CTC condemns minister’s vigilante comment
Supporters of Lord Bassam? (John Stevenson/BikeRadar)
In a House of Lords debate on 10 January, Baroness Sharples said she had struck a cyclist with her bag when the cyclist crossed against the red light. She asked Lord Bassam whether or not she was “within [her] rights” and he replied that, “she probably did the right thing.”
That’s just not on, says the CTC. “A Government Minister advocating vigilante action is extremely disturbing and can only increase the levels of violence on our roads,” says Roger Geffen, CTC campaigns manager.
“[Lord Bassam] would doubtless be quick to condemn cyclists who showed the slightest display of aggression towards drivers who cut them up, use mobile phones or break the speed limit. Yet these are the sorts of threats which cyclists’ face every day.”
Cyclists’ behaviour at red lights is probably the most contentious issue in bike commuting forums. The CTC points out that there are two sides to what many see as simple law-breaking.
“Anti-social behaviour is unacceptable whoever it comes from, and jumping red lights is against the law whether you do it on a bike or in a car,” says Roger Geffen. “However, given that most cyclists’ injuries are due to drivers crashing into them at junctions, is it any wonder that some cyclists would rather have a brush with the law than put their own safety at risk?”
User Comments
There are 6 comments on this post
Showing 1 - 5 of 6 comments
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calvin1966vintage
Posted Wed 30 Jan, 5:15 pm GMT Flag as inappropriate
Can I decapitate motorists who overtake then turn left on me then? Purely in festive spirit of course.
What I'd like to know is, if I throw my bike in rage (for failing to beat my PB despite days of extra training and cans of Redbull) and my bike passes through a windscreen and kills the driver, will I just be fined the same £38 (average cyclist life value) and get 3 points on my driving licence? I ask, because around Cambridge I'm sure this sort of 'accident' is just waiting to happen.
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Docsavage
Posted Tue 15 Jan, 9:48 pm GMT Flag as inappropriate
I must remember to slap the next iPod wearing pedestrian who steps off the kerb without looking.
Like the Parris incident, this sort of 'off the cuff' remark says more about the attitude to cyclists in England than anything else.
I'm thinking of emigrating, this only adds fuel to the fire for me!
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Slipknotjonny
Posted Tue 15 Jan, 2:31 pm GMT Flag as inappropriate
Fantastic, if one is permitted to get away with any bizarre interpretation of the right to defend ones self that they so choose, then I for one, will be fastidiously hunting White Van Man, Black Cab Drivers (the drivers of black cabs you understand) and hand bag weilding elderly members of the aristocracy with my recently cleaned and oiled 12 bore. Anyone wish to join me?
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greenraleigh
Posted Tue 15 Jan, 2:23 pm GMT Flag as inappropriate
At practically every set of traffic lights i go through there will be at least one car still going through after i have crossed the line at the green light.Here we have all cyclists being slagged off for the behavior of a minority of cyclists and there are a hell of a lot more cars jumping the red light than cyclists.
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Ron Stuart
Posted Tue 15 Jan, 8:43 am GMT Flag as inappropriate
The reason this people get into power is because of an achaic governing system that has more to do with influence through wealth, mainly through dealings in the slave trade than any form of merit or rightfull representation. It would be a great idea if cyclist kept to the letter of the law and didn't give these museum exhibits fuel to complain.
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