So, I got myself a ticket for cycling in the wrong place...

Yup! That’s right, I’ve been found guilty of “cycling on the footway”…

Ok oficer, you got me. Jikes! I’m guilty as charged. yes, I was cycling on the small part at the top, south side, of the Teddigton lock footbridge at 7:20pm with absolutely no one in sight, and ready, like every day, to jump of my bike and walk. (I always walk when there are people coming)

Now, I won’t even dispute the offence. I was cycling where I shouldn’t have been. Ok.

But what I’ll question is the fact that there was absolutely no one on this part of the bridge at this time, and, more importantly, that 3 cyclists past the officer, on their bikes (or almost) while he was writing down the penalty charge details. And boy it took hime a long time! 10 minutes for 5 lines of text… I was getting pretty cold out there!

He was so stressed I’m sure I could have legged (or wheeled) it and he would have given up. It looked like he was on an initiation of some sort given how unsure of himself and un-authoritative he was. I was in a good mood though, so I waited patiently…

• No one on the bridge: I ALWAYS walk the bridge, whichever part, when there are people walking. And I make a point myself to tell other cyclists (Tweeted about it a few times in the past). I’m always courteous and even turn my light off at night to not blind anyone A simple warning would have sufficed, really.
• Other cyclists at the same time: 3 cyclists passed the officer when he was taking his time (or struggling) to fill in my details. One exactly like me: stopping at the top of the steps, one woman actually cycling PAST him and whom he told to walk; and the last one mounting his bike straight after. Ok, the officer was on his own, but I’ll really question the practice here. If you want to make a point, have 3 officers at a rush hour time and make a statement. This was useless.

Kind of ironic that I’m the one getting booked while I’m trying to be as much an advocate for good cycling as I can!

Want proof of all that? No problem my go pro was filming the whole thing… Not that he noticed.

Getting a ticket on an empty bridge from Mathieu Davy on Vimeo.