I am assuming it is illegal to speed on a bike (breaking the speed limit), But:

1) How can they prove you were speeding?
2) How do you know what speed you are going, they surly cannot assume that all riders have speedometers.
3) If a camera flashes, how can they track you down (no license plate etc).

Anyone out there been caught?

I made a camera flash once. It was at the bottom of a huge hill. Nothing happened, I wouldn’t worry. I think the rarity of it happening means that it’s not very important for the police to deal with, at least until the Daily Wail seizes on it and starts a witch hunt, maybe.

No, speeding isn’t illegal, the offence is called “furious cycling” I seem to remember that a guy was prosecuted a few years ago for this when he broke the 20mph speed limit through a city centre whilst out training in the middle of the night. Bobbies with nothing better to do iirc. Pretty sure you can’t be done by a speed camera.

You cannot be done for exceeding the speed limit

The relevant offences would be careless, reckless or dangerous cycling

Unfortunately “furious peddling” appears to be a myth.

this is what a cop who checked the police database for me found found

A bicycle is not a vehicle therefore, as stated above, you cannot commit the offence of “speeding” on one;

s89 Speeding offences generally.E+W+S.(1)A person who drives a motor vehicle on a road at a speed exceeding a limit imposed by or under any enactment to which this section applies shall be guilty of an offence

Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Dodgy cycling;

s28 Dangerous cycling..(1)A person who rides a cycle on a road dangerously is guilty of an offence..
(2)For the purposes of subsection (1) above a person is to be regarded as riding dangerously if (and only if)—.
(a)the way he rides falls far below what would be expected of a competent and careful cyclist, and.
(b)it would be obvious to a competent and careful cyclist that riding in that way would be dangerous..
(3)In subsection (2) above “dangerous” refers to danger either of injury to any person or of serious damage to property; and in determining for the purposes of that subsection what would be obvious to a competent and careful cyclist in a particular case, regard shall be had not only to 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.”.

Road Traffic Act 1991

Is it wrong I try and set off speed cameras? 😆

Attempting to set of speed cameras is compulsory is it not?

Is it wrong I try and set off speed cameras?

No – it is a laudable aim. IME it’s quite difficult though – possibly due to the low RCS, hence I keep meaning to have a go with a home-made corner reflector when the wind is in the right direction. Of course you need to stick a label with your address on your back so they know where to send the photo (IANAL, but I’m fairly sure there is no way they could prosecute for careless/reckless/dangerous/furious cycling based solely upon the photos from a speed camera).

If a speed limit has been set in one of the Royal Parks then that limit applies to all vehicles (including cycles) as the roads are not public highways.

If a speed limit has been set in one of the Royal Parks then that limit applies to all vehicles (including cycles) as the roads are not public highways

Maybe so, but if it’s not a public highway, you can’t be prosecuted for speeding! 🙂

Looks like the Mail have got it wrong then, just for a change Offences against the person act

If you speed in a car, it’s three point and sixty quid. On a bike, it’s riding without due care and attention or something similar. A fine of up to two and a half thousand can be imposed! Little unfair me thinks.

The speed limit in the Royal Parks is set by statute, you can and will be stopped and prosecuted. They’ve only been handing out written warnings to cyclists so far but no doubt Zac Goldsmith will persuade them that cyclists ought to pay more for being so obviously anti Tory.

kilo if I’m reading your extract from RTA-91 properly in order to secure a conviction for “Dangerous cycling” the actions of said cyclist would need to be assessed as dangerous by “a competent and careful cyclist” So not some Rozzer in a Squad car or reviewing shots from a GATSO, a person who can be verified as a competent Cyclist… does that mean if some portly bugger who’s not sat on a bike in 20 years supplies the Evidence that’s used to convict you, there’s a legitimate challenge?

I’ve got my old cycle proficiency badge somewhere at home, does that mean I can get the job of “Cycling Judas”?

Loyalty? Pah I can pick on Fakengers and the Law will back me up!!! Get in…

?From that mail article

by wanton or furious cycling under the Offences Against the Person Act 1861, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.

Teh cop who checked for me checked the various road traffic acts so maybe this is still n the books

Of course in 1861 bikes were the equivalent of the car in terms of “Greater mobility of the Common Man”…

Cyclists were effectively viewed the same way an angry Mondeo driver during rush hour is today; Carving up Horses, shouting at everyone, going too fast, not watching the road… 1860’s cyclists weren’t much better either, but at least they didn’t text/take calls…

I seem to remember that infamous conviction for “furious cycling” a couple of years ago was for someone who knocked down and actually killed a Ped’ on a pavement, was it in Bristol?… or is my memory playing tricks again?

Whoops it was Weymouth….

If a speed limit has been set in one of the Royal Parks then that limit applies to all vehicles (including cycles) as the roads are not public highways.”

Out of curiosity where is a bike classified as a vehicle for this legislation, I looked at The Royal Parks and Other Open Spaces Regulations 1997, but this still differentiates between a bike and a vehicle eg;
s(10) (a) ride any animal,
(b)drive or ride any vehicle, or.
(c)use any pedal cycle, roller skate, roller blade, skate board or other foot-propelled device.
in any manner that endangers or is likely to endanger any person;

but the speed limit is still defined as applying to a vehicle;

PART II
Speeds at which vehicles may be driven or ridden on a Park road
1. On the Park roads in Bushy Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park (except for the Serpentine Road), The Regent’s Park, Richmond Park and St. James’s and The Green Parks, at a speed not exceeding….

Not starting a row – just curious use Richmond Park reguarly

TJ being wrong shocker (actually I am quite surprised in this case). The one I remember appears to have used even older legislation – also not traffic law given the age, but still on the books.
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/14/article14.html

In my defense I did ask a cop to check on the police databases and watched while he did.

I have passed a few speed cameras on a road bike with some others at a speed in excess of the permittable speed on that road, and we have never seen the cameras go off, we all started to wonder whether a cyclist can actually set off a camera ? Sounds daft I know, but not knowing the technology of these things that well, I presumed it was due to the lack of size of a guy on a bike,but then I guess they can capture motorcyclists or whether there was any thermal technology deciphering motor vehicles from other passing objects, like birds etc. Be intrigued if someone could confirm or blow my rubbish theory apart 🙂

You clearly asked the wrong question, TJ 😀

You can definitely trig them. I set off the one going down into Brighton on the L2B for BHF some years ago. Fair shifting I was!

As I mentioned earlier, RCS (radar cross-section). There are bigger, more angular lumps of metal on a motorbike (ie the engine) which will reflect the radar waves a lot better. I’m fairly convinced a corner reflector should give enough return to set one off – provided you go fast enough (bearing in mind they’re not set bang on the limit) – or at least so I was advised by a radar expert where I work. To make one of those, cut the corner off a cardboard box and cover the inside bits with silver foil – or possibly better use cut up bits of CDs/DVDs.

There’s one of those flash-up-your-speed signs on my way back from work that must be duff or angled in a dodgy way so cars don’t set it off, but I do on my bike! Madness.