Cambridge lights crackdown making cyclists more switched on, say police

Now can they do something about the latest "Thing" I have seen in Oxford, people holding touches and phones as lights. How on earth they brake safely I don't know. I wish they would have more crackdowns on this, and at the same time pull over cars with broken bulbs. Hand them all fines with the same thing of "Fix the problem and you don't pay the fine" option.

I've no objection to the police stopping cyclists for this sort of thing but it does feel like another example of taking the easy option when it comes to road policing.

Maybe they are doing just as much work with drivers and we just don't hear about it.

I was in Bridge Street a few days ago getting ready to ride off on my bike, had noticed a cheap Schwinn road bike near by me propped up against a lamp post. A crappy set of lights front and rear had been left on and both tyres were totally flat, the front left STI unit was bent around and the hood was a bit damaged. Anyway after 10 minutes of my faffing to get ready, this very young looking bloke and woman scruffily dressed came up to me and said,

Bloke cop : "We have been trying for hours to get this bike nicked".

Me: "Sorry?"

The guy briefly flashed a police warrant card from his jacket.

Bloke cop: "You wouldn't think it would be this hard to lose a bike in Cambridge, a nice bike like this."

Me : "But it's not a nice bike. For a start both tyres are totally flat so no one will get very far on it and front brake/gear lever is bent round, the bar tape is damaged so it's likely had a crash plus it's quite a cheap nasty brand".

Woman Cop : "Well even so …".

Me : "I think a thief and anyone who knows anything about bikes would realise this. Anyway can you not leave this bike here as it is inviting thieves to this area thinking there are bikes to steal. I work near here so leave my bike here and so do a few of my colleagues. We don't want our bikes nicked thank you very much."

Bloke Cop : "Oh right, sorry. We didn't think about that."

He takes the bike and they walk off slowly toward Sydney Street to presumably leave it somewhere else for some one else to be tempted to steal it.

As they walk off several cyclists ride past them in the dark, the wrong way up Bridge Street and Sydney Street, it is one way, and with no lights.

No problem with targeting cyclists, but what about the same crackdown on motorists? Passed 9 cars with defective lights between Addenbrookes and A11 this morning (8am on a very quiet morning).
Roads Policing see no issue with this at all, despite it being far more dangerous.

Yeah only 304 fined is a tiny amount. I see so many cyclists without lights in Cambridge. And before any one starts you must have seen them so they don't need lights lark, there is something called street lighting ambient light but they still need lights on their bikes. And then there are the numptees who have a pathetic rear light with almost flat batteries or the light on their back packs facing the skies to warn aircraft and birds. Muppets.

Arbury and adjacent area Milton Road is a shit hole of a place - chav and drug dealers rife. I have seen deals/exchanges being done in broad daylight. No police ever around.

I wish the plods would patrol Sydney going into Bridge Street more often to catch and fine the tossers who ride the wrong way along these streets and who also on the adjacent narrow pavements causing pedestrians to scatter. Point this out to cyclists and you are routinely told to Fuck off or threatened with violence.

450 people is a drop in the ocean in Cambridge, but at least they're doing something I guess.