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Are you a cycling sinner or winner? Newcastle stallholder uses megaphone to berate antisocial riders

Karl Fitzpatrick channels London street preacher - but is cycling in pedestrian zone as dangerous as some assume?

A stallholder in a busy shopping street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne has taken a leaf from the book of London street preacher Philip Howard – pictured right and known as the ‘sinner winner’ man – by using a loudhailer to get his message across. But instead of preaching the Gospel, he’s been using it to berate people riding bikes in a pedestrian zone.

Karl Fitzpatrick, who runs a household linens stall on the city’s Northumberland Street, close to the Eldon Square shopping centre, uses a megaphone to tell cyclists to dismount when he spots them riding there.

But a local cycling campaigner says the road in question is an essential route through the city centre for bike riders.

Mr Fitzpatrick told Chronicle Live: “It’s annoying how many cyclists come down this street without getting off their bikes; it’s dangerous because it is a busy area.

“Nobody takes into consideration all the ‘no cycling’ signs which are on every other lamppost. I find it really annoying.”

The trader, who claims that ‘No Cycling’ signs are ignored by many riders, says that people on foot shopping in the area have given him their backing.

“They love it,” he said. “I’ve had comments from them and they find the megaphone idea really funny.

“It is funny and a different approach, but at the same time it needs to be sorted out.”

He continued: “I went to serve a young girl once and as I passed her a ball from the stall a cyclist actually hit her.

“It is not nice to see and obviously it would have hurt her because they travel at some speed.”

He believes the authorities should be tougher on pavement cyclists, saying: “I see nine or 10 times a day the council giving an on the spot fine to somebody for dropping a cigarette.

“I’d do exactly the same for people who don’t get off their bikes where they are supposed to, because that would stop them straight away.”

However, Katja Leyendecker of cycing campaign group Newcycle told road.cc: "Northumberland Street is the only viable north-south option through Newcastle at the moment. Considerate cycling should be allowed until safe and convenient alternatives are offered by the transport and planning authority, Newcastle City Council.

"Big heavy delivery vehicles are allowed on Northumberland Street which is just another slap in the face for cycling safety, adding insult to injury."

She added: "Hopefully John Dobson Street / Market Street / Pilgrim Street will provide a north-south link in the near future.

"Recent plans for JohnDobson Street are good, but the drawings for Market Street and Pilgrim Street look less promising. And how that route will link up northwards into Jesmond and Gosforth is anyone's guess, as yet."

Newcastle Central neighbourhood policing team’s Inspector Daren Adams said: “Bicycle related offences are a neighbourhood priority which officers are tackling.

“Since November 2014, over 70 people have been spoken to about cycling related offences.

“Officers try to educate the cyclists rather than simply prosecute them.

“As a result the majority have been either verbally warned or have received letters of advice, while three repeat offenders have been summonsed to court.”

He added: “There are signs on Northumberland Street and I would remind cyclists to heed these warnings.

“The restrictions are there for a reason - for the safety of both cyclists and pedestrians.

“We want to encourage cyclists to cycle in a safe, considerate and legal manner.”

Evidence from further south is that people riding bikes in pedestrian zones is not as dangerous as one might assume from the comments that typically accompany such stories on local newspaper articles about the issue.

Earlier this month, we reported how the London Borough of Croydon is to allow cyclists to ride through its main shopping street, North End, on a trial basis.

The borough’s cabinet member for traffic and environment, Councillor Kathy Bee, said alternative routes "are not safe" for cyclists.

But she said the council was not aware of any incidents involving pedestrians and cyclists on North End.

The councillor added: "Actually cyclists are quite likely to come off badly as well if [a collision with a pedestrian] happens.

"From a cyclist's point of view running into people is not a great idea."

Born-again Christian Howard was a familiar figure in Central London for several years as he preached his message from a traffic island at Oxford Circus, using a loudhailer or microphone and amplifier combo.

He would ask people, “Are you a sinner or a winner?” until he was moved on after the City of Westminster applied for an ASBO to silence him.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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22 comments

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Stumps | 9 years ago
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So then oldstrath, are cyclists above the law or is there something enshrined somewhere whereby freedom of speech is removed if your directing it at a cyclist ?

By all means shout and bawl at motorists but be prepared to be shouted at as well if your in the wrong.

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atgni | 9 years ago
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Got to respect the fact he's at least doing something.

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oldstrath replied to atgni | 9 years ago
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No I don't have to respect him. If he was shouting at car drivers for polluting the atmosphere, or at motorists using their phone/doing make-up/eating sandwiches / fussing over children instead of driving properly, he would be worthy of respect. But no, he's just a hectoring bully, who should learn what is really dangerous.

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racyrich | 9 years ago
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I quite like the idea of walking down Fenchurch St every day with a megaphone, calling out all the van drivers on their mobiles, taxis jumping the lights, lorries parking on the red route, and all the traffic driving 3 inches off the rear wheel of any cyclists.

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Housecathst | 9 years ago
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22000 deaths and serious injuries on the roads caused by motorist

29000 death due to pollution for cars and this mental person is shouting at cyclist!

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rockhoppingmad | 9 years ago
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I don't like mopeds or motorcycles using cycle lanes or paths, so I guess he has a point.

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kie7077 replied to rockhoppingmad | 9 years ago
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rockhoppingmad wrote:

I don't like mopeds or motorcycles using cycle lanes or paths, so I guess he has a point.

I don't mind them as long as they're not doing high speed and/or close passes, it's a simple matter of courtesy (and safety). They do need to bring 2-wheel motor emissions law up to scratch though, inefficient stinkers that they are.

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gazza_d | 9 years ago
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How does he get stock to and from his stall? Rucksack? Wheelbarrow?

In Chester Le Street, just south of Newcastle, shopkeepers are complaining about loss of trade as the main street has been closed to cars for roadworks for the next couple of months.

The street is pedestrianised https://goo.gl/maps/o2X4H

I think I need to start shouting at all the people walking in cycle paths on my commute. Actually that would make me a nutter like this guy

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to gazza_d | 9 years ago
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gazza_d wrote:

I think I need to start shouting at all the people walking in cycle paths on my commute. Actually that would make me a nutter like this guy

What is it about cycle paths, that so many pedestrians are inexorably drawn to that (often green) surface, when there's a perfectly good and empty footpath right adjacent to it? Pram-pushers and dog-walkers seem especially affected by this mysterious force. Physicists should study it and try and unify it with the other basic forces.
(Actually I wonder if the pram-pushers simply prefer the smoother surface of the bike lane?)

(Heh, that said, when walking the same routes I cycle I often find myself startingout on the bike side, out of sheer force of habit, forgetting I'm not actually on the bike this time).

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atgni replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 9 years ago
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FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
gazza_d wrote:

I think I need to start shouting at all the people walking in cycle paths on my commute. Actually that would make me a nutter like this guy

What is it about cycle paths, that so many pedestrians are inexorably drawn to that (often green) surface, when there's a perfectly good and empty footpath right adjacent to it? Pram-pushers and dog-walkers seem especially affected by this mysterious force. Physicists should study it and try and unify it with the other basic forces.
(Actually I wonder if the pram-pushers simply prefer the smoother surface of the bike lane?)

(Heh, that said, when walking the same routes I cycle I often find myself startingout on the bike side, out of sheer force of habit, forgetting I'm not actually on the bike this time).

LOL - The dog normally walks down the path on a running lead that manages to totally block the entire 3m wide cycleway too. Then you get told off for scaring the dog if you ring your bell or if you don't ring your bell.

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gazza_d replied to atgni | 9 years ago
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atgni wrote:
FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:
gazza_d wrote:

I think I need to start shouting at all the people walking in cycle paths on my commute. Actually that would make me a nutter like this guy

What is it about cycle paths, that so many pedestrians are inexorably drawn to that (often green) surface, when there's a perfectly good and empty footpath right adjacent to it? Pram-pushers and dog-walkers seem especially affected by this mysterious force. Physicists should study it and try and unify it with the other basic forces.
(Actually I wonder if the pram-pushers simply prefer the smoother surface of the bike lane?)

(Heh, that said, when walking the same routes I cycle I often find myself startingout on the bike side, out of sheer force of habit, forgetting I'm not actually on the bike this time).

LOL - The dog normally walks down the path on a running lead that manages to totally block the entire 3m wide cycleway too. Then you get told off for scaring the dog if you ring your bell or if you don't ring your bell.

If you are really lucky you'll get someone with two dogs on extending leads. Of course they are always in the middle of the 3 metre path with the mutts emptying their ballast tanks on full extension on in either verge.

With some it's just a question of when they go "arrggh! a bike" Like I'm a bloody martian. Either from a distance after shouting or pinging, or when I ride past cos there's enough room but they're engrossed in Fiendbook like bloody Morpheous stuck in the Matrix.

Only time I've had a sarky comment was from the chavvy woman with staffie yesterday. Shorts so small I could almost see what she'd had for breakfast & covered in fake tan. the sort that's like anti-vandal paint that rubs off like shame paint.

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Yorkshie Whippet | 9 years ago
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From my little experience on the continent there are two main differences;

The first has already been mentioned, cyclist are tolerated. They are expected and looked out for.
The second is that many of the places are more open and cyclist slow down, therefore less chance of conflict.

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harrybav | 9 years ago
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Old town area in Bordeaux has shared use, no catastrophes, no drama.

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joemmo | 9 years ago
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this story was a great excuse for the local BBC radio station to run a phone-in on 'pavement cycling'. It was basically Roger Geffen from the CTC for the voice of reason followed by 50 minutes of frothy mouthed goons who were regularly NEARLY KILLED by cyclists. No statistics were used for perspective, just the usual emotive bollocks.

Personally, I would not ride down Northumberland St on a busy shopping day anyway, its just too full of people wandering aimlessly about but the parallel routes are very unfriendly to bikes. Hopefully the plans mentioned in the article will come to fruition but I'm not optimistic.

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FluffyKittenofT... | 9 years ago
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Don't have much of a problem with this, but of course, the thing about cyclists is, when shouted at they can actually hear you.

Unlike some road-users one could mention, who are well insulated from reproach, shame or retaliation.

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Colin Peyresourde | 9 years ago
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I was in Bruges and noticed that they have a lot of bikes whizzing through pedestrian sections there. It doesn't work for pedestrians or for cyclists to be fair….though it's tolerated.

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NorthEastJimmy | 9 years ago
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I've never riden my bike down Northumberland Street but I can't see how cyclists are meant to respect any kind of prohibiting laws due to the lack of respect towards the cycle lanes and bike boxes in the city.

Just today between Durham and Newcastle I saw one police car drive into a bike box as well as three buses and about 3 other drivers! Wish I'd berated the police but then I probably would have been arrested under some random terrorism law.

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atgni replied to NorthEastJimmy | 9 years ago
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NorthEastJimmy wrote:

I saw one police car drive into a bike box .... Wish I'd berated the police but then I probably would have been arrested under some random terrorism law.

They'd have said they were allowed to use it for 'operational' reasons!!!

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andyp | 9 years ago
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Good man.

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Jaytee | 9 years ago
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Nutter. What a shame he doesn't channel his energy into something more useful.

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Bikeylikey | 9 years ago
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I notice that the reverse - where pedestrians wander around cycle lanes or even roads - never gets a mention. Riding down smaller streets there are often people walking down the middle of the road, getting upset when you go past and startle them: 'Why don't you ring your bell?' etc. Why don't you walk on the pavement?

Why can't they put dedicated cycle lanes into precincts like the one above with big signs and road markings? And a cyclist volunteer with a megaphone obviously.

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qwerky | 9 years ago
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Years ago I worked in London just north of Oxford St and saw the "Sinner or Winner" guy quite often. Sometimes you could find him on the Underground too. At first I thought he was just one of the regular lunatics one encounters, but a couple of times I stopped to chat to him. He's actually a really nice guy and fascinating to talk to. Didn't realise he was famous.

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