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So I’m Cycling along and there’s a row of parked cars on my left and the road is narrowing ahead due to a raised pedestrian crossing. There’s a car coming towards me when the driver of a police van behind decides to overtake me anyway. Predictably he can’t quite make it so veers over to the left as he’s level with me. If I had raised my elbow it would have hit the side of the van.
He carries on to join the queue of traffic ahead and I can see from the head movements he’s busy having a good old animated chat with the colleague in his passenger seat. Inevitably I catch up with him.
As I get level I gesture his colleague to wind the window down and ask if can just have a quick friendly chat with them.
The passenger demands to know why so I explain to the passenger it’s about the driver’s driving and can already see it’s not going to go well from the facial expression. I keep it very polite - explaining what just happened, that the roads are unsafe for cycling because of this sort of thing and just asking the driver to think a little bit about overtaking because of the guidance on passing in the highways code and that they need to be seen to be setting the standard in the eyes of other drivers.
The reaction wasn’t good - I was told by the passenger they would “bare it in mind” (no apology) and the driver said nothing. From the body language I think that if I’d even mentioned they are prosecuting people for doing the same thing I’d probably be in the back of the said van right now.
All in all pretty disappointing but maybe the story might get shared at the station and embellished a little bit for a laugh “a member of the public asked to have a chat with Dave about his standard of driving” and maybe some of their colleagues might think twice.
This was in an area policed by the Met who reportedly don’t think there’s any reason to do close pass enforcement because it’s not an issue on their patch . It’s not difficult to see why they can’t see the problem when they are actually part of it - maybe more of their front line officers need to be given bikes instead of vans.
I would report him to his superiors, the police have a duty to uphold the law and set an example to people.
probably nothing official will come of it, but perhaps a bollocking from his sergeant will change his attitude.
worth bearing in mind that some people are dicks, so statistically there is bound to be the odd copper within that number.
I might have been tempted to report it.
I think I would have asked for their numbers as well.
Yep, it's never going to end well with a chat unless they really did make a mistake, the animated hands could have been them getting a talking too from the passenger already but report it, any professional driver should be at a higher standard and held to account and police drivers too. Just he factual and reasonable about it, more you hope they can help with more education rather than punishment
I got a talking to by a special constable after I shouted at a car driver for a close pass and being on their phone whilst riding on Oxford Street.
He beckoned me over told me he had seen the whole thing it wasn’t a close pass and he didn’t see the driver on the phone. When I said it was all recorded on my cycliq he switched on his personnel camera and gave me a lecture about high vis despite my multiple lights and reflectors, it being dusk and being on the most illuminated street in the UK.
I took the telling off and was on my way. I thought about reporting the incident but life is too short
Wonder what would have happened if you did chap the van with your hand?
This is why I'm glad there's a proposal to legally define minimum safe passing distance here in Ireland. Granted you'd still need video evidence to have any kind of case but it means it's less "my opinion vs yours".
I would have reported it but known full well that with two of them and one if you, they'll close ranks faster than a thing that closes ranks really rather quickly.
They were the polis, what did you expect their reaction to be? I'm surprised they didn't try and pin something on you in retaliation.
I'm sure that you committed several public order offences during your interaction with the officers, so...
After some careful research back at the station, the next cyclist they encounter at close quarters will be ticketed for his lack of pedal reflectors.
I had a discussion with pcso about his driving once. He then threatened to arrest me from section five. He seemed very put out that I new the law better than him, (he couldn't arrest me) and I politely told him to stop copying what the bigger boys say😀
I didn't report him for that, but did report him when I saw the shit parking in a disabled bay to go and buy his lunch.
I got a talking to by a special constable after I shouted at a car driver for a close pass and being on their phone whilst riding on Oxford Street.
He beckoned me over told me he had seen the whole thing it wasn’t a close pass and he didn’t see the driver on the phone. When I said it was all recorded on my cycliq he switched on his personnel camera and gave me a lecture about high vis
What a dick. I’d have just called him a truly special constable, pointed out that hi-viz isn’t a legal requirement and then asked him for his number. All very politely of course. That or just completely ignored him when he beckoned.
What do they actually teach them nowadays? I have respect for Police and the job they do up until they start making shit up or acting superior. Then they can just jog on like anybody else.
About 15 years ago I had police van pull out across cycle and bus labs, I slammed into back of van and hit floor. It was an LDV so driver thought it was usual road bump noise.
Another motorist had to flag them down and get them to pull over so we could 'have a word'...
I would have a quick letter in to Police, see what happens..
I was following a police car the other morning through Bristol - not a single indication at all. Was tempted to pull up along side and remind them where the indicator stalk was but you know what would happen...
I’ve got an awkward left turn on my commute, I’m in a bus/cycle lane, ehich gives drivers the impression they can overtake just before they turn left - a number of times I wonder what wouldve happened if i had been going straight on rather than turning left myself.
One late overtake was from a copper, who got the “coffee bean shake” jesture from me.
Also tweeted a cop overtaking in my direction to Hampshire police and got ignored (
“Bad driving copper”) on YT.
Government cuts an all that though eh.
there is bound to be the odd copper within that number.
Is that the same odd copper who posts on here?
Was struggling up Pentyrch Hill last weekend at a feeble mph - could here a car engine behind. Rather than trying to squeeze through on narrow bendy bits it waited a good 2 minutes till I'd struggled up to a wider section and then executed a perfect overtake. 1 PCSO and 1 PC in the car.
Nice one South Wales Police.
Was struggling up Pentyrch Hill last weekend
I'll wave at you next time. 🙂
mccruiskeen, I don’t know any coppers on here, my comments were meant in a statistical way, if 0.1% of people are tossers globally, thats gonna put a couple of coppers in the frame, but it wasn’t directed at any individual.
Might be worth a complaint - apparently (according to my mate, a policeman) getting a speeding ticket is a huge faux-pas - gets you hauled in front of the chief constable (or whoever) for a massive bollocking. I suspect a letter from a member of the public who was nearly squashed by one of their vans would warrant the same response.
It's funny how the fuzz can dish it out but can't take it themselves when caught out.
It boils my piss when you see a cop car speeding (like 40 in a 30) or doing some other thing they shouldn't be when not on call.
It seems to be more prevalent these days from what I see around here.
Driving instructors seem to be just as bad. Had one nearly swerve into me the other day as he was on his mobile.
Maybe it's a sign I'm getting old but driving instructors always used to drive by the book all the time.
Standards seem to have slipped since the boom from the adverts in local papers to become a driving instructor (same as sparkies and plumbers) promising how you could be your own boss and earn a million pounds a week.
mccruiskeen, I don’t know any coppers on here, my comments were meant in a statistical way,
I'm, just talking about the one thats odd.
Ah time for my favourite police story.
I was driving through Clocaenog forest one autumn evening heading towards a climbing weekend in Wales. A car appeared coming towards me from around a bend with full beams on. He didn't dip, so I gave him a friendly reminder with 400W of main beams and Cibie Oscars, illuminating a police car!
Predictably he turned around, followed and flagged me down to enquire "dipswitch not working Boyo"? I confirmed mine was fine and enquired how his was. A quick check of the licence on the windscreen and he went on his way.
Anyway, speaking of road users who really should know better, the other day I had a driving school car trying to get in through my tailgate. I've no idea if it was a pupil or instructor.
Maybe it’s a sign I’m getting old but driving instructors always used to drive by the book all the time.
you must be older than me then. 'Do as I say, not as I do' is the only instruction I remember from my driving lessons as Pauline realised my lesson had ended on the wrong side of town for her next customer and she therefore needed to make up a little time.