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Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 25th 09, 03:07 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Tom Crispin
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Posts: 4,229
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.

(OK - so it's trollish wording, but that's about the position of
things in London at the moment.)
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  #2  
Old April 25th 09, 03:14 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Marc[_2_]
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Posts: 1,589
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

Tom Crispin wrote:
New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.

(OK - so it's trollish wording, but that's about the position of
things in London at the moment.)

You are Dugh AICMFP!
  #3  
Old April 25th 09, 03:16 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Toom Tabard
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Posts: 523
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On 25 Apr, 15:07, Tom Crispin
wrote:
New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.


No, it doesn't say that in these terms:-

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Met ignore minor driving breaches

Police will not charge drivers going through no entry signs
Police officers in London have been told they no longer have powers to
enforce the law when drivers flout basic rules of the road.

Motorists caught making "minor errors of judgment" should face no more
than words of advice, new Metropolitan Police (Met) guidelines said.

But drivers could be prosecuted if caught on street cameras owned by
local authorities in the capital.

And police can still act if the driving puts other road users at
risk.

The new guidelines say officers should not act if they spot drivers
ignoring no entry signs, turning restrictions, traffic direction
signs, flow priority, no u-turns and vehicle restrictions.

This is purely about getting the cash in to the council's coffers

Anti-camera campaigner Captain Gatso

A memo circulated to officers this week read: "Where officers witness
offences in circumstances that amount to minor errors of judgment,
drivers may continue to be stopped and words of advice given, however,
no formal warning may be given or reporting action taken.

"Officers must not tell drivers that no proceedings will be brought as
a local authority civil enforcement notice could still be issued, for
example where the authority has captured the offence on camera."

A Met spokesman said: "Following a review of police powers after the
introduction of the Traffic Management Act 2004 and the Transport for
London Act 2003 police no longer have legal power to enforce certain
moving traffic offences involving non compliance with signs.

"The power for enforcement now lies with Transport for London and
local councils.

"Where officers see driving that is blatantly of a poor standard or
that endangers other road users police will still intervene and take
action under their general powers to tackle dangerous or careless
driving."

Anti-camera campaigner Captain Gatso said: "This is purely about
getting the cash in to the council's coffers."

A Transport for London spokesman said: "We would rather motorists
understood and complied with the rules rather than issue a high number
of penalty charge notices.

"Any money raised from traffic enforcement is put back into improving
London's roads and traffic control."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Toom




  #4  
Old April 25th 09, 03:17 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
francis
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Posts: 723
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On Apr 25, 3:07*pm, Tom Crispin
wrote:
New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.

(OK - so it's trollish wording, but that's about the position of
things in London at the moment.)


Are these cyclists going to be persecuted for other 'minor'
infringements such as ignoring red lights, cycling across pedestrian
crossings while said pedestrians are crossing, cycling the wrong way
down one way streets, ignoring no entry signs, cycling on pedestrian
footways & in pedestrian areas.
Because 'but that's about the position of things in London at the
moment.'

Francis
  #5  
Old April 25th 09, 03:45 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Nuxx Bar
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,790
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On Apr 25, 3:07*pm, Tom Crispin
wrote:
New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.


You know perfectly well that it's nothing like that. Motorists will
nearly always now be fined for every little infringement, however
minor and with no discretion whatsoever, due to the presence of
council cameras. Like with parking, the whole thing will now be about
taking as much money from motorists as possible, and the original aims
of the laws (keeping traffic moving and road users safe) will be of no
concern whatsoever to the councils.

Additionally, uninsured, unlicensed and drunk drivers will now get
away with it *even more* than they already do because the police will
be stopping even fewer people. As usual with remote enforcement, only
those who register their cars and use their own cars will have
anything to worry about. It's a bloody disgrace.

This is yet more bad news for mainly law-abiding motorists, and yet
another stealth tax (how nice during this economic climate), and
doubtless the car-haters here are jumping for joy, even while
pretending to be indignant that motorists will now have it "easier".
  #6  
Old April 25th 09, 05:57 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Ben C
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Posts: 3,084
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On 2009-04-25, Tom Crispin wrote:
New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.

(OK - so it's trollish wording, but that's about the position of
things in London at the moment.)


It doesn't say they can legally flout rules, just that enforcement
becomes the responsibility of local council and TfL thugs rather than
of the (considerably more competent and qualified) police.

Expect more fines and less safety.
  #7  
Old April 25th 09, 07:18 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Tom Crispin
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,229
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On Sat, 25 Apr 2009 07:45:10 -0700 (PDT), Nuxx Bar
wrote:

New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.


You know perfectly well that it's nothing like that. Motorists will
nearly always now be fined for every little infringement, however
minor and with no discretion whatsoever, due to the presence of
council cameras.


In that case, the guidelines have my full support.
  #8  
Old April 26th 09, 01:34 AM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Rob Morley
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Posts: 7,173
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On Sat, 25 Apr 2009 15:07:09 +0100
Tom Crispin wrote:

New guidelines issued to the Metropolitan police means that motorists
can openly flout many highway code rules without risk of the police
taking any action other than a word in their ear.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7874363.stm

In contrast, cyclists will still be persecuted for minor
infringements, such as mounting a kerb to avoid the mortal perils of
left turning lorries encroaching on ASLs.

(OK - so it's trollish wording, but that's about the position of
things in London at the moment.)


Do those "certain moving traffic offences involving non compliance
with signs" not apply in the same way to cyclists too?

  #10  
Old April 26th 09, 06:00 PM posted to uk.rec.cycling
Just zis Guy, you know?[_2_]
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Posts: 4,166
Default Motorists can legally flout the rules of the road

On Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:24:24 GMT,
wrote:

Cyclists, of course, will continue to flout road traffic law and ignore the
highway code, as they have always done.


Just like drivers, in fact. Your point?

Guy
--
http://www.chapmancentral.co.uk/urc | http://www.nohelmetlaw.org.uk/

"To every complex problem there is a solution which is
simple, neat and wrong" - HL Mencken

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