£1,000+ bill for Brighton cyclist who rode wrong way up one-way street

I have to laugh, as I used to work at the bottom of St James St. Lost count of the times they came down and just missed the buses or pedestrians. I cycle and abide by the road laws, we have no leg to stand on if some idiot runs us down if we're all over the road/pavement etc. Tough luck guy, man up and pay the bill.

I'd like to see police stop bad drivers (and actively look-out for them, too, in URBAN areas). You tend to see them go for the easy collar, instead...

If cyclists are a problem, then the cycling-infrastructure should be seen for what it is - to be badly at fault!
I mean, what is government for?
Apart from the cases of genuinely-cavalier cycling putting others at genuine danger, this infrastructure-blaming should be the default position, especially after statistics (as well as much anecdotal evidence, no doubt) are in.

I for one, am really sick of this legal culture of blaming the symptom of the problem instead of working together to fix the problem... but in a world run by lawyers who drive cars, and generally people being pressured to live ever-faster - often instead of actually more efficiently - what do you expect...?

I know this road well. Ride it several times a week.

How on earth did this guy think he'd get off? Totally indefensible. It's chaos at the best of times.

100 meters south and you've got the de facto mixed-use ultra-wide two-way pavement ,with a glorious view when it's not raining sideways in your face.

Brighton council has laid on some very convenient contra-flow cycle paths (in the North Laines for example). Recent planning permission to renovate the deadly Vogue Gyratory has me confident that things are improving.

Commit an offence? Break the law? Pay up and shut up.

Motorist or cyclist - makes no difference.

Don't agree with the laws? Lobby your MP.

Completely bemused by this man's actions. Yes I can sympathise it must have been annoying to be fined £30 for what was probably a trifling incident and he felt he was just doing what a lot of other cyclists do in the area, but with something like cycling wrong way up a one way street this is a strict liability offence, which means there need not be malicious intent and there are next to no defences you can successfully plead. Call it unfair but this system exists to save Court time, and this gentleman has stubbornly to the point of insanity appealed a simple judgment and landed himself with hugely excessive Court costs, not to mention a waste of Court time.

£1000 is the costs, not the fine! It was his appeal. He decided to pursue it. He lost and therefore has to pay the costs. The alternative is that the taxpayer pays it. I don't see why this is even a story. This was a Crown Court not a Magistrates Court therefore the costs were significantly higher.

Riding the wrong way down St James' Street is plain stupid. It's not like he was going down a quiet back street, it's a really busy road with buses and pedestrians everywhere.

People won't be looking behind them before they cross if they're walking down the hill because frankly nobody should be driving or cycling down hill and so it's dangerous.

There's also 2 roads which run parallel which are not one way.

He deserved the original fine and should have paid it.

I think that it's quite right that he should pay the costs rather than the rest of us. He chose to take the case there. Costs follow that decision.

Quote:

Brighton doesn't have to force the one-way system on cyclists: it has chosen to do so.

This, rather than do something constructive....

Interestingly, Brighton Council recently started to allow cycling against the flow of traffic on certain cycle lanes in the town centre.

It would be quite interesting to know the whole story as to why the cyclist appealed, I mean he may have just come from one shop to another 100 feet away which would mean going all the way round the system (and before people say it yes he should have walked if that was the case) and thought the PC was being a bit heavy handed,as thereverent has already pointed out it looks like this was originally two way but local councillors ceded to lazy car drivers/local retailers for more parking, as well as the alternative routes being uninviting. If that was his grounds for appeal it's a bit of a shame he lost, but if not well then it's a case of ha ha ha

Why on earth did he appeal?

I am reading 'Sex, Lies and Handlebar tape' about Jacques Anquetil; the author says that Jacques thought nothing of reversing his car the wrong way down one way streets is this illegal Maybe the mistake this guy made was not riding a fixed wheel bike backwards But seriously if this chap WAS riding the wrong way down a one way street and had no defence; not clearly signed maybe? Then he should have paid the £30. If he took legal advice that advice should have been, "-Pay Up- But I will happily defend you if you wish" (and have deep pockets). This is how the fixed penalty system works, either admit it and pay a fixed fine; or put yourself at the mercy of a Judge... with an uncertain outcome. I would like to know what his defence was based on; because I have no sympathy for him at the moment

No issue with him being charged: he was quite simply wrong to be doing it. However the fine is completely disproportionate, and the police officer is talking bollocks about the likelihood of injury to pedestrians.

This is a single lane major bus route in Cambridge, next to the main shopping district, and very busy. http://goo.gl/maps/U1Dn1

The right-hand side has constantly got a row of taxis, over-ranked. The buses are almost wider than the remaining space. Yet it is two-way for cyclists and one-way for motor traffic. It is far from an ideal situation, but I am not aware of any serious (or even minor) accidents. Brighton doesn't have to force the one-way system on cyclists: it has chosen to do so.

But if you really want to go the wrong way down a one-way street, get off your bike and push. I'll help you argue for the removal of the restriction on bikes, not on your right to ignore the rules.

Why is it significant that someone adjudged him guilty of almost hitting someone?

We are often 'almost hit', I don't mind being 'almost hit' so much, it's when they improve their aim that I get upset.

How many serious injuries have occurred on that stretch of road? Just wondered as that's what the police officer seemed to be so concerned about. Are they, in fact, addressing a real need, or just responding to whiny voices?

I think the primary message from declining bike journeys is that cars are cheep and people are lazy. And I don't think dutch type segregation is going to change that. We need to remember that there is also a significant cultural difference involved. The old chicken and egg. Is the cycling infrastructure responsible for the number of cylclist or there because of them.

My belief is that enforcing current laws, educating all road users regards the PUBLIC highway along with the possible introduction of lower innercity limits and real deterents is the way to go. Partial segregation will only lead to motorised vehicle users developing an even greater belief that non-motorised vehicles are incompatible with there needs and should never share 'their' road space. I say partial because we don't have the space or resource in most places to provide full segregation.

I would never recommend cycling the wrong way up a one-way street, aside from being illegal no-one expects you coming from that direction.

So I had a look on streetview to see what the road was like and cycling the wrong way looks pretty stupid.
Then i had a look at the map of the area. If you want to travel east in this aprt of town you have the choice of a dual carriageway to the north (Edward St) or a main road to the south (Marine Parade). There is no quiet back street to use.
St James’s Street looks like it use to be two way, but gave space over to car parking.

'Good though, if your a chopper who makes us all look like twats doing what you know you shouldn't you should get done'

This. x lots.

St James Street facing oncoming traffic...
should've taken the £30 hit.

From when I lived there:
- I remember getting grief from a bus driver for being in a bus lane for buses only nr Old Steine:
- the sheer impatience of drivers not giving an inch on the 'Vogue gyratory' and a 2 yard cycle lane nr Hove library.

I also seem to remember that Council / Plod did a campaign in press with adverts warning Ninja cylists and RLJers before they actually started fining them.
Don't remember similar campaigns against inconsiderate driver behaviour though.

And there was also the Argus letters page counter attack from local cyclists after some driver started having a pop. Cyclists who responded included; Tom Simpson (Sutherland Road); Stephen Roche (Rottingdean); Raymond Poulidor (Gratham Road); Fausto Coppi (Hove)& Francesco Moser(Peacehaven). Have an image of clipping from the Guardian, would post it up but beyond my ken.

The law is an ass.

The judge is probably a donkey too.

I'm curious now .... how do the police "know" who you
are when there's no registration plate on a bike ????

Just asking like

It is great that they are cracking down on cyclist jumping red lights in Brighton as we don't want to end up with any pointless deaths of reckless cyclist no matter how much we hate their foolish red light jumping ways. But a message to the those in charge in Brighton, maybe the cycle paths in should be sorted out. The cycle paths are a joke and obviously designed by people who don't ride a bike. oh and by the way If it's not a cyclist being killed by a car soon it will be a pedestrian being killed by a cyclist in Brighton. GET THE CYCLE ROUTES OFF THE PATHS AND ONTO THE ROADS, and when I say that I mean fully on the roads not one moment on the pavement one moment off the pavement on to the road and approaching traffic, off on off on it's a recipe for disaster, please please sort it out . if you need any practical advice on correcting the continued dead end bike route policy in Brighton I am more than willing to help

About as much as you would need to pay to kill a cyclist with a car