The police have begun a crackdown on cyclists cycling without lights.
162 people were handed ₤30 fixed penalty notices during the three-hour operation last Wednesday, 2nd November, at an average of just under one fine per minute.
Those caught circulating with only one working light were ordered to get off their bicycles and walk.
Haydon Croker, a second-year at St Hilda’s, was stopped outside the Queen’s College on the High Street for not making himself visible enough to other traffic.
“I was cycling back to college at about 8pm when a policeman pulled me over. He was really nice about whole deal”, he said.
A spokeswoman for Thames Valley Police told Cherwell that the fine will be waived if those caught prove that they have bought lights by presenting a receipt.
“It’s a good idea; it got me to buy lights”, said Croker of the opportunity to get his fine revoked.
He added, “The policeman who fined me said that the next thing they’ll be cracking down on is cyclists going through red lights.”
Thames Valley Police has highlighted the importance of cycle safety in Oxford, Road Safety Constable Mark Pilling saying, “What our figures show is that all casualties are down, except pedal cyclists where casualties have increased by 10 per cent.”
Attempts to make Oxford’s streets safer for cyclists come in the wake of the death of Joanna Braithwaite, who was killed when her bicycle crashed with a cement mixer on Woodstock Road at the end of October.
