This week the debate has been raging over whether or not the Met Police are deliberately targeting cyclists in Richmond Park for exceeding the 20mph speed limit. You can follow most strands of the discussion on the Cycling Plus forum here:
http://www.cyclingplus.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC-ID=114300&whichpage=1
In addition there is apparently an unhelpful article in this week’s Cycling Weekly (I don’t read it as the only times I’ve picked it up I’ve thrown it away as a waste of money) which manages to use a picture of Warrick Spence, one of the best riders on the domestic Elite scene, and thus imply he is a law breaker. I’m guessing he’s none to pleased about that.
It looks like the Met Police will be out in force on Saturday and are expecting London Dynamo members to be at the head of things. A fairly obvious assumption given that there’s usually at least 50 riders from the club out there every weekend.
My initial view was that we should toe the line and allow it to blow over: the Met get to act on a complaint and tick it off on their clear-up rate, in a couple of weeks things carry on as usual. As the week has worn on my hack hat has slid firmly into place so I think I may well take my press card, microphone and mindisc along just for the record.
I’ll report back on what happens, although I do hope it all passes without incident. If not, well then I’ll have to start making a few calls and asking a few questions.