quote:CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes under plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone, the capital's mayor.
All bicycles would be registered so that riders breaking the law, by cycling on pavements or going through red lights, could be caught on traffic cameras. Mr Livingstone is also investigating a possible ban on jaywalking, which is illegal in some countries.
Speaking on the London radio station LBC yesterday, Mr Livingstone said: "I think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their owners should be registered.
"There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do it."
Mr Livingstone was responding to a listener's question about what the mayor would do to stop cyclists using the capital's pavements.
He added: "You've got to have legislation, but I think, most likely we'll look at putting up what's called a private Bill and I think I can get the London boroughs — all of them, irrespective of parties — to most likely go along with that and have a proper vehicle/bicycle registration."
Asked if that meant licence plates for bicycles, he said: "Yes, so you can catch the ones — the ones that are obeying the law, it makes no difference — but the ones who are going over red lights, driving on pavements, you get 'em."
When asked about banning jaywalking — whereby people cross the road other than at zebra crossings or when a "green man" sign is shown — he said: "In America jaywalking is illegal, but in America you have this situation that at virtually every busy junction there is a zebra crossing and as the lights change the pedestrian has priority and only when they've crossed can then the cars turn.
"Now when John Redwood [the Conservative frontbencher] recently came up with some transport policies, that was the only one that I thought we should look at, and we are looking at that.
"But if you are going to ban jaywalking you're going to have to have a lot more actual formal pedestrian crossings."
Concern has increased over the behaviour of cyclists because of the rising number of bicycles on the roads in London.
Figures released last month showed that the number of people cycling in the capital had risen by 50 per cent in the past five years. Between 1993 and 2003 the level remained almost unchanged, but there are now 450,000 cycle trips in London every day.
It is thought that concerns about pollution, overcrowded and expensive public transport and the wish to keep fit have inspired the boom. Fear among commuters about using buses and the Underground after the July 7 terrorist attacks is also believed to be a factor.
Transport for London claims that investment in the London Cycle Network will mean that there will be 560 miles of cycle routes across London by 2010. Its annual expenditure on cycling has risen to £24 million for 2006-07.
Reflecting the interest in cycling, London will be hosting the start of the Tour de France next year, with an opening ceremony in Trafalgar Square.
*Deeeep breath*
Right, yeah, sure that's going to happen.
Are bicycles a big problem in London now then? I cycled there from the mid-80s till we moved away in 2000, and bikes were so few and far between that everyone that rode one was automatically assumed to be a cycle courier. Even if the number of bike journeys has risen by 50% in the last five years I still can't picture crowds of cyclists frightening small children and knocking down the elderly and infirm on a regular basis. Does this actually happen?
I presume Ken was just winging it when a radio caller put him on the spot. Even he must find it difficult to go, "Don't be bloody stupid! What fucking bikes?"
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They're not that much of a problem, no... There's the occasional troublesome teen riding his bike slowly down the pavement while on the phone, with one trouser leg rolled up, but that's about it.
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All Londoners should be bar-coded, if you obey The Law you have nuffink to fear.
[ 28.07.2006, 09:14: Message edited by: Online Poker ]
-------------------- A Division of VOP Enterprises Posts: 110
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not...
You reached over with your hand and knocked my Jap over
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Who's actually going to stick a number plate on their bike? I mean it's quite possible to have a load of bikes, they're so cheap, what a load of crap. Absolute shit. Completely unable to enforce. wase of breath.
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quote:Originally posted by not...: Who's actually going to stick a number plate on their bike? I mean it's quite possible to have a load of bikes, they're so cheap, what a load of crap. Absolute shit. Completely unable to enforce. wase of breath.
The idea is clearly crap, but I think it migth be enforcable. How about giving parking officials / police the power to confiscate any parked bike without a number plate? To get your two wheeled wonder back, you pay a £50 fine and promise to get it plated.
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quote:Originally posted by not...: Who's actually going to stick a number plate on their bike? I mean it's quite possible to have a load of bikes, they're so cheap, what a load of crap. Absolute shit. Completely unable to enforce. wase of breath.
Errrm ..Why?.. so that they can charge you £96 to register your bike.
Still not convinced of the benefit?
You will be.
ISPs will be forced to keep the details of anyone googling 'Kittens on Bikes'. And be prepared for usual 'news' stories about how registration will cut down bike crime and hoodies, terrorists and Boris Johnson.
[ 28.07.2006, 09:30: Message edited by: Online Poker ]
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quote:Originally posted by herbs: teen riding his bike, with one trouser leg rolled up
Probably a junior freemason on his way to a lodge meeting.
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not...
You reached over with your hand and knocked my Jap over
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quote:Originally posted by MiscellaneousFiles:
quote:Originally posted by not...: Who's actually going to stick a number plate on their bike? I mean it's quite possible to have a load of bikes, they're so cheap, what a load of crap. Absolute shit. Completely unable to enforce. wase of breath.
The idea is clearly crap, but I think it migth be enforcable. How about giving parking officials / police the power to confiscate any parked bike without a number plate? To get your two wheeled wonder back, you pay a £50 fine and promise to get it plated.
They'll have to prise the lock off first tho won't they? Are they really gonna bother getting power cutters and going round seperating tatty rusty old BMX's off of lamposts and sticking threatening notes on said lampost saying " YOUR BIKE HAS BEEN IMPOUNDED BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER PLATE. TO RELEASE IT CALL 0800 55578384 COST OF RELEASE £50"
This is only going to be an issue for people with nice bikes who are probably nice caring riders anyhow. The lawless maniacs won't give a flying fuck.
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quote:Originally posted by not...: They'll have to prise the lock off first tho won't they? Are they really gonna bother getting power cutters and going round seperating tatty rusty old BMX's off of lamposts and sticking threatening notes on said lampost saying " YOUR BIKE HAS BEEN IMPOUNDED BECAUSE IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER PLATE. TO RELEASE IT CALL 0800 55578384 COST OF RELEASE £50"
If the analysts say that the potential income will exceed the amount spent on arming attendants with chainsaws, then yes. They'd probably open it up to private companies though, much like the clampers.
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Bikes are a problem in my house, I don't know about the rest of London. Knee deep in the fuckers we are. One mountain bike, two of those fixed wheel courrier bikes and a unicycle. Which has never been used as my housemate got his nob pierced the day after he bought it and he hasn't healed up yet.
posted
I don't know where Herbs goes in London, but there is a significant number of cyclists in London who are utter, utter ***** and jump red lights, cycle on the pavement, cycle over pedestrian crossings, etc, and generally act like they own the road.
Obviously this is unacceptable behaviour needs to be addressed BECAUSE I OWN THE ROAD YOU CYCLING *****!
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Yeah, the ones who ride through red lights fuck me off. If I see them, I do my best to get in their way. My cuntometer goes off the scale when I see people doing shit like that, particularly as my self-righteous-o-scope imagines a poor defenseless old lady, getting the front tyre jammed in her mimsy. It makes I go:
not...
You reached over with your hand and knocked my Jap over
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If I rode a bike I'd totally run red lights/use pavements/pedestrian crossings. Why don't they spend the money they would on enforcing the crap number plate idea on creating some nice cycle only paths instead. Tokyo has them everywhere.
quote:Originally posted by Abby: a unicycle ...Which has never been used as my housemate got his nob pierced the day after he bought it and he hasn't healed up yet.
So how long has this been? Sounds as if said unicycle has been collecting dust for years while your roomie sits (somewhat uncomfortably, one might assume) waiting for his nobpiercing to heal.
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Not all that long, a week or so I think. It was a fairly brutal piercing by the look of it though. Although he now needs to find an appropriately sized wall to start from, as he is just learning. So probably isnt the one spotted on the King's road.
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