Brighton cyclists fined... for riding on a bike path

I can't speak for all PCSOs but I know a couple of them, and have friends who are or have been real Police Officers.

The real Police Officers don't think much of the PCSOs and tend to view them as busybodies and jobsworths, more concerned with the power trip of telling people what to do than motivated by any sense of public service. The two PCSOs I know pretty much fit this bill. They like being given a uniform and told that they can tell people off.

As I say, this is my subjective experience but the above posts and story do not surprise me.

: P

one wonders why these people take on a job like this and then blunder around creating an atmosphere which causes them so much critisism?
Volunteers normally take on work for satisfaction and to contribute to their community but what i am seeing in these comments is a section of the community setting out to antagonise "law abiding, environmentally friendly citizens", what do they get from this behaviour?
"Old Ridgeway" and those like him are quite right to set these "I am better than thou" miscreants straight! IF these PCOS's are being paid for their efforts then shame on them for their poor judgement, antagonistic attitude and agressive behaviour to "Joe Public". Better they stay in their own household and terrorize their family & friends

Maybe PCOS's should get more training?!

This is worse than businesses releasing untrained staff and hope they learn as they go!

I guess its down to cash as we would have proper PC's on the beat.

Excellent OldRidgeback.

Wish I was there!

I remember riding to work one morning and telling off two PCSOs, much to the amusement of other cyclists. They'd parked their scooters in a bicycle lane at Kennington in S London by a major junction while the busied themselves looking officious and doing nothing close by. I shouted over, "You can't park there, it's a bicycle lane and your causing an obstruction which is a traffic offence."
They looked round with expressions of contempt, as befitted their shiny buttons and apparent minimal intellect while other cyclists waiting at the lights sniggered. One of the PCSOs then manhandled his little Piaggio scooter onto the pavement (they aren't heavy but he made a fist of it, must've been a weakling) and I said, "You can't do that, you're causing an obstruction to pedestrians. That's an offence."
This caused more tittering amongst the cyclists at the lights who were clearly enjoying the exchange. The lights changed and I pedalled off, trying to not to laugh. Had it not been for the idiots telling me not to ride my bike the right way up the one way street just a few days before of course, I wouldn't have bothered.

As ever, the comments posted by readers of the local rag are highly amusing. In this case, the urge to demonize an outgroup (cyclists) is conflicting with their hatred of anything new (PCSOs.)

I don't think the pcsos would have even got as far as issuing the fine to me in the first place, in that situation.

Had a similar run in with PCSOs a few years back who tried to tell me I was doing something wrong (riding the wrong way up a one way street) when I wasn't. They're not selected for their brains. When I showed them they were wrong they didn't even apologise. I was also referred to throughout as 'hey you' and had I not been rushing to get my son from the childminder I'd have taken their details and made an official complaint about their behaviour.

"A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said that the incorrect signage had led to the problem..."

What about all the 'correct' 20 / 30mph signage that drivers ignore on a daily basis?