ASL in London today

[User]

 

[StuartG]

[QUOTE 2532910, member: 1314"]Met Police – not the CSOs but the actual police – were telling off people for stopping in the ASL in London this morning, and handing out leaflets to them.[/quote]
Did they turn a Nelsonian eye upon cyclists entering the ASL by an unapproved route?

 

[goody]

Did they turn a Nelsonian eye upon cyclists entering the ASL by an unapproved route?

What's an unapproved route?

 

[Markymark]

What's an unapproved route?

As I understand it, entreing the ASL on red through a solid white line as opposed the the broken line - typically appearing from the left or from a cycle lane.

 

[goody]

So if the traffic light is red and I pass the traffic on the offside (centre of the road) and then pull into the ASL then that's unapproved? By who and what could the Police do about it? I do it quite a lot. (especially at the one near tooting police stn.)

 

[Markymark]

So if the traffic light is red and I pass the traffic on the offside (centre of the road) and then pull into the ASL then that's unapproved?

Correct.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/letter-from-the-met-re-asls.125218/

 

[StuartG]

You, as I understand it are committing the same offence as a motorist - proceeding over the stop line on red. It isn't being in the box that is an offence for the motorist. If he was stuck there when the lights go red there is no problem (except to the cyclist).

In real life entering the ASL by the approved route (the filter) is often unwise and hence it is better to do the other. But the law does not recognise it and you would have to really upset a jobsworth copper to make it an issue.

 

[Markymark]

I agree. The difficulty is that its a non-sense to fine a cyclist for entering the wrong side (fnarr??) but a policeman, when given evidence showing both breaking the law (irrespective of the disparity between the danger) may end up wishing to prosecute both.

 

[Flyingfox]

There was a news item last week that they are going to start penalising drivers in the same way they do the yellow road boxes (via cameras), will be interesting what effect it will have.

 

[gaz]

There was a news item last week that they are going to start penalising drivers in the same way they do the yellow road boxes (via cameras), will be interesting what effect it will have.

This will only happen if the law regarding stop lines is decriminalised and the councils can then hand out fines.
At present there is no news of such offence being decriminalised.

 

[Flyingfox]

This will only happen if the law regarding stop lines is decriminalised and the councils can then hand out fines.
At present there is no news of such offence being decriminalised.

It's closer than you think - http://road.cc/content/news/84623-t...-points-licences-ignoring-advanced-stop-lines

 

[gaz]

It's closer than you think - http://road.cc/content/news/84623-t...-points-licences-ignoring-advanced-stop-lines

Yes, I saw that when it was posted over a month ago. And just because someone in the council says they are close to doing something, doesn't mean it is actually close to happening.

 

[jefmcg]

The police were at Hammersmith Gyratory this morning, explaining ASL rules to drivers (and cyclists, apparently)