[0-0]

Yesterday, I watched this video on the BBC site, in it, the Police stopped the lad and ask for his details.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-55842241

In the article itself, there’s a link to a Government site, which says you don’t have to give your info to them or even stop.

https://www.gov.uk/police-powers-to-stop-and-search-your-rights

It made me wonder, if in the unlikely event you’re stopped when cycling outside your “local area”, and asked for your details.

Do the above rules apply, or are there newer “Covid rules” which means you must get your details, and therfore face a possible fine or not?

Thanks.

Topic

[Tom_77]

Section 44  of the Terrorism

Section 44  of the Terrorism Act 2000 gave the police very broad powers to stop and search. That was found to be in breach of Article 8 of the Convention on Human Rights and has since been repealed.

Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 is still on the books, but that is a bit more limited in scope.

[Hirsute]

Aside from white priviledge.

Aside from white priviledge.

Reminds me of when a friend was out jogging and was stopped because of a nearby robbery where the criminals had run away.

Can I have your name sir?

Yes, Dr Owen

Ah right, thank you sir <doffs cap>

[Sriracha]

Well that’s a bit catch-22!
Well that’s a bit catch-22! You do not have to give your details simply when asked by the police, but such a refusal is in itself grounds for suspicion, which escalates their powers to a level where you do have to give your details.

[0-0]

Many thanks for the replies.

Many thanks for the replies.

[OnYerBike]

I’m by no means an expert,

I’m by no means an expert, but I think a lot of it comes down to “reasonable suspicion” that you are or have been involved in criminal activity. 

While the new coronavirus rules don’t change that directly (as far as I know), what they do is to make simply being outside without an excuse a crime – and therefore the threshold for “reasonable suspicion” is much lower. 

[Secret_squirrel]

No they dont.  Stop pedalling

No they dont.  Stop pedalling FUD, you’re encouraging idiots like the copper in the video.

[Recoveryride]

I think you’re most unlikely

I think you’re most unlikely to be stopped on the road. Off-roading at a local beauty spot? Maybe, and they might see a fine as appropriate if you’ve driven to get there. Purely personally, I think that’s nonsense – and they didn’t fine Johnson for it – but under the regulations, it’s dubious.

I believe more than one senior copper has gone on record as saying that if you leave from and return to your front door, and undertake the whole journey under your own steam, that is legitimate in their eyes (which seems an unusually sensible statement from a member of the constabulary, but there you go).

In the unlikely event you are stopped, politely give your name, your address if asked for it, and state that you have travelled here directly from your home for the purposes of permittted exercise. Even allowing for the very high w*nker % in the police force, I’d be very surprised if they didn’t just wave you on.

[brooksby]

Liberty have an article on

Liberty have an article on Covid powers granted:

https://www.libertyhumanrights.org.uk/advice_information/coronavirus-what-can-the-police-do/

IF I GET STOPPED BY THE POLICE, DO I HAVE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS?

Police have the power to stop you in a public place and ask for your name, where you are going and what you are doing. This is known as “Stop and Account”. In most circumstances, you don’t have to stay with the officer or answer their questions.

The police also have a power to stop vehicles for any reason. Again, they can ask you to account for yourself, but they can’t generally force you to stay or take further action against you unless they have good reason for doing so.

However, refusing to answer the police’s questions (for example, about who you are gathering with) could give them reason to believe you are breaching the new regulations. This is because it is now a criminal offence to breach the rules in the Tier you are in. For example, in Tier 3 it is an offence to gather outside with more than one other person except in certain types of public places, so if you live in Tier 3 and you are gathering outside with two other people the police might ask you what you are doing. Refusal to answer them may lead them to believe you are breaching the rules.

[don simon fbpe]

Doesn’t the govt have either

Doesn’t the govt have either anti terrorism or covid emergency rules that allow plod to do what they want? In all fairness the tories have been very subtle in the ways that they’ve eroded your rights. It is a democracy, after all.

[Hirsute]

I think if you are a white

I think if you are a white middle class rider, you don’t have anything to worry about.

However the standard of that officer is a worry.

[Author]

Replies