Nanny Knows Best

Nanny Knows Best
Dedicated to exposing, and resisting, the all pervasive nanny state that is corroding the way of life and the freedom of the people of Britain.

Friday, September 22, 2006

The Bells

The BellsNanny, having spent much time and energy urging us to travel by bike, is very worried about the health and safety implications of bike riding.

Specifically she feels that the lack of a bell on our handle bars could pose a serious threat to our safety. As such, she has decided to make bells compulsory.

The fact that some of the deranged idiots who ride bikes through red lights, and aim their velocopedes directly at pedestrians may in fact not be any safer with a bell attached seems neither here nor there to Nanny.

Bells are now to be de rigeur.

Those who break the bell law will be subject to a jail sentence, of up to 2 years, or a fine of up to 2,500.

Staggering!

The proposals are being considered by the Department of Transport as a response to new regulations from Brussels on the sale of cycles, which come into force in the autumn.

Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Alistair Carmichael said:

"At a time when our country's transport infrastructure

and especially our airports are creaking,

you would have thought that the Department for Transport

would have better things to do with their time.

To call this part of the Nanny state

would be an insult to nannies
."

Tory MP Robert Goodwill said:

"If you are riding a bike you can shout and that often has more effect."

Quite!

A Transport Department spokesman said:

"I wouldn't read too much into this.

The European standards were a chance for us to re-look at a number of our policies.

It is not certain that the regulations will change.

The operational decisions are a matter for the police.

Whether they would devote resources to this,

would be an operational matter for them.

I'm sure common sense will prevail
."

Common sense?

Don't make me laugh!

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:09 AM

    No chance of it being enforced though - there's no way of automating the isue of fines.

    Expect number plates to be reuqired on bikes quite soon (Ken Livingstone suggested it recently...)

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  2. next thing an army of gimps will be poised on public buildings waiting to pour molten lead on non- complient cyclists,,,

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous11:13 PM

    Oswald Bastable said...
    "next thing an army of gimps will be poised on public buildings waiting to pour molten lead on non- complient cyclists,,, "



    Surplus stock of lead from BAe I assume now they have developed non-toxic ammunition?

    Actually the idea has some ironic merit from a number of angles - I like it OB!

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  4. Anonymous11:30 AM

    No chance of it being enforced though - there's no way of automating the isue of fines.

    Not full automation, no. However this will be subject to Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) - like so many zillions or things, like swearing in public. Then the police's victims have the option of paying £80 upfront or taking it to court and copping up to the full £2500.

    FPNs are the govt & police's weapon of choice in their war on the public. FPNs were created in the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001.

    ReplyDelete