A surprise encounter

secretsam

So I've started working around 15 miles away from home. Great opportunity for a bit of training. Riding back tonight, horrible weather, among other things I hit a massive pothole, bad enough that my neck is now sore and my water bottle was thrown off my bike.

Anyway, coming back into my home town, I come to a large roundabout. I'm all lit up, Hump pack, etc. Riding round the large roundabout, there's an Alfa 159 just behind, which decides it wants to come through; but I figure that I'm not cowering over in the kerb and hold my line. Alfa man honks me, I give the traditional wave. Then a bit further on, Alfa man (who has been sat behind me) pulls along side and says something. Having had 'n' so-'n'-so's cut me up in the rain down country lanes on the way back, I lose my rag and tell him in words of one syllable what to do.

Big mistake. He pulls out...a warrant card. He's an off duty copper (in an Alfa...can you believe it?). Orders me to pull over. So I do, he comes out, notebook in hand, not a happy chappy. Gives me a right telling off for my language - fair enough, I apologise - but then says that he's in "two tonnes of car" which can go "much faster" than my bike, so I should have made way.

Now I'm no legal expert, but in an urban area on a roundabout, that's not really how it's supposed to work, is it???

JackPozzi

Don't argue, or he'll tell you he's got a big truncheon and a badge, you've got a soft skull, you should just agree...

secretsam

Tell me about it. Took my name and date of birth, which on reflection was a bit out of order if he's off duty...I should have asked for his details in return.

aberdeen_lune

You should have told him to shove it just like Rambo did. He was obviously a bully.

goonz

Nothing wrong with swearing at someone these days is there?

slowbike

Well shouldn't be too hard to find - pop into your local nick to complain about an off duty officer making an illegal use of his horn. He's the officer driving an alpha 159.

Got to be worth it?

pblakeney

As long as you did not refer to him as a pleb, you should be in the clear.

bendertherobot

Follow it up. Make a complaint to the Chief Inspector.

greg66_tri_v2.0

^ this. Aggressive driving towards cyclists is not something the police should be encouraging, let alone practising. I would be asking for an appointment to see the local CI.

Are you sure it was a bona fide warrant card? Did you get his surname?

WindyG

I would have pointed out his error........an Alpha 159 doesn't weigh 2 tonnes

bendertherobot

And Alfa's are much slower given how much they break down!

(Note, mine is 2 yrs 1 month old, still not even a rattle.....)

Colinthecop

Just put it down to a learning experience.

I'd have battered you until you were doing that funny breakdancing move in the gutter before burying your lifeless body in the middle of the nearest roundabout using your bike as a headstone.

:shock:


But on a more serious note, what's your issue/concern here. The Cop was out of order or you swore at someone who didn't think that was acceptable...?

anonymousblackfg

Get him reported, my last two dealings with the cops were really disappointing, really shows just like your incident some are really not that bright.

CiB

SecretSam wrote:

says that he's in "two tonnes of car" which can go "much faster" than my bike, so I should have made way.

Sounds like one of those morons who contributes to Daily Mail type stories that have anything more than a passing reference to a cyclist. Personally I'd be tempted to follow it up and ask him to show which law requires you to jump out of the way of every car that comes up behind you.

wandsworth

Report him. It's not a big incident by itself, but who knows, there may have been other complaints and this demonstrates a pattern.

bails87

Report it. There's something about not holding up a queue of traffic in the Highway Code, but that';s very different from being in the correct position through a roundabout.

Oddly enough there's a police officer who lives over the road from me with a newish Alfa saloon, the last three letters of the private number plate are 'COP'....

pblakeney

R 080 COP ?

Koncordski

I'd have seen his warrant card, politely told him that's wrong and refuse to give any details whatsoever. Sometimes i reaaaally hate the police, even when they're off duty they cant shake the belief that they're better than everybody else. I had to go to a wedding with my GF last year who's mate was marrying a copper. Whole wedding was listening to their awful stories which bordered on racist for the best part and ignorant for the rest. :shock:

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

I would have made him take to me to the nick before I gave anyone not in uniform my name and DOB, eve nin uniform I would probably make them read me my rights first

Colinthecop

Koncordski wrote:

Whole wedding was listening to their awful stories which bordered on racist for the best part and ignorant for the rest. :shock:

Did you have a good time though....?

bikes`n`guns

Typical cop

They forget they are there to UPHOLD the law,, not ENFORCE it. Too many have a shocking attitude regards there standing in society

Headhuunter

I would make a complaint. I had bullying behaviour from the City police whilst cycling up to Bank junction. The road was narrower than usual as there were roadworks so I had taken the lane. I was suddenly aware of a large 4x4 type vehicle literally inches from my back wheel. I held my spot on the road - to have let the vehicle through would have meant I would have been forced into the barricades. When the road widened again he pulled up alongside me and accused ME of riding dangerously!

A friend of mine was recounting something similar recently - large police van coming up behind him and other cyclists and honking to get the cyclists into the gutter so he could squeeze the van through. Some police have no clue... If you're in a genuine hurry/on an emergency use the siren and flashing lights!

secretsam

Interesting that a lot of you are suggesting that I make a complaint

He was pretty angry, but I was pretty rude

I might write him a letter making the case for the defence, whilst apologising - I was also out of order for my behaviour

rjsterry

SecretSam wrote:

Interesting that a lot of you are suggesting that I make a complaint

He was pretty angry, but I was pretty rude

I might write him a letter making the case for the defence, whilst apologising - I was also out of order for my behaviour

Think that's probably a good way forward.

coopster_the_1st

SecretSam wrote:

Interesting that a lot of you are suggesting that I make a complaint

He was pretty angry, but I was pretty rude

I might write him a letter making the case for the defence, whilst apologising - I was also out of order for my behaviour

Would you have been rude to him had he waited and not tooted at you?

That would be my decision on whether to make a complaint.

secretsam

Coopster the 1st wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

Interesting that a lot of you are suggesting that I make a complaint

He was pretty angry, but I was pretty rude

I might write him a letter making the case for the defence, whilst apologising - I was also out of order for my behaviour

Would you have been rude to him had he waited and not tooted at you?

That would be my decision on whether to make a complaint.

Fair point, but I was REALLY rude and frankly, I should have apologised regardless! :oops: :oops: :oops:

If I do the letter, I'll put in that in the last 12 months or so I have, through no fault of my own, experienced being spat at, having a carton of milk (full) thrown at me, and having someone pull alongside me, with the passenger sat on the window sill yelling abuse in my ear. So I don't react well to people tooting me then pulling up alongside to "have a word" :evil:

And I feel the need to educate said officer on his road manners. I don't give a fig if he's driving a car or a flippin' combine harvester, if it's my line then IT'S MY LINE.

vermin

SecretSam wrote:

If I do the letter, I'll put in that in the last 12 months or so I have, through no fault of my own, experienced being spat at, having a carton of milk (full) thrown at me, and having someone pull alongside me, with the passenger sat on the window sill yelling abuse in my ear. So I don't react well to people tooting me then pulling up alongside to "have a word" :evil:

You're Mark Cavendish!? :P

LiveGiantly

vermin wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

If I do the letter, I'll put in that in the last 12 months or so I have, through no fault of my own, experienced being spat at, having a carton of milk (full) thrown at me, and having someone pull alongside me, with the passenger sat on the window sill yelling abuse in my ear. So I don't react well to people tooting me then pulling up alongside to "have a word" :evil:

You're Mark Cavendish!? :P

You sure?

Didn't Mark have urine thrown in his face....

**feels sick**

bendertherobot

SecretSam wrote:

Coopster the 1st wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

Interesting that a lot of you are suggesting that I make a complaint

He was pretty angry, but I was pretty rude

I might write him a letter making the case for the defence, whilst apologising - I was also out of order for my behaviour

Would you have been rude to him had he waited and not tooted at you?

That would be my decision on whether to make a complaint.

Fair point, but I was REALLY rude and frankly, I should have apologised regardless! :oops: :oops: :oops:

If I do the letter, I'll put in that in the last 12 months or so I have, through no fault of my own, experienced being spat at, having a carton of milk (full) thrown at me, and having someone pull alongside me, with the passenger sat on the window sill yelling abuse in my ear. So I don't react well to people tooting me then pulling up alongside to "have a word" :evil:

And I feel the need to educate said officer on his road manners. I don't give a fig if he's driving a car or a flippin' combine harvester, if it's my line then IT'S MY LINE.

What's happened to you is irrelevant. Though it might make you feel angrier, I know it does for me.

He was out of order. You can call him a clucking punt and you'd still be justified because he's a) abused his position as a motorist and b) as a copper.

He has no right to do what he did. Your reaction is irrelevant.

Colinthecop

bendertherobot wrote:

What's happened to you is irrelevant. Though it might make you feel angrier, I know it does for me.

He was out of order. You can call him a clucking punt and you'd still be justified because he's a) abused his position as a motorist and b) as a copper.

He has no right to do what he did. Your reaction is irrelevant.

Good point, when i'm cycling I scream obscenities at lots of different drivers, women with kids, nuns, sunday school outings etc....

I justify it as they are bad drivers. My reaction is justified by their action. :roll:

greg66_tri_v2.0

Colinthecop wrote:

Just put it down to a learning experience.

Ok. I'll bite.

What's the lesson to be learned?