Police crackdown on rogue road users in London

Cyclists must set the standard for responsible road behaviour and adhere to the Highway Code and challenge bad cycling where it occurs.

Cyclists who repeatedly flout the rules when challenged are not our friends, because they undermine the efforts of well-behaved cyclists. In the minds of the public, those that misbehave are representative of ALL cyclists and lead to us ALL being treated as not belonging to the mainstream group of serious and law abiding road users.

Only by being perceived as responsible road users, will we succeed in changing attitudes and persuade the public of the virtues of cycling and why the change away from cars to cycling benefits society, the environment and businesses.

Cycling has to become restored as part of NORMAL everyday life, not a fringe activity undertaken by what is perceived as a lawless and subversive out-group.

We are fighting an uphill struggle against a substantial number of people that have been been deceived and bamboozled by zombie-myths perpetuated by egregiously substandard and blatantly incompetent and biased anti-cyclist journalism in the Daily Fail, the BBC and elsewhere.

We all need to get involved.
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Just one example of what we're up against!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9Fyj2GMxgo
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What it could be like.
Then watch Talking to David Hembrow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pCO8ZKx_jE
David and his family moved to Holland because of the bad conditions for cyclist in the UK.

David's excellent and highly informative blog is here: http://hembrow.blogspot.com/
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Highway Code
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/Cyclists/inde...

Google:
Drivers’ perceptions of cyclists TRL Report TRL549

Once again today i am down and banging the helmet on the ashphalt as i ride up a slope! Fact is i didn't change down correctly and wobbled when the chain skidded through and hit elbow and helmet as i hit the ground, helmet OK but elbow opened up and after 5 mins i continued but 3hrs later as i am driving the bike up another slope my current companion noticed i was squirting blood from that site!
i sent him on his way and started the journey back, no point looking for a doctor in the wilds of austria so arrived home in time to watch the match!
Certain "clown" decided that "Video Evidence" was unnecessary at this World Cup, of course that goal made no difference to me! I wanted Germany to win since the "Mexican clown" sent Cahill off! Like Italy's diving team effort i take satisfaction in reminding the Italians that they were beaten but for the bribed referee and i will enjoy treating the Germans to the same logic when they reach the final !
Cheating in my book has consequences beyond the event, and when i see the doc in the morning and he is silly enough to remark on Germany's win in either game i will remind him he is austrian and so unless it is 1939 then Germany 's success is questionable.
Tomorrow i was starting for Rotterdam but need to solve the medical problem first.
Capello looks likely to be the new Italian Manager now he has failed to advance the 3 lions further

BORIS start wearing a helmet for a start then WE cyclists can start taking you seriously!
Having cracked your bare head on the road will rearrange the few braincells that you have and make you more aware of the real world !
Needed is a leader who is believable, not a "Bad Hair Day Victim"! When you show respect for the dangers of cycling then we the CYCLING COMMUNITY will be happy with your encouraging "MR PLOD" to book more cyclists for the trivia that really applies to "mobile coffins on 4 wheels"!
Personally if i never have to ride in London i will be the better for this small benefit

What? Something to do with cycling in London that Barclays haven't paid to slap their logo on? Is Boris running out of connections on the old boys network?

I wonder whether the police will be able to crack down on all the defective vehicles? I see so many on my commute in London. I suspect a large percentage are driven by people with no licence, insurance or curent MOT. There are also many vehcile drivers who use cell phones while driving, as well as smoking cannabis at the wheel. Will the police crack down on these people? They certainly haven't touched on the problem so far.

But why shouldn't it be one set of rules for them and one for cyclists.

The only reason we need red lights every 200 yards, and pinch points and traffic bumps and all the other stuff that makes the roads such a maze is because of motor vehicles.

Motor vehicles are the cause of most of the problems on roads - congestion, deaths, injuries - and they are also the reason why so much money needs to be spent building, maintaining and repairing roads. There are very good economic reasons of course but motor vehicles are the main drivers (no pun intended) for regulation and control on roads - it's as simple as that.

80% of the rules that cyclists are asked to obey are designed to solve a problem they are not part of.

TimLennon - I agree that nailing cyclists for comparatively minor offences doesnt seem to be targetting the root cause of these issues and is simply going for the easy option BUT I dont think we, as cyclists, can trivialize going through red lights etc. If we want to be taken seriously and have drivers look out for us and give us respect then the first thing we need to do is make sure we adhere to the rules as well. No matter how much some drivers infuriate me when Im cycling I will see 10-15 cyclists go through red lights on my ride to work...I can see why drivers think its one set of rules for them and one for us, we should all adhere to the rules of the road.

In my opinion!

I watched the BBC report last night, and it seemd to focus an awful lot on the comparatively minor offences of cyclists - running red lights for example, and didn't talk too much about how often motorists:

- run red lights
- fail to leave enough space for cyclists
- drive in straight white line cycle lanes
- stop in advanced stop zones
- pull out in front of cyclists (or pedestrians)

I really want to believe that they're trying to make London a better place for everyone to cycle, but I don't think this is the way to do it.

(BTW: "running red lights" is, I think, comparatively minor, because as a cyclist, you're genuinely putting your own life on the line, whereas a driver might get a few scratches on his wheels.)

I have NO FAITH in the police or the government, all I can see is that the Met will issue tickets to Cyclists because its easier than giving tickets to motorists.