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Pulled by the fuzz

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  • April 2, 2013 at 9:42 pm #18391
    therealsmallboy

    You’re not gonna believe this.

    On a club ride out of Sheffield, into Derbyshire and back again this evening the following occured:

    When we were on the road between Hathersage and Calver, just after turning right at the junction in Grindleford- we were pulled over by a police car.

    I say pulled over, but what actually happened was he wound down his passenger window, turned on his blues and started screaming at us that we had to ride single file- I shouldn’t need to explain that we took exception to this.

    So, after some exchange of words through the window of a moving police car, he pulled over and we obliged by stopping with him to see what ill-informed gems of made up law that he had up his sleeve. And gems they were.

    He started by puffing out his chest and shouting “right then, who was it that had a problem?”, which was (a threatening and b) wholly uncalled for. He went on to shout and spit about the highway code saying that cyclists had to ride single file and that we were in the wrong. We all know this is bollocks and tried to point this out to him, but he’d clearly made up his mind.

    He then went on to say that he had it all on camera so I asked to see it, he put it on the dashboard screen and I watched the back of a bus for 3 minutes- not a cyclist in site. Apparently we were “all over the road”, even though he couldn’t actually see us and we were riding 2-by-2.

    Then the cracker came- what I believe is a made-up story. PC ‘ I am the law’ recently attended a coroners hearing about a car that had made a dangerous overtake move on a blind bend and killed a kid in a car on the other side of the road that it crashed into. The nugget is that he blamed it on a cyclist on the inside that had- and I quote- “made the driver do it”!!!!!!

    It was eventually diffused when we pointed out that we were actually blocking the road now and that we disagree with everything he was saying. Surely, if we’d committed an offence at least one of us would have been booked?

    I think this is a simple case of someone in a car (this time a copper no less) getting frustrated at being held up and taking it out on the easiest, most vulnerable target. Us. It would be nice if they’d teach our police officers the law, so that when they attempt to relay it to unwary ‘offenders’ that they actually got it right.

    Just another case of the abuse of perceived power and the harassment and victimization of innocent cyclists.

    A complaint will be duly posted with the IPCC. If the other 4 riders would like to be included I think that will help prevent this ill-informed bully from picking on any more cyclists for taking in part in the sport that they love.

    More to come……..

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  • April 4, 2013 at 6:08 am #725437
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    Gero

    Just because the law says we
    Just because the law says we can ride 2 abreast, doesn’t make it right to do so.
    Inconsiderate club riders in groups of 30 odd with massive q’s of vehicles behind them. I’d be cheesed off too.
    It’s why I choose not to ride with the club that I belong to.

    April 4, 2013 at 5:21 am #725435
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    smernicki

    maxburgoyne wrote:What foul

    maxburgoyne wrote:
    What foul snobbery. By all means criticise this poor police officer but to question the intelligence and education of all officers tells us more about you then them. For what it is worth, new recruits must now have A levels.

    Agree. Some of the responses on this totally undermine any credibility the authors might think they have.

    And there is a concern about a “them and us” situation?

    April 3, 2013 at 10:06 pm #725433
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    mrhallorann

    The fact of the matter is we
    The fact of the matter is we desperately need clarification on the issue of riding two abreast on our roads. The Highway Code is clear as mud on this matter and, in my opinion, only serves to support the arguments on both sides of the debate, rather than providing clear guidance on how and where it is appropriate to ride two abreast.

    April 3, 2013 at 9:57 pm #725431
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    Mat Brett

    Karbon Kev wrote:The highway

    Karbon Kev wrote:
    The highway code to a policeman should be the same as ‘the knowledge’ is to a cabbie …

    Agree. It’s not difficult. There are pictures in there and everything.

    April 3, 2013 at 6:18 pm #725429
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    Karbon Kev

    The highway code to a
    The highway code to a policeman should be the same as ‘the knowledge’ is to a cabbie …

    April 3, 2013 at 5:37 pm #725427
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    Bigpikle

    1 of the worst incidents of
    1 of the worst incidents of unnecessary close overtake by a car was a police motorway patrol car just a mile or so from its base, passing our club ride on a wide empty road and nearly removing the front 2 rows of the group. Needless to say he didn’t stop despite all of us noisily raising alarm and simultaneously giving him gestures of our appreciation… I was quite looking forward to him/her stopping to discuss our feedback.

    April 3, 2013 at 5:03 pm #725425
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    maxburgoyne

    What foul snobbery. By all
    What foul snobbery. By all means criticise this poor police officer but to question the intelligence and education of all officers tells us more about you then them. For what it is worth, new recruits must now have A levels.

    April 3, 2013 at 3:17 pm #725423
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    700c

    This kind of thing gets me so
    This kind of thing gets me so annoyed, I really do hope you make then think about their behaviour when you complain.

    I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve encountered this from tw@ts in cars – you shouldn’t have to put up with that attitude from the general public let alone the police. At least with the public you can abuse them back!

    Good luck with the IPCC

    April 3, 2013 at 2:45 pm #725421
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    julesprichards

    Could carry and share one of
    Could carry and share one of these:
    http://julesprichards.wordpress.com/2011/11/02/lifes-too-short-to-finish-it-early/

    …but then again, I have found that it’s pointless – idiots win, cyclists get injured (or killed).

    What hope is there when the law’s bent. :&

    April 3, 2013 at 1:22 pm #725419
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    farrell

    Not 100% how in date this
    Not 100% how in date this is:

    http://www.ldcdownloads.co.uk/pdfs/highwaycode.pdf

    April 3, 2013 at 1:19 pm #725417
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    badkneestom

    mad_scot beat me to it.
    mad_scot beat me to it. There have to be regulations somewhere online, I’ve got a copy of my city’s bike law pamphlet on my smartphone.

    April 3, 2013 at 1:06 pm #725415
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    mad_scot_rider

    notfastenough wrote:Christ.

    notfastenough wrote:
    Christ. It’s getting to the point that I’m wondering whether to have a copy of the highway code on me.

    A thought occurs – is it possible to get the highway code in PDF or eBook format? – which would allow it to be carried on my phone

    April 3, 2013 at 11:51 am #725413
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    Mostyn

    mike_ibcyclist wrote:Just

    mike_ibcyclist wrote:
    Just remember local plods are lucky to have the odd A-level in wood work, they don’t know the highway code until a barrister rips them apart in court.

    Horrible situation, an educated PC could have suggested riding in single file if they believed both cars and riders would be safer, but the lecture and the assumed wrong-doing are completely out of order. He’ll no doubt get a ticking off and if he’s good he’ll realise that he did the wrong thing and if he’s not he’ll hold a grudge forever.

    Mike, I agree! They don’t call them “Wooden-tops” for no-reason.

    A suggestion from the PC that it would be far safer to cycle in single file on that particular road; would surely have been appreciated far more than being shouted at, or lectured incorrectly on a point of law and the highway code.

    Numpty probably will hold a grudge; I’m never wrong PC nod!

    April 3, 2013 at 11:49 am #725411
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    Anonymous

    Looking forward to seeing the
    Looking forward to seeing the IPCC response. It’s coming to the point where if I have to deal with any security/police/etc I note names and numbers before starting to talk to them…

    April 3, 2013 at 11:38 am #725409
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    Nevis the cat

    I was stopped there a couple
    I was stopped there a couple of years ago, for having fog lights on. I had just come down the hill (the top of which was foggy). They park in the car park at Outside looking for someone to pull fo the slightest thing – real hearts and minds stuff.

    PC Sadsack put the full blues on and tried to give me the hairdryer treatment. I’m hardly a boy racer – sensible saloon – just had not turned th lights off.

    I found him aggressive and patronising, and i say this as an police officer myself.

    Maybe it was the same guy, maybe he was bullied as child and his wife’s getting it from the neighbour.

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