Grantham girl, 4, gets cycling-on-path police warning

[whole diary]

[Chris from Nailsea]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Grantham girl, 4, gets cycling-on-path police warning


Sophie, aged four, was told her bike would be confiscated if she continued to ride on the pavement

Parents of a four-year-old girl were baffled when a police officer threatened to confiscate her bike because she was cycling on a pavement.

Sophie Lindley, who uses stabilisers, was cycling on Trent Road, Grantham with dad Dale, when they were stopped.

Police accepted while cycling on pavements was illegal, officers should use discretion with young children.

One cycling charity pointed out being under 10, Sophie is too young to be able to break the law.

Mr Lindley said they regularly let Sophie cycle to school. "We stopped to look at some ducks when the officer pulled over and said she had to get off," he said. "He said 'The law is the law' and she was not allowed to ride on the path. He said 'If I catch you put her on her bike further up the road I will turn around and confiscate the bike'.

"I couldn't believe it. It's daft."

Sophie's mum Emma Stephenson said she understood it was illegal to ride on the pavement. "But, it is ridiculous to think a four-year-old is not allowed," she said. "The most unbelievable thing is they were going to confiscate the bike."

Lincolnshire Police apologised and 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 should use their discretion and offer the most appropriate advice for the circumstances."

Roger Geffen, of national charity Cyclists' Touring Club, said the officer was "unfair" and "wrong". "The police officer has forgotten that children under the age of 10 are below the criminal age of responsibility so they can't break laws and can technically ride on the pavement," he said. "Everyone lets their children ride on the pavement. It is perfectly normal and not criminal."

[JayMac]

Not only is this 'miscreant' under the age of criminal responsibility, but the officer would probably have been overstepping his authority in confiscating the bicycle.

Then there's what the legislation allows by way of punishment. A fixed penalty is the usual way of disposing of the offence of cycling on a footway. Fixed penalties should not, in most circumstances, be given to those under 16.

[TaplowGreen]

.......surely the Police have got more important things to be doing? Or was he on the morning donut run? 

[Trowres]

BNM, What would the legal position be if the father permitted his four-year-old to ride the bike - with stabilisers - on the carriageway?

[Oxonhutch]

Does anyone else feel that the whole story about this incident has not been presented yet? It just feels like a side issue of something else.

[LiskeardRich]

It sounds like something I would expect from the local PCSOs who all seem to be on power trips round here, or at least the ones I've encountered give that opinion.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Lincolnshire Police have apologised over the incident - a video news report, from the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Police apology after girl stopped from riding on pavement

A police force has apologised after one of its officers told a four-year-old girl she could not ride her bike on the pavement.

Sophie was going to school in Grantham with her dad, only to be left in tears after being told she was breaking the law.

Simon Spark reports.

[Cynthia]

BNM, What would the legal position be if the father permitted his four-year-old to ride the bike - with stabilisers - on the carriageway?

The possible consequences don't even bear thinking about, which is why this officer was so completely out of order.