I know why, it is a "pavement" and it is illegal. So I guess I have been breaking the law. This law exists for pedestrians safety, as none wants granny's hip fractured by some crazy cyclist.
But the law seems to be enforced mainly in this area as it is private property, rich company "more London"* hires lots of people and give them the annoying task to forbid cyclists from cycling in this private land. I don't really get how it would work legally on this case. As it is private property, the police can't fine people, but can the employees stop you from cycling as we are not in public area? First of all I don't think the pavement next to one of the most famous bridges in the world should be private. Secondly if it is private area, they should put fences around so people don't get in! but I don't think they should invite people to go inside and then take the law on their hands.
I am particularly upset about this today as I generally ignore these "self-made-police" but this morning one of them shouted at me trying to stop me, I still didn't stop; why do they bother so much? I wouldn't do it if I were them. One thing is certain: it is very demoralising and every time I have to go through that zone I am in a pre-stress mood, trying to spot these people in blue coats, so I guess they are wining this battle.
The alternative would be to go on a horrible road packed with buses, taxis or taking a very boring route through back streets and obviously dealing with lorries and taxis.
I noticed that the situation got a lot worse since last April when the bigoted Boris Johnson got to be the mayor of London. Funny enough he has been spotted doing worse things on his bike. Way to go Boris.
*The company that outrageously owns the pedestrian area next to Tower Bridge.
**Picture taken from here.
But the law seems to be enforced mainly in this area as it is private property, rich company "more London"* hires lots of people and give them the annoying task to forbid cyclists from cycling in this private land. I don't really get how it would work legally on this case. As it is private property, the police can't fine people, but can the employees stop you from cycling as we are not in public area? First of all I don't think the pavement next to one of the most famous bridges in the world should be private. Secondly if it is private area, they should put fences around so people don't get in! but I don't think they should invite people to go inside and then take the law on their hands.
I am particularly upset about this today as I generally ignore these "self-made-police" but this morning one of them shouted at me trying to stop me, I still didn't stop; why do they bother so much? I wouldn't do it if I were them. One thing is certain: it is very demoralising and every time I have to go through that zone I am in a pre-stress mood, trying to spot these people in blue coats, so I guess they are wining this battle.
The alternative would be to go on a horrible road packed with buses, taxis or taking a very boring route through back streets and obviously dealing with lorries and taxis.
I noticed that the situation got a lot worse since last April when the bigoted Boris Johnson got to be the mayor of London. Funny enough he has been spotted doing worse things on his bike. Way to go Boris.
*The company that outrageously owns the pedestrian area next to Tower Bridge.
**Picture taken from here.
1 comment:
Maybe just the Dutch get it right, but keeping incentives high for cyclists (e.g by means of being relaxed with this sort of stuff) is vital for making people actually use their bikes. Reminds me of the orange custom you have to wear to cycle in Bogota....not good.
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