Moped on Upper Thames Streeet. Report to Police?

Squawk

After crossing tower bridge this morning I filtered between traffic past the tower of London until stationary at the Pedestrian crossing. At the point of setting off again a moped rider (one of those slightly bendy ones that lean over) gently bumped my back tyre, and simply shrugged when I looked around before speeding off. Stationary again 100 yards later I told him what he had done.

His first response was "Did I?" with a puzzled look. This was swiftly followed with a "well, get out of the f****** road then", and a hand gesture. So far, not good, but meh.

Then it got to be fun. He charges off down the cycle lane (which has numerous cycles in it), up to the next set of traffic lights, at which point I again end up behind him. He's behind a bunch of cyclists, decides he doesn't want to be, and literally uses the weight of his bike to barge through, shouldering cyclists sideways (and he slightly jump the lights). After a bit of shouting he speeds off.

Today was the first day I've worn my gopro to work. I can't review the footage at work, but I should have the entire thing recorded in 1080P, 60FPS.

Is there anything I can about this guy short of just uploading the video to youtube for everyone to curse at? He is a liability, he will injure someone driving like that. If I do upload to youtube would that compromise a conviction/caution?

I'll post the vid later presuming I haven't screwed up the settings and it won't compromise anything.

slowbike

I'd say report it, but it rather depends on what the police think .. they may not be that bothered... may partly depend if he's been in trouble with them before.

slowbike

Oh - and I wouldn't post the video on youtube or here until the police have finished with it.

cookeeemonster

I'd definately report it.

Dont go that way anymore thanks to a job change but a minority of moped/motorcycle riders were an utter menace in the cycle lane from what I remember (and plenty more used it that shouldn't).

I take it it was a 3 wheeler that's too wide to filter through normal traffic so he used the cycle lane??

Initialised

Technically it's a series of hit and runs, so yeah, show the police the footage but don't go public.

debeli

I'd report it.

I'm often slightly sniffy about headcam-warrior things, but the behaviour of this moped rider sounds unreasonable, illegal and confrontational.

As others have said, offer the footage to the Police, but don't stick it on Youtube until it's been dealt with... best of all, don't go public at all.

BigLights

Just read this post. Was this a black/silver ish 3 wheeled moped effort? If so, I've seen someone just like that, ride just like that on Victoria Embankment going east under Waterloo Bridge. Same gig - cycle lane, riding between bikes with a millimetre to spare. I wasn't on the bike at the time (I'm reduced to the indignity of public transport and taxis at the moment, post spine operation).

Kieran_Burns

Just to point out that there is no requirement to keep the footage private until the Police are involved. I've successfully used camera footage for a prosecution and the vid was on Youtube the whole time.

Squawk

Having watched the footage it seems that he doesn't actually make contact with anyone while barging his way through and jumping the red light, just forces people out of the way. The gopro fisheye makes it appear less severe than it was.

I spoke with the police, who advised that the collision with my tyre could be prosecuted if I wished, but that because my camera is not an approved/official camera it cannot be used for motoring offences. Seems odd, but there you go. With that in mind I've posted the video. My voice appears ridiculously loud, I suppose because I'm close to the Mic, and because I was pissed off that he had just hit me.

http://youtu.be/nbOIStDaY2M

BigLights

Ah. that's a different dude to the other plonker who drove very similarly eastbound.

Mikey23

Happy days...

DrLex

Mikey23 wrote:

Happy days...

Oh noes! Was it Fonzie on the moped? Teh shame...

The Rookie

Squawk wrote:

I spoke with the police, who advised that the collision with my tyre could be prosecuted if I wished, but that because my camera is not an approved/official camera it cannot be used for motoring offences.

That is complete and utter bollocks. It's not an approved device for measuring speed for example, but as the Police themselves use non approved devices (such as VASCAR) then clearly it doesn't matter, approval just makes life easier, however in your case it is your verbal evidence with the video being used as contemporaneous notes that would/could be used (the same way a video from a speed camera is used as it happens!)

I would suggest whoever you spoke to is either a moron, needs retraining or trying to keep reported crime stats down by lying, out of generosity I'll got for 1 or 2!

Go back and try again if you want.

Go to pepipoo.com forums if you want further advice, you may spot a username you recognise.

debeli

Now that I've seen the footage, I'm not sure what the fuss was about. Although it's now too late, I go back on my advice to report it. The footage seems tame in comparison with the OP's initial description.

Certainly the other party is behaving like an antisocial male member, but I'm not sure it's worth worrying Old Bill.

The other cyclists in the footage seem slightly bemused by the whole thing. They are displaying that 'understanding smile' you see on aircraft when someone's baby won't stop crying.

The barging at the red light is stupid, inconsiderate and illegal, but not really a hanging offence. The initial collision seemed to this gnarled old rider just like a close urban pass.

I'm sorry the OP was inconvenienced, but I'm pleased to know that the Met decided to take no action. To have done so on that evidence might seem like overkill.

Squawk

I didn't show the police the vid, I asked if a video could be used as evidence before I'd seen it myself.

The collision with me isn't shown in the video, it happened before hand and was the reason I was doing all the looking behind me shortly into the video.

In hindsight I'm willing to admit that my initial impression of the guy's further actions (riding down cycle lane, barging through) was tainted to some extent by the fact that he had just ridden into the back of me.

jacknorell

I'd have shared it with Roadsafe London at least. The moped rider is a menace, and will cause an accident sooner rather than later.