Live blog: Lovely caps from Paul Smith x Cinelli, top ride out from London this Sunday, Adam Hansen’s Giro ride + more

officers investigating submitted video “must not undertake forensic analysis of footage, but should carry out a triage function using investigative, non-analytical viewing of the footage alongside the evidence supplied by the person reporting the incident” Classic police Bollocks-Speak. What they mean is: we have made sure that we have no officers who have completed the 3 Year Police Course on Tape Measuring. This is Lancashire Constabulary overtaking me in a 2021 Peugeot 308 (width to mirrors 186 cms) while staying within the 370 cm left lane

Ward says he has been unable to obtain any documents from that meeting and is considering a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office Good luck to him, but they have numerous dodges on standby to stop him. The problem with such an FoI request is that the police and other authorities determined to 'Sod the Cyclists' are not at all concerned by that threat, as they are well aware that the Information Commissioner is really the Restriction of Information Commissioner and is very successful in that aim. The first dodge from the police is that the cyclist is a witness, not a Victim. Then it's invariably 'it's personal information about the driver' etc. etc. I have been trying since the incident below occurred to find what actually happened when they claimed they were taking action. On 1.9.26 ICO declared that it's taking 7 months from the receipt of a new complaint before it's even allocated to a case officer. Even for long established complaints they're on a really determined go-slow: just like the police, it's 'whinge, whinge, we're so terribly busy'. This is how they're killing off the FOIA. The last letter from ICO was really an incitement for me to drop the complaint: (direct quotation) "If you can’t wait, we understand. You can withdraw this complaint at any time, just let us know". The police know this and refuse any information about anything. My concern was 'what can I do if the police just lie about what they did?' I have no doubt that they would if they thought they could get away with it.

"Exceptional circumstances" - presumably after the devil is observed buying snow chains, or Ryanair investing in a new fleet of pigs ...?

@Benthic "just go round - be reasonable it's only for a minute every once in a while" / "we have to trust people to be sensible and most are" / "how else are shops going to get deliveries?" / "we need taxis" / "what about the disabled?" And the honest answer, not heard: "look, we know everyone does at some point, and while most people at some point get annoyed with *others* doing that they'd see this as a massive imposition / loss if we stopped *them*. If I tried to get (the existing...) laws enforced the police would mostly ignore me, I'll get death threats then be booted out of office. And even if not we'd run through the budget in a month or two trying to enforce things"

@Paul J Van Thourenhout's bringing back the Eli Iserbyt vibe we've not been missing in CX.

“Ideally we would like to get to a point where a national approach is implemented, but we are still a long way from that becoming reality, so we are trying to provide some consistency through national guidance.” He added he believed Derbyshire Constabulary’s policy appeared in line with the guidance Yes, that's what they want, ALL forces to adopt the Derbyshire approach: essentially, abandon the concept of non-contact close-passing, reduce whatever you're doing (which is generally very little anyway) so that it's only a very occasional joke advice letter that drivers can safely ignore. Forces need little encouragement to follow this advice! It is no doubt tedious to read this yet again from me, but it's true: the police attitude is 'get yourself KSI'd and we'll see what we can do'. The police really are b******s.

@Paul J yeah the comment in X summed it up nicely "a frustrated bully". Vanthourenhout should be assured a warm welcome at the Glasgow CX World Cup round at least 😆

@jasperdog Thanks. It's probably still a Secan for me, although there's Cotic, which uses UK built frames. Fairlight uses, of course, Reynolds tubing (made from German steel, I think) welded in Taiwan.

It's only a broken leg sir, not really that "exceptional" is it now? Tell you what, wait and see if it gets gangrene and needs to be amputated then we might be able to take some action.

My guess is that many police forces have used this as a get out of jail free card to ignore subjective evidence when in the past they would have actioned the report. I also believe that police forces are becoming overwhelmed with reports due to the proliferation of cameras, both by cyclists and now on new cars so they are only actioning the most serious cases. This is just one example of mine that no such forensic specialist was required for the driver to be issued an NIP. He felt his driving was ok, so the police took it to court. He was shown the video evidence and still stated he did not see it as dangerous/too close. Result: 5 points and £944 fines. When it could have been just 3 points and £100, I assume. https://youtu.be/tDRgrK-didE