Dangerous cyclists could get 14Years pokey.

ventureuk

Posts like this are worth their weight in comedy gold.

Those who think that such legislation if passed could be enforced are as daft as some of the laws currently on statute.

Thousands upon thousands of current laws are currently unenforced yet attract no attention from anyone on here.

Why aren't the loons on the internet calling for this classic to be enforced outside of B&Q at a weekend ?

'Every person who rolls or carries any cask, tub, hoop, or wheel, or any ladder, plank, pole, timber, or log of wood, upon any footway, except for the purpose of loading or unloading any cart or carriage, or of crossing the footway'

Or go after children flying kites or playing in the snow ?

'Every person who flies any kite, or who makes or uses any slide upon ice or snow'

Has the OP ever cleaned their car on the road and shaken dirt off the car mats ? If so then they are a criminal..

'Every person who beats or shakes any carpet, rug, or mat (except door mats, beaten or shaken before the hour of eight in the morning)'

The internet is full of ten bob legals and I'm afraid that this post has once again brought them out.

Let the comedy commence.

no_more_cards_for_me

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

ventureuk

I forgot the other classic that is rife on sunny days all over the UK when people decide to burn leaves and garden rubbish.

If you've done this then I think you should be in prison...

'Lighting a fire within 50ft of the centre of a highway'

and as for kicking a football about on a quiet cul de sac with your kids, execution is the only option.

'Playing football on a highway'

Where are the calls for these laws to be enforced ?

anotherbaldrick

The atrocious behavior of the hooligan element among some cyclists has brought the legislation down on their own heads, can't complain they didn't ask for it.

JQ.

2 deaths per year caused by cyclists.

It would be interesting to see some statistics for UK deaths and their causes. I wouldn't be surprised if there were more deaths caused by falling pianos or dessert spoon incidents.

Cycling on the pavements should be prosecuted, I don't see what difference this law will make.

anotherbaldrick

I don't see what difference this law will make.

14 years if they kill someone, previously the max was £2000 fine.

Billy-no-Money

Once again comments below the story call for registration, insurance, road tax (!!) etc etc, when none of those would have made a blind bit of difference in this case.

Cycling on the pavement is not inherently dangerous - how can it be, when councils think painting a white line down the middle of it suddenly makes it a shared-use path and therefore safe?

I'm a road user, and understand my obligations as a 'vehicle', but there are two situations on my commute where I resort (with care) to the pavement - once to avoid riding uphill along a right turn lane (where cars will either pass me on both sides or if I hold my lane position be reduced to <10mph), the other one being to access a cycle path which begins at the council boundary (where's the logic in that?) in preference to being squeezed between opposing lanes of 40mph traffic.

Our road, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure is a mess, we all need to treat each other with respect. Sadly that's too often found wanting.

no_more_cards_for_me

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

The atrocious behavior of the hooligan element among some cyclists has brought the legislation down on their own heads, can't complain they didn't ask for it.

And The atrocious behavior of the hooligan element among some drivers, who disreguard the presence of cyclists and try to bully them off the road

And The atrocious behavior of the hooligan element among some pedestrians who think they have the right to cross the road in front of other traffic, presenting a danger to other road users whilst having scant regard fro their own safety.

Billy is right, we ALL need to treat each other with respect. Highly unlikely to ever happen however.

thelawnet

anotherbaldrick wrote: »

Under a new law being talked through in Parliament cyclists who cause death or injury to pedestrians through dangerous riding could get up to 14 years.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13034162

This is the result of the death of Rhiannon Bennett, who was hit by a cyclist in 2007, hitting her head on the pavement and dying as a result of the injuries.

A cyclist was jailed in 2009 for 7 months for wanton and furious cycling, an offence established in 1861.

The cyclist who hit Rhiannon Bennett was not jailed because of the facts in the case. Given that this was established by a court, it is rather foolish of the MP for Rhiannon's family to be trying to pass a new law when one already exists that was not considered relevant to this case, and when another - manslaughter applies more generally.

More widely, given that there are more than 2000 road/pavement deaths per year, of which typically 2 involve a cyclist (other than as the victim), it would seem more pertinent to look at tougher sentencing for road deaths in general, such as the killer of cyclist Jason McIntyre, Robert McTaggart, who turned across him while driving his van at high speed and was fined just £500 and banned from driving for six months - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7547324.stm

If you read the facts of the case in which Rhiannon Bennett died:

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/208306-death-crash-cyclist-mowed-down-teen

it is reported that there was a group of nine underage drinkers who were blocking the road. After hitting the teen he stopped to help. Given that groups of drunken youths are quite dangerous to cyclists (can push them off, etc.), on another day his decision to keep going might have proved a wise one, unfortunately for him and the deceased on this occasion it wasn't.

anotherbaldrick

Reading that metro link above I cannot but wonder what the hell the cyclist thought he was doing.