Taxi Driver Online

Well the trade in Melton may be all loved up, but not with passing cyclists, it would seem

And literally a 'headbanger' here


Cyclist with 'big gob' spits racist tirade after ramming taxi in Melton town centre

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news ... st-9885283

He abused the taxi driver, police officers and members of the public who stopped to watch the commotion

A drunk Leicestershire cyclist who "rammed" into the side of a taxi was arrested after launching a tirade of racist abuse. In court, Matthew Cooper, 42, admitted he had "a big gob" at times.

A police officer in Melton was on duty when a taxi driver in Burton Street asked her to arrest Cooper for racially abusing him after Cooper "rammed his pushbike into the driver's car", prosecutor Sukhy Basi said. When the officer spoke to Cooper he rode away on his bike, but she chased him and caught up with him at the junction of Sherrard Street and Market Place.

At Leicester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (January 22) Mr Basi explained what happened next: "He began to resist but was arrested. The officer called for further back-up. The defendant was heavily intoxicated and shouting abuse in the street. He threatened to headbutt one of the officers and made racist remarks and continued to shout in the street."

Mr Basi repeated some of the swear words and racist insults Cooper used. He said Cooper also "made remarks to members of the public who were looking on".

Cooper, of King Edward Avenue in the town, was put into a police van, where he repeatedly banged his head against the door of the metal cage and made more racist comments. When he got to the police station, he refused to answer questions.

The magistrates heard that Cooper had 13 previous offences on his record, including a public order offence and criminal damage. Representing himself in court, Cooper, who had pleaded guilty to causing racially-aggravated alarm, harassment or distress, said: "I've got a big gob at times. I didn't mean to clip his car."

Cooper, who is on benefits, was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge.

That'll teach him

And obviously 'heavily intoxicated', but no breathalyser?

The officer did well there. It is up hill all the way.

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IDFIMH

can you breathalyse a cyclist ? By rights it should be possible as they are road users!

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

No specific law about cyclists and being drunk, but according to Google a cyclist can be asked to take a breath test, although no obligation to provide one. But any charge would be on the more general basis of not being in control of the bicycle, so pretty unlikely to happen.

It's a bit like cyclists and speeding - they can go as fast as they like, because there's no speed limit for them

I think speed limits apply to all road users just a bit more difficult to catch cyclists because they don't have a number plate for the cameras.

Apparently speed limits only apply to motor vehicles.

Plenty available about it via Google, but this is from an article on Bristol Live about cyclists doing 40mph in a 30 zone (presumably downhill) who were stopped by police and 'offered appropriate words of advice'


So, effectively, the chances of a cyclist being done for speeding (or being drunk) are pretty close to zero

I think the chances of a cycling ban if imposed by a court would be almost impossible to enforce.

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lack of modern legislation is the iceberg sinking the titanic of the transport sector

In the Armed Forces you can be charged with being drunk.

In Civvy Street there is no such charge, but, you can be charged with "Being Drunk in charge of" a minor, a horse, a bicycle, a carriage, a gun (the list goes on, but you get the idea).

Being "drunk in charge of" does not require a breathalyser.

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Chris The Fish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdlyi5mc ... re=related