Letter from the Met re: ASL's

[Recycle]

In the unlikely event of the police booking a cyclist for not entering the ASZ from the feeder lane it would probably be in the form of a fixed penalty fine. I would choose to contest in court and I would be extremely surprised if the CPS thought it was in the public interest to prosecute.
If that did however happen to me I would plead not guilty on the following grounds:

• Cyclecraft and therefore bikeability does not recommend using the feeder lane under certain circumstances. Bikeability and cyclecraft are endorsed as best practice by the DfT. I am therefore following the advice of a recognised authority - even though it may inadvertently break the law.
• Whilst the magistrate is obliged to follow the common meaning of the law, in this instance the common meaning of the law is at best ambiguous and therefore the mischief rule could be used because the wording is at odds with the advice of a recognised authority.

 

[Recycle]

I read somewhere the law will be changed in 2014, negating the need for a feeder lane.

Yes, or at least according to a CTC document

 

[gaz]

Okay, so if you are only allowed to enter an ASL through a feeder lane, then what do you do if you are filtering between two lanes of traffic and there is no filter lane into the ASL?

There is only one ASL near me that has a feeder lane, however there are many more without one. So what is the point of them if you cannot enter them?

don't enter the asl.

 

[Recycle]

don't enter the asl.

If a ASZ exists then it is reasonable to assume it's there to be used. It would take a cop with extreme anti-cyclist prejudice to book any cyclist for doing so, although I wish one would because it would provide a court opportunity to highlight the absurdity of the rule. Not that I think it would ever get to court because I can't see that the CPS would see in the public interest to prosecute.

 

[subaqua]

This has been done to death in RLJ threads, surprisingly enough. It is illegal to cross the first white line when the traffic light is on red (or when it is amber unless it is too late to stop) - the only legal way to get into the box in that case is using the lead in lane. If there is no feeder lane, the cycle reservoir is legally useless

This reads to me like the Met saying "go away and stop bothering us"

this is my experience of roadsafe

 

[Amanda P]

If a ASZ exists then it is reasonable to assume it's there to be used. It would take a cop with extreme anti-cyclist prejudice to book any cyclist for doing so...

That's pretty much what I was trying to say. In real-world terms, "everyone knows" that ASZs are there for cyclists, and motor traffic shouldn't be in them. That's what the police should be, and with RoadSafe, seem to be, trying to enforce.

 

[gaz]

this is my experience of roadsafe

Roadsafe changed quite a lot a few months ago. Certainly been a lot better since then.
I believe that this letter has been sent around as they are restructuring and some people are reporting stuff which they can't deal with.
By stopping that it should make the system more efficient.

 

[mr_cellophane]

So what about the ASLs in Canning Town which are for cyclists and motorcyclists ?

 

[subaqua]

So what about the ASLs in Canning Town which are for cyclists and motorcyclists ?

sort of explains itself doesn't it

Roadsafe changed quite a lot a few months ago. Certainly been a lot better since then.
I believe that this letter has been sent around as they are restructuring and some people are reporting stuff which they can't deal with.
By stopping that it should make the system more efficient.

I hope it improves. it couldn't get any worse. has definitley been a case of " if you report it then you think something will be done" when the reality is the equivalent of putting the red bills in the botttom drawer and ignoring them

 

[BentMikey]

sort of explains itself doesn't it

I hope it improves. it couldn't get any worse. has definitley been a case of " if you report it then you think something will be done" when the reality is the equivalent of putting the red bills in the botttom drawer and ignoring them

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. Even before the changes, Roadsafe was a very good thing. They might not have given us the feedback on actions taken that we wanted, but they were beavering away in the background. This was very obvious from the drivers that would come on our channels and complain bitterly about being caught on video. The combination of Roadsafe, YouTube and google is rather effective, I think.

 

[subaqua]

I wouldn't jump to that conclusion. Even before the changes, Roadsafe was a very good thing. They might not have given us the feedback on actions taken that we wanted, but they were beavering away in the background. This was very obvious from the drivers that would come on our channels and complain bitterly about being caught on video. The combination of Roadsafe, YouTube and google is rather effective, I think.

not everybody has that opinion though. so something must be awry. the feedback thing is a big one though. rather then us having to chase for feedback

 

[classic33]

Okay, so if you are only allowed to enter an ASL through a feeder lane, then what do you do if you are filtering between two lanes of traffic and there is no filter lane into the ASL?

You could try one like this one...

However the next one down....

..may require you to cycle accross three lanes to get into the correct lane.

 

[BentMikey]

not everybody has that opinion though. so something must be awry. the feedback thing is a big one though. rather then us having to chase for feedback

Yes, it's easy to draw the wrong conclusion based on the lack of feedback. When you've been using the service for rather a lot longer, and have enough submissions, you'll realise your snap judgement was mistaken. That's a general you, btw., not you specifically. Roadsafe certainly weren't perfect, they made some mistakes, but we all do that.

 

[subaqua]

Yes, it's easy to draw the wrong conclusion based on the lack of feedback. When you've been using the service for rather a lot longer, and have enough submissions, you'll realise your snap judgement was mistaken. That's a general you, btw., not you specifically. Roadsafe certainly weren't perfect, they made some mistakes, but we all do that.

2 years of submitting , even down to providing name of driver yet no response bar the initial we are looking into it, unless i chased it. oh until you put a comment on your video footage then they email saying please don't criticise us.

 

[BentMikey]

The lack of feedback was their policy back then. It doesn't mean Roadsafe was a bad service, or that they weren't doing a good job. Like you, I don't agree with the lack of feedback either - that leads to submitters feeling disheartened just as you were. My point is rather that it is possible to look past that to the results. The results have been excellent.

I'd go so far as to say I think it's been an extremely powerful tool for changing driver behaviour, or rather the combination of google, YouTube and camera cyclists, and Roadsafe.