On 01/08/2012 08:07, Bertie Wooster wrote:
On Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:58:27 -0700 (PDT), Doug
wrote:

the police are allowed to create crimes as they go along

This really is a problem.

No it isn't. Don't break the law.

How can the police be allowed to create the crime of "Cycling
northbound over a London bridge", and then punish an infringement by
detaining overnight and withholding the primary means of transport
home.

Usual nonsense. The crime already exists under the Public Order Act 1986.

It leaves the police acting as lawmaker, prosecutor, judge, jury,
prison guard and "executioner".

********.

Public Order Act, Section 14 - Imposing conditions on public assemblies;
provides police the power to impose conditions on assemblies "to prevent
serious public disorder, serious criminal damage or serious disruption
to the life of the community". The conditions are limited to the
specifying of: the number of people who may take part, the location of
the assembly, and its maximum duration.

Should be clear enough even to a primary school teacher.

--
Dave - Cyclists VOR. "Many people barely recognise the bicycle as a
legitimate mode of transport; it is either a toy for children or a
vehicle fit only for the poor and/or strange," Dave Horton, of Lancaster
University, wrote in an interim assessment of the Understanding Walking
and Cycling study. "For them, cycling is a bit embarrassing, they fail
to see its purpose, and have no interest in integrating it into their
lives, certainly on a regular basis."