Safe Speed Forums

The campaign for genuine road safety
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 05:46

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 10:33 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 06:46
Posts: 16903
Location: Safe Speed
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jh ... xhome.html

Cyclists saddled with seafront speed trap
By Catriona Davies
(Filed: 03/09/2004)


A speed trap has been set up to enforce a 10mph seafront limit for cyclists.


The seven-mile promenade that runs through Bournemouth and Poole has proved so popular with commuters that local council officials are worried of the danger posed to pedestrians.

Yesterday morning they began a trial speed scheme with officials using a hand-held radar and within a short time more than 40 cyclists, many in suits and carrying briefcases on their bikes, had been stopped.

Chris Saunders, Bournemouth council's business development officer, said: "The biggest danger on the promenade is speeding cyclists and most are commuters. We want to encourage people to cycle to work, but just at a slower speed.

"It is very, very easy to break the 10mph limit because we walk at about 4mph, but we would just ask people to leave home a little earlier and cycle a bit slower."

By-laws allow the cyclists to be fined but officers were instead issuing warnings to those caught breaking the speed limit and giving them leaflets on safe cycling. The speed camera - borrowed from the highways department - is being used for a trial period but the exercise will be repeated if necessary.

The initiative found broad support among cyclists. Michael Evans, the chairman of Dorset Cyclists' Network, said: "We have had a lot of co-operation from the council in improving access to the promenade, because it used to be banned completely. It's a popular commuter route because it's safe and away from traffic."

Peter Merchant, a lecturer at Bournemouth University and a cyclist, said: "I agree with a 10mph limit but I wonder if a speed camera is a bit over the top. I fail to see how it's going to work because I've seen officials trying to stop cyclists and they just shoot past.

"But as cyclists we do have to realise we share the promenade with pedestrians and you have to be careful."

However, Paul Smith, of the campaign group Safe Speed, described the scheme as "absurd".

"This is a further extension of our obsession with numerical speed and schemes like this go a long way to shattering the public confidence in the authorities," he said. "It should just be about common sense."

=============================

A bit of a misquote, but never mind.

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 11:43 
Offline
Member
Member

Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 10:44
Posts: 485
Location: Glos, UK
Now how in the hell can you enforce a speed limit for a vehicle that has no legal requirement for a speedometer?

_________________
Carl Prescott


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 14:22 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 06, 2004 06:46
Posts: 16903
Location: Safe Speed
CarlP wrote:
Now how in the hell can you enforce a speed limit for a vehicle that has no legal requirement for a speedometer?


Good question!

Better news is that I'm also quoted in the daily Mail and the Mirror on this story today. The Mirror is online at:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/tm ... _page.html

SPEED TRAP FOR BIKES

Sep 3 2004


By Geoff Lakeman


A SPEED camera was yesterday targeting cyclists racing along a seaside prom.

Uniformed council officials used the laser device to enforce a 10mph limit on the seven-mile stretch through Bournemouth and Poole, Dorset.

More than 40 were stopped within hours of the clampdown starting at 8.30am. They were handed leaflets warning of the dangers of speeding. Chris Saunders, of Bournemouth council, said: "The biggest danger on the promenade is speeding cyclists.

"We are doing our best to prevent accidents."

But Paul Smith, of campaign group Safe Speed, said: "A cyclist using a deserted prom at 6am can safely go at 20mph.

"If it is packed full of people then it makes sense to go at under 10mph.

"Schemes like this are just absurd."

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 18:41 
Offline
Member
Member
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 20, 2004 09:59
Posts: 3544
Location: Shropshire
SafeSpeed wrote:
But Paul Smith, of campaign group Safe Speed, said: "A cyclist using a deserted prom at 6am can safely go at 20mph."


Yeeeessssss. Perhaps that's why they started at 08:30 am then :?:


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 03, 2004 19:36 
Offline
Friend of Safe Speed
Friend of Safe Speed
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2004 23:09
Posts: 6735
Location: Stockport, Cheshire
Surely what they're doing here is actually what we advocate - using real live police officers to pull over people whose cycling is considered to be putting others at risk, and in many cases just giving them warnings :?

_________________
"Show me someone who says that they have never exceeded a speed limit, and I'll show you a liar, or a menace." (Austin Williams - Director, Transport Research Group)

Any views expressed in this post are personal opinions and may not represent the views of Safe Speed


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 04, 2004 11:39 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2004 22:20
Posts: 26
Is this being debated on any cycling forums?

If so, what is the general feeling over there?


Dave


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 04, 2004 17:47 
Offline
Member
Member

Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2004 14:04
Posts: 2325
Location: The interweb
Without going over to the Cycling plus forum I can fairly confidently say they won't be too bothered about it.

Most of the more vociferous on that forum are against cycle lanes and shared use footpaths and believe cyclists should be treat as equals on the road.

And the only place for 'real' cyclists is the road.

Added after a quick shufty.....

a Cycling Plus regular wrote:
It'd have been much better if they hadn't wasted time putting in dedicated paths etc but just made sure the roads were safe for their proper useage. Then they wouldn't have the conflict issue they now need to deal with.


another Cyclist wrote:
having had my wife nearly step in front of a guy doing around 25mph on the cycle path on Brighton seafront - and those of you who know it will know how easy it is for those unfamiliar with the area to accidentally transgress and step into the lane - I'm all for enforcing of speed limits on such paths. Yes 10mph is a real crawl to some of us, but other struggle to exceed it, and these lanes are for ALL cyclists. If you want to do a greater speed, use the road.


From this thread.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 28 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You can post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.019s | 13 Queries | GZIP : Off ]