Bikes and the law



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J

Just Zis Guy

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http://www.criminal-solicitors.com/bicycles.htm

Bicyles
=======
It is against the law to ride on footpaths or pavements by the roadside. Magistrates can fine £1000.

A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.

The Licensing Act 1872 makes it an offence to be drunk in charge of a bicycle (or any other vehicle
or carriage) on a highway or in a public place.

Magistrates can hand down a 1 month prison sentence and a £200 fine.

The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that the specifications of the bike
are fixed on a secure plate; there should be brakes to comply with section 6 of British Standards
(1981) fitted to the front wheel.

The bike should only be under power by means of a switch biased to the off position. The height of
the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.

Magistrates can set a fine of £1000 if they are contravened.

Electric bikes cannot be ridden by children under the age of 14 (£500 fine at Magistrates).

Magistrates can fine £200 if a bicycle rider is carrying a passenger without the bike being properly
adapted to do so (ie: a tandem).

It is an offence for more than one person to ride a bike if it is not under power or adapted. See
the cycling sub section for more on this.

Magistrates can set a maximum fine of £2500 for dangerously riding a bicycle.

Magistrates can set a maximum fine of £1000 for riding a bicycle without due care and attention, or
without reasonable consideration for other people using the road.

It is an offence to ride a bicycle whilst unfit through drink or drugs.

Magistrates can set a maximum fine of £1000.

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#103 http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/09.shtml#104
 
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Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:

> The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that

[...]
> The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.

Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL, and the BHPC's Father Of The Club Ron Beams
(95), whose usual mount is a recumbent trike with power assist from a Heinzmann hub motor is a
criminal. Lock 'im up! Transport 'im to Captain Cook's Mistake!! (Cont. the "Daily Mail")

Dave Larrington - http://www.legslarry.beerdrinkers.co.uk/
===========================================================
Editor - British Human Power Club Newsletter
http://www.bhpc.org.uk/
===========================================================
 
Dave Larrington wrote:
> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>
>
>
>>The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that
>
>
> [...]
>
>>The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.
>
>
> Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL, and the BHPC's Father Of The Club Ron
> Beams (95), whose usual mount is a recumbent trike with power assist from a Heinzmann hub motor is
> a criminal. Lock 'im up! Transport 'im to Captain Cook's Mistake!! (Cont. the "Daily Mail")
>

Presumably you could construct a vigorous defence that a recumbant doesn't have a saddle (or perhaps
mount a saddle on a long pole in place of the flag that some bents have :)

Peter
 
Peter Amey wrote:
>
> Dave Larrington wrote:
>
>> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>>
>>> The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that
>
>> [...]
>
>>> The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.
>
>> Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL, and the BHPC's Father Of The Club Ron
>> Beams (95), whose usual mount is a recumbent trike with power assist from a Heinzmann hub motor
>> is a criminal. Lock 'im up! Transport 'im to Captain Cook's Mistake!! (Cont. the "Daily Mail")
>
> Presumably you could construct a vigorous defence that a recumbant doesn't have a saddle (or
> perhaps mount a saddle on a long pole in place of the flag that some bents have :)

Also you'd have modified it for an extra passenger, thus avoiding breaking another law when giving
your mate a lift home from the pub...

Jim Price
 
Dave Larrington <[email protected]> wrote:

> [...]
> > The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.
>
> Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL,

Good!
 
On Fri, 6 Jun 2003 09:36:14 +0100, "Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email protected]> wrote:

>http://www.criminal-solicitors.com/bicycles.htm
>
>
snip
>
>Magistrates can fine £200 if a bicycle rider is carrying a passenger without the bike being
>properly adapted to do so (ie: a tandem).
>
>It is an offence for more than one person to ride a bike if it is not under power or adapted. See
>the cycling sub section for more on this.
>
snip

- This recent change to the law bothers me. Giving a 'backie' or other improvised lift to a mate
used to be part of childhood cycling; still is in Holland.

- What defines 'properly adapted'? If I buy one of those Dutch bikes from www.cycle-heaven.co.uk
with a strengthened rear rack for just this sort of tomfoolery, am I legal?

- Also, when I pick my children up from school I often cycle there and walk back with them. If the
smallest gets too tired I'll sit her on the rear-rack while I push. Legal?

- There's too many laws these days. Merely by continuing to lead my life in once lawful manner,
parliament is turning me into a criminal.
 
"[Not Responding]" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> >Magistrates can fine £200 if a bicycle rider is carrying a passenger
without
> >the bike being properly adapted to do so (ie: a tandem).
> >
> >It is an offence for more than one person to ride a bike if it is not
under
> >power or adapted. See the cycling sub section for more on this.
> >
> snip
>
> - This recent change to the law bothers me. Giving a 'backie' or other improvised lift to a mate
> used to be part of childhood cycling; still is in Holland.

Recent? It was the law when I was learning to ride in the 70's...

> - What defines 'properly adapted'? If I buy one of those Dutch bikes from www.cycle-heaven.co.uk
> with a strengthened rear rack for just this sort of tomfoolery, am I legal?

No.

> - Also, when I pick my children up from school I often cycle there and walk back with them. If the
> smallest gets too tired I'll sit her on the rear-rack while I push. Legal?

Debatable, but in practice you're not going to get done for it.

cheers, clive
 
Dave Larrington deftly scribbled:

> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote:
>
>
>> The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that
>
> [...]
>> The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.
>
> Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL

And that's a problem how, exactly ? :)

--
Digweed
 
Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
> A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
[...]

What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.

asqui
 
asqui wrote:

> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
> > A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
> [...]
>
> What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.
>

Its a bit of a catch all.

Its sometimes used as the charge when a cyclist is 'speeding' (as actual speed limits don't apply to
cyclists).

John B
 
John B wrote:
> asqui wrote:
>> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
>>> A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
>> [...]
>>
>> What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.
>>
> Its a bit of a catch all.
>
> Its sometimes used as the charge when a cyclist is 'speeding' (as actual speed limits don't apply
> to cyclists).

Sounds like a good excuse for a *really* big chainring. "You overtook a car that was doing 50." "But
officer, my cadence was under 100, not at all 'furious'!"

asqui
 
asqui wrote:

> John B wrote:
> > asqui wrote:
> >> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
> >>> A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
> >> [...]
> >>
> >> What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.
> >>
> > Its a bit of a catch all.
> >
> > Its sometimes used as the charge when a cyclist is 'speeding' (as actual speed limits don't
> > apply to cyclists).
>
> Sounds like a good excuse for a *really* big chainring. "You overtook a car that was doing 50."
> "But officer, my cadence was under 100, not at all 'furious'!"

You may or may nor remember the Engers episode - Engers being the top short distance time triallist
in the early 70's, who seemed to court controversy.

He was also well-known for his large chainrings and big windmill gears although words like cadence
were not really in cyclists' vocabulary at the time.

In an event (in Kent ISTR) he overtook a police car and the occifers toomk umbrage and I think he
was reported for "furious riding". I'm not sure what the outcome was, tho' the national body didn't
support him (they were always trying to throw the book at him) - after all he had an earring and
things like that were absolute taboo to the TT fraternity [1]

[1] TT's are still in the dark ages, mainly run by wrinklies for older wrinklies and should be
banned <ducks>

John B
 
"asqui" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
> > A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
> [...]
>
> What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.
>

I did some googling once to try and get more information about it. Apparently the actual term is
"riding furiously" - no doubt originally intended to apply to horse riders! Its an offence under the
1847 Town Police Clauses Act, which, again as far as I could make out because there's actually very
little information about it on the 'net, doesn't apply in London (at least, the powers in it for
Local Authorities to close streets don't, so one might assume none of it does)....

Rich
 
But the regulations say 'bike' not trike.

<legs_larry wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...

> > The Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983 require that
>
> [...]
> > The height of the saddle should be more than 635mm above ground level.
>
> Interesting. This means that the Sinclair C5 is ILLEGAL, and the BHPC's Father Of The Club Ron
> Beams (95), whose usual mount is a recumbent trike with power assist from a Heinzmann hub motor is
> a criminal. Lock 'im up! Transport 'im to Captain Cook's Mistake!! (Cont. the "Daily Mail")
 
On Fri, 6 Jun 2003 21:25:44 +0000 (UTC), "asqui" <[email protected]> wrote:

>Just zis Guy, you know? wrote: [...]
>> A £200 fine is set for furious cycling.
>[...]
>
>What on earth is 'furious cycling'? Seems a bit vague.

It's one of those 'catch-all' offences like Driving Without Due Care. Designed so it could be
applied to anything from speeding to knocking down granny.
--
"We take these risks, not to escape from life, but to prevent life escaping from us." ***** replace
'spam' with 'ben' to reply *****
 
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