On 22 Aug, 09:57, Fod
googlemail.com> wrote:> On Aug 21, 10:08 pm, David Hansen
spidacom.co.uk>
> wrote:
>
>
>>> On Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:28:48 +0100 someone who may be "Mortimer"
>>
privacy.net> wrote this:->
>>>Simple: change the law so that buggies and bikes *are* subject to the same
>>>rules as other road users and the riders *can* be prosecuted for offences
>>>such as going through red lights, speeding, injuring/killing someone (either
>>>directly or because they make another road user swerve out of their way into
>>>the path of someone else).
>
>> Yawn. With the exception of motor vehicle speed limits which,
>> surprise surprise, apply to operators of motor vehicles bike riders
>> can be prosecuted for such things.
>
>> So can motorists. You may not be aware of this, but some people do
>> break the law.
>
> Breaking the law and that law being enforced are sadly two different
> things :(
>
> Plus while they can be prosecuted the penalties for the crimes they
> get charged with are often trivial. Take the recent case where a
> pedestrian was killed by a cyclist who was judged to have acted in a
> dangerous manner. The cyclist was fined due to the type of conviction
> that was made by the CPS.
>
> With cars manslaughter cases were hard to prove so new offenses were
> brought in to cover that type of offense.
>
> While that's not the point that was originally made it is the one that
> needs addressed.
>
> Interesting views of a cyclist I found while checking the punishment
> for the above
crime.http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/james-daley-ped...
>
> Fod
The cyclist does lay himself open to the charge of hypocrisy:-
"As a cyclist who rides around town with headphones on, I'm aware I
may be leaving myself open to accusations of hypocrisy here – but
you'll just have to take my word for it when I say that I take nothing
for granted on the roads, even when I am listening to music."
Well, that's the same sort of bollocks as motorists who know that they
are above-average drivers and therefore safe at speed.
Personally, I think that one of the reasons that pedestrians appear to
be getting worse is that the roads are getting ever-busier. The sheer
volume of traffic of all sorts means that there are less gaps and less
quiet times, and more chances have to be taken, especially by
pedestrians crossing these roads.
