So here we have a 12 second clip of a scooter mounted NSL Ltd / Barnet Council traffic warden going about his lawful duties of issuing PCN to all and sundry on 5 March at almost 3pm on a Sunday afternoon. Now given that a traffic warden's job is to punish those who break parking laws then one can reasonably expect them to demonstrate 100% compliance with driving laws, can we not? Anything else would be hypocritical in the extreme.
Firstly, a health & safety point. Manufacturers of flip up helmets caution you against riding with the front of the helmet in the upright position. The whole point of the front of the helmet is to stop your face hitting the tarmac should you have a crash. The visor should also be down whilst you are moving to stop flying stones or flies & wasps hitting you in the eye. You only have to look at the state the front of your bike gets into to see how much debris there is in the air.
How many rules of the road does the traffic warden break?
1. He undertakes cars. That was a breach of the Highway Code and not at all necessary.
2. He undertakes (= overtakes) the front car which is stopped. That is a breach of the law (anything which says MUST NOT in red in the Highway Code is a statement of the law).
3. He crosses the stop line at a time at which the lights are red. That is also a breach of the law.
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| MUST NOT is in red in the above picture, well, in the original it is. |
NSL are very fond of quoting the Highway Code to people who have committed a parking contravention. Clearly not so keen that their employees abide by it.
It strikes Mr Mustard that the contract with NSL really ought to be amended to require scooter riding civil enforcement officers (traffic wardens) to undergo IAM or ROSPA training so that they demonstrate to the public at large the highest standards of riding ability and compliance with the rules and the laws of the road.
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| Guilty as not charged |
Yours frugally
Mr Mustard
(Before you ask, Mr Mustard has passed both IAM and ROSPA advanced motorcycling tests)
Update 9 March 17: Barnet council parking management are very unhappy with the unsafe riding of the CEO and are taking immediate action to ensure that all riders comply with traffic law (they can park on double yellows if necessary and safe to do so) and do not put their safety, or that of other road users, in jeopardy.
Update 9 March 17: Barnet council parking management are very unhappy with the unsafe riding of the CEO and are taking immediate action to ensure that all riders comply with traffic law (they can park on double yellows if necessary and safe to do so) and do not put their safety, or that of other road users, in jeopardy.
I've just been issued a PCN for contravening this no left turn at the juction of Tilling road and Brentfield Gardens. Whilst it is logical to turn left here to access the A41 southbound the signagefrom the A406 sliproad leading to the junction is insufficient to warn drivers of the no left turn. It appears from correspondence that this problem has been going on since 2016 at least and the Barnet Council has made £6 million plus from contraventions at this site. Looking at aeriel photos of this junction and given the free land mass available a mini gyratory system could have been built given the monies so accummulated from the fines collected and so allowing traffic from all directions. Alternatively the sliproad, currently a cycle lane, could have been widened to allow vehicular access to the southbound A41. As it is, vehicular traffic must continue to the gyratory at the junction with the Tesco turn off and do a 180 turn to turn right at the disputed junction, or continue to turn right into Claremont Road and try to access the A41 from there. That Barnet Council has not envisaged either since 2016 would suggest that they are more interested in gaining revenue from motorists than implementing a proper traffic system that incorporates safety to all road users. So thanks again to Barnet Council to give me reason why I don't vote Conservative at elections!
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