This says it all: government's response to Alliston

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horizon
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This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by horizon »

This may belong on another thread but I think it deserves its own:

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... -hypocrisy
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
roubaixtuesday
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by roubaixtuesday »

That letter is an absolute disgrace. An outrageous piece of pandering to prejudice.

And to send it to Chris Boardman given his recent personal tragedy. Unbelievable.

Some more details here:

http://road.cc/content/news/229656-obey ... ks-leaders

“I am writing to you following the tragic death of Mrs Kim Briggs to ask for your help in highlighting the importance of cyclists adhering to the rules set out in the Highway Code.” Writes Norman, who is MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire.

“The Highway Code clearly sets out rules for cyclists including on equipment clothing and use of lanes and crossings. It states that every pedal cycle must have efficient brakes and meet the applicable legal requirements”.


Quote from Cycling UK

"We're responding robustly behind the scenes to the DfT."
Psamathe
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by Psamathe »

I will be e-mailing Jesse Norman (at jesse.norman@dft.gsi.gov.uk) expressing my opinions of his abilities to identify the issues e.g. why is he ignoring the cause of 99+% of road deaths to focus on the less than 1% cause. To me his letter seems totally inappropriate, totally misses the point and targets completely the wrong people.

Ian
reohn2
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by reohn2 »

The ignorance of the elephant whilst concentrating on the mouse is all too apparent in this room.
The government's populist claptrap disgusts me in the extreme :twisted:
But what can we expect with the incompitence of a government that only has it's own interests at heart(sic)whilst drivers run amok :?
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thirdcrank
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by thirdcrank »

Two ways of looking at this. Bearing in mind the danger of rushed legislation, if this is the full extent of the govt's response to Charlie Alliston's conviction then I'd say for cyclists as a whole to be let off with a patronising earwigging is probably an escape from worse, no matter how annoying it seems. Hopefully, it's an opportunity to move on to the apparently on-going review of bad driving. Or not.
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meic
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by meic »

Well the cycling enthusiasts are certainly doing their bit to circulate his letter for him. :mrgreen:

He is almost certainly preaching to the converted (and on this forum extremists of cycling legality) so a wrong audience among cyclists there, except on that list was the various courier organisations and possibly there was good cause to send the letter there.
Yma o Hyd
reohn2
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by reohn2 »

Psamathe wrote:I will be e-mailing Jesse Norman (at jesse.norman@dft.gsi.gov.uk) expressing my opinions of his abilities to identify the issues e.g. why is he ignoring the cause of 99+% of road deaths to focus on the less than 1% cause. To me his letter seems totally inappropriate, totally misses the point and targets completely the wrong people.

Ian

The contact email address isn't working I get "site can't be reached"
One way of shutting up the complainers I s'pose :?
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"All we are not stares back at what we are"
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reohn2
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by reohn2 »

thirdcrank wrote:Two ways of looking at this. Bearing in mind the danger of rushed legislation, if this is the full extent of the govt's response to Charlie Alliston's conviction then I'd say for cyclists as a whole to be let off with a patronising earwigging is probably an escape from worse, no matter how annoying it seems. Hopefully, it's an opportunity to move on to the apparently on-going review of bad driving. Or not.

I suspect from the governments perspective give it's three years since they promised a review of motoring law,etc,etc. I'm inclined to think it'll most likely be 'Or not'
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Psamathe
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by Psamathe »

thirdcrank wrote:..... Hopefully, it's an opportunity to move on to the apparently on-going review of bad driving. Or not.

From the OP linked article
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2017/sep/25/ministers-call-for-cyclists-to-behave-is-more-headline-grabbing-hypocrisy wrote:RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims, believes the cycling review is likely to displace Grayling’s wider sentencing review. If so, the government is seeking to ignore the cause of more than 99% of road deaths to focus on just 0.12% of them.


Ian
MikeF
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by MikeF »

‘Given Jesse is one of the brightest members of parliament his inclusion on the policy unit was or real comfort.
:shock:
https://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2013/09/to-sack-jesse-norman-over-a-moral-issue-like-whether-to-support-war-is-outrageous/

I wonder if he rode a bicycle whilst at Oxford and if so adhered to the HC when he was 18? :wink:
"It takes a genius to spot the obvious" - my old physics master.
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Steady rider
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by Steady rider »

viewtopic.php?f=41&t=84618&p=1167031#p1167031

The CTC voted for improvement to the Highway Code in 2013 and a CTC member prompted questions in the Lords concerning the Highway Code.

http://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/ ... rt2013.pdf, motion number 5
http://www.cyclinguk.org/sites/default/ ... enda_0.pfd
atoz
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by atoz »

this bike biz article said it all:

http://www.bikebiz.com/news/read/transp ... ter/021971

particularly the comment that "Cycle organisations fear that this could mean the safety review will look at mandatory helmet use, registration of cyclists and other measures that would depress cycle use".

Yes- exactly. This has probably been coming for some time.

The reality is that if it hadn't been the Alliston case and it's aftermath that triggered this, it would have been something else.

If cyclists wish to defend their rights, IMHO they will have to not just rely on academics writing to the Times, and the good offices of Cycling UK. Other pressure groups have been there and got the T shirt, and have had results to show for it. I know this will not sit well with the politics of some cyclists, but so be it. Time to get out there and protest- either that or get used to feeling like an Australian cycling (or rather not cycling) in Sydney..
Psamathe
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Re: This says it all: government's response to Alliston

Post by Psamathe »

reohn2 wrote:
Psamathe wrote:I will be e-mailing Jesse Norman (at jesse.norman@dft.gsi.gov.uk) expressing my opinions of his abilities to identify the issues e.g. why is he ignoring the cause of 99+% of road deaths to focus on the less than 1% cause. To me his letter seems totally inappropriate, totally misses the point and targets completely the wrong people.

Ian

The contact email address isn't working I get "site can't be reached"
One way of shutting up the complainers I s'pose :?

Try jesse.norman.mp@parliament.uk

Ian
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