Four years jail...

I stupidly assumed that your reply was a reply to the message you
replied to, rather than realise that you had suddenly started talking
about something completely different in the middle of an established
thread. Oh silly me.

The statistics you were commenting on were for deaths on a pavement.
So why do you suddenly start talking about miles driven not on
pavements? How is miles driven not on pavements relevant to deaths on
pavements?

regards, Ian SMith

 

Although the fact that a "mechanically propelled vehicle" is, in law,
a motor vehicle means that there is room for confusion about your
statement I don't think that was your intention I don't think many
people would argue that it was not /possible/ to ride a cycle on a
pavement in such a way to pose danger[1] to a pedestrian a more
pertinent question is to what extent do people actually do this? And
whilst annoyance, inconvenience and a perception of danger are all
points that could be argued to say that could be morally (as well as
legally) wrong I think it is worth separating this argument from the
question of danger. In my own experience they are often used
interchangeably

best wishes
james


[1] lets say a level of danger that areasonable person would think
unacceptable

 

No, it doesn't. That's why I did not use the term.

Try the pedestrianised High Street where I live.

 And

Like three or four teenagers on cycles, riding fast down the (downhill
sloping, quite steeply) High Street, on a busy shopping Saturday?

 

Safety Nazi, and a curmudgeonly hypocrite to boot. Downhill on a bicycle,
perhaps also unknowingly with with the brake blocks inserted open end
forward so that the rubber blocks pop out at the first application. Fun,
fresh air and exercise, would you rather have them lounging around in
darkened rooms, popping pills, living in a detached fantasy world of blood
and gore computer games? Shoppers are subject to evolution the same as
anyone else, these kids should receive thanks from the shoppers for
keeping them mentally alert and sprightly enough to get out of the way.
These Hunter-Gatherer Shoppers are honed by evolution to expect risk and
danger in the acquisition of the necessities of life.

 

My point is that it is perfectly possible to ride along a pavement without
causing accidents or even fear and consternation among pedestrians.
That there is a stereotype among motorists that cyclists are effectively
stationary road users even suggests that this possibility is _widely known_.

If cyclists where you live are riding dangerously on the pavement - and
I believe you, I've seen it too - perhaps they should be penalised for
putting people in that danger, rather than just for the simple act of
riding. The latter is in many cases not illegal anyway, due to the
presumably well-meaning but misguided efforts of councils with too much
money in the white paint budget.


-dan

 

Heh. Good point )

 

I wouldn't disagree with that at all.

 

<applause>

 

The problem is that no-one actually enforces the law as regards these
violent tearaways. A case could be made for a more widespread imdulgence in
the much-admired coup du parapluie.

 

The only word I understand in that is "parapluie", but if it's a
manifesto pledge to make "twat in charge of an umbrella" an arrestable
offence, you have my vote.


-dan

 

No, nothing like that.

 

As long as he includes a minimum height for umbrella operators.

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Heheheh, well, now you mention it.

Nice one.

--
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Oh, come on, shirley you mean *thousands" more?. I mean, every time I go out
I see cars cruising down the pavement waiting for an opportunity to mow down
ped's existing the post office or mini-market.

See? That's your biggest problem. You insist on riding around looking at the
fucking sky. If you looked a little lower, you may see ped sized/shaped
obstacles you can play at avoiding, thus reducing bike/ped interfaces on a
regular basis.


--
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