Why are Cyclists Exempt Traffic Laws?

[Gareth J]

I find it interesting that in the same week (or two) we have had two high profile figures allegedly involved in motoring offences, i.e.
Mr Clarkson and the alleged use of a mobile phone whilst driving.
&
Mr Cameron & the jumping of red lights, driving the wrong way up a one way street + a number of other offences.

What is of particular interest is that the Police choose to investigate the offence involving a car, but not to investigate the offence involving a bicycle.

I am certain if the Police had a picture of me jumping a red light I would receive notification of prosecution or a fixed penalty fine, similarly for driving the wrong way up a one-way street. In fact with the number of offences involved in the one journey I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been me I would have received notification of a prosecution for dangerous driving.

Why are cyclists immune from prosecution where as those using motorised vehicles (motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries etc) are immediately demonised, prosecuted & fined at every opportunity.

It appears by definition, because I use a motorised vehicle, in the eyes of the law I am a criminal to be pursued at every opportunity.

To add insult to injury, the only time we ever see police in my area is when they are setting up mobile speed traps, sorry, safety cameras.

Sorry for the rant, Just feedup with being made to feel like a criminal because I drive.

Gareth

[Reikimaster]

Originally Posted by Gareth J

I find it interesting that in the same week (or two) we have had two high profile figures allegedly involved in motoring offences, i.e.
Mr Clarkson and the alleged use of a mobile phone whilst driving.
&
Mr Cameron & the jumping of red lights, driving the wrong way up a one way street + a number of other offences.

What is of particular interest is that the Police choose to investigate the offence involving a car, but not to investigate the offence involving a bicycle.

I am certain if the Police had a picture of me jumping a red light I would receive notification of prosecution or a fixed penalty fine, similarly for driving the wrong way up a one-way street. In fact with the number of offences involved in the one journey I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been me I would have received notification of a prosecution for dangerous driving.

Why are cyclists immune from prosecution where as those using motorised vehicles (motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries etc) are immediately demonised, prosecuted & fined at every opportunity.

It appears by definition, because I use a motorised vehicle, in the eyes of the law I am a criminal to be pursued at every opportunity.

To add insult to injury, the only time we ever see police in my area is when they are setting up mobile speed traps, sorry, safety cameras.

Sorry for the rant, Just feedup with being made to feel like a criminal because I drive.

Gareth

jumping a red light!
i loved the way that one was reported, he sped through the lights across a line of flowing traffic, endangering the lives of everyone within 10 miles,

err No, he crept forward, over the line but still well back from where traffic would flow. (**did not see any more of the vid so dont know if he actually progress across traffic while the lights were red)
how many times has the xxxxx (cant remember the paper) reporter stopped slightly past the lines?

the wrong way up a street, again no traffic, but i agree he should have got off and walked it for the 100yds.

also i agree, but what are they going to do?? take his cycle proficiency away?

cyclist,
dont have any formal road training,
dont have any insurance

both of which is wrong, just because it does not have an engine does not mean you should not be responsible on the roads

[dct]

Karma...

We are environmentally friendly so exempt from stopping. When you're on a cycle, you avoid stopping, it costs time.

Dan

(tongue only half in cheek!)

[Reikimaster]

Originally Posted by dct

Karma...

We are environmentally friendly so exempt from stopping. When you're on a cycle, you avoid stopping, it costs time.

Dan

(tongue only half in cheek!)

totally understand that,
i have actually been pulled over by the police with lights flashing and siren going, for 'jumping a red light' when the only reason i crept forward (after the pedestrian bleeps had stopped and there were no people there anyway) was i knew there was going to be a car pulling up behind me, i had seen it at the far end of the road as i had pulled up to the lights, and if i had waited till the lights changed 'they' woudl have been jumping the lights to get through.

turned out to be a police car and they pulled me! no fine, no nothing, just got told off, even though there was no other traffic on the road and no pedestrians anywhere.

[gpj]

Originally Posted by Gareth J

I find it interesting that in the same week (or two) we have had two high profile figures allegedly involved in motoring offences, i.e.
Mr Clarkson and the alleged use of a mobile phone whilst driving.
&
Mr Cameron & the jumping of red lights, driving the wrong way up a one way street + a number of other offences.

What is of particular interest is that the Police choose to investigate the offence involving a car, but not to investigate the offence involving a bicycle.

I am certain if the Police had a picture of me jumping a red light I would receive notification of prosecution or a fixed penalty fine, similarly for driving the wrong way up a one-way street. In fact with the number of offences involved in the one journey I wouldn’t be surprised if it had been me I would have received notification of a prosecution for dangerous driving.

Why are cyclists immune from prosecution where as those using motorised vehicles (motorcycles, cars, vans, lorries etc) are immediately demonised, prosecuted & fined at every opportunity.

It appears by definition, because I use a motorised vehicle, in the eyes of the law I am a criminal to be pursued at every opportunity.

To add insult to injury, the only time we ever see police in my area is when they are setting up mobile speed traps, sorry, safety cameras.

Sorry for the rant, Just feedup with being made to feel like a criminal because I drive.

Gareth

or maybe they just can't pass the driving tests, just a thought . . .

[Pubbloke]

I do remember seeing a show the other week showing cycle cops in london stopping and giving out fines to any cyclists running red lights. They had check points setup at major junctions just to catch them when they did it.

[yellowduke]

They have no exemptions and are just as liable as the rest of us. Only thing is no one gives a s*** unless they can use it to sell papers.

Jim

[turbanator]

Originally Posted by OP

Why are Cyclists Exempt Traffic Laws?

They are not, they are w@nkers, two have nearly had me while I have been walking on paths reserved for pedestrians (hallo cyclists, that's people walking) tw@ts!
Feet = paths, wheeled = roads .... there, that's not hard, is it?

[nigelH]

Having been sworn at by a cyclist coming the wrong way down a one way street at extreme speed and nearly wasting me crossing the road I have to assume there is some law I was not aware of that exempts them from responsibility, sanity and traffic rules.

But then that was in Brighton...

[nickb]

Originally Posted by Gareth J

Sorry for the rant, Just feedup with being made to feel like a criminal because I drive.

Well, I'm a regular cycling commuter so I'll give you my slant on this:

My daily commute is around seven miles each way. Less than half a mile of which is segregated cycle path: in a major European capital city!

So, unless I ride on the pavement (which is the council's way of adding cycle-path miles to their total), I'm forced to cycle on the highway.

I have to treat every other road user as a potential threat. I ride aggressively and use as much of the lane as I think I need. When I'm faced with the choice of stopping at a red light or not, I have to weigh-up the risks I might be faced with if I do:

i) is there any way of bailing-out if I don't clip-in to my pedals first time?
ii) am I in the right gear to get away quickly when the lights change?
iii) has the nutter behind me, actually registered my existence?
etc.

Many times, I've weighed-up these options and decided that it's far safer to just carry-on through.

I can imagine how much this must piss car drivers off, but the consequences of me cycling through a red light are insignificant (to anyone but me and my family) compared to those that a car/taxi/truck/bus would have.

As soon as anyone finds out that I'm a cyclist, the tales about us all running red lights start coming out. I hear this crap every day at work. I never hear anyone mention the cars, especially mini-cabs, they see doing the same thing.

Anyone that knows me will vouch that I'm the last person in the world to jump to a Tory's defence, but Cameron's just cycling to work FFS; he's not driving an X5 around the streets of Kensington. I appreciate he's only cashing-in on the Zeitgeist, but if every over-privileged twat in this country made one futile gesture, we'd be just that little bit closer to where we'd like to be.

Shame on the Daily Mirror for this gutter journalism. When I was a kid, the Mirror used to run exclusives from John Pilger; this shit just demonstrates how far removed they are from that sort of quality journalism.

And shame on all the dickheads who are falling for this crap.