Cyclists and mobile phones

[WALKERMAN]

I was cycling home this afternoon when I heard a voice behind me. It was a cyclist talking on his mobile phone. He passed me still cycling with one hand holding his phone to his ear and as we approached a junction where it had a stop sign he just went straight out. A woman motorist had to slow down and stop. He seemed oblivious to the situation. I followed him up the road but he was a bit furthur ahead by now. Then I noticed a car with the drivers door open up ahead and the same cyclist was standing astride his bike but positioned across the width of the road and just in front of the car. I don't know what he had done but it had caused the car driver to stop and open his door.
This cyclist looked to be in his late twenties and was kitted out with cycling gear so he wasn't a newbie.
This is just the sort of behaviour that gives other cyclists a bad reputation.

What is the law regarding cyclists using a phone while cycling?

 

[flecc]

This is the relevant law:

CYCLING WHILE TALKING ON A MOBILE PHONE

A bicycle is a vehicle but according to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, amended 2003, it is only illegal to drive a motor vehicle while using a mobile phone. There is nothing about bicycles in the phrasing so, in effect, cyclists are exempt from this extremely sensible law. That doesn't mean cycling while phoning or texting is not dangerous and you could be pulled over for a related, not-paying-due-care-and-attention offence.
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[donnoirf]

lol

in amsterdam, cyclists smoke, and or use their mobile phones whilst riding

 

[Cyclezee]

Slightly off thread.
A white Transit van reversed out of a parking space right in front of me this afternoon without looking and you guessed it, the driver was on his mobile completely oblivious of other road users.
I pulled up along side and shouted so that all around could hear "STOP USING THAT PHONE".
To my amazement he did without argument or gesticulation. I then rode off quietly but keeping a look out in my mirror as both he and the Transit were bigger than me.

 

[flecc]

Your emphatic order may well have given him the impression that you were an off-duty police officer or similar John.
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[HarryB]

Yes I have ridden along side drivers on their 'phones and said "put the 'phone down sir" - they look up see the blue helmet and drop the phone. I think it is the sir and the helmet that does it. The only bit of entertainment I get on the way in to work though.

 

[Bikealot]

Cycling without due care and attention.

Source: Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 29

Offence: It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road.

 

[lemmy]

Cycling without due care and attention.

Source: Road Traffic Act 1988 Section 29

Offence: It is an offence for a person to ride a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road.

Since the cycling laws are not enforced is doesn't make any difference whether there is a law or not.

It works like this. We have lots of legislators, so they make lots of laws. We have very few enforcers so they don't get enforced

 

[flecc]

It works like this. We have lots of legislators, so they make lots of laws. We have very few enforcers so they don't get enforced

True. All we need now to have the freedoms of Italy is for our police to join in the spirit of things and stop trying to enforce.
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[HarryB]

The problems come when the enforcers pick and chose what laws to enforce - from my observations the easiest to spot get the hits and this is usually the cyclist not the car driver with the mobile phone. Flecc, having lived in Italy I agree with you - there are so many laws in that country but it is in very many ways very relaxed. However if you step over the line they throw the book at you - it is a heavy book!

 

[Streethawk]

Darwin candidates, they wont last long if they make a habit of it in rush hour.

 

[stevebills]

Guess who this is?

 

[Bikealot]

Since the cycling laws are not enforced is doesn't make any difference whether there is a law or not.

It works like this. We have lots of legislators, so they make lots of laws. We have very few enforcers so they don't get enforced

OK, but this and 100s of other under enforced traffic laws are still in the police officer's tool kit to get out when discretion or the 'attitude test' is failed. I suppose they are also there to apply retrospectively when the rider causes an incident because of the manner of their riding.

Here in my home town they sometimes have purges of cyclists who ignore the access regulations and the 'one way' of the pedestrianised High Street. This enforcement is the direct result of public complaint. There have been other mini campaigns in respect of cycling on pavements and without lights.

I agree there are probably fewer enforcers but there is still enforcement.

 

[HarryB]

OK, but this and 100s of other under enforced traffic laws are still in the police officer's tool kit to get out when discretion or the 'attitude test' is failed. I suppose they are also there to apply retrospectively when the rider causes an incident because of the manner of their riding.

Here in my home town they sometimes have purges of cyclists who ignore the access regulations and the 'one way' of the pedestrianised High Street. This enforcement is the direct result of public complaint. There have been other mini campaigns in respect of cycling on pavements and without lights.

I agree there are probably fewer enforcers but there is still enforcement.

....and I would have no objections to these crackdowns if there were similar crackdowns on poor overtaking manouvers by drivers - encroachments into ASL by drivers and especially by motorbikes - blatant removal of my right of way just because I don't matter etc etc.

 

[flecc]

Flecc, having lived in Italy I agree with you - there are so many laws in that country but it is in very many ways very relaxed. However if you step over the line they throw the book at you - it is a heavy book!

Agreed, but I think it's a better system, leaving the great majority alone and only penalising the minority of really bad offenders.

Our UK system seems to be to make life as awkward as possible for everyone, just in case someone might overstep the mark.
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[tangent]

Talking on a mobile phone has to be one of the most idiotic things to do whilst cycling a bike. The people who do it must lack all sense of self preservation. I can understand van drivers doing it, since the closeted environment gives them a false sense of security. It can also be difficult to stop driving to take a call, but it is hardly difficult to stop cycling.

Walking while being on a mobile phone is quite dangerous as well. I am always wary of pedestrians with one hand clamped to the side of their head. My daughter once walked into a lamp post while talking to someone on a phone.

 

[Mussels]

Walking while being on a mobile phone is quite dangerous as well. I am always wary of pedestrians with one hand clamped to the side of their head. My daughter once walked into a lamp post while talking to someone on a phone.

I frequently get these idiots crossing the road in front of me. I get other idiots walking in front of me but they usually do notice in time to get out of the way.

 

[WALKERMAN]

Talking on a mobile phone has to be one of the most idiotic things to do whilst cycling a bike. The people who do it must lack all sense of self preservation. I can understand van drivers doing it, since the closeted environment gives them a false sense of security. It can also be difficult to stop driving to take a call, but it is hardly difficult to stop cycling.

Walking while being on a mobile phone is quite dangerous as well. I am always wary of pedestrians with one hand clamped to the side of their head. My daughter once walked into a lamp post while talking to someone on a phone.

I've had narrow escapes in ASDA from people using mobile phones but incapable of controlling their shopping trolley.

 

[tangent]

I frequently get these idiots crossing the road in front of me. I get other idiots walking in front of me but they usually do notice in time to get out of the way.

Indeed. People emerging from train or tube stations on the way to work in the morning are some of the worst. For some reason they absolutely have to get on their phones and walk straight across roads without hesitation or observation.

 

[HittheroadJ]

Maybe we should be talking less about smartphones and more about smartdrivers.

Judging by this iPod case for mountain bikes | Mountain Bike Blog || SINGLETRACKS.COM which asks "I wonder if a video iPod mount is next, wouldn’t it be trippy to watch a mountain biking video while you ride your mountain bike?"

Maybe after the Ipod Nano the Ipod Lemming will be the next big thing.