West Midlands Police to use cycling officer to target close-passing motorists

This is great news. 

Living in the West Midlands area, I'd like to put myself forward to do this job. Cycle around all day videoing idiotic drivers. I'd happily give up my well paid job and do this for less. 

Fantastic idea and I hope it works.

However, are the cycling police in uniform?

How many drivers would dare do a close pass, or more dangerous punishment pass on uniformed cycle police. They need to be unmarked and on typical commuting type bikes.

Yeah like 3000 miles of inner city riding.  That would straighten out most dodgy drivers.

I think offenders should be required to take cycle training.

Bravo to the police for this one, huge respect, although I did have to check the calendar to make sure it wasn't April when I read it.

In fairness to North Wales Police, they have a site to report stuff directly which includes poor / dangerous driving. When you do so you get instructions on how to submit the video and guidance on how to complete a witness statement. You need to be prepared to attend court if the accused pleads not guilty.

Could it be that we are perhaps, ever so slightly, getting the whiff of change in the air? Only time will tell.

This is absolutely fantastic news - so sensible and knowing of the realities out there on the road - it makes total sense to me and I hope this policy spreads into other areas. I am going to write to my MP and bring this to their attention - ask what can be done where I live. Congratulations to whoever came up with this, spot on.

The only disappointment here is that there'll only be one of these officers. I think we need about 20 per square mile. And they should be armed.

A very welcome scheme from wmp. However worth drawing attention to the point of watching the wheels when approaching a junction or roundabout - maybe it's common knowledge, but someone pointed it out to me a couple of years ago and it's made a huge difference. Countless times I've been able to pre-emptively shout 'NO!' and prevent someone pulling out on me. Also, very handy on the motorbike where my speed is obviously higher than on the pushbike in many situations.

Firstly well done WMP that is really good news, but I am a little concerned with this business of the 15 min chat. This (imo) will cause the motorist to throw his/her toys out the pram and be even more agressive/stupid on the road trying to "regain" those lost 15 mins and having his/her negative thoughts about "Bloody cyclists" reinforced.

Congratulations to WMP, utterly brilliant and the first time I can recall a decent response from the police. I just hope it becomes a standard approach across the country.

as for just using a video, how does one identify the driver? It'll be a long time before you get the same principle as speed cameras, once that happens, expect everyone will get dash cams and bike cameras.

but i repeat, excellent well done West Midlands!

Christ that's one of the most sensibly written pieces ive seen for a long time and its pretty impartial .  I like the recognition that prosecution helps focus the mind !!!

This is amazing! This is the biggest thing in cycling, I really think if this goes national it could revolutionise attitudes to cycling

This makes far too much sense! Blog blatantly written by a cyclist police officer. 

i wonder if we could get my copper friend on this. he's probably the most anti cyclist person I think Ive ever met

It's great news but I'm interested in knowing which parts of the city they'll patrol. I tend to find drivers in the north of the city behave far more aggressively than those in the south. 

Seems drivers in the north still view cyclists as a hindrance whereas those in the south (where it tends to be more cosmopolitan) tend to be more accommodating. 

Surely this is a piss take?

If this is genuine, which I truly hope it is, this is a potential watershed in terms of drivers' regard towards our species.

We'll maybe stop being treated as vermin and instead become something less likely to be roadkill.

Chapeau West Midlands Police.

And as Gunswick said... Glasgow (next) please!

I hope the cops involved are undercover. There was a study (which naturally I can't find online now) that showed cyclists in police uniform were given the most passing room of any permutation of clothing.

Edit. Now I've read the whole blog, there's this, so hurrah! 'as our cyclists will not be liveried in any way, drivers will have no way of knowing !'

Unfortunately there's also this:

'Then the offender will be given a choice, prosecution or 15 minutes spent being educated as to the correct way to pass a cyclist.'

Shame. If you're not going to always prosecute, at least always record it - Section 59.

Bloomin awesome, Glasgow please....! I hope they also follow up with stats showing the schemes results over the next 12 months. It could be such a good global incentive to other forces.

Making self reporting with video footage would be a major step forward as well.

Glad I was sitting down when I read this.

Bravo West Midlands police force, now for more of this across the country please.

Double post

This is the most uplifting story I have read about cycling in weeks.

The officer who thought this up rides regularly.

Surprised and delighted by this - chapeau to the Old Bill.

Why on earth do police forces have different policies in different areas! Surely issues like this are relevant elsewhere too, it seems like a dreadful waste of funds for one police force to do this research only for it to be repeated elsewhere.

I give it a week before the bobbies on bikes realise how dangerous cycling really is and stop it due to H&S reasons.

Yeah,  I've been close-passed, cut-up, had vehicles pull-out on me from side roads and on one occasion,  had a parked vehicle pull away from the righthand side of the road and force me on to the footpath.

  All by marked West Midlands Police Cars.

I wonder if they will use one of those proximity sensor gadgets to document each offense. I would also hope the cyclist officers have some more officers for chasing down each offender. Just delaying the motorist would be a deterrent in their future plans.

Stunningly good policing!!!!!

Almost read it open mouthed...more please!!! More of this all over the country!!!

Massive kudos to them for this!!