London Calling

[Richard (Apples)]

Hi Sean. I totally agree with the LCC's stance on this one . However due to the popularity of cycling we now have a problem with, as I see it, quite a number of cyclists. I cycle to work nearly every day from Tooting to the City and cannot believe the number of riders who jump the lights (narrowly missing people crossing) or who ride on the pavement to get passed a queue of traffic at the lights . These people are handing ammo to Ken and it totally pi55es me off

[adrian]

# Now war is declared, and battle come down #

I know, Richard - you see some loony stuff, and it drives you mad.

Waiting at some lights on my commute yesterday, an old-timer said to me, "Good to see someone else still stops for red lights." I didn't make any reply - on the one hand because it struck me how much things have deteriorated, and on the other because the first thing that came into my head was an idiotic platitude along the lines of, "There aren't many of us left." On balance, I'm glad I kept my mouth shut.

[Richard (Apples)]

It seems like a negative comment (for cycling) but I'm actually looking forward to the return of bad weather so all the crazy's get back on the tube

[adrian]

Fat lot of good the 'expert witness' did him!

[Gavin]

Interesting actually.

I did as asked and wrote an email to my Assembly member who is also my MP and old ken aswell.

I got a response from both of them which was quite positive.

I have decided to shout Oy at people cycling through lights.

I did this the other day in Sloane Square and the cyclist chap gave me a 'What?' look.

Cheers

G

[sid_day]

I challenged a guy who ran the lights from the Cut onto Blackfriars road.
He hadn't seen me coming up the road and was wobbling all over the place as he attempted a track stand while for pedestrians to cross.

I received a stream of abuse and threats of violence with him poking me with his finger at the next set of lights.

I was wearing my ACC jersey at the time. I kept repeating how his behaviour made it dangerous on our club runs. Plus pointing out he had broken the law. He did shut up in the end.

--------------------------------------------------

If you think about it there are not actually that many cameras watching the traffic lights.

Therefore number plates would not achieve very much without huge investment in cameras.....

......which they haven't been bothered to do for cars who <b>do</b> run the lights.

His language in the interview also indicated he hadn't really thought about it.

In the London we have a huge problem with untaxed, uninsured vehicles too: they are still on the roads.

[Richard (Apples)]

I'd like to get my bike fitted with cameras and mic's for a tv doc about cycling in london . I keep seeing TFL 's ads and eveyone seems to be riding in some kind of traffic free happy clappy smiley wonderland !!

I think Ken should spend our money on improving the roads we ride on not spinning us lies

[sid_day]

I agree.

I saw one of those TFL ads on the HUGE bilboard in the middle of one of the Elephant and Castle roundabouts!

Dice with death with the traffic

OR

Risk getting your bike nicked on the back-street cycle lanes.

I once tried the cycle route alternative to Waltworth road down to camberwell:
It took 30 mins longer, was full of potholes, inadequately lit and

I was pelted with eggs by chavs as was another cyclist in front of me.

[Richard (Apples)]

You gotta laugh .....last oct /nov during the 6 week endurance of firework "night" a group of lads actually fired rockets at me as I cycled passed Clapham common at abou 9pm . Walworth after dak off the beaten track you need a tank

[Alan M]

It seems that ken may have changed his mind on this one - check out the response from Valerie Shawcross below - Val used to be chair of croydon Education committee and then leader and is now on the GLA. The response seems to be a stock one written in her absence but I guess this one was just a bit of spin and will now be quietly dropped.

Dear Alan

Thank you for your email regarding the Mayor of London's comments about registration for cyclists in London.

I believe that cycling has an important part to play in making London more sustainable. It is a quick, healthy, affordable and non-polluting form of travel that has the potential to increase capacity on London?s busy roads. More cycling will lead to less congestion by reducing the number of short car trips. It will also help reduce air pollution and bring improvements in London?s street environment.

Whilst the vast majority of road users follow the rules, there is a small minority who are irresponsible and do not show courtesy to others. This applies to motor vehicles parking in cycle lanes or monopolising the ?advance stop? space allocated for cyclists at junctions ? and it also applies to cyclists going through red lights and riding on the pavement. I receive many complaints for pedestrians about cyclists causing a danger at pedestrian crossings. Elderly pedestrians find it particularly distressing.

Transport for London are working to address these issues and will shortly be launching a 'Share the Road' campaign, encouraging all road-users to obey Traffic Regulations and advising them of the penalties for not doing so. I hope that this campaign will lead to better standards of driving and riding and a greater level of courtesy shown by road users to one another. However, it is expected that targeted police enforcement will still be required to catch cyclists and drivers who refuse to obey the rules of the road.

I appreciate the time you have taken to write to me about this issues and I can see from yours and other responses to the Mayor's comments that a registration scheme would not be popular with cyclists. I understand that other road users ? particularly pedestrians - are increasingly frustrated with the number of cyclists who break the rules.

I believe that the Mayor has reconsidered this matter and does not want to introduce a registration scheme. Therefore I would encourage responsible cyclists and cycling organisations to, with the Mayor and the London Assembly, persuade the minority of cyclists who do not currently obey the rules of the road to take a more responsible approach.

Thank you for bringing this issue to my attention.

Yours sincerely



Valerie Shawcross

London Assembly Member

Lambeth and Southwark



Lucy Jones
Assistant to Valerie Shawcross
London Assembly Member for Lambeth and Southwark

Tel 020 7983 4401
LONDONASSEMBLYLABOUR
City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA

-----Original Message-----
From: Valerie Shawcross
Sent: 15 August 2006 10:58
To: Lucy Jones
Subject: FW: cycle licensing





Valerie Shawcross AM
LONDON Assembly Member
Lambeth & Southwark

City Hall
The Queen's Walk
London
SE1 2AA

020 7983 4371

http://www.london.gov.uk

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Malarkey [mailto:malarkey@tiscali.co.uk]
Sent: 14 August 2006 20:56
To: Valerie Shawcross
Subject: cycle licensing


Hi Val

Hope you are well and having a good Summer.

I am trying to understand KL's stance on this. Having made good friends with the cycling community, he now seems to be proposing something that is unworkable and very bureaucratic; it will prevent the continuation the so far spectacular growth in cycling in London and alienate what is generally a law abiding and benign group of people. I had wondered whether it was just a bit of a smoke screen to appease the Chelsea tractor drivers and play a dummy pass to the lowest common denominator, the average Evening Standard / daily mail readership, but I do worry because if he is serious, he will find implementing such a policy as difficult as herding cats and it may well do the opposite of what is intended by increasing the noise level created by a very small anarchist element in London cycling - I could see the fairly happy clappy cycling demos becoming quite nasty.

Any thoughts you have would be of great interest to me. Thanks again for your efforts at Herne Hill velodrome. I rode there a few weeks ago and was in a bit of a pile up and it hurt for many days but I remain thankful for your efforts.

With best wishes

Alan Malarkey


GREATERLONDONAUTHORITY

EMAIL NOTICE:
The information in this email may contain confidential or privileged materials. Please read the full email notice at http://www.london.gov.uk/email-notice.jsp

[Gavin]

Nice one Alan,

That is what Andrew Pelling (Croydon) said in brief from his blackberry!

Hope to see you out on the club run haven't seen you in ages.

Cheers

G