'Police need to exercise common sense,' says cyclist (From Gazette)
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'Police need to exercise common sense,' says cyclist
11:00am Friday 2nd November 2012 in News
'Police need to exercise common sense,' says cyclist
A MAN who claims he was fined for avoiding smashed glass while riding on his bike has called for more common sense from police.
Tony Clarke, 31, was cycling along Magnolia Drive, in Greenstead, on Tuesday when he says he spotted broken glass in his line.
Instead of going through it and risking a puncture, he mounted the kerb to avoid it.
Partner Charlie Leighton, 27, of Honeysuckle Way, whose bike Tony was using at the time said: “It was as if they were looking to fine him.
“I’ve been out on the bike around Greenstead and there are major problems with the amount of glass on the ground and I’ve had several punctures because of it.
Comments(19)
carnuts
says...
11:31am Fri 2 Nov 12
There are also a multitude of inconsiderate cyclist who use the PEDESTRIAN way at speed, one day there will be a child stepping out from said driveways or footpaths, the outcome will be a dead, or injured child, or OAP.
Guess who will be to blame, the pedestrian for using the pedestrian way and getting in the cyclists way.
TheCaptain
says...
11:37am Fri 2 Nov 12
GreensteadResident
says...
12:10pm Fri 2 Nov 12
Need more police doing this sort of thing.
Well done the police.
Scoot
says...
12:38pm Fri 2 Nov 12
Smouldering Ewok
says...
1:14pm Fri 2 Nov 12
If this guy deserves to be fined then any car that has mounted the pavement and parked, obstructing pedestrians access, deserve the same.
TheCaptain
says...
1:33pm Fri 2 Nov 12
Smouldering Ewok wrote:Too true. The problem is the Council can only fine vehicles parked like this if there are restrictions on the road, Only the police can fine drivers who park on pavements when it's legal to park on the road. And do they care?
I'm going out on a limb here, seems alot of you are anti cyclist these days and maybe for good reason but in this case it does seem a little excessive fining him; but to add to this, the police / parking officers should really start clamping down on drivers who repeatedly block pavements by parking on them.
If this guy deserves to be fined then any car that has mounted the pavement and parked, obstructing pedestrians access, deserve the same.
Scoot
says...
2:46pm Fri 2 Nov 12
romantic
says...
3:39pm Fri 2 Nov 12
Common sense is the keyword here, and being aware of others around you. That means not cycling where there are pedestrians, and not screaming down Brook St or East Hill on the path, as I have seen cyclists do too many times. But if the road is dangerous, I will go on the path.
Sometimes, pedestrians walk in the cycle path. All you can do is slow down, ease past them and hope they realise.
On this specific story, I just don´t believe that he would be fined just for going on and off of the kerb. I´ve done it before to let police cars through and they wave their thanks. I feel there is a "back story" to this.
carnuts
says...
9:39pm Fri 2 Nov 12
I phoned in a report of a car blocking a pavement on a school run, a police officer called round and she told me it's not illigal as she dose it all the time at home.
With police like that nothing will ever get properly sorted.
We need more officers like the one in this report.
Sdapeze
says...
10:36am Sat 3 Nov 12
meddler1
says...
7:10pm Sat 3 Nov 12
Sdapeze wrote:Only outnumbered by the hypocrites slagging off the police.
As usual, the hypocrites are out in force again, slagging off cyclists. Of course, they never park on pavements or park briefly on double yellow lines or exceed the speed limit. The sadness here is the police action where a quiet word of advice would have done the trick. Or is there more to this story than we are being told?
I doubt very much a police officer would be waiting for this type of offence, and I am sure that a quiet word of advice would have been their first approach. But if that didn't resolve it? Or was it even a police officer? Most of the tickets for cycling on the pavement in Colchester are issued by council wardens, not police.
But hey, let's not worry about the details. Far easier to believe an unverified report, and slate the police.
Who would have been equally slated if it was alleged they had not done anything.
rhetoric
says...
8:29pm Sat 3 Nov 12
.
How do you know we commenters are hypocrites? I don't park anywhere as I do not drive. On foot, I certainly would find it difficult to exceed any speed limits!
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A quiet word of advice has no effect on the more dangerous of pavement cyclists - they just go round the corner and have a laugh about it with their mates.
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Get real. Even you may be old one day, and long for the chance to walk quietly on a footpath on a sunny day without being continually "buzzed" by smart alecs on bikes.
Sdapeze
says...
6:38pm Wed 7 Nov 12
charliegirlnuttydoglady
says...
1:54pm Thu 8 Nov 12
charliegirlnuttydoglady
says...
2:02pm Thu 8 Nov 12
TheCaptain
says...
4:25pm Thu 8 Nov 12
thecapedcrusader69
says...
4:55pm Thu 8 Nov 12
TheCaptain wrote:Madness? THIS IS COLCHESTAAAA!!
If that's the case, then yes appeal and complain. Sounds like madness
Boris
says...
9:45pm Thu 8 Nov 12
rhetoric says...
11:13am Fri 2 Nov 12
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Thus, the cyclist would have avoided breaking the law of the UK, which allows for such penalties.
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It is high time that pedestrians were prevented from the menace of two wheeled bullies in their space, and it's no use sending torrents of defensive mails saying "but, I am a very safe person and give consideration to pedestrians". These idiots make a walk a nightmare, especially for the older person who is the very one who can no longer cycle in many cases. Whether they are "safe" or not is unknown to the pedestrian, and who pray tell me, is at the end of each stretch of path to monitor whether the cyclist is "safe" or not? Come one, come all....
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Also, before the nonagenarians start replying that they cycle each and every day and all should do so, remember that if one oap lost their balance through the common affliction of this age, namely ear problems leading to falls, and inadvertently injured someone, yet another torrent of abuse plus petitions galore against elderly cyclists would immediately flow.
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Congratulations to the brave PC who dared to push the matter, and may many more join this man in making our footpaths safe for the elderly, the very young, and the not-so-nimble of all ages. Wallking might become a pleasure again.