Just got back from a ride where we bumped into a specimen of the new style policing. We were riding along the cycletrack on the Tarelton by-pass passing lots of cars that were not moving, we were near our turn off when we came on a group of police cars and a police motor bike with lots of officers sitting on bonnets chatting. A motor bike cop stepped into our path making me slam on. Get back you cant go through he said I said were only going to that turn off is it okay to carry on. I *****ng told you to get back came the reply. There followed several rounds of verbals that ended up with me being threatened with arrest.
I never raised my voice I never swore at the policeman despite being told several times to Fu*k off. I was never given an explanation why I couldnt go 20 yards to my turning and what made it worst was that this bad language was in front of my 15 year old niece. She has probably heard worse but I am upset that she heard it. Almost equally aggravating was the other officers who just sat on there bonnets laughing at us.
I am going to report this but as there were no cameras present I imagine I am wasting my time and money. Have the police always been this bad or is it a new thing.
Before people start calling me a lefty whinger I am a 49 year old ex army officer, middle age, middle class, middle ground politcally and the most radical thing I have ever done is contribute to GreenPeace. My contact with police has been nearly zero apart from a couple of speeding tickets and reporting a couple of thefts.
