What hope is there?

[oldfatfool]

Cycling home tonight, arrive at a crappy T-junction with T-lights, large clearly marked bike box and ASL.
Approaching junction light is on red ad a blacked out corsa swerves round me to stop over the ASL, charmed I'm sure, no big deal.

About to take primary to stop behind aforementioned corsa, shoulder check and lo and behold a jam sandwich is behind and just pulling round. The officer of the law stops behind the corsa and I pull in behind.

The conversation goes a little like this,

Me: Are you going to nick him then mate?
Plod: Eh?
Me: Are you going to give him a tug for running the red light and blocking my safe area for turning right?
Plod: What are you on about?

The lights then change and plod continues off in a different direction to chummy and with no regard to my questioning. Well I really felt my council tax was well spent this month.

 

[Paul.G.]

Sounds about right, plod was most likely on his way to collect pizza or some other menial task, complete waste of space and council tax the lot of em!!

 

[potsy]

Had it happen 3 times on today's ride, each time put myself just in front of the ASL and was a bit slow pulling away when the lights went green, that'll learn 'em

 

[totallyfixed]

Starting to believe that a significant percentage of the boys in blue have no idea what an ASL is for.

 

[Brandane]

In their defence, having been there for 19 years: if they were to stop and deal with every single traffic offence that they witnessed, then they would, literally, never have time for doing anything else. In this particular case, they could have been a bit more diplomatic than the "What are you on about?" reply!

I used to pull drivers in for minor offences, but usually only if it was needed as an excuse to dig deeper for something more meaty.

If seemingly trivial road traffic offences are to be properly and regularly dealt with, then a LOT more resources need to be directed towards it. Resources means money, so don't hold your breath.

 

[totallyfixed]

In their defence, having been there for 19 years: if they were to stop and deal with every single traffic offence that they witnessed, then they would, literally, never have time for doing anything else.

I used to pull drivers in for minor offences, but usually only if it was needed as an excuse to dig deeper for something more meaty.

If seemingly trivial road traffic offences are to be properly and regularly dealt with, then a LOT more resources need to be directed towards it. Resources means money, so don't hold your breath.

I absolutely get that, but the consequences of having too few resources results in a level of lawlessness on the roads that includes bullying cyclists, speeding etc. The worst thing is that they know they can get away with it which in turn breeds a lack of respect for the law and those who uphold it. When I drive I am very aware of how things have deteriorated, for example if I am in a 30 mph limit doing 30 then I inevitably end up with a queue of cars behind me. Yesterday on the club ride we were passed by a hatchback doing around 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.

 

[Brandane]

I absolutely get that, but the consequences of having too few resources results in a level of lawlessness on the roads that includes bullying cyclists, speeding etc. The worst thing is that they know they can get away with it which in turn breeds a lack of respect for the law and those who uphold it. When I drive I am very aware of how things have deteriorated, for example if I am in a 30 mph limit doing 30 then I inevitably end up with a queue of cars behind me. Yesterday on the club ride we were passed by a hatchback doing around 70 mph in a 30 mph zone.

I totally agree. If I had my way, every offender would be prosecuted, whether it be a traffic offence or not.
Unfortunately, the lawlessness is not restricted to the roads, so priorities have to be made.

 

[Pikey]

Cycling home tonight, arrive at a crappy T-junction with T-lights, large clearly marked bike box and ASL.
Approaching junction light is on red ad a blacked out corsa swerves round me to stop over the ASL, charmed I'm sure, no big deal.

About to take primary to stop behind aforementioned corsa, shoulder check and lo and behold a jam sandwich is behind and just pulling round. The officer of the law stops behind the corsa and I pull in behind.

The conversation goes a little like this,

Me: Are you going to nick him then mate?
Plod: Eh?
Me: Are you going to give him a tug for running the red light and blocking my safe area for turning right?
Plod: What are you on about?

The lights then change and plod continues off in a different direction to chummy and with no regard to my questioning. Well I really felt my council tax was well spent this month.

Not the best PR for the police either.

"What are you on about?" well done plod, masterful way of dealing with the law abiding side of the public.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Starting to believe that a significant percentage of the boys in blue have no idea what an ASL is for.

They're not the only ones. I've looked it up but no success. Please explain.

 

[Keith Oates]

Advance Stop Lines!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Had it happen 3 times on today's ride, each time put myself just in front of the ASL and was a bit slow pulling away when the lights went green, that'll learn 'em

tends to be my tactic if I bother with them, albeit doing that I'm being no more legal than the drivers are by jumping the advanced stop line too.

I've had it out with a traffic PCSO before, their reason for ignoring ASL infringements in Manchester at least was that ASL's had "only been in force for 8 years and that was too soon to expect drivers to have learned what they're for".

make your own conclusions from that one.

less officially, I know other cops who are frustrated and angry at the tiny number of them there are generally going out actually to patrol and respond to incidents as they occur, different shifts, other duties - going to court, booked appointments with people tying them down to a desk or a set time to be at somebodies house, specialist sections that the top brass have set up or decided to stock with a cast of thousands all steal the reality of the Dixon of Dock Green copper out and about to deal with these low level and in most peoples eyes victimless crimes. Adding to the widespread view backed up by lenient judiciary and weak laws (IMO) over more serious misdemeanours/crimes committed when driving and we're very much on our own shouting for enforcement of ASL's.

All in all ASL's are a red herring, ignored by most drivers unenforceable in reality, giving a false sense of security and entitlement for us and attracting huge swathes of time and words on the internet when arguably there are far better ways of keeping me safe and far worse examples of inconsiderate driving we should be shouting about.

They've failed in/by their ubiquity, I think we'd do better to scrap them at all but junctions where there is a demonstrable higher risk but have them enforced properly by targetted manpower campaigns, as per the London ones & Grimaldi (GMP) & Bluenose (? - Essex) etc and all the time routinely by cameras and FPN's at those points as with speeding.

 

[Globalti]

I've said it a dozen times.... there are now so few Police on patrol that you can break the law with impunity and that includes speeding and drink driving. If you get caught it is only through your own stupidity or lack of skill or observation so you deserve it.

 

[glenn forger]

The cops patrolled a no-entry bus lane for two hours, caught 170 drivers and raised £18,000 in FPNs. To say there's no money for enforcement is rubbish, there's no political will.

 

[Rob3rt]

Starting to believe that a significant percentage of the boys in blue have no idea what an ASL is for.

Recently read of some police bod (maybe it was part of that GM Police failure of a twitter Q&A) saying that you will get a ticket if you drive over the 2nd line in the ASL, i.e. it's okay to park in it, as long as you don't go past it, LMFAO! Cheers, paint the road back to black!

 

[jarlrmai]

ASLs waste of time, dotted line cycle lanes in the door zone waste of time, STOP painting meaningless crap on the roads.