Ken's being a berk

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

"CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes under
plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone, the capital's mayor.
All bicycles would be registered so that riders breaking the law, by cycling
on pavements or going through red lights, could be caught on traffic
cameras. Mr Livingstone is also investigating a possible ban on jaywalking,
which is illegal in some countries.



Speaking on the London radio station LBC yesterday, Mr Livingstone said: "I
think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their owners
should be registered.

"There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the
law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do it.""

So what if I, a non-London resident, decide to visit London and use my bike
as a way of getting round the capital. Will I be assumed to be a
red-light-jumping, pavement-cycling, law-breaking Lycra Lout as I don't have
my cycle registered? Or will I not be allowed to use my bike when visiting
Kenopolis?

Yet another reason not to visit London :-(

Cheers, helen s



~~
you may need to remove dependence
on fame & fortune from organisation
to get correct email address
~Noodliness is Good~

Hi, you are right Helen S.

The next step for Ken is starting to taxing us bike users im sure. It
is just mad, you spend time to make you bike nice and light and now we
are going have a big plate on it, as it got to be big so the cameras
can see it.

woollypigs

wafflycat wrote:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

"CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes under
plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone, the capital's mayor.
All bicycles would be registered so that riders breaking the law, by cycling
on pavements or going through red lights, could be caught on traffic
cameras. Mr Livingstone is also investigating a possible ban on jaywalking,
which is illegal in some countries.



Speaking on the London radio station LBC yesterday, Mr Livingstone said: "I
think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their owners
should be registered.

"There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the
law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do it.""

So what if I, a non-London resident, decide to visit London and use my bike
as a way of getting round the capital. Will I be assumed to be a
red-light-jumping, pavement-cycling, law-breaking Lycra Lout as I don't have
my cycle registered? Or will I not be allowed to use my bike when visiting
Kenopolis?

Yet another reason not to visit London :-(

Cheers, helen s



~~
you may need to remove dependence
on fame & fortune from organisation
to get correct email address
~Noodliness is Good~

There will be a discussion on Radio 4 today at midday about a proposal to
introduce licence plates for cyclists in London. You can contribute to the
debate, on 0800 044 044 or email from this page:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/youandyo..._contact.shtml

wafflycat Wrote:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

"CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes
under
plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone, the capital's mayor.
All bicycles would be registered so that riders breaking the law, by
cycling
on pavements or going through red lights, could be caught on traffic
cameras. Mr Livingstone is also investigating a possible ban on
jaywalking,
which is illegal in some countries.



Speaking on the London radio station LBC yesterday, Mr Livingstone
said: "I
think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their
owners
should be registered.

"There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking
the
law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do
it.""

So what if I, a non-London resident, decide to visit London and use my
bike
as a way of getting round the capital. Will I be assumed to be a
red-light-jumping, pavement-cycling, law-breaking Lycra Lout as I don't
have
my cycle registered? Or will I not be allowed to use my bike when
visiting
Kenopolis?

Yet another reason not to visit London :-(

Cheers, helen s



~~
you may need to remove dependence
on fame & fortune from organisation
to get correct email address
~Noodliness is Good~

letter sent to my London Assembly rep and the LA Green Party leader.

Bryan


--
Bryan

wafflycat wrote:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

"CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes
under plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone, the capital's mayor.
All bicycles would be registered so that riders breaking the law, by
cycling on pavements or going through red lights, could be caught on
traffic cameras. Mr Livingstone is also investigating a possible ban on
jaywalking, which is illegal in some countries.


Yet another reason not to visit The Smoke - as if I needed any more :-\

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

"CYCLISTS in London could be made to fit numberplates to their bikes under
plans being drawn up by Ken Livingstone...

I wonder what size the plates will need to be.

Also *where* will they be required to be fitted?

If I clipped one to my seatpost there would not be room to fix my rear
light.

I don't have a rack or mudguards or any place to fit them, so perhaps the
plate will need to be worn on the cyclists back?

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 12:32:19 +0100, Adrian Boliston wrote:

I wonder what size the plates will need to be.

If they're going to be picked up by the existing red-light cameras
they'd have to be close to the size of motorbike plates, which are a
little smaller than for cars.


Also *where* will they be required to be fitted?

Right at the back where they won't be obscured by panniers, saddlebags
or coats. They'd have to be fitted to be visible from directly behind,
again for the existing cameras, and would have to be strong enough not to
break or bend if the bike is leaned against something or dropped.
Therefore they would have to have a support structure and probably be
metal. Can't be sharp-edged because of the hazard to slicing the
cyclist's leg as they mount or dismount, and to passers-by.

If the plate is positioned to be readable from the side it would make
life easier, but Ken would need a new set of red-light cameras, and I
think they cost about £40,000 each, so this would seem to be a
non-starter.

It would be an interesting exercise to find a way to mount one on a
folder too....


Mike

"wafflycat" wrote in message
...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"


Sorry

http://static.flickr.com/59/200243874_5f153f3fde_o.gif

wafflycat wrote:
Speaking on the London radio station LBC yesterday, Mr Livingstone said: "I
think, I'm now persuaded, we should actually say that bikes and their owners
should be registered.

"There should be a numberplate on the back so that the ones breaking the
law, we can get them off the cameras. It's the only way you can do it.""

He'll soon be feeling the full force of my email.

wafflycat wrote:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...289733,00.html


"Cycle numberplate plan to catch lawless riders"

His congestion charge success has gone to his head. This smacks of policy made on the
hoof, there are so many holes that I can't begin to take it seriously.

Alan