Help on the road please

[Wankelschrauben]

Can cyclists be prosecuted for speeding?

 

[ohnovino]

Can cyclists be prosecuted for speeding?

Nope, only motor vehicles have to follow speed limits.

 

[xpc316e]

Why not have a bit of National Standards instruction at level 3 to make sure you are doing the right thing and perhaps suggest a few ideas?

 

[John the Monkey]

I picked it up from my Dad a I think (who would, at 65, now be considered an old boy for sure).

I put my arm out straight ahead, palm at right angle to the ground. It does work - I think a clear signal is better than relying on a driver interpreting your road position.

I try to take proper positioning, but Im still at the "oh, better get over a bit" mental stage.

We're all prone to that. Bear in mind that if you *don't* want to be passed unsafely, you need to be in the centre of the lane. Being a nice guy just gets you dodgy overtakes, ime.

 

[LosingFocus]

Can cyclists be prosecuted for speeding?

IIRC, not on the road (not motor vehicles), but you can in the Royal Parks.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

I was pulled and given a bit of rollocking earlier for speeding on the road in a 30 zone, I don't know what speed I was travelling but the officer claimed that he and other traffic couldn't overtake me without speeding.

Stupidly I replied that if I was already speeding then why would he or anyone else need to overtake me.

 

[Mad at urage]

I was pulled and given a bit of rollocking earlier for speeding on the road in a 30 zone, I don't know what speed I was travelling but the officer claimed that he and other traffic couldn't overtake me without speeding.

Stupidly I replied that if I was already speeding then why would he or anyone else need to overtake me.

That's not a stupid reply, that is perfectly reasonable! If he "could not overtake you without speeding" then his problem is that he is expecting to overtake you. I've had similar from officers who do not know the law; now it would be on helmet-cam and I wold report it*.




*I've every support for police officers doing their very difficult job, but when faced with idiocy like this, or (as I've experienced) being told I would be reported for wobbling ("about a foot in all") then I'm afraid that sympathy goes out of the window.

 

[MLC]

I was pulled and given a bit of rollocking earlier for speeding on the road in a 30 zone, I don't know what speed I was travelling but the officer claimed that he and other traffic couldn't overtake me without speeding.

Stupidly I replied that if I was already speeding then why would he or anyone else need to overtake me.

I wouldn't consider that a stupid reply at all.

Though I would bet that it would have been regarded as an insolent one by the person on the receiving end!

You were quite right to query his logic though as you could read it that this officer believes that other traffic has the absolute right to overtake a cyclist and if a cyclist is keeping up with traffic and travelling on the speed limit said officer could be implying that said cyclist should slow down so that other more important traffic is able to pass????

No wonder the don't pay road tax or Insurance so I have every right to knock you off your bike for getting in my way attitude is so rife !

I would seriously consider reporting it and asking the applicable traffic section of the force to confirm why this officer approached this incident in the way that he did notwithstanding that you may or may not have been exceeding 30mph.

What was the outcome by the way?

EDIT: Posted at same time as above

 

[Ravenbait]

Yes the old Cycling Proficiency and for that matter driving test made you use had and arm signals. Nowadays I've had people wave back to me while I've been signalling to turn right.

Oh it's not just me.

Either that or they think I want to fondle their cars. I mean, that is the only reason for them passing close enough to take my hand off, isn't it?

Sam

 

[ohnovino]

I was pulled and given a bit of rollocking earlier for speeding on the road in a 30 zone, I don't know what speed I was travelling but the officer claimed that he and other traffic couldn't overtake me without speeding.

Stupidly I replied that if I was already speeding then why would he or anyone else need to overtake me.

That's not a stupid reply at all. It demonstrates infinitely more common sense than the officer who pulled you.

 

[Wankelschrauben]

The outcome was nothing, he told me off and we went our seperate ways.

I'm not normally one to argue with the police, it kind of just slipped out.

 

[HLaB]

Can cyclists be prosecuted for speeding?

No, they can be charged with 'furious' cycling if it actually endangers someone but I cant recall that charge ever being used.

 

[zexel]

Read the highway code, read cyclecraft, then assume that everyone on the road is stupid, on the phone, and looking the other way until proven otherwise, while putting them into practice.

I tried a real (car) horn and 12v of battery on my round-town bike a couple of weeks ago, and it got pedestrians out of the way well. I'm tempted to buy an Airzound after trying that.I've been thinking of it for ages.

You need one of these (don't click on link if you're a prude or abhor puerile behaviour)

 

[BentMikey]

Why not have a bit of National Standards instruction at level 3 to make sure you are doing the right thing and perhaps suggest a few ideas?

+1

I'm pretty sure almost all of us could benefit from this anyway.