Police object to Southwark’s 20 mph speed limit plans - Includes Pedal Cycles!

[martinclive]

Anyone got the maths on stopping distances for car and bike at similar speed - this could seem a relevant argument............

 

[CopperBrompton]

It would be interesting to compare with a bike. The skinnier tyres and much weaker brakes vs the much lighter weight. I'm guessing, though, you wouldn't start to see a significant difference until well above typical cycling speeds.

As an aside, the stopping distances in the Highway Code were measured in 1946 and, aside from being converted to metric, haven't been updated since. A modern car with today's tyres and brakes can stop in around half those distances even allowing for unchanged reaction time. A modest sports car can do 0-60-0 in the HC 60-0 stopping distance.

 

[glenn forger]

Alas, advances in vehicle design haven't been matched by an increase in driver capability.

 

[benb]

Alas, advances in vehicle design haven't been matched by an increase in driver capability.

Indeed. Quite the opposite, in my experience.
It seems like the safer we make cars (for the occupants at least) the worse they are driven. Maybe the problem is that they feel so safe. How about fitting a metal spike to the centre of the steering wheel and removing the seatbelts? I bet we'd see everyone driving very carefully then!!

 

[benb]

You wouldn't. Cars used to be very much less safe for the occupants 40, 50,60 years ago. No crumple zones, airbags, seatbelts with pre-tensioners etc. We accepted the death toll as just one of those things.

As we still do.
But they didn't feel unsafe, compared to a big metal spike on the steering wheel!! (that is, a car with or without a crumple zone feels as safe to drive as the other)

 

[Origamist]

The council have (unsurprisingly) backed down:

Councillor Mark Williams, cabinet member for transport: "The council sees the establishment of a 20 mph borough as significant step forward in ensuring the safety of all road users not least cyclists and pedestrians. To achieve this we feel that all vehicles should limit their speed to 20 mph.

"The report published on the 18 July to determine the statutory objections relating to a borough-wide 20mph speed limit makes it clear that orders made under Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 can apply to motor vehicles only and as such any prosecution by the police for breaches of the speed limit under that Act would be limited to motorised vehicles only. Accordingly the traffic order will be amended to make reference to "motorised vehicles" only.

"The council does not have powers to prosecute cyclists who travel in excess of 20 mph and recognises that dangerous cycling is a matter for the police alone. Nor are we seeking to " target" cyclists for enforcement, rather to reflect the concerns raised by pedestrians about the problems caused by a small minority of cyclists whose speed endangers other road users."

http://road.cc/content/news/124738-southwark-backs-down-20mph-cycling-limit

 

[J.Primus]

"The council does not have powers to prosecute cyclists who travel in excess of 20 mph and recognises that dangerous cycling is a matter for the police alone. Nor are we seeking to " target" cyclists for enforcement, rather to reflect the concerns raised by pedestrians about the problems caused by a small minority of cyclists whose speed endangers other road users."

http://road.cc/content/news/124738-southwark-backs-down-20mph-cycling-limit

Maybe they just need User to pop along and explain to them how they're wrong...

 

[J.Primus]

Oh dear me... you're a sad little man.

I didn't say that the local authority would prosecute - I pointed out (and pointed you to the evidence) that the local authority could impose a speed limit and create a criminal offence.

Now, run along...

You must have missed the bolded bit where they explicitly stated they don't have the power to make the speed limit apply to cyclists. It wouldn't be so funny if you weren't being such a helmet whilst being so very very wrong.