London Bikers beware - Operation "wastemoretime"

Its the new year, i've taken a new leaf with regards to riding in London. No longer will I let the idiots and plumbs wind me up, no longer will the traffic annoy. From now on, a nice simple easy ride home...

So, the first attempt last night.

Plodding along, stopped in front of a police car at a set of lights, no biggie?? He then followed me from Morgate, to London Bridge, pulls up next to me, tells me to pull over.... OK??

So pull over, get the old typical neo nazi approach from the coppers. Im polite, not my usual argumentitive self, let him get on with it.

"So what am I meant to have done then" after 3 minutes of these guys yapping. Jumped 3 red lights.. I actually laughed at them and asked them if they are joking? I do NOT jump red lights (someone done that and shatted my old mans thigh/hip in 20 places, 1 year later, hes back walking....)..

I told them simpley "no I didn't, how could I have jumped the lights if you had to stop next to me to pull me over, at the lights, that were red???"

Well, according to the "new operation starting tomorrow (Today...)" like they were fining cyclists for jumping the red lights, bike riders are now being given 3 points for stopping past the first white line and stopping in the cycle bay area. According to him "your riding was spot on, but you past the line hence jumped 3 sets of lights"

So i get a nice little pink ticket. I don't get a fine or points (i'd have contested anyway), but I do get a nice warning that they are clamping down on bikes stopping at lights, in the cycle lane. His words "what if you loose balance and topple over onto a cyclist"? I had to hold my anger at this point. Why would you drop your bike whilst sitting on it? Why would that matter anyway, it'll be my damage, since when did cyclists require insurance? But thats ok, we'lll all stop between the cars at lights instead, as thats FAR safer than all the bikes/cyclists stopping at the front. We all know bikes are such slow machines off the line

I wonder if they will continue to pull cyclists at the same time as that operation has now finished.............


For real, really, its good to see the MET doing the usual of spending important time catching real criminals stopping 1m past the first white line at traffic lights. Gee, heres me thinking London had far bigger fish to fry....

I guess not....... So London bikers beware.

Rant over. Great 1st day back at work....

[Bluepete]

We don't help ourselves do we?

I do think this bike lane is heading the right way though!

[G]

Never gone over a white line or seen anyone do it to be honest, is this a London practice?

Most lights around here have red light cameras, if you go over onto the pad, you get caught.

Commen practice in london.

I NEVER jump lights, but all the cars stop, all the bikes filter to the front. By the time the first car driver puts it in 1st gear when the lights go green, the bikes are already gone.

Lane area like this.



Go ANYWHERE in that green area, and your off your road and can get all sorts of fines.


Wonder what the fines are for cyclists going onto the road? OR hitting a car/bike? Wonder what their insurance would do........

Seriously, yet another reason to get out this sh1tty sh1tty city......

Commen sense really is not needed in todays age im sure.

[Bluepete]

Highway code rule 178.

And I had to go and look it up, I didn't know the answer straight away, 'cos I've got better things to do in my life!

I jsut dont get it?

They pay no tax
They pay no insurance
Never really get hit with fines
Don't get points.
Get their own lanes

But lo and behold, if your a road tax paying, insured, legal, up to date, but stop or even touch the cyclists lanes, you run the risk of points and fines (which could even lead to prison?).



I was so calm, new year, new start, but my first day back proves i really need to find a job out of this cr4ppy city. Only 1 year + looking in Kent now for a 1/2 remotley decent job

noooo, that sucks! I had heard that this was on the cards, but was hoping it was going to disappear from the radar. If what I heard is right, they are also going to be supporting it with a crackdown on cyclists jumping red lights & riding on the pavements.

The thing is, not going to the front if you're filtering can leave you/the bikes behind you stuck between cars as you move away, which is not a good place to be

[Bluepete]

Daimo, I really don't blaim you!

I really worry why operations like that are started.

I can only assume that has been a spate of bikers falling over onto bikes in the green cycle waiting area at major junctions in the London area. It must be a very loicalised problem, it doesn't seem to be a problem in Manchester.

The other viewpoint is probably more realistic; a cop somewhere in London is going for promotion and has to evidence his/her ability to conceive an operation, run it and show results.

Cynica? Me? Nah mate, just doin' me job.

Originally Posted by Daimo

I jsut dont get it?

They pay no tax
They pay no insurance
Never really get hit with fines
Don't get points.
Get their own lanes

But lo and behold, if your a road tax paying, insured, legal, up to date, but stop or even touch the cyclists lanes, you run the risk of points and fines (which could even lead to prison?).



I was so calm, new year, new start, but my first day back proves i really need to find a job out of this cr4ppy city. Only 1 year + looking in Kent now for a 1/2 remotley decent job

Try going west. Lived in Kent for ten years, Wiltshire and surrounding area heaps better (IMHO!!)

Ah crap, i stop ahead of the line all the time to make sure cars know im there, because im in their line of sight

Well, i guess that'll have to stop

Matt