johnsher wrote:
In Gear wrote:
Well then - they would make this be displayed on the back pack as well then
yes, of course. Vertically I suppose
In races we normally have to wear 2 numbers on our backs as the finish line cameras can't pick up the numbers mounted to be seen from behind. From viewing the photos after a race they also have trouble picking up numbers angled to be seen from the side - and this is in a situation where you want them to be seen. What hope do they have when people aren't trying?
True - I'll bet all back packs, panniers front baskets, saddle bag and
helmets cos that will be compulsory too as a great little ol' recenue raiser
[/i] will have to sport this number. It will be etched on the frame, lasered onto the tyres...
You may think I am joking and winding some people up here - but you know - this may not be quite so far fetched as it sounds.
Yes - I will admit it. We do
need some means of identifying the batch of yobs on bike:
the ones who really ride dangerously, damage cars and ride off, injure pedestrians by aggressive pavement and other riding, rund red lights deliberately, ride the wrong way up one-way systems, never light up with the meagrest budget light at night and - like that hardcore of yobs in cars (and they usually are these very same characters)
We need these who spoil it all for everyone else to be copped - and even here in Durham where road safety - (and ALL police services for that matter) is a matter of pride in a job done to our best ability - we simply cannot be everywhere and we need that extra intelligence to bring these individuals to account. Does not mean fines are issued. We like to keep that as last resort if all else fails or the standard of any vehicle handling (from bicycle to juggernaut) was so bad that no other decision could be made.
I do not think automation can address or make right any wrong. It creates resentment. Unfortunately in the areas which have placed a significant chunk of resources and expense into copping by cameras for the main part - then those devices can be easily adapted to cop rogue cyclists.
For all we know they could be planning to invest in technology which can identify us all from our bio-metric identity card. (I think riding goggles would sell well
but who knows this "number" could be the personal ID card number.
Let's not forget that I once posted up a "horror" story I read in the Sunday "Waily" or "Sexpress" back in the early days of this forum. I still have the cuttings - I think - but I took the time to type it out on the site. In "General" as we did not have a "Soapbox" at the time
But basically it was about the plans to insert a micro-chip in all new-borns and monitor each stage of their lives - from school tellings-off, routine detentions for late homework, meal chosen in school canteen and all medical records .
On this basis - would they insist we all have a microchip inserted so that we can all be accounted for 24/7?
Would it help me catch the serious criminal?
Nope - because it takes time and staff to trawl though literally millions of records on a data base. For those doubter out there - time your average skim through all the topics on these popular websites and the time spent reading the very interesting opinions and thinking about how to reply without causing offence to the person you are disagreeing with
And you have to stay reasonably polite - and try to ensure any leg-pull or teasing may not be misunderstood. It does take time!
But think about the time spent browsing and reading through - and then think about trying to find an ID match via computer records only.
You would be amazed at how fast we can solve a crime just because a person writes to us, phones us, drops into the station to tell us...and the human contact helps us socialise and form a rappport and community feel-good factor too.
I have noted from a lurk on a certain well known forum
that the concensus there seems to liken thisidea to the notorious Nazi insistence that Jews wear a yellow star and coinsdier the idea already to be a form of "persecution by the authorities" As someone pointed out - from a quiclk lurk to assess reaction - their "Messiah called Ken is behind all this"
That is a superb comment
OK - I'm a policeman and expected to toe the line to an extent - biut genetically
"I am a natural born rebel" as well
I can see their point and accept these concerns ( which have some support from our board as well) and I would have to say that a lot of drivers feel exactly the same about the cameras.
I would like to reassure that policy here is always going to be "try ot prevent catastrophe before it happens; treat with respect and discretion and punish only if warranted"
All police officers try to follow this unwritten, purely individual, but highly professional code of conduct. Computers follow only the set of rules pre-programmed. Fixed and mobile devices also work per whatever tolerance programmed into them as well in lay-terms. These devices are not concerned as to whether circumstance of zero pedestrian at the pelican or nothing on road when rider pedalled through at red. It will not take any kind of mitigation or road condition into consideration/. It wil just fine.. and as drivers stay out of some areas because of spiralling congestion charges and keep speeds down in know scammed areas - and cyclists begin to outnumber car drivers,.... one thing we can al be sure of is that the fixed penalty will increase.
Being the outspoken natural rebel that I have always been
- I will always speak out against automation and will always say that we can keep people a lot safer by ensuring they know we are there to help and that they can
trust us to take a responsible and professional decision as well.
But fair to say - Swiss did try to warn of this last year. Increased volume of cyclists will inevitably lead to new laws and codes of good pracitice being introduced to cope. It would be naive and somewhat silly to think otherwise really
If you like one set of drivers lobbied for lower penalty for blips. Sure - two points and a lower fine. But then lower tolerance theshold
results.
So we have to be careful of what we are asking for.
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Unthinkable to get rid of computer (no more on-line chats - 
no-no. That's not quite 
If they want yer cash - they's find a way of 'avin'it off ya! 
