West Midlands Police to offer "training package" to other forces looking to run close pass operation

As the princess sang... let it go.  Sail merrily on your way, enjoy the sunshine, feel good about yourself, think of them sat at home gradually dying of heart disease.

And when you manage to do this tell me how.  This morning in London was "I'm stuck in traffic so I'll drive along in the gutter" day.  Apparently I'm a batty boy.  How quaint.

I popped into the centre of Glasgow this afternoon and wished I was one of these bike cops.
I was nearly hit twice, had a further two close passes plus a deliberate punishment pass from a private hire that 10 seconds earlier only just missed me when he raced me to the junction joining the road I was already on. The junction is followed immediately by a pinch point so my combined evasive action/taking primary was obviously seen as a red rag to a bull.
I ride this route every day and I've never had this level of fuckwittery to deal with in such a short space of time.
I have to admit I was very close to completely losing my shit and doing someone or something significant damage.

I'm all for the program to educate drivers about safe passing distances.  

I will comment that the graphic showing 0.75 meters distance from the centerline of the bicycle is misleading and the notion behind it is part of the problem.  Cyclists are always weaving back and forth to avoid the many obstacles in the road, from potholes and broken pavement to shattered glass.  Everyone needs to be educated that the cyclist needs space to mauever -  that any overtaking vehicle (or bicycle for that matter) has to give the cyclist being overtaken enough room to avoid normal road hazards.

Dunno. This says 38 over the summer, by mid Sept.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/west-midlands-police-prosecute-dri...

Think road.cc reported a figure recently too.

Any news on how many they've caught yet?

I really like the sound of what they are doing, but it needs to not be a one-off exercise

Hoping Surrey Police book themselves in for a training session.

Have I died and gone to heaven?

I hope Avon & Somerset police will join in with this.

I've just submitted a crime report for a close/punishment pass from a White Audi KP63 DHO - wonder if they'll be able to use my video evidence.

WMP really stepping up to the plate. Impressive have to admit 

FFS can we please stop this common sense /fact based approach to policing?

We are in danger of making the road safer!!!!!

Yeah, seems like spreading best practice to me.  I do hope other forces might start caring about cyclist safety.