So, so far so wot; I’m still here, thanks be...
Ever more? An observation. And that would be a bike thingy.
We’re all conscious of the fact that our pavements, sidewalks, pedestrian areas are getting evermore hazardous for pedestrians owing to the ever increasing numbers of mobility
scooters, foot or lekky scooters and pedal and lekky bicycles starting to dominate the foot-ways.
Recently I’ve noticed an increase in the number of bicycle riders, of an age, shooting along with hands off
the handlebars. Why? Well, it would seem they need both hands to operate that smartphone. This also requires head down rather than looking ahead. But that’s only common sense...
Is this all allowed now? I well
remember when I was but a pup, I was caught by a beat Bobby riding my bike on the pavement and was duly summoned to court. Daddy declared me guilty by mail and I was fined four old pounds - a rather goodly amount back in
the day - paid by Daddy which I had to pay back, with interest, via weekly pocket money deductions. I even got a mention of said crime and fine in the local paper the cutting of which I may still have somewhere.
So
wot is it? Is it now legal? Is it still illegal and just a result of many more folk coupled to many less {any?} Bobbies walking the streets? I’m guessing it’s the latter. Bobbies on the beat? Man, showing my age
there eh?
Anyhoo, let's end with a cartoon choon;
Quote; James D. Wright.
“Pedestrians have the right-of-way in all cases, but that is little comfort if you get run over.”
You were lucky, Foggy. I got stopped riding on the pavement by plod. Why? Because my brother was sat on the back. I was ten years old and the plod clipped my ear for the crime.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Yet Another Chris
Anonymous Chris,
ReplyDeleteA clip round the ear you say. Imagine that happening these days, it’d be headline abuse ‘news’ for a week.
Back in the day, you’d get a good telling off or a clip and the same Bobby, if he saw you playing footy in the road next day, would join in for a while. Daze long gone eh?
I almost got taken out by a group of teens popping wheelies in St. Albans shopping centre a few years ago. Two PCSOs saw what happened, they did and said nothing. When asked why they said it's more trouble than it's worth.
ReplyDeleteAndy5759,
ReplyDeleteThat's a perfect picture of where we are. No disciplinary action taken for the young for minor infringements so they get a little older and bolder and every advance of their naughtiness that goes unpunished eventually leads some to full-on criminality.