cloggsy
Boardmanist
- Location
- North Yorkshire
Cops park in Cycle lane on red route...
- Thread starter cloggsy
- Start date
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Keith Oates
Janner
- Location
- Penarth, Wales
The Police were on duty but nipped into Tescos to get some food. They therefore parked the car a close to Tescos as they could so that if an emergency happened they could get back into the car ASAP. Seems reasonable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
It was parked on a red route, in a bus lane on the superhighway and at rush hour.
In the 10mins it was there, nearly 60 cyclists would have passed.
Digital_Cowboy
New Member
- Location
- Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl, USA
I've read a few articles where LEO's in NYC have done this as well, only it's been reported that it was done with intent to force cyclists out of the bike lane so that they can than ticket them for leaving the bike lane. There was also another article about a gal who was riding in the bike lane and had to leave the bike lane because there was a "black towncar" double parked and she had to swerve to avoid either hitting it or the door that suddenly opened into her path. She had a few choice words for the driver. The next thing she knows the car is chasing her, and she finds herself arrested.
As New York is one of the states that has a mandatory bike lane usage law. Sadly, it appears that what the LEO's don't know or care about is that the law DOES allow cyclists to exit the bike lane if it is unsafe to ride in.
Sadly, Florida also has a MBL law, but so far most LEOs seem to be aware that if it is unsafe for us to proceed in the lane that we do not have to stay in it, or if we are traveling at or faster than the rest of the traffic that again we do not have to stay in the bike lane.
And so far, knock on wood, I haven't had a problem with LEO's when I have chosen not to ride in the bike lane for my safety. Ironically the only time that I've had any sort of problem is from motorists or motorists turned pedestrian who seem to think that because the city is "kind" enough to install bike lanes that that somehow implies that we cyclists need to use them and if we don't we're "effen ar$holes" for not using them.
I had such an encounter about two months or so ago during the Taste of Pinellas. A guy who had gotten out of his pickup truck and was waiting to cross the street when I had pointed out to him that because of the bike lane being in the door zone it was unsafe to use, that in his words "the city installed them, you should use them." When I told him that because of it being in the door zone that it was unsafe he called me an "effen ar$ehole."
Sh4rkyBloke
Jaffa Cake monster
- Location
- Manchester, UK
No need for a big fuss, just apply the usual law and give them a slap on the wrist for being so daft. Points and a fine, is it? Life can then carry on.
downfader
extimus uero philosophus
- Location
- 'ampsheeeer
They should really set an example. When people saw them exiting with shopping they'll think as one commentor thought "one rule for them, another for us!" They'll also wonder why they cant do the same.
Theres plenty of places to park, I'm sure. No doubt other will be complaining about the buses and cyclists that had to move around them, thus slowing them down in the process?
Theres plenty of places to park, I'm sure. No doubt other will be complaining about the buses and cyclists that had to move around them, thus slowing them down in the process?
All good points, DC, but they aren't the issue here. Red Routes mean no stopping at all for any reason, not even to drop off a passenger, because they are considered vital arteries which jam quickly if there is any obstruction.
Saving 15 seconds if they get called should not be an excuse for the police to park on them to pop into Tescos. If they are that worried, they should either leave one officer in the car parked 100m away whilst the other goes in, or choose a different store.
IMO.
That said, of course, looking at the picture suggests that the first respondee's comment was accurate. They appear to be in a red route parking bay, as the red lines pass around the outside of the car.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
They are parked in a parking bay but the bay is not in operation and thus you are not allowed to park in it.
ClichéGuevara
Legendary Member
- Location
- Kingston upon the River Hull
The ones around here go off duty for "refs". I told two in a car about cycles that were in the process of being stolenfrom a KFC about 30' away from them (they could see them out of the car window) and their reply was "we're just about to go on food break".
I made it clear that wasn't an acceptable response from public servants and they drove off.
The frustrating thing is, I'd got out of my car to grab the thieves (despite being phoneless and with my then three year old) but delayed when I saw the police car pulling into the KFC.
Mind you, the same useless articles wouldn't even question suspects caught with two of my bikes minutes after they'd been reported stolen because they didn't feel they had sufficient evidence. They literally waved them off on their way with my bikes.
Let 'em do what we do. Organise a pack up so they don't have to leave their vehicle.
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
I think I agree with this, actually. There's an argument to say that Police should be seen doing "ordinary" things so that people can relate to them more, but I don't think that should mean that rules which would normally gain regular folk a fine are excused as exceptional... after all, as a Nurse on call, I don't think my wife would be allowed to park her car illegally, nor do I think that a telecommunication engineer on call would be able to either - but both failing to get to a scene on time could potentially have a severe detrimental effect, albeit a different one to that of the Police. Their work is time critical, certainly, but I'm not convinced that means they can't prepare for such unusual and unforeseeable events as, say, lunchtime.
Digital_Cowboy
New Member
- Location
- Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fl, USA
Agreed, if it's a no parking zone, it's a no parking zone and it shouldn't matter who is trying to park there or what their reason is for doing so. And those cops who parked there should have to answer for it just as if they were anyone else.
Yaz
New Member
- Location
- Padiham, Lancashire
Arrgh! Yet another forum post that shows such intolerance of the police. How many people that work would tolerate missing out on their lunch or their tea break every working day and have to just put up with it? If the coppers were seen coming out with a carrier bag of booze then yes people have a right to complain but I dont see any wrong in stopping as close to a shop to grab a sandwich in case of an emergency call.
There has been many a time I have jumped into my car late at night to go take my fella and his partner some food as they have not been able to take their 'refs' as they are manning a crime scene.
Some red routes are only enforceable at certain times of the day, is this one of them?
Lets give the guys who we turn to when we are victims of crime a bit of slack eh?
There has been many a time I have jumped into my car late at night to go take my fella and his partner some food as they have not been able to take their 'refs' as they are manning a crime scene.
Some red routes are only enforceable at certain times of the day, is this one of them?
Lets give the guys who we turn to when we are victims of crime a bit of slack eh?
PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
I don't think anyone is suggesting that they should miss out on their breaks and I doubt that many people would have an issue if the route was blocked because they were dealing with a crime. Yes, police are allowed to ignore the signs if on operational duty - but do you really think that includes getting a snack?
There are other people who also do very important jobs, and they're not allowed to block the road whilst they nip out to grab sandwiches... so why are the Police different?
