Father prosecuted for carrying child on bike

Look at the picture on the Telegraph and then read this article again, it's quite funny done that way round...

Whatever that is in the picture, it patently isn't a "properly fitted, safety compliant seat"

The guy says he bolted the saddle to the bike and then covered it in tape for added security. Covering it in tape would also cover over any bolts that could get in the way of his knees while riding I suppose. I can't see footrests either. It also looks as if the child's helmet is on the wrong way round.

/edit

Why did he wrap the seat with duct tape 'to make it secure' also ' Halford’s spokesman confirmed that some of its seats were designed to fit to the crossbar and that instructions were provided'. - but not necessarily this one then? Also - where are the footrests?

So it's not clear if the seat in question was made to be fitted in this way is it? No evidence that it wasn't but it's not not clear that he was definitely using a proper seat which was correctly fitted.

All seems a bit ridiculous but did he maybe plead guilty because the installation was dodgy?

It is indeed peculiar, which was why I posted it on the forum earlier. The comments on the Telegraph website do for the most part seem to take the side of the cyclist in the curious case of the non-offence committed. The police seem to take the view that since the guy went to court and admitted responsibility, justice has been done and that there is no need for further investigation, despite the fact that no offence was committed in the first place. It does beg the question as to whether there is something more to this than meets the eye. Was the child seat fastened inappropriately or was the bicycle not suitable for the seat fitted? Perhaps the officer should be required to explain.

I used to carry my kids on a child seat when they were little but was never stopped by some jobsworth shiny buttons policeman/woman. This was a rear-mounted child seat rather than the crossbar type the non-offender was using. I have to say, the rear-mounted child seats do adversely affect handling of a bicycle by placing more weight to the rear. I never tried the crossbar type but in terms of centre of gravity and balance they do seem a better option.

£15 victim surcharge!

Does this go to his son?

Too late now to lock the stable door as the horse has bolted, but if Mr Murtza was a member of CTC or a similar organisation he could perhaps have applied for legal assistance and I like to think it would have met the CDF criteria for assistance (all about setting precedents).

The reader comments in the DT were interesting - it is a rare occasion that I find myself agreeing with a Torygraph reader but the comments on elf&safety gone mad, don't the local plod have any real crime to tackle etc, do seem entirely apposite on this occasion.

I worry periodically that sooner or later I shall be arrested for carrying a passenger on the Xtracycle.

The police need to explain what it was that was dangerous about the particular arrangement that this guy had going on, so that we stand a chance of not falling foul of their cretinous interference. Otherwise they can bugger off. Haven't they got some paperwork to do to get them off the streets?

Is there no real crime in Burton-on-Trent that the police would be best concentrating on?

The thing that stuns me most about this story, I'm afraid, is that Mr Murza is a taxi driver and a cyclist.

I cycle in Burton most days. It's a very cycle-hostile town for two reasons: terrible infrastructure, and taxi drivers. Burton's taxi drivers pass too close (I think 2in is my record), cut you up, turn across you without signalling, and so on. If Burton had any cycle lanes they'd park in them... but it doesn't.

Is this a joke...!!!?