Legality of chaining Bicycles to footway apparatus

Colin Matthews wrote:


This ties in with the specific issue I also want to discuss is , is it
illegal to chain bicycles to lamp columns ?


Illegal or not (and AFAICT, it's perfectly legal), it is antisocial if
the pavement is narrow or busy. I'll often park my bike in a car bay
using the sidestand if it'll hinder pedestrians locked to a lamppost.

The problem with this are twofold. It's not actually locked *to*
anything so parking on the road like this is only useful for very short
stay. Secondly, the amount of grief you get from motorists.

The answer is to convert a few on road car bays into bike parking areas
compete with bike racks. I think you get about 8 bikes in the space of 1
car, so it's a far better use of roadspace.

"Not Responding" wrote in message
. co.uk...

The answer is to convert a few on road car bays into bike parking areas
compete with bike racks. I think you get about 8 bikes in the space of 1
car, so it's a far better use of roadspace.

They did this at our local retail park, put bike racks in the end car
parking spaces. Perhaps after me complaining that Halfords sold a lot of
bike related products and yet there was nowhere for me to secure my cycle
outside.

Then they took them out and put disabled places in instead!

Following on from Not Responding's message. . .
Colin Matthews wrote:


This ties in with the specific issue I also want to discuss is , is it
illegal to chain bicycles to lamp columns ?


No.

* It is illegal to drive on the footway _adjacent to a road_. 'Drive'
applies to both cars and bikes.[1]

* It is illegal to obstruct the highway (of which the footway is a
part).

So if you cycle along the pavement then block it then in theory that's
two offences. However if you push your bike then chain it to some
street furniture and there is no actual obstruction[2] then that's fine.

[1] But IMHO using the footway for purposes of access to property can't
be an offence. So getting from say a dropped kerb to a cycle rack
outside the library would not be a 'driving' offence. Similarly where a
dropped kerb was blocked by a parked car and you cycle to the next one.

[2] But coppers and new COWs (Community Officer Wardens - Some easy name
needed for these wonks) mistakenly believe that potential obstruction
equates to actual obstruction as their little eyes light up with the
thought of meeting their ticket target. It has to be actual for the
charge to stick so ignore any FP rubbish.

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded

www.eminent.demon.co.uk - Lots for cyclists

On Fri, 06 May 2005 08:31:39 +0100, Mark Hewitt wrote:


"Not Responding" wrote in message
. co.uk...

The answer is to convert a few on road car bays into bike parking areas
compete with bike racks. I think you get about 8 bikes in the space of 1
car, so it's a far better use of roadspace.

They did this at our local retail park, put bike racks in the end car
parking spaces. Perhaps after me complaining that Halfords sold a lot of
bike related products and yet there was nowhere for me to secure my cycle
outside.

Then they took them out and put disabled places in instead!



Is that because nobody used them?

Peter Fox wrote:
So if you cycle along the pavement then block it then in theory that's
two offences. However if you push your bike then chain it to some
street furniture and there is no actual obstruction[2] then that's fine.

Obstruction doesn't necessarily mean "complete blockage". It has been
interpreted by the courts as "partial blockage".


[1] But IMHO using the footway for purposes of access to property can't
be an offence. So getting from say a dropped kerb to a cycle rack
outside the library would not be a 'driving' offence.

It is an offence in the pedestrianised bit of Sheffield city centre. A
bylaw has specifically banned cycling from the road to the bike stands.
However, motor vehicles accessing specified properties are permitted.

R.

"Peter Fox" wrote in
message ...

[2] But coppers and new COWs (Community Officer Wardens - Some easy name
needed for these wonks) mistakenly believe that potential obstruction
equates to actual obstruction as their little eyes light up with the
thought of meeting their ticket target. It has to be actual for the
charge to stick so ignore any FP rubbish.

What constitutes an obstruction of the pavement? Should there still be space
for one person to walk past? Or sufficient space for a three wide buggy to
get past?

"Peter Fox" wrote in
message ...
Following on from Not Responding's message. . .
Colin Matthews wrote:


This ties in with the specific issue I also want to discuss is , is it
illegal to chain bicycles to lamp columns ?


No.

* It is illegal to drive on the footway _adjacent to a road_. 'Drive'
applies to both cars and bikes.[1]

* It is illegal to obstruct the highway (of which the footway is a part).

So if you cycle along the pavement then block it then in theory that's two
offences. However if you push your bike then chain it to some street
furniture and there is no actual obstruction[2] then that's fine.

[1] But IMHO using the footway for purposes of access to property can't be
an offence. So getting from say a dropped kerb to a cycle rack outside
the library would not be a 'driving' offence. Similarly where a dropped
kerb was blocked by a parked car and you cycle to the next one.

[2] But coppers and new COWs (Community Officer Wardens - Some easy name
needed for these wonks) mistakenly believe that potential obstruction
equates to actual obstruction as their little eyes light up with the
thought of meeting their ticket target. It has to be actual for the
charge to stick so ignore any FP rubbish.

Thanks, that's interesting. I always wondered if I was being an illegal
pavement cyclist entering my home by cycling a short way (50m) from the
nearest dropped curb. There is a pathway from the entrance to the road, but
it is narrow with protective bollards, there is no dropped curb, and it is
on a busy road.

The one time I saw some COWs walking nearby, I chickened out and dismounted
by the pathway.

On Fri, 06 May 2005 05:53:37 +0100, Not Responding wrote:

Colin Matthews wrote:


This ties in with the specific issue I also want to discuss is , is it
illegal to chain bicycles to lamp columns ?


Illegal or not (and AFAICT, it's perfectly legal), it is antisocial if
the pavement is narrow or busy. I'll often park my bike in a car bay
using the sidestand if it'll hinder pedestrians locked to a lamppost.

In these circumstances, I park the bike on the road side of the lamppost. At
most of the places I need to do this there is just enough room to do so without
the bike overhanging the road.

"Mark Hewitt" wrote in message
...


What constitutes an obstruction of the pavement? Should there still be space
for one person to walk past? Or sufficient space for a three wide buggy to
get past?

If you can face some legalese, there's an amusing case at
http://www.freebeagles.org/caselaw/C...rtis_full.html
- if the obstruction is minimal and reasonable, it is legal.

Mark Hewitt wrote:

What constitutes an obstruction of the pavement? Should there still be space
for one person to walk past? Or sufficient space for a three wide buggy to
get past?

IME if it gets that far it'll be defined by a magistrate pulling a lazy
half baked stereotype definition out of the air to back up the decision
theyve already made based on their 'common sense' / prejudices. (no, Im
not the greatest respecter of magistrates' abilities )

Phil