Irresponsible Scout Leaders blocking cycle path

[fossyant]

I'll have to remember that the next time the police turn out with blue lights and sirens for vehicles blocking a carriageway, that it's hardly a big inconvenience and motorists should just use another road.

I don't care who the criminal motorist is. Report it to the police. And with the worrying behaviour of launching a makeshift raft of teenagers from a dodgy location into iffy water, it was definitely worth a call. Let the police decide how to prioritise it. If you spotted it but didn't call and someone got hurt, you'd be flamed.

If you read the next post by the OP, he left out quite a few details which I then agreed with. Read a couple of posts on next time !

 

[Bazzer]

Blocking the cycle path is annoying, but given the number of tools on the road, probably something most cyclists and certainly most commuters encounter on a regular basis. - Admittedly not a good example to the youngsters, but I'm not sure I'd get worked up about it. For example the two dickheads who on the way home tonight almost hit me by filter lane jumping, caused me more aggravation.
However the water does cause me more concern. As someone who regularly deals with youngsters from aged 7 and upwards in water and takes them into open water, from the description provided what was taking place sounds irresponsible. There is a golden rule, don't get in unless you can safely get out. I am not familiar with the area, but from the limited information provided, I am not sure I would even consider entering the water there with my youngsters in open water snorkelling gear. Boat or not, if someone goes in the water you have to be able to get them out if they cannot manage it, or they are putting themselves (and you) in danger.
Wearing a life jacket doesn't save you. Firstly you need to know how to use it and then be able, either to get out of the water, or the person rescuing you to get both you and themselves out of the water.
It's not being a killjoy. Water can be enjoyed in the same way as other environments, but it can quickly become a killer. Cold and its effects on the body, quite apart from drowning can happen very quickly.
Personally I'd have been inclined to try to get the name of the troupe and report the matter to the local scout commissioner. If a full risk assessment had been carried out, no harm done. But if it hadn't it might save a child's life in future.

 

[snorri]

Read a couple of posts on next time !

It's unfortunate that pertinent details had been omitted in the OP.

 

[Arjimlad]

@captain nemo1701 saw this and thought of you..my cubs activity last night.. the rope swing wasn't built to take Akela!

 

[Drago]

Motorists. Cycle paths are for cyclists, not cars. The clue is in the name "cycle" path. It is not a car path.

It matters not if you're a scout leader, Peter Duncan, or Baden-Powell himself , there is no lawful or moral justification for putting a car on a cycle path. Do not do it!

Right, email that to the scouts and lock the thread.

 

[winjim]

Might be worth teasing them for a bit. Ask if any of the Scouts have their cycling badge.

 

[KnackeredBike]

Motorists. Cycle paths are for cyclists, not cars. The clue is in the name "cycle" path. It is not a car path.

It matters not if you're a scout leader, Peter Duncan, or Baden-Powell himself , there is no lawful or moral justification for putting a car on a cycle path. Do not do it!

Right, email that to the scouts and lock the thread.

Police do not give a toss so people do what they like. There were four or five traveller caravans blocking a busy segregated cycle path (so no way around) for days and police did sod all.

Bet if they'd done the same on a quiet road the police would head straight down.

 

[classic33]

@captain nemo1701 saw this and thought of you..my cubs activity last night.. the rope swing wasn't built to take Akela! View attachment 356950

What gave, branch or rope, and was the water deep enough for you?

 

[jefmcg]

Back to the original posting

This took the biscuit tonight on my way home.
I have posted about the segregated cycle path on Cattle Market Road in Bristol being used as a free car park by anglers but what I encountered this evening staggered me. Parked up blocking the cycle path were:

Two cars
One minibus with trailer
20 kids in life vests
Three adults attempting to launch a makeshift raft into the water.

We had a fatal drowning near here recently, they were illegally parked and there is no slipway or launching facility. Stupid and irresponsible in my view, so rather than create a 'scene', I reported it to the police.

Did any other Bristol cc'ers see them tonight - about 6.30pm?.

There are two vastly different accusations here. One is blocking a cycle path and the other is putting children's lives in danger.

Do you really believe they were in danger? If so, why do you even mention the parking? That would be like citing the London Bridge attackers for parking on the pavement.

If not, then don't accuse people of endangering children if you don't believe it's true.

 

[Arjimlad]

What gave, branch or rope, and was the water deep enough for you?

I slipped off the bank before standing up on the rope !
Now have a nice bruise on my bum. Gave everyone a good laugh and my hat was retrieved for various cubs to wear to cool them down

 

[mjr]

There are two vastly different accusations here. One is blocking a cycle path and the other is putting children's lives in danger.

Oh right, so every child capable of cycling along a cycle path is quite safe pulling out blind into oncoming traffic on a carriageway to avoid someone who parked like a twit? I know it's not what you meant, but I'd say one is passively putting children's lives in danger and the other is actively putting children's lives in danger.

 

[captain nemo1701]

Oh right, so every child capable of cycling along a cycle path is quite safe pulling out blind into oncoming traffic on a carriageway to avoid someone who parked like a twit? I know it's not what you meant, but I'd say one is passively putting children's lives in danger and the other is actively putting children's lives in danger.

They clearly didn't want a fine by parking on double yellow lines, but decided to oddly break the law by driving onto and blocking the segregated cycle path & pavement. The fence should have been a clue that this is not a suitable launch spot for a raft. they made it harder for themselves by lifting it over. There is also a No Swimming sign there, albeit faded.

I believe there was a health risk to the children since discarded sharps have been found there in the past. It's not the best spot to go rafting from, really. Worth noting that they may be people who complain about cycling on pavements, risk to children/elderly people etc. But when it comes down to parking a vehicle........ This is exactly the same as that lazy man I saw driving onto the pavement outside our local shop to avoid the double yellow lines. He clearly couldn't be bothered to walk 50 yards from single yellow lines that permit temporary parking. No sir, just dump it on the pavement!.

If i'm ever done by the police for cycling where I shouldn't, perhaps I can get away with it by using the 'I'm having a bit of fun' excuse?.

 

[nickyboy]

They clearly didn't want a fine by parking on double yellow lines, but decided to oddly break the law by driving onto and blocking the segregated cycle path & pavement. The fence should have been a clue that this is not a suitable launch spot for a raft. they made it harder for themselves by lifting it over. There is also a No Swimming sign there, albeit faded.

I believe there was a health risk to the children since discarded sharps have been found there in the past. It's not the best spot to go rafting from, really. Worth noting that they may be people who complain about cycling on pavements, risk to children/elderly people etc. But when it comes down to parking a vehicle........ This is exactly the same as that lazy man I saw driving onto the pavement outside our local shop to avoid the double yellow lines. He clearly couldn't be bothered to walk 50 yards from single yellow lines that permit temporary parking. No sir, just dump it on the pavement!.

If i'm ever done by the police for cycling where I shouldn't, perhaps I can get away with it by using the 'I'm having a bit of fun' excuse?.

I'm still a bit confused

You called the police. Was that to inform them of illegal parking or dodgy water activities?

If it was for dodgy water activities it sounds like you have some specific knowledge of the site that the scouts may not have been aware of. Why not, in those circumstances, let the scout leader know at the time, rather than informing the police? By then the scouts had already been exposed to the risks

If you called the police to inform them of illegal parking why are you turning this into a H&S issue?

 

[Drago]

I'm not familiar with the area, but in most parts of the country parking enforcement has been deregulated and the powers devolved to the local authority. In those places there will be a memorandum of understanding between the L.A. and the dibble defining the boundaries of the enforcement activities, and from my own experience its almost certain that the L.A. and not the Feds will own a cycle path for enforcement purposes.

Of course, enforcement is for too much like hard work for an L.A. so they farm it out to private companies, who almost never deviate from the town centres because that's where the lolly is made.
The private companies won't care less, and the L.A. themselves won't have a non profit making parking warden of their own to hit areas that don't get coverage.

You can thank Tony Bliar for that little mess.

 

[mjr]

You can thank Tony Bliar for that little mess.

And, to be fair, all subsequent PMs and SoS's for Local Government (Brown, Cameron, May, Prescott, David Miliband, Kelly, Blears, Denham, Pickles, Clark, Javid) for letting it fester, as well as your local county/unitary councillors and mayors for under-managing the wardens.