Cyclist fined for riding in Kensington Gardens says she felt "entrapped"

Ah yes - those tickets will be so effective when given to the thousands of tourists who ride willy-nilly in the park. The Royal Parks hates cyclists - this alleged "upgrade" is actually a downgrade. The existing path is narrow and shared use so the intent is to introduce measures to further restrict cycling. I'd like to belive they would create separate parallel footpaths for cycling and pedestrians, but watch this space...

Posh people dont want common people on their bikes polluting their area eh ?

I can't help but feel that official dislike of people accessing the park on bikes is at the heart of this. The original route is the official permitted route and is one of the few segregated routes through Kensington. The alternative offered between palace gate and Queens gate is not at all safe, not least because there is a lot of construction in the area with tipper trucks and cement trucks frequenting that route. If the parks police think sending cyclists out into that sort of traffic is a safe alternative, they should hang their heads in shame. Were it not for local belligerence, it would be very easy to temporarily re-route the cyclists south along flower lane but they haven't done that, basically because they despise people being on bikes in the first place. It would be good if this came out in the process because the park's (and Kensington council's) attitude to the superhighway was one of contempt and this whole episode is just a continuation of it. I can only conclude that there are some deep rooted prejudices that need to be flushed out in the aforementioned organisations.

If the point of the police being there was prevention, shouldn't they have been standing at the sign to, you know, prevent the infraction?

Had a look the the Kensington Park website. Downloaded the Map. You'd think, if a road was closed, they'd amend the map for the time it was closed. But, no.

So the fine for this minor transgression is the same as I got for speeding whilst driving, says it all.

the Royal Parks hate cyclicts andof course being part of the bloated and outdated monarchy amd forelock tugging we have in this country they are untouchable to be criticsed. 

If you cycle past a police officer or PCSO when asked to stop and fail to do so, you will be prosecuted for 'failing to stop for an officer'. A cyclist in Portsmouth appeared before magistrates for this and another matter. 

Quote:

someone should just trip over the sign and then sue them for placing an A board sign on a path, without the correct planning permission.

Or better still, cycle into it

I cant help but feel there are better things for the police to be doing than standing around in Kensington gardens waiting to fine cyclists like this, the sign is easily misinterpreted as a "there is no cycling outside of designated areas, and youll be fined if you do" not a this bit of cycling path is currently closed, even though nothing appears to have changed much to do anything on the path, it doesnt match any standard sign and it sits on a fork in a path how are you supposed to know what it really means and where it applies, and regardless of the Royal Parks own impression of its status to invent what rules its likes, it almost certainly isnt a legally recognised sign, someone should just trip over the sign and then sue them for placing an A board sign on a path, without the correct planning permission.

I've been cycling this route on and off for the past few years. I spoke to one of the blokes working there: They are putting rumble strips down to deter cyclists on this cycle path.

When there are events on in Hyde Park they close down North Carriage Drive and use it as parking for all the visiting HGVs. This forces all the cyclists, including the novice tourists on Boris bikes (the most dangerous to everyone using the park), onto the path, with pedestrians.  I emailed them to tell them that this was very risky, they weren't bovvered though.

I get the distinct impression that the management at the Royal Parks don't want cyclists using the place. Cars still logjam the place every day though, polluting the air in one of London's few green parks.... 

The sign says " No Cycling"; then says "Cycling outside designated areas is subject to a minimum £60 fine"

So - my interperation of this sign it that it is telling me no cycling except in a designated area. One would have though that a cycle path is a "designated area".

The sign is NOT saying "Cycle Path Closed", which is probbly what they should state if they want people to stop cycling in a designated area.

So I do find the sign confusing, and the policing heavy handed.

It's not entrapment. I think entrapment is when the authorities actively encourage someone to commit a crime.

Lets assume that the sign was there. Pointless thread otherwise.

Why the hell cycle past it? Complete arragance that rules don't apply?

Are those dark clothed figures the law? Doubly stupid then.

I thought the legally recognised no cycling sign was circular, red-rim with black bike on white background. Isn't the sign pictured unenforceable?

Should have gone to specsavers........

I'll just stick to the roads then. Let the drivers scream all they want about using cycle paths.

Should have just cycled on...

veloism.co.uk