Surprising Sight

[maggiebee]

On my way home tonight I passed a cyclist, cycling "no handed" and texting at the same time! Wee bit wobbly perhaps, but is this legal? Would argue he was not in control of his bike.

[aelmpvw]

if it was armstrong he'll probably get away with it

[Kramer21]

Funnily enough i see youths all the time racing down to an intersection with hands in their pockets and then you see them turn at the bottom with their hands still in their pockets! Some might say that if a bike crashes into you you it's not as life threatening as a car but if you fall over and hit your head you might never get back up so this should be made illegal and a set of stiff sentences attached.

[vulcan42]

Well, they're allowed to weave so texting is probably OK. :o)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3398/3426299112_b6afac03ae_z.jpg?zz=1

[AlwaysConfused]

I was totally gobsmacked the other day when I witnessed a cyclist cycling along with his arms crossed. He must have been in his forties, smartly dressed and presumably off to work. His headphones did not function properly, as I could hear his music. But he looked so smug and attention seeking, turning his head around to passers by, smiling, as if to say 'look at me'. Only to quickly have to control his bike when a gaggle of geese came out in front of him, skidding a little. When the geese blocked the path, I had to laugh a little! Even though I was stuck too

[baza]

if you can get done for driving a car and texting then you should get done on a bike for the same thing.

[ABerrant]

If a cyclist is on a ‘road’ (that includes a pavement on a public highway) and is riding dangerously or carelessly, they are committing an offence under sections 28 or 29 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, as amended.

The definition of ‘dangerous cycling’ given in section 28 is if the way one rides “falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful cyclist, and it would be obvious to a competent and careful cyclist that riding in that way would be dangerous”. In this context, “dangerous” refers to danger either of injury to any person or of serious damage to property. What would “be obvious to a competent and careful cyclist” in a particular case includes not only the circumstances of which he could be expected to be aware but also to any circumstances shown to have been within the knowledge of the accused.

The definition of ‘careless and inconsiderate cycling’ given in section 29 is that “if a person rides a cycle on a road without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road, he is guilty of an offence”.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/part/I/crossheading/cycling-offences-and-cycle-racing

The maximum fine for dangerous cycling is £2,500 and for careless or inconsiderate cycling it is £1,000.

[Hopkirk]

What about this motorbiker in India?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE3XsZaL-zo

[Maydup]

Fantastic clip Hopkirk! Wish I had such good balance!

[paddywak]

There's a gang of lads who live near us who are always riding on the pavement with their hands in their pockets,zig-zagging through people etc.I'm often tempted to slip and let my waking stick poke through their spokes.