Because of the recent drug fiascos which have really brought this sport into disrepute - CW rightly set up a campaign in its role as a "sport mag" for Drug Free Cycling.
A reader from Birmingham has written to the magazine suggesting they would do better to have a "Death Free Cycling Campaign because
Quote:
for most readers - it is a side issue. we ride for fun, for leisure, health, competition, transpor. Who takes what does not really impinge much on our daily lives
Nope - but drug taking amongst the pros does not exactly help the wholesome , clean and healthy image which we hold up to be good reason to ride in the first place. It suggests that "cycling is tiringly hard work" for starts. I have found on my training for the "epic" which we are to ride when the kids break for their half term that the more I rode up and down our local hills - easier it's got. Was off form as just not ridden enough steepies and even with a charity ride - the Swiss lot will turn it into a race between themselves! I just don't want to trail them in last place either!
Oh 'ere we go.. same old same old woe is me in CW wrote:
When a motorist ploughs through a riding clubl ride with bald tyres and gets off with no penalty
No one knows exactly the state of those tyres and he was penalised in fine and points o his licence for being careless about checking. We may give a 7 day rectification order for one tyre or other defect - which means the person has to report with car for inspection and present the proof of the repair - as in the receipted invoice. We normally prosecute for serious or multiple defects - and have been known to tow the vehicle off the road in some cases.
In the Rhyl case - the tyres did not cause the incident and as said before - still under investigation regarding the state of the black ice and apparent lack of gritting.
paranonoid cyclist who thinks world hates him wrote:
when cyclists are demonised on nation television and in the national papers
I have not seen any TV programme - documentary, docu-soap- news item which "demonises cyclists"
As for items in the press - not criticisms nor demonisation - but cyclists say they are part of the traffic, are against segreated cycle paths and lanes - and people quite rightly comment that if that's the case - then they should be able to walk on pavements and cross at pelican crossings on a red setting without being menaced by a minority of aggressive "pretend cyclists"
[quote= "CW letter writer who comes across as paranoid"]
threatened with £2,500 fines for not ringing a bell and other bash the cyclist stories when it's seen as OK and condoned by the law to abuse, kill or maim a cyclist. (It's OK - they ride on pavement and jump red lights - then there are more important things to campaing about [/quote]
Yes there are. It is ILLEGAL to ride on a pavemene and it is ILLEGAL for a cyclist, motorbiker, car driver, van driver, lorry driver to go through any traffic light on a RED Light and we do PROSECUTE for this. Observed jumping a red light in Co Durham - and yer nicked!
Observed abusing any person using the roads - we will have a little talk at first and may even decide to take further action if warranted - in that officer's professional judgement.
If any accident occurs - why do you think we close off the road? For fun? Nope. We collect all the evidence.. do some forensic tests and try to establish cause and this evidence will determine any charges to be brought against those involved. The Rhyl investigation is on-going - but the car was found to have low tread tyres and the driver was charged with this offence immediately.
We also try to learn and educate others from these investigations and if we find the road should be re-engineered - this is also filed in the reports for inquest and any other ensuing proceedings.
CW reader who thinks cyclists are a persecuted minority wrote:
All this does impinge on my daily life. It affects me every time I use the roads. The car lobby is huge. We need a bigger place at the table.
Drugs campaign? Yeah right..
Get me home every night, safe, legal and treated fairly by the law
Hmmm! If you ride on the roads, have working lights and do not ride through red lights, and do not ride "aggressively or dangerously" - no policeman or fellow road user has a problem with that.
The same applies to drivers - who also must take care to drive at a safe speed - which may even be below the speed limit lolly.
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