“He then drove off but said he’d be checking his mirrors, and if he saw her riding the bike again he would confiscate it.” Mr Lindley complied, despite then having to carry his crying daughter, her bike, and various other possessions. On returning home, both his wife, Emma, and mother-in-law, Margaret Stephenson, were shocked by the events, and after looking into the law themselves rang up Grantham police station only to get contradictory responses.
Mrs Stephenson said: “One said the law applied to everyone – no-one can ride a bike on the pavement. But another said it shouldn’t have happened, as it’s different with children.” Mrs Lindley, 34, said: “You can’t expect a four-year-old to ride in the road, it’s not exactly safe. And she has the lead and wears a helmet.” Mr Lindley, 35, added: “We don’t have a car, and it’s almost two miles to the school.
“She can’t walk that with her little legs, which is why she’s always had the bike.” Lincolnshire Police have not yet identified any police officer involved, but said they are investigating. A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Safety is our priority and cycling on the pavement is illegal. However, common sense obviously prevails and in the case of young children, officers would use their discretion and offer the most appropriate advice for the circumstances.”
4 comments:
I'm surprised this copper wasn't brandishing a riding crop and didn't stick out his hand and, with a clipped Teutonic accent, demand, "Paperz!"
Lurker111
I had a recent run in with our local police in sunny South Australia. The law here is that kids under 12 can ride on the footpath and an adult can ride with them supervising. Now as it happens I have had a bit of experience teaching kids to ride so 1st I don't think much of the trainer wheels!! That being said I was helping my 10 yr old to learn to unicycle and we were going round the block with me behind him just commenting on his headturning and so forth so we were going just a bit faster than walking pace. Now a uni is since the national laws became opperational defined as a wheeled recreational devise and no helmet is required(until september 2014 it was deemed to be a bike in SA and you had to wear a helmet)anyway he was riding along without one as he is entitled but I came along behind at his controled speed and was stopped because I didn't have one on! 1 wheel OK 2 wheels $156 on the spot fine!! I said you are joking I'm not really riding Im just accompanying him. She wouldn't have it. So I said OK lets see what the magistrate makes of this and then I followed up with her bosses to see if they would agree that it was all a bit over zealous but they wouldn't back down so I now await a summons. I said in my letter that I guess if I had gone home got a Unicycle and came back put the bike on my shoulder and rode home then everyone would have been sweet! Yet it seems a little strange.
Heh heh, very best wishes with that, Patrick!
This law ist broken and it should be fixed. It is pretty easy to fix it. Just add an exception for young children. Like for example Germany: It is legal to ride on the pavement for children up to 10 years.
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