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Cyclists / electric scooter users

I see the law being broken all the time in London and lots of dangerous behaviour yet nothing gets done. It seems accepted that road laws don't apply to bicycles and scooters and police turn a blind eye.

A lot of cyclists insist on using pacements/paths rather than the road and show no regard for pedestrians - some of them appear to think they own the pavement. Electric scooters although illegal are allowed to speed about wherever they want despite their lack of safety.

Should the police be doing more?
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Comments

  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,640
    The week before last pcso's and the Police were at the traffic lights in Greenwich town centre for 3 days catching  cyclists doing the lights, riding on the pavement etc.
  • Elthamaddick
    Elthamaddick Posts: 15,810
    'light blue touch paper and retreat'

    5...4...3...2...1...
  • Rothko
    Rothko Posts: 18,801
    I nearly got ran over this morning, by a car driver on their mobile, who probably if they had hit me, killed or seriously injured me. 

    As for electric scooters, they will be made legal at some point this year, and the police attitude at the moment is that as long as they aren't ridden recklessly they'll do nothing, and anyway, resources are needed elsewhere. 
  • Stu_of_Kunming
    Stu_of_Kunming Posts: 17,117
    Electric scooters are illegal? That seems like a ridiculous decision.
  • seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
  • Rothko
    Rothko Posts: 18,801
    seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
    Cyclists get stopped all the time, see it every day in Aldgate, either by the Met or CoL police, and usually for good reason
  • Stu_of_Kunming
    Stu_of_Kunming Posts: 17,117
    seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
    They're not.
  • Rothko said:
    I nearly got ran over this morning, by a car driver on their mobile, who probably if they had hit me, killed or seriously injured me. 

    As for electric scooters, they will be made legal at some point this year, and the police attitude at the moment is that as long as they aren't ridden recklessly they'll do nothing, and anyway, resources are needed elsewhere. 
    Electric scooters and bicycles are ridden recklessly in Central London and in general nothing is done. If a disabled or elderly person gets knocked over on the pavement or a crossing by a reckless cyclist or scooter user is this okay?
  • seth plum
    seth plum Posts: 53,448
    seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
    I suppose it is about priority of danger. Deal with the Howitzers more than the Catapults even if both are undesirable.

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  • seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
    They're not.
    Maybe I'm missing something - never see the police taking any action although @Baldybonce says he has.
  • kigelia
    kigelia Posts: 2,582
    I work in central London on an ambulance and as a cycle responder. The law is broken all day every day by cyclists and car/van/any motorised vehicle. It is rarely enforced by police simply because there are too many offences and not enough police.

    i have seen road users or all sorts (powered or otherwise) stopped by police for their actions but not as often as it should.

    the big issue is that everyone thinks they are a better, more skilled, road user than others. They all cite example of others breaking the law of just being a bit of a dick. They neglect to mention the times they pulled out without looking or passed another road user a little too closely. Hit the curb when cornering. Jumped a light to save a few seconds or went a little too fast.

    if we all reflect on what we are doing and try to do it better the roads will be much safer. As opposed to sitting in ivory towers bemoaning everyone else on the road.
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,640
    .cyclists being nickedType your comment
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,640
    .
  • TalBHAndreBA
    TalBHAndreBA Posts: 380
    seth plum said:
    Vehicles on the road kill cyclists and scooter users regularly.
    Therefore cyclists and scooter users seek safer options.
    Many of them proceed like utter bastards with regard to pedestrians, as do drivers on roads when for example turning, or when pedestrians want to cross, or are crossing.
    All road users with wheels can behave like bastards, however some are much more lethal than others.
    The question is why are road laws not applied to cyclists and electric scooter users? Motorists are hammered continually yet police and authorities turn a blind eye to clowns on two wheels?

    Why are cyclists/scooter users allowed to break the law without fear of prosecution?

    Obviously cars/lorries are more dangerous but are we saying two wheelers are exempt now?
    They're not.
    Maybe I'm missing something - never see the police taking any action although @Baldybonce says he has.
    Many examples of the police stopping cyclists can be found here - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=police+cyclist 
  • Rothko
    Rothko Posts: 18,801
    And anyway, Electric Scooters should be legal in the next few months, and then the likes of Lime and Bird will be all over the major cities like they are in the US and large parts of Europe
  • kigelia said:
    I work in central London on an ambulance and as a cycle responder. The law is broken all day every day by cyclists and car/van/any motorised vehicle. It is rarely enforced by police simply because there are too many offences and not enough police.

    i have seen road users or all sorts (powered or otherwise) stopped by police for their actions but not as often as it should.

    the big issue is that everyone thinks they are a better, more skilled, road user than others. They all cite example of others breaking the law of just being a bit of a dick. They neglect to mention the times they pulled out without looking or passed another road user a little too closely. Hit the curb when cornering. Jumped a light to save a few seconds or went a little too fast.

    if we all reflect on what we are doing and try to do it better the roads will be much safer. As opposed to sitting in ivory towers bemoaning everyone else on the road.
    We could have a separate thread on motorists but this one is about bikes/scooters.

    I see with alarming regularity cyclists jumping red lights, crossing pedestrian crossings while pedestrians are crossing and cycling at high speed on pavements/paths where pedestrians have to keep out of the way. It may be a minority but it's there and seems to be increasing and I've had a number of near misses whilst out with my daughter who is a wheelchair user from aggresive cyclists. We now have electric scooters to add to the mix.

    The argument 'it's okay for us because vehicles are more dangerous isn't good enough'.

    The law should be applied to all?

  • Rothko said:
    And anyway, Electric Scooters should be legal in the next few months, and then the likes of Lime and Bird will be all over the major cities like they are in the US and large parts of Europe
    And how will the law be applied regarding safety - London's roads/pavements are patently not set up for it.
  • .cyclists being nickedType your comment
    Good.
  • Rizzo
    Rizzo Posts: 6,431
    edited July 2019
    I've been working in the same area (Bishopsgate) for about 12 years now and in that entire time I have seen cyclists being arrested, or even spoken to, by police on maybe 2 or 3 occasions, yet I see them blatantly breaking the law multiple times every single day. These twunts just ride straight through crowds of pedestrians on pedestrian crossings and then get all arsey when anyone says something.

    Cyclists should be licensed and insured at the very least in the same way as motorists. They should probably also be taxed but that goes against current thinking on transport so unlikely to happen.

    EDIT- That being said, I do also have sympathy for cyclists as many pedestrians are so focused on their bloody smartphones that they lack any form of awareness (or even survival instinct).
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  • Rizzo said:
    I've been working in the same area (Bishopsgate) for about 12 years now and in that entire time I have seen cyclists being arrested, or even spoken to, by police on maybe 2 or 3 occasions, yet I see them blatantly breaking the law multiple times every single day. These twunts just ride straight through crowds of pedestrians on pedestrian crossings and then get all arsey when anyone says something.

    Cyclists should be licensed and insured at the very least in the same way as motorists. They should probably also be taxed but that goes against current thinking on transport so unlikely to happen.
    Agreed - their anonymity shouldn't protect them. Motorists don't have it.
  • I think the public bicycle hire scheme in London should carry a government health warning in much the same way as a packet of cigarettes does.  A few statistics like the ones below and maybe some graphic photographs of accidents.  At least that would be honest in highlighting the risks involved.








    Incidentally, quite an interesting view Cyclists: Scourge Of The Streets?  Recently aired on Channel 5, can still be viewed on catch up TV. 

     
  • Baldybonce
    Baldybonce Posts: 9,640
    Can we include the new dickhead on the block?

    The scooter riding takeaway delivery rider. 
  • Can we include the new dickhead on the block?

    The scooter riding takeaway delivery rider. 
    The cycling takeaway riders near me refuse to use the road and insist on cycling flat out on the pavement - it's a miracle they don't hit people. I look forward to scooters joining the ranks.

    I'm.assuming they're all insured.
  • I think the public bicycle hire scheme in London should carry a government health warning in much the same way as a packet of cigarettes does.  A few statistics like the ones below and maybe some graphic photographs of accidents.  At least that would be honest in highlighting the risks involved.








    Incidentally, quite an interesting view Cyclists: Scourge Of The Streets?  Recently aired on Channel 5, can still be viewed on catch up TV. 

     
    Regarding accidents it would be interesting to determine the cause. A lot of Britain's roads are really never going to be safe for motorists and cyclists to share.

    I stopped cycling in central London after working on an orthopaedic ward and seeing the level of cycling injuries - some were pretty awful.

    Not all accidents are down to motorists - there are some cyclists who don't have road sense and those who take too many risks. Not sure what the solution is?
  • charltonkeston
    charltonkeston Posts: 7,359

    Scooters, electric or otherwise, should smashed up on sight. They are the most ridiculous mode of transport for an adult to ride.

    Just my opinion, but I don't know a single person who would disagree.

  • Scooters, electric or otherwise, should smashed up on sight. They are the most ridiculous mode of transport for an adult to ride.

    Just my opinion, but I don't know a single person who would disagree.

    It's an age thing - they fit a particular profile.
  • Leuth
    Leuth Posts: 23,314
    I had a year or two of commuting on a little foot-scooter. When I moved back to SE London it obviously became a nonsense and was given its last dues. But it worked very nicely when I was just travelling around West London, and it kept me active 
  • Daggs
    Daggs Posts: 1,344

    Scooters, electric or otherwise, should smashed up on sight. They are the most ridiculous mode of transport for an adult to ride.

    Just my opinion, but I don't know a single person who would disagree.


    If you're including motor scooters of historic nature (Lambretta/Vespa etc.) Or indeed modern 'twist 'n' go' scooters (they're scooters not mopeds if over 50cc) I could introduce you to several thousand individuals who would disagree.
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,206
    I think the public bicycle hire scheme in London should carry a government health warning in much the same way as a packet of cigarettes does.  A few statistics like the ones below and maybe some graphic photographs of accidents.  At least that would be honest in highlighting the risks involved.








    Incidentally, quite an interesting view Cyclists: Scourge Of The Streets?  Recently aired on Channel 5, can still be viewed on catch up TV. 

     
    Look on the bright side, how many of those that died recycled their organs?