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#1
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
Well, after riding several hundreds of miles through London in the last 2 years, I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. But today I received a fixed penalty notice by the City Of London Police for cycling on a footpath. Now, I know that none of you are UK lawyers (or if you are, I’m not expecting legal representation), but I’d like to know what the legal standpoint is with unicycles on the pavement in England. I’ve used the search facility, but haven’t come up with anything more than vague rumour, speculation or feelings. Does anyone know where I could actually look up what the law is regarding this, or how I would go about finding out? Just for the record, I was on my N36, and I ride that on the road or cycle paths for around 99% of my journey. The place where I got pulled up was approaching some traffic lights where nearly all the vehicles waiting had left a reasonable space for me to ride up to the lights, except for one van that was millimetres from the kerb. There was an easy way up on to the path, and I was on it for around 5 – 10 meters. But the copper was lurking just around the corner, on the last day of a one week ‘stinger’ operation to catch red light jumpers, pavement cyclists, people with their MP3 players too loud, and other such hardened criminals. It seems like he was running short of his quota for the week. The officer recorded the vehicle as a “Nimbus Unicycle” (after I corrected him for calling it a Nimbus Bicycle). If it did go to court, and I was to turn up with my 20” Nimbus, and explain that I play hockey on it, and am probably more manoeuvrable than most pedestrians, do you think that the judge would see that in my favour? Or would they find CCTV footage, realise it’s not the same, and get me in more trouble? I know it’s only a £30 fine, but one of the main reasons I ride to work each day is to avoid the £25 per week that the underground would cost. So, one mornings ride will cost me 6 days worth of travel. STM – in a very bad mood today -- semach.the.monkey ------------------------------------------------------------------------ semach.the.monkey's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/12078 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
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#2
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
Sorry, i know nothing about the laws over there, but do they penalise skateboarders for skating on the footpath? -- mill_mobile ------------------------------------------------------------------------ mill_mobile's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14584 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#3
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
Boo that sucks! For what I can recall from previous threads I think that unicycles are considered the same as bikes under UK law and are therefore technically illegal to ride on the pavement. Sounds like you were just unlucky in meeting a cop at the wrong time. Wheter it's illegal or not, lying in court about what unicycle you were riding would be pretty sketchy, especially if you were under oath! -- domesticated ape ------------------------------------------------------------------------ domesticated ape's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8599 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#4
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
Woo! 25 pounds a week for the underground? That is seriously steep! Sorry to hear about your fine. I bet you could successfully fight it, especially if your infraction was caused by a motorist not giving you enough room on the road. -- jmando Cpt: what do you run on, Rockette Morton? Rockette: I run on beans...I run on laser beans. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ jmando's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14821 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#5
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
If you just say you play hocky on a unicycle and they are amazingly manoverable and do not mention anything about the different sizes of wheel unless there are people who unicycle there (which I very much dobt there will be) no one would know beter. It wouldnt be lying, just witholding the truth. -- sp4rky-m4rky you may be lucky but you make your own luck *)--360--O* The Unispin Elite )---'O, Crankflip my 'video' (http://youtube.com/watch?v=yuOL9aOUKP4) learning 180 or 360 unispins? watch my 'video tutorial' (http://youtube.com/watch?v=gFCHDO1umlM) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ sp4rky-m4rky's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14270 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#6
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
Bummer. I doubt you'll be able to get out of it though - AFAIK all cycles are treated the same whether tri-, bi- or uni-, so riding on the pavement is illegal. Actually being prosecuted for it seems a bit mean though - you'd think a warning would be sufficient. Perhaps the plod are down on their figures this month or something. My route to work involves a short bit of footpath (only about 50 yards or so) and I always feel slightly guilty riding on it. I tend to slow right down to walking speed and get off if there are pedestrians who look like they'd be intimidated, and generally behave in a ridiculously responsible manner, but technically it's illegal. I think you were just unlucky and came across PC Pedant (assuming you weren't riding like a lunatic of course ) Rob -- rob.northcott 'Dartmoor Muni Weekend 2007' (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57785) Date now confirmed as 21st-22nd July. It'll be dry, I promise ------------------------------------------------------------------------ rob.northcott's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7436 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#7
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
rob.northcott wrote: My route to work involves a short bit of footpath (only about 50 yards or so) and I always feel slightly guilty riding on it. I tend to slow right down to walking speed and get off if there are pedestrians who look like they'd be intimidated, and generally behave in a ridiculously responsible manner, but technically it's illegal. I think you were just unlucky and came across PC Pedant (assuming you weren't riding like a lunatic of course ) Rob Around here some footpaths have been converted to 'dual use' with the aid of a few signs/paint, no safer than before. However these pavements are very different from Central London, where bikes are always cutting me up. I occasionally take the 36" onto pavements, but only if the kids are tired and riding at walking pace or late at night on country roads when there are boy racers passing. If I was stopped I would definitely start a polite discussion. As far as the law is concerned I found a 2002 Statuary Instrument: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si2002/20023113.htm "pedal cycle" means a unicycle, bicycle, tricycle, or cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case mechanically propelled unless it is an electrically assisted pedal cycle of such class as is to be treated as not being a motor vehicle for the purposes of the 1984 Act[17]; As we don't want to be banned from road riding it does make it hard to argue that we should be allowed on the pavement, although common sense should prevail e.g. 20" wheels. Taking it further street entertainment on a giraffe would technically fail RTA regulations Keith -- keg ------------------------------------------------------------------------ keg's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/212 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#8
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
I have cycled down the high street a few times and I cycled through a shopping centre. The shopping centre security caught me in the end, he just said to not do it again. -- sp4rky-m4rky you may be lucky but you make your own luck *)--360--O* The Unispin Elite )---'O, Crankflip my 'video' (http://youtube.com/watch?v=yuOL9aOUKP4) learning 180 or 360 unispins? watch my 'video tutorial' (http://youtube.com/watch?v=gFCHDO1umlM) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ sp4rky-m4rky's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14270 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#9
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
I haven't had a good look at the applicability of that 2002 regulation (yet), but it's important to note that most acts and regulations will refer to "cycles" as having the same meaning as The Road Traffic Act 1988. That meaning can be found at 'Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52)' (http://tinyurl.com/r69x8) 192 (General interpretation of Act.) ..."cycle" means a bicycle, a tricycle, or a cycle having four or more wheels, not being in any case a motor vehicle, Unicycle being absent. You're probably going to be concerned with The Fixed Penalty Offences Order 1999, s3(2)(b) (b) cycling on the footway contrary to section 72 of the Highways Act 1835 shall be fixed penalty offences for the purposes of Part III of the 1988 Act. In any case, I think you'd be doing the unicyclists of the UK a great service in seeking professional legal counsel and arguing the case. If you can't get legal aid I'm sure there's plenty would be willing to help fund you and settle the issue. -- mattsmith ------------------------------------------------------------------------ mattsmith's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/14586 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
#10
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Fixed Penalty Charge - for unicycling
I think it's dodgy ground campaigning for unicycles to be treated differently from bicycles. Like Keg said, we'll end up with it being illegal to unicycle on the road if we're not careful. Rob -- rob.northcott 'Dartmoor Muni Weekend 2007' (http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57785) Date now confirmed as 21st-22nd July. It'll be dry, I promise ------------------------------------------------------------------------ rob.northcott's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7436 View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/61524 Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services ---------------------------------------------------------- ** SPEED ** RETENTION ** COMPLETION ** ANONYMITY ** ---------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usenet.com |
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