A Hackney cyclist has caught a police officer using a mobile phone at the wheel – leading to the Metropolitan Police taking ‘action’ against standards that have ‘fallen short’.
The rider, Junaid McClymont, 24, passed the van waiting at lights in East London, and spotted the female officer holding the phone up to her mouth.
In the film he shouts: “I just caught you on your phone while driving.”
A Met spokesman said: "The majority of police personnel in Hackney borough work extremely hard and to the highest standards of professionalism to keep our communities safe.
"When officers or staff fall short of these high standards, it is absolutely right that it is brought to our attention.
"Senior officers at Hackney have been made aware of this particular incident and will take the appropriate action."
It’s not the first time a driver has been taken to task by a vigilante with a camera; other road users including pedestrians, cab drivers and cyclists are using their camera phones, dashboard cams and GoPros to report driving mobile phone to the police.
One cyclist told the Sunday Times he had caught more than 60 people driving while phoning in the past two years, resulting in penalties and warning letters issued by police.
Dave Sherry routinely films confrontations with drivers whi he spots on the phone, using his helmetcam.
Last year a bus driver lost his job after Sherry filmed him using a phone and posted it on YouTube.
Sherry said: “You look for the drift in their driving ability — where the cars go from one side of the road to the other like a drunk driver,” he said. “You filter up beside them and, lo and behold, you see a phone up to their ear or they’re texting at the wheel. They’re totally oblivious that you’re there.
“Once I was going up on the inside of a vehicle and he started to move in on me. He goes, ‘Oh sorry mate, I didn’t see you there.’ I said, ‘No, you’re too bloody busy on your phone.’ I’ve got no compassion for them. If I was dead on the road because the idiot said, ‘Oh sorry mate, I didn’t see you,’ and his phone’s more important, they deserve the three points.”
Drivers have called him a “snitch” and abused him but Sherry said: “I’m just trying to improve road safety. I have a zero-tolerance approach to reckless, careless drivers. The rules are changing; video evidence is indisputable.”
37 thoughts on “Hackney cyclist catches policewoman on the phone at the wheel as she waits at traffic lights”
Comment about vehicle ‘drift’
Comment about vehicle ‘drift’ is very accurate.
Every time I see this drift during my daily commutes across London, when you catch up and pass them, lo and behold the driver is using a phone, sat nav or tablet whilst driving.
Not really surprised about the Police, regularly see them in London driving using hand held mobile phones and stopping in the ASL, blocking cyclists from using it safely, as well as failing to Police the roads on any consistent basis.
Kind of ruined it for me with
Kind of ruined it for me with his offensive parting comment- unnecessary.
I’ve also caught a police
I’ve also caught a police officer on his phone whilst moving in traffic, worryingly he argued with me that it was okay so long as the traffic was not moving fast!
I’m with vanmildert – the
I’m with vanmildert – the parting comment was offensive and unnecessary.
Why some are surprised that a police officer uses a phone is puzzling, the police are people after all and there are some people out there that do stupid things – shock horror :& !
There is no excuse for anyone using a mobile phone while driving and the legislation states that it is OK to stop at the side of the road, apply the handbrake and take the call (if it’s safe to stop of course), but stopping in a traffic queue or at a traffic light is not (you are still held to be driving).
The officer was dealt with for this offence by her bosses and hopefully won’t be so stupid in the future.
Police officers on duty are
Police officers on duty are explicitly exempt from the ‘phone laws that apply to the rest of us.
They are, quite properly, allowed to use mobile phones and hand-held radios in the course of their work, how else could a lone officer carry out his duties?
That said, some individual forces have decided to restrict very tightly the occasions when it is permissible, probably to avoid the sort of photo we have just seen.
mike the bike wrote:Police
I am surprised. Perhaps you could link us to the legislation that makes this exemption explicit?
they are only exempt from 2
they are only exempt from 2 way radio use (just like anyone lese with a cb) they are not exempt from mobile phone use, and should where possible use the hands free vehicle set instead of the handset
mike the bike wrote:Police
Care to provide a reference?
Maybe Stumps can give some insight?
mike the bike wrote:Police
Sorry but that’s bollix. The police are as bound to obey the Highways Act as much as we are. The only time they can jump lights; park on double yellows etc when the are on an emergency call and even then with caution. Most cars usually have two officers and the passenger can deal with communications and that’s by radio. The driver focuses on the driving. I notice that she has a colleague with her, so even if they were checking something with a handheld device the other constable would be doing that.
As an aside motorists are able to use a CB or 2 way radio without breaking the law.
Would have been a story if he
Would have been a story if he actually had filmed them driving whilst holding a phone. As it is only pedantics care, who lets face it, are probably a bit hypocritical too.
Sub5orange wrote:As it is
I think you’ll find the word is “pedants”!
:B
Can’t even tell what it is in
Can’t even tell what it is in the video, she’s just got something in her hand, not even held to her ear.
The exemption seems to apply
The exemption seems to apply to airwave (police 2 way radio), not to ‘cell’ phones (what we call mobiles in UK).
The law specifically exempts ‘push to talk’ devices as used by emergency services and taxis, however any road traffic collision caused by lack of care and attention could be open to prosecution.
hampstead_bandit wrote:The
The bandit is right on all counts. The police Airwave system is, I am informed, switchable from 2-way radio to telephony. It would take a sharp-eyed observer indeed to tell which position the switch was in.
And, as he says, taxi drivers, ambulance drivers and a host of others can legally use their hand-held radios without fear of prosecution, assuming they do not fall foul of existing “due care” requirements. Why, even CB radios are exempt from the Construction and Use regs’ as they operate on a permitted frequency band.
It has long been the British way to make things as complicated as is humanly possible; I have a lawyer friend who gives thanks daily for the subtleties of modern life for they keep him in Mercedes.
mike the bike wrote:
The
Which does raise the question of why do we need anti phone laws? Phones, eating, drinking, radios, etc they can all be caught by the due care laws.
as there is no ‘switch’ that
as there is no ‘switch’ that would be the case, however, they have no ‘ speakerphone’ function so when in ‘phone’ mode you have to hold them like a phone
justin baines wrote:as there
Wrong – Our radio’s act as radio’s and phones and they do have a loudspeaker system so you can still hear a caller and reply whilst the radio is connected to your body armour so you do not have to hold it in your hand.
As for mobile phones, its simple, we are not exempt.
@mrmo.
This is the thing that
@mrmo.
This is the thing that concerns me as a regular cycle commuter.
Too many times I will see a vehicle being driven without due care and the driver is using a cell phone, eating something, drinking a coffee, reading a map. You see a lack of control by the driver of the vehicle, and when the driver becomes visible you see something in their hands?
We can have more laws, but from my limited view of the journeys i take as a cycle commuter in London, there is a serious lack of Police enforcement on the streets, and drivers have realised this.
Over the past few months, the Met have undertaken operations which seem to involve officers stationed at key traffic junctions across London.
i will see these Police ignoring behaviour next to them such as motor vehicles driving into the ASL, or using cell phones. On a number of occasions I have got off my bike, asked the officers about the law on ASL enforcement and none could provide any clarification.
Last week near Aldgate I saw a lorry jump red lights, drive through a green pedestrian crossing missing several pedestrians by feet, and standing 10 feet away were 2 PCSO more interested in their chat than ‘eyes open’ policing?
Looks bad from the police and
Looks bad from the police and she should not offer up ammunition for sure, but two things –
1. You have to know exactly what she’s doing on that phone because she isn’t necessarily committing an offence.
2. I suggest that more drivers than not will not see the problem with reading an incoming text, composing a text or dialling a number whilst putting the phone onto speaker whilst sitting in traffic. Moving is a completely different kettle of fish.
@Eebijeebi
The driver may not
@Eebijeebi
The driver may not see any issue with answering a text or social update whilst in stationary traffic.
However, when you are sitting on a bicycle behind them and see through the cab that they are using a hand held device, the lights change to green and 5-10 seconds later they have not moved because they are distracted; this is because they are not in control of their vehicle?
A number of times I have come up to a junction, lights have been green throughout, but a driver is sitting stationary using their cell phone, completely oblivious to those around them, I have shouted a warning and seen them jolt as they are jumped out of their dream world.
The law is very clear on this aspect for this reason; however those responsible for enforcing the law are either restricted by budget reductions, excess paperwork, or just having a nice chat to their colleague once ‘out of the office’.
hampstead_bandit
Shouted! Surely you have a bell fitted? Still, I’m sure there’ll soon be a ‘lights are changing’ app.
They are of course fully in control of their vehicle but not perhaps driving with due consideration to other road users. Will it change? Doubt it.
Probably sending a text to
Probably sending a text to order some donuts ……
The Road Vehicles
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986:
110. Mobile telephones
(1) No person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road if he is using—
(a) a hand-held mobile telephone; or
(b) a hand-held device of a kind specified in paragraph (4).
4) A device referred to in paragraphs (1)(b), (2)(b) and (3)(b) is a device, other than a two-way radio, which performs an interactive communication function by transmitting and receiving data.
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986:
6(d) “two-way radio” means any wireless telegraphy apparatus which is designed or adapted—
(i) for the purpose of transmitting and receiving spoken messages; and
(ii) to operate on any frequency other than 880 MHz to 915 MHz, 925 MHz to 960 MHz, 1710 MHz to 1785 MHz, 1805 MHz to 1880 MHz, 1900 MHz to 1980 MHz or 2110 MHz to 2170 MHz….
Cop bang to rights, no
Cop bang to rights, no problem, though I can’t tell if the vehicle was moving or if she was ‘using’ the device or just looking at it…..
I’m a bit confused as to what the rider was doing though, was he riding forward looking left and how does he get his face in shot? If he was using a phone or holding a camera riding in traffic, that’s not clever either.
Flying Scot wrote:Cop bang to
Doesn’t matter if the vehicle was moving or not. Still illegal (unless safely parked). Doesn’t matter if she was on a call, writing a text or just looking at pictures. All are illegal.
ollieclark wrote:Flying Scot
I believe case law shows you have to be communicating, including typing or reading texts, but just looking at photos for instance is a defence. Turning it on or off is a defence. Just having it in your hand is not enough but leaves you open to the separate offence of not being in proper control. So sitting in traffic the evidence as seen isn’t absolute but would need details form the service carrier.
‘Cyclist’ is using a mobile
‘Cyclist’ is using a mobile phone to record this, not a GoPro camera. Also the way he talked to the officer only proves to me that he is a chav looking for trouble. Officer may have done something wrong or illegal but the ‘cyclist’ has no moral to judge the police in this case.
Drmorocho wrote:’Cyclist’ is
Seriously, WTF are you rambling on about?
Because he is a young black man in Hackney who doesnt speak in received pronunciation?
So because he is a working class black man in Hackney, he has no right to hold the police to account?
Also, whats with putting ‘cyclist’ in inverted commas? Quit with the fucking shitty tribalist attitude.
You dont seem to have a clue WTF youre on about, do you?
If the call/text was to do
If the call/text was to do with her job, surely the officer sitting next to her could have taken it to allow her to focus on driving? I’d be a bit more understanding if she was the only one in the vehicle and needed to take the call urgently. On the other hand if it was personal she should have A) not taken it, B) pulled over to take it or C) let the other officer drive.
Police are public servants and they are expected to uphold the letter of the law and set an example for the rest of us and if they make an error they should expect to be held accountable for it. This should not come as a surprise to any serving officer; it is part of the job description.
This is appalling. Really,
This is appalling. Really, really sloppy. Just shows the terrible standards these days; no-one seems to care. Just whip your phone out and crack on with no thought at all for the outcome.
Dreadful. Really.
You should never shoot portrait video.
The glee he clearly takes in
The glee he clearly takes in getting one over on the police is really sad and unpleasant. Also TBH I couldn’t really see exactly what she was doing.
But there’s not going to be a serious clampdown on things like phones when driving until coppers in a position to do something about it actually think it’s unacceptable and I bet not many of them really do.
Like someone else above said they’re still people drawn from a society that happily tolerates really poor standards of driving so in a way that’s to be expected.
But when they put the uniform on they’ve got to set the standard. If you’re setting yourself up as the authority you’ve got to act like it.
zanf
Couldn’t agree more.
zanf
Couldn’t agree more. Maybe if the cyclist in question was riding a Cervélo and was white the comments would be different
This.
https://www.yahoo.com/t
This.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/new-traffic-radar-gun-will-detect-when-drivers-are-97820764259.html
For those unable to
For those unable to understand the man’s emotions displayed at the end of the film – all I can say is clearly you are not a young black working class man living in London. I’m not either but I lived in South London for a few years and given the things the police were willing to do in front of me I dread to think what they do when they think no one is watching.
cqexbesd wrote:For those
I never watched the video until your comment and i only commented earlier on the phone being used and our radio’s. However having now watched the video all i can say is that if you think being called a pig is ok purely because of the job then your a very sad individual.
stumps wrote:cqexbesd
Do you need reminding what the daily experience of young black men in London is like, or what MacPherson had to say about the Met Police?
Reading cqexbesd comment, nowhere do they say that they condone, or find it acceptable, just that they understand it because they know what the daily experience of ethnic minorities is like in the capital.
Really? What a miserable toad you are! English is a living language and the vast majority that speak it as either a first or second language, do not talk as though reciting from a grammar book.
If the police officer was
If the police officer was breaking the law she should be reprimanded. In my own fantasy world the dick head on the bike would also be reprimanded for poor use of English, not riding with both hands on the handle bars and calling the police pigs.