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Essex motorbike cop consults Highway Code (YouTube still, user Paul Clayton).JPGVideo: Essex motorbike cop tells cyclists they mustn't ride two abreast - even after he consults Highway Code, which says they can
A cyclist has posted a video to YouTube showing an argument he and his riding partner had with an Essex Police motorbike officer who pulled them over and insisted they were breaking the law by not riding in single file.
The footage was uploaded to the video-sharing site yesterday by Paul Clayton, who was told by the officer at one point, "You are causing other road users to drive carelessly."
Essex Police Biker Argues the law with Cyclists by StanCardinalBCLion
Even after consulting a copy of the Highway Code, with it taking him several minutes to find the relevant section, the officer insists that the cyclists are endangering themselves and other road users by riding side by side, and takes down their details.
Rule 66 of the Highway Code says that cyclists "should never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends."
Side by Side from carltonreid on Vimeo.
In August 2015, British Cycling policy advisor Chris Boardman teamed up with driving instructor Blaine Walsh for this video produced by cycling journalist and author Carlton Reid which explains that cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast.
> Video: Chris Boardman explains why cyclists can - and do - ride two abreast
Boardman said: "According to rule 66 in the Highway Code cyclists are advised to never ride more than two abreast. So, three’s out but riding side by side is fine.”
“Think of it like this,” he continued. “In your car, you have the driver’s seat and the passenger seat, that makes a car suitable for two people to travel next to each other. Cyclists riding next to each other are doing the same thing, maybe chatting just like you would do in a car.”
As we reported at the weekend, Derbyshire Police recently published road safety advice regarding cyclists and aimed at both people on bikes and, primarily, drivers of motor vehicles.
> Derbyshire Police launch website explaining how to drive around cyclists
On the subject of cyclists riding two abreast, the force said: "It may come as a surprise to most drivers but cyclists have as much right as drivers to take up the entire lane.
"You will often see cyclists riding side-by-side, and you, as a driver, may think they’re being selfish by doing so.
"But the fact is the cyclist is actually reducing the risk of having an accident; it’s the safest way for them to cycle, particularly if there’s a blind bend, a narrowing of the road, a high risk junction, pinch point or traffic lights ahead."
NB This story was amended at 2.50pm on 15 May 2017 to reflect that the video on YouTube has been made private.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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79 comments
Whats the music about?
It's disturbing that even when he is literally stood reading the relevant section in the Highway Code out loud, the copper still doesn't understand it. Looking at the road, there is no sensible way to consider it within the "ride in single file" part of the Highway Code.
The cyclist is, in my personal view, a bit too in the copper's face pretty much from the start - but then I wasn't the one stopped for no reason at all with someone that should be keeping you safe, but who is instead talking absolute rubbish that strongly suggests they have no understanding of cycling & road safety issues.
What I find weird is the particular place that they were stopped - in the space leading up to the traffic island, with what looks like a much longer, clear section of road just the other side. They've then parked an unmarked car behind the cyclist, causing all the other traffic to pull out and then straight back in again for the traffic island. That kind of undermines the whole "you're causing other drivers to drive carelessly" nonsense to me. (as if it wasn't clearly a ridiculous comment in the first place...)
Edit: is the copper equating "busy" with fast/60mph speed limit? But in any event, it's a should, not must.
I know I'm massively selectively quoting you there, and I totally agree with the rest of your posts, but I think right from the start he marks himself out as an officious prick. Gets off, wagging finger straight away.
Then it just goes downhill as he shows himself to be the best kind of officious prick - a stupid one. Yay. The cop wants them off the road, really, and I doubt I'd be willingly riding along that one, but their arguments are spot on, and his are non-existent.
I disagree, even though you qualify the above pretty fairly.
Even though these guys were completely in the right and were able to cycle off afterwards instead of paying a fine, they've: 1) lost momentum; 2) had to talk to a thick f**k; 3) probably been upset by having this argument with someone that is paid to know better.
If an officer entrusted with respect, authority and force is reckless enough to physically impede other people from going about their lawful business then there needs to a lot more "in your face" for a busybody ignoramus.
All that said, what the eff is the horrible music playing, and what a horrible road to ride on: time to crank up the price of petrol to its real cost to remove all those road abusers.
Absolutely, it is an up to 60mph when safe road is what I think he must have meant!
What a complete numpty the police officer was with his ignorance of the highway code.
When on club rides we ride two abreast down main roads, its safer for us and easier for driver to pass(shorter distance of pack).
I shall send this to my friends who drive to demonstrate what idiots we have in the police force. His postion was the cyclists were getting in the way, couldnt find a suitable section to pin on the fellas so got high and mighty taking details.
YouTube direct link. https://youtu.be/kbmWRBtkKuM
Amusingly, if he'd really wanted to be a jobsworth about it, he could simply have checked their pedals for reflectors. I'd be willing to bet they didn't have any (and neither do I).
I think lighting regulations for pushbikes only apply from sunset to sunrise (not sunset+30 min, sunrise-30 min, plus inclement weather - as it does for motor vehicles). So he doesn't even get that. Though, how busy does a busy road need to be? Another well-written law!
Don't need pedal reflectors or other reflectors in daylight hours
Well, officer, you now know about the daylight thing.
I didn't see the video before it was pulled, but if their bikes were as old as my tourer - I doubt it, but anyway - they wouldn't have needed pedal reflectors even at night.
Further off topic, I know, but from Chris Juden's guide to cycle lighting - and specically Exceptions and explanations:
(I have pedal reflectors on the SPD-SLs fitted to my 'winter' bike, incidentally. )
Full article.
only after sunset...
Amusingly, if he'd really wanted to be a jobsworth about it, he could simply have checked their pedals for reflectors. I'd be willing to bet they didn't have any (and neither do I).
[/quote]
They aren't necessary during daylight hours.
"Making other road users drive carelessly"
How does that work then? Direct mind control over the motorist themselves or some sort of cyclist specific neural interface to the other road user's vehicle controls?
Not so, I always make that gibe, though light-heartedly, if you could trawl my post count you would see that. but I never realised how offensive the situation really is, until now.
Do you see the distinction there? If not it's okay.
Nice snipe though. I like a good snipe myself.
Anyway, I've had my say, don't want to upset pete76. He doesn't like it when you criticise this place. It's 'bad manners'
What I just realised, like literally this moment, is that using clickbait videos that stir offense without actually being an organisation that does activism, is really a bit offensive itself. It's basically profiteering off of misery, misfortune and death.
Huh. Weird I never saw it that clearly before. Guess I'm not as sharp as I think I am. Enough for me, this place has some great characters and dualists on it, but it's not right to keep baiting them like this for cash. You can't even argue that these pieces are raising awareness - the site has no outreach, it's a circle-jerk.
/flounce
So you've been here that long and made that many posts and you've been using the internet for that many decades.... and you only just realised how the universe works.
Yeah, it is a bit insidious, but it has raised my awareness of how uneducated this roads police officer is on policing the roads
As a biker, I cannot fathom how he doesn't know better?!
There's definitely a risk of this site simply preaching to the converted.
However - as someone who lives in Essex I have 'skin in the game'. If anyone else would like Essex Police to investigate and perhaps explain themselves, there's nothing to stop people tweeting relevant accounts such as @essexpolice , @essexpcc , @saferessexroads , @EPRoadsPolicing , etc and asking polite questions...
I disagree. I've been cycling daily since the 1960s, I have a reasonble level of respect for traffic officers doing a dangerous job with limited resources but I am shocked at this officer's lack of knowledge.
If this is indicative of the training taking place for advanced and professional road users, we have a massive battle on our hands.
This has raised my awareness.
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