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EIGHT.. Legislation and its enforcement
The image of cyclists
The level of policing against errant cycling must increase. But planners have a responsibility for reducing levels of lawlessness by creating a road environment that meets cyclists’ real needs
A major problem for the image of cycling is cyclists who flout the rules of the road. There is nothing more likely to damage motorists’ opinions of cyclists as a whole than witnessing an individual who causes a road nuisance, jumps red lights, swerves into the path of traffic or rides at night without lights.
Motorists and journalists tend to tar all cyclists with the same brush when it comes to riding illegally. Strangely enough, however, the same is not also true for law-breaking motorists.
Even cyclists who uphold the law get abused by motorists who feel they should be using off-road facilities where those exist. However, the 2007 court case involving cyclist Daniel Cadden has upheld the right of cyclists to use the road even if there is an off-road (and often inadequate) cyclepath nearby.
Mr Cadden managed to overturn a conviction for riding inconsiderately when he chose to ride on the road instead of a nearby cycle path. The appeal judge told Shrewsbury Crown Court that Mr Cadden was as entitled to use the road as anyone else and in doing so was not causing danger to any other road users. This is reflected in the new version of the Highway Code.
Enforcement, handled fairly, and education are both needed to make errant cyclists understand the wider consequences of their actions.
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