Increased police presence.

[Markymark]

No sign of the cops on the rounderbout at 6am,bloody lightweights.

You probably didn't seem them waving their arms for you to stop as they didn't have any lights on!!

 

[Twelve Spokes]

You probably didn't seem them waving their arms for you to stop as they didn't have any lights on!!

good point,dude.

 

[Dmcd33]

I don't disagree with you on that, I have seen a few people filter to an ASL, which they then find has a vehicle in it, so then sit ahead of the second stop line.
I prefer to sit in primary in the traffic flow unless I know that the ASL is clear and it is to my advantage to use it.

With the feeder lanes on the left they are inviting less experienced people to go up the nearside of trucks and buses (hence the invention of "cyclists stay back" signs on buses).

However there are those who are not confident enough or do not want to ride like a vehicle and so we need to find alternatives, as they have every right to use the road as well.

Good luck with sorting world peace, not sure you are off to the best start
.

I was beeped twice by two different drivers in the last week for taking a primary position in a lane after stopping in an ASL for a couple of seconds and navigating around a parked truck. Guess what? Met them both at the next set of lights about 20 seconds later!

 

[Frood42]

I was beeped twice by two different drivers in the last week for taking a primary position in a lane after stopping in an ASL for a couple of seconds and navigating around a parked truck. Guess what? Met them both at the next set of lights about 20 seconds later!

Yes, there is satisfaction having drivers watch you go by, especially those that have only overtaken you a few seconds earlier in an impatient manner, and in London that usually means they won't see you again as they have to get past the queue of cars they just joined as well as the lights...
.

 

[Davidsw8]

I was beeped twice by two different drivers in the last week for taking a primary position in a lane after stopping in an ASL for a couple of seconds and navigating around a parked truck. Guess what? Met them both at the next set of lights about 20 seconds later!

Shoulda said 'You can't hurry, love!'

 

[Twelve Spokes]

"Eye contact" is just false hope. You might believe that they have looked you right in the eyes, and seen you, but I don't believe it. They could be looking anywhere, and it might appear that they are gazing longingly into your baby blues.

My mate got stopped this morning, and the policeman told him it was illegal to cycle without a helmet. B****cks he said, and rode off.

Or the lights are on but nobody is at home.
© Emma Way 2013.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Funny thing to occur to me, but I haven't seen any police on bikes recently. Have any been sighted on this road exercise? Because there's a fighting chance that they would know something about the law regarding cycling and will have experience of cycling in the metropolis.

 

[stowie]

Funny thing to occur to me, but I haven't seen any police on bikes recently. Have any been sighted on this road exercise? Because there's a fighting chance that they would know something about the law regarding cycling and will have experience of cycling in the metropolis.

I was walking back from Walthamstow Central when I saw two police bikes unlocked and unattended on the pavement with the policemen in a cake shop picking out refreshments. Maybe there had been some cake related emergency in E17.

 

[Frood42]

Funny thing to occur to me, but I haven't seen any police on bikes recently. Have any been sighted on this road exercise? Because there's a fighting chance that they would know something about the law regarding cycling and will have experience of cycling in the metropolis.

Not the ones I have seen, I even saw 2 PCSO's going up the inside of a bus at red lights, where there was no ASZ!
This was in Barkingside during the warmer months...

I was sat further back in primary waiting in the traffic queue, as it was not a set of lights where you want to be in secondary.
I was not completely shocked by this, which says it all.

I have also seen other police cycle officers, or maybe PCSO's, in Ilford whose decision making process seemed to be similarly impaired when it came to checking the road ahead and using a road position which meant they would be seen, this time I was on foot.

I have not seen the Central London officers on bikes, probably due to going through in the earlier/later hours, when it is darker and chillier.
I have seen the ambulance cycles, they look heavy


Hence a lot of my cynicism about these people handing out advice when they cannot even use the road properly themselves, or have little to no experience themselves when it comes to riding in rush hour, I really wish I had my camera at that time to catch those PCSO's in Barkingside though, that bus and that pedestrian barrier made a really bad squeeze space!

There is even a bus on the Google Maps street view:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/preview?hl=en#!q=barkingside&data=!1m8!1m3!1d3!2d0.080722!3d51.587745!2m2!1f2.35!2f69.13!4f75!2m7!1e1!2m2!1sdAkOTdfT3YD0Bx67fYgU5g!2e0!5m2!1sdAkOTdfT3YD0Bx67fYgU5g!2e0!4m15!2m14!1m13!1s0x47d8a6a35883bc7b:0xd5b5d24bddb86888!3m8!1m3!1d399559!2d-0.0881897!3d51.4893095!3m2!1i1920!2i965!4f13.1!4m2!3d51.588711!4d0.081188&fid=5

.

 

[Frood42]

I was walking back from Walthamstow Central when I saw two police bikes unlocked and unattended on the pavement with the policemen in a cake shop picking out refreshments. Maybe there had been some cake related emergency in E17.

Cake
I suppose our stereotype for the doughnut
.

 

[stowie]

Cake
I suppose our stereotype for the doughnut
.

They had left the bikes unlocked on the pavement on Hoe Street, E17 and had their backs turned busy pointing to different cakes. I felt that they were being hugely - possibly naively - trusting. I had an almost overwhelming desire to run off with one of the bikes which I would have found rather amusing. Until they called in the cars. And the helicopter. And the dogs...

 

[ianrauk]

Funny thing to occur to me, but I haven't seen any police on bikes recently. Have any been sighted on this road exercise? Because there's a fighting chance that they would know something about the law regarding cycling and will have experience of cycling in the metropolis.

@deptfordmarmoset suddenly realised how silly his post sounds

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

@deptfordmarmoset suddenly realised how silly his post sounds

I know, I had to take off my pair of scepticles so I could do a bit of open thinking and forgot to put them back on again.

 

[Twelve Spokes]

I am surprised at the number of posters who think a couple of decent lights is a licence to wear dark clothing.

Contrasting, light or reflective clothing is an enormous help to a driver in picking out a cyclist, particularly from the front or 'in the mirror'.

Down with this common sense.

 

[theclaud]

Down with this common sense.

Ah - "common sense".