Almost taken out by a police car...

bobinski

cycling down the north bound bus lane in brixton road eightish this morning. car lane jam packed so keeping my wits about me in case a driver tries to escape the traffic by taking a left across the bus lane. as I approach a left turn I suddenly see a car boot appear from my right. Jammed on brakes, rear wheel skidded beautifully at first, harder squeeze on the front and the bike comes to a halt, the rear coming round nicely so that I am now lengthways across the bike lane and just inches from the police car.Travelled about 8 feet during the skid. Both feet out of spuds (how did that happen?) all in a split second but boy did it feel like it went on for some time. police car then drove off!! no apologies, nothing.
I shouted out after the driver and it stopped about 40 meters away. I had a word only to be told i was going too fast!! I am 48y, only cycling for about a year and while not slow certainly am not very fast. I didn't have clear enough head to respond properly-i could only splutter back in disbelief "too fast?!?"
any ways, while a little shaken,reassured by brakes, quick reactions etc.. but it all seems a little surreal now

rjsterry

'you were going too fast' is just another way of saying 'I didn't look properly before pulling out' but without them having to feel all embarrassed at having done something stupid. :roll:

daviesee

How would he have reacted to a bus doing 30 mph? :shock:

hfidgen

Obviously it's great you're OK and no harm was done to man or machine, but at the same time a tiny mean part of me wishes he'd dinged you because he'd then be in the sh*t.

SMIDSY when in charge of a POLICE CAR just aint good enough, they receive a crap load of training and if he was chatting to his mate while feasting on donuts....

gbsahne001

I had the same during the Summer, when a police van pulled from a middle filter lane across the front of me forcing me part way down a motorway slip rode until they came to a stop.

Their reaction was, "we signalled, didn't you see?" and again no apology.

jeremyrundle

ANOTHER case of USE a £7 head cam as many do, then you could have recorded the whole incident and reported it.

flicksta

I have a lot of time for the fuzz, it's a hard job and you wouldn't find me doing it. However, a few years ago I was riding up Elspeth Road in Clapham, where there is a cop shop and hatched yellow box outside to stop people blocking the exit. I'm riding up along the outside of the traffic up the gill as they are stopped at red. Go to cross the yellow box, only to have to dive off the bike as copper comes out of the station in his car, into the yellow box.

No, I don't want to get in bother with this guy, but he needs to know he's in the wrong. So I ask him why he though that was OK, to which he responds 'do you want to get arrested?'. I don't lose my cool, just explain to him that I think he should be setting an example as a driver, not losing his temper because he's made a mistake and taking it out on me. I explain to him that I realise that being held to higher standards than ordinary citizens might seem unfair, but it's the way it is and whilst I sympathise, he should consider himself at fault on this occasion.

Threatened with arrest again, and the lights had changed, I gave up. We all have bad days, but that was a bit much I thought.

rjsterry

Some people seem to think that putting an indicator on means 'get the f*** out of my way I'm moving left/right' rather than 'I'm intending to move left/right when it's clear'.

BTW, I'd love to know what he would have arrested you for.

hfidgen

flicksta wrote:

to which he responds 'do you want to get arrested?'

If it was the weekend and I had nothing much better to do I'd be really tempted to put him the inconvenience of having to do the paperwork tbh... That and being able to put a complaint in.

Got plenty of time for coppers who fight crime... got no time at all for little men like that.

My GF used to work in the homeless sector with entrenched alcoholics and drug users. She'd say that if the police were having slow weeks they'd always turn up on Sunday afternoon looking to make some easy arrests just so they could meet their targets.

At first she felt too afraid to stop them, and was always threatened with arrest if she looked like complaining. So she started reading up on it, consulted some lawyers and the next time they came and tried it on with her she started quoting the book back at them.

At first they were "do you want to get arrested" again, then once she called that bluff they turned round and left. She put in a complaint about their actions and 2 officers were reprimanded.

Funnily enough they didn't come again, unless they had a warrant or were called to a fight

Basic moral - know your rights! To quote Corporal Jones, they don't like it up em!

gaz545

Was this coming down brixton hill from streatham?
Lovely stretch of road and can easily hit +30mph but in heavy traffic you have to be careful.

rjsterry

hfidgen wrote:

flicksta wrote:

to which he responds 'do you want to get arrested?'

If it was the weekend and I had nothing much better to do I'd be really tempted to put him the inconvenience of having to do the paperwork tbh... That and being able to put a complaint in.

Got plenty of time for coppers who fight crime... got no time at all for little men like that.

My GF used to work in the homeless sector with entrenched alcoholics and drug users. She'd say that if the police were having slow weeks they'd always turn up on Sunday afternoon looking to make some easy arrests just so they could meet their targets.

At first she felt too afraid to stop them, and was always threatened with arrest if she looked like complaining. So she started reading up on it, consulted some lawyers and the next time they came and tried it on with her she started quoting the book back at them.

At first they were "do you want to get arrested" again, then once she called that bluff they turned round and left. She put in a complaint about their actions and 2 officers were reprimanded.

Funnily enough they didn't come again, unless they had a warrant or were called to a fight

Basic moral - know your rights! To quote Corporal Jones, they don't like it up em!

+1.

BigJimmyB

+1

Or they indicate AS they make the move, which in their minds means it's OK to pull out in front of you....

I've seen some terrible standards these last couple of week in the cold/snow, more than the usual. It seems even the police who you wish were there sometimes to witness it too are no better.....

zanes

flicksta wrote:

I explain to him that I realise that being held to higher standards than ordinary citizens might seem unfair

No it isn't.

bobinski

gaz545 wrote:

Was this coming down brixton hill from streatham?
Lovely stretch of road and can easily hit +30mph but in heavy traffic you have to be careful.

that is a lovely stretch!

no, further down just before Oval/kennington park turn off

flicksta

zanes wrote:

flicksta wrote:

I explain to him that I realise that being held to higher standards than ordinary citizens might seem unfair

No it isn't.

That's my point. It might seem unfair, but it's a choice they make when they take the job.

dilemna

I didn't think cop vehicles were permitted in bus lanes. Did they have their sirens and flashing lights on?

A typical abuse of power to threaten you with arrest - bullies. Why didn't they reflect on what they had done and just apologise??? I would make a complaint to the IPCC and ask for the camera footage from their patrol car which I believe records front and rear view and would show their driving without due care and attention.

I have been over taken and close passed by cop cars who have crossed solid double white lines on twisty rural roads.

SamWise72

flicksta wrote:

I have a lot of time for the fuzz, it's a hard job and you wouldn't find me doing it.

So I ask him why he though that was OK, to which he responds 'do you want to get arrested?'.

Threatened with arrest again, and the lights had changed, I gave up. We all have bad days, but that was a bit much I thought.

The last two statements are why I don't agree with the first one. There's more and more of an attitude that "I've got the power, don't mess with me", all American style. You saw on a recent programme about riot police, things like "If you argue with me, I'll break your nose". I'm tired of it. I don't want to live in a police state.

UpTheWall

gbsahne wrote:

I had the same during the Summer, when a police van pulled from a middle filter lane across the front of me forcing me part way down a motorway slip rode until they came to a stop.

Their reaction was, "we signalled, didn't you see?" and again no apology.

Grr - I've had that. A dude pulled out in front of me when I was going about 40. Had to switch to the other side of the road - good job there was no one coming. When I chased him down he used the indicator excuse. My reply:

"indicating that you're about to do something stupid and dangerous doesn't make it any less stupid and dangerous"

Blue Meanie

LOL

Been taken home by a few but,

I chased down a local 'community-copper' to explain the 'solid-white-line' thing, to get explained to me 'P*SS *FF S*NNY' He was about 19yrs old, and basically; I'm a bit older.

Sweet, Britain's Best