Dorset safer roads

25/08/2026

Ah middle lanes hoggers don't you just love them?

Blood drivers driving in the middle of the road...

23/08/2026

Wow... That's a lot of views!

23/08/2026

I am bored of reporting parking on crossing Zig Zags.

Please don't park on them🚸

From April 2024 to August 2025 I have reported 124 drivers for it, almost all of them were prosecuted by Dorset Police Dorset Roads Policing operation snap.

Those white zig-zag markings aren't there to make parking more difficult. They are there to protect visibility around the crossing.

When a vehicle stops or parks on them, it can hide pedestrians from approaching drivers and hide approaching vehicles from pedestrians.

That is particularly dangerous for children, older people, wheelchair users and anyone who may be less visible from behind a parked vehicle.

The Highway Code is very clear: you MUST NOT park on a crossing or in the area covered by the zig-zag lines.

And no, putting your hazard lights on doesn't make it legal.

Neither does:

"I was only there for a minute."
"I was just dropping someone off."
"I stayed in the car."
"I parked on the pavement."
"There was nowhere else to park."

The restriction exists because a few seconds of convenience can create a serious blind spot exactly where pedestrians are expected to cross the road.

I'm honestly getting bored of reporting this through Operation Snap.

But here's the thing: I'm going to keep doing it every time I see it.

Not because I enjoy spending my time clipping footage, uploading it and writing statements. I don't.

It's because the rules are there for a reason, and if people continue to ignore them, I'll continue to report them.

Operation Snap allows members of the public to submit evidence of suspected traffic offences to the police. The police then decide whether an offence has been committed and what action is appropriate.

So if you don't want to receive a letter from the police, the solution is remarkably simple:

Don't park on the zig-zags.

Park somewhere legal and walk the extra distance.

It might take you an extra couple of minutes, but it gives pedestrians a clear view of approaching traffic and gives drivers a clear view of people waiting to cross.

That's a tiny inconvenience compared with the consequences of a child stepping out from behind your vehicle and into the path of an approaching car.

Please keep crossing zig-zags clear.

I'll keep reporting them until people stop parking on them.

22/08/2026

Ok so to me there are 3 distinct problems

1) The yobs using electric scramblers on the road

That just needs more and better policing police on road legal versions of them would help greatly.

2) the illegal conversion kits being sold into the UK that convert a normal bicycle to an e-bike

easy enough to regulate, just ban the sale of conversion kits which would be illegal

3) the gig economy,

make companies responsible for the use of any personal vehicle to ensure it is legal including subcontractors. Just like they are responsible if the person isnt legally allowed to work in the UK can give big fines. This would also help improve road safety. Companies I have worked for before when using my own vehicle have required me to provide my drivers licence, insurance etc. We have to close the "oh but they are subcontractors" loop hole.

We do just need more police on the ground in general for all law breaking. Bad drivers making our roads unsafe, speeding is prolific as well as the above problems. Policing needs to join the 21st century and be funded properly so they can keep law abiding people safe.

Is your legal e-bike at risk? ⚡️🚴‍♂️

E-bike reputations are under fire, and the consequences for regular cyclists are becoming all too real. We’re diving into the controversy to find out why regulation is failing and what needs to change to keep our cities moving.

🔗 https://gcn.eu/illegalebike 🔗

22/08/2026

It is nice to be able to post videos of good drivers sometimes.

This driver got it right, he knew he was turning left and didn't have space to get in front to be able to turn into the junction cleanly so he hung back, indicated left and dropped in behind. It only host him a few seconds and was safer for everyone.

Great job!

21/08/2026

This is becoming a bit too common for my liking. I was almost taken out by one yesterday who rushed an emerge from a trade counter across ringwood road and into a side road trying to fit between oncoming traffic and rushing their observation, that has been reported to opsnap.

Drivers just arent looking at the cycle lane before turning.

I am sure some of the comments will try to blame the infrastructure for drivers not looking properly. Carry on but please do understand you are wrong.

21/08/2026

More dodgy drivers in court

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/26482535.dock---appearances-dorset-magistrates-courts/

21/08/2026

Thank you whoever you are for the beeps and fist of support, greatly appreciated!

20/08/2026

How many times have we seen this?

Please

20/08/2026

New Beryl bikes — first impressions 🚲

Today I met up with Councillor David Brown to take a look at the new Beryl bikes.

TL;DR: they're great. A massive improvement over the old bikes.

One of the biggest complaints I've heard about the old Beryl bikes was the wheel lock. They could get stuck, particularly when exposed to the weather and road grime.

The new bikes have an electronic internal lock, so the mechanism is protected inside the bike. Hopefully that should make them considerably more reliable.

These new bikes are built by Segway and there are some really nice touches.

⚙️ Automatic gears
No more manually changing gears with levers. Sensors monitor your pedalling speed, effort and road speed and automatically select the appropriate gear. It makes for a really smooth and simple riding experience.

🦵 Much better kickstand
The double kickstand is far more substantial and much easier to use. It also feels considerably more stable when the bike is parked.

🔔 Twist-grip bell
I absolutely love this. Simple, intuitive and easy to operate without taking your hand away from the grips.

📏 Easy seat adjustment
The seat post has markings, making it really easy to find the right height and then return it to the same position next time. Great for a shared bike.

🚲 Comfortable riding position
The riding position is nice and upright, with swept/curved handlebars that give a comfortable, relaxed position. The saddle also has plenty of cushioning.

📱 Easy to identify in the app
There's a handy little trick if you're trying to find one of the new bikes.

When you're looking at a Beryl bay in the app, check the five-digit bike number.

Old bikes start with an 8.
New bikes start with a 3.

So you can easily tell which bikes are the new ones before you unlock one.

Overall, I'm really impressed.

The old bikes had their problems, particularly around reliability, but these feel like a significant step forward.

I'll be interested to see how they hold up after thousands of miles and plenty of Dorset weather, but first impressions are very positive.

I look forward to seeing more of them around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

If the rest of the fleet is this good, Beryl has made a very worthwhile upgrade. 👍🚲