idea - Police resources spent educating people and preventing serious accidents/deaths rather than just picking up the pieces afterwards is totally worthwhile IMO.
Mill Wheel said:
Meanwhile is there any legal basis for offering riders "advice"?
Surely that could be done by volunteers from BRAKE rather than using police resources, and leave the police to tackle all those unfit vehicles!
Advising cyclists who are doing something potentially dangerous but not illegal, whilst removing HGV's from the roads that are unfit to be there. I'm fine with both of those things.Surely that could be done by volunteers from BRAKE rather than using police resources, and leave the police to tackle all those unfit vehicles!
It's being doing because of a recent spike (closely linked to the change of season). This is an annual thing - the sudden jump in the number of road accidents, and is part of the reason I avoid road riding for a few weeks around the time the clocks go back, it's the most dangerous time of the year to be on the roads.
Monkeylegend said:
They were all over St Pancras this morning, stopping cyclists and motorists. They were checking the tatty looking seat belts on a Transit so beware.
I can't help wondering why this sudden crackdown?Was this not an important measure to ensure safety and compliance with the law until now?
What happens when the fuss over a few cyclists dies down... will we return to the normal scheme of things where a number of unfit vehicles escape detection?
The report DOES say that this operation has NOT required additional funding...
Met Spokesperson said:
The number of police and locations will rise as the operation progresses. The force said it would continue until Christmas when it would then be reviewed.
The force said the operation was not costing it extra money.
The force said the operation was not costing it extra money.
Media shout about the autumn spike in deaths => Police Chief gets his ear bent by the government => Police operation instigated.
IMO:
Is it a good thing? Yes.
Is it a shame it has to wait until the media focus on it? Yes.
Would it be good all year round? Yes, but...
Would that have negative impacts on other operations? Almost certainly.
IMO:
Is it a good thing? Yes.
Is it a shame it has to wait until the media focus on it? Yes.
Would it be good all year round? Yes, but...
Would that have negative impacts on other operations? Almost certainly.
ewenm said:
Media shout about the autumn spike in deaths => Police Chief gets his ear bent by the government => Police operation instigated.
IMO:
Is it a good thing? Yes.
Is it a shame it has to wait until the media focus on it? Yes.
Would it be good all year round? Yes, but...
Would that have negative impacts on other operations? Almost certainly.
IMO:
Is it a good thing? Yes.
Is it a shame it has to wait until the media focus on it? Yes.
Would it be good all year round? Yes, but...
Would that have negative impacts on other operations? Almost certainly.
Or existing planned road safety operation gets rolled out earlier we are a week or two away from the Christmas Party season, The Media focus on it is required you can do it without the focus but each officer can only influence the people they stop have the media focus and the police can speak to the general population via TV interviews News pieces etc.
As to Negative impacts on other operations it depedns on what the other operations are.
Funk said:
ewenm said:
Media shout about the autumn spike in deaths => Police Chief gets his ear bent by the government => Police operation instigated.
Yep - the ol' "..seen to be doing something..." knee-jerk.Long overdue might be a phrase that springs to mind - the Met run the risk that the success of this, brings calls as to why they didn't address this earlier!
Mill Wheel,
I cannot help but notice that your concern is that 'unfit' vehicles will not be identified 'when this all dies down'. (ignoring the annual MOT for now).
Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
I cannot help but notice that your concern is that 'unfit' vehicles will not be identified 'when this all dies down'. (ignoring the annual MOT for now).
Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
Mill Wheel said:
Funk said:
ewenm said:
Media shout about the autumn spike in deaths => Police Chief gets his ear bent by the government => Police operation instigated.
Yep - the ol' "..seen to be doing something..." knee-jerk.Long overdue might be a phrase that springs to mind - the Met run the risk that the success of this, brings calls as to why they didn't address this earlier!
Devil2575 said:
Hol said:
Mill Wheel,
Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
I'd imagine that most people who cycle have a decent level of fitness Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
Hol said:
Devil2575 said:
Hol said:
Mill Wheel,
Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
I'd imagine that most people who cycle have a decent level of fitness Are we to assume that you believe that there are no 'unfit' cyclists also? (I do not see this balance of opnion in your comments?)
In all seriousness, I have worn headphones in the past, but only when listening to non music based podcasts. The ability to hear a car comming up behind you is invaluable.
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