http://road.cc/content/news/222648-video-essex-motorbike-cop-tells-cyclists-they-mustnt-ride-two-abreast-even-after

Has this been done yet? Shocking ignorance from the motorbike cop and what was the bloke from the police car doing keeping out of the way. I expect he knew the other guy was wrong.

Disappointing number of apologists on the road.cc facebook thread about it too, with some pointing out that the Highway Code says “ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends”

Which it does, but I’m not sure the road in the video quite qualifies:

(also it is a “should”, not a “MUST”, rule)

Is it just me or does the cyclist say ‘I’m gonna enjoy this’ as they get pulled over? Not that the kind of people who ride with cameras on are relishing confrontation obviously….

😛

People who ride two abrest deserve to crash.

The cop doesn’t seem able to deduce that two is not “more than two”. He might be waiting a while to make it to detective!

People who ride two abrest deserve to crash.

Yeah the fools – imagine following official government-endorsed guidance (i.e. Cyclecraft), obeying the law, and making it easier for drivers to pass them safely.

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTGRQgw6PDA[/video]

In other news, almost every driver is two abreast, even when they are on their own!

“It’s a 60 limit” – you can tell they’re not STW members, they’d have been quick to tell him it’s a limit not a target.

People who ride two abrest deserve to crash.

On a road like that it’s a lot easier, and safer, to overtake two-abreast cyclists than it is when they’re in single file. Take less time to pass.

I can’t believe I’m having to say this on a cycling forum.

Copper was a tool but the guy loves to hear his own voice.

It’s just cringeworthy from all sides. Police should know better, but the guys should have just shut their gobs, apologised and been on their merry way to carry on regardless. There was never going to be any value in arguing it on the roadside.

Too many stem spacers to be taken seriously.

Don’t see why they should apologise – but they could definitely have been less arsey about it. The “I’m going to enjoy this” sets the tone. He’s probably a big hitter on here 😀

People who ride two abrest deserve to crash.

You’re a pleasant chap, eh?

Well thats 5 minutes Im not getting back. The cyclist was never going to prove he is right with such a bellended approach. Classic looking for camera footage, and loves the sound of his own voice.

he should be arrested for his taste in music, and i don’t think i’d like a night out with him, as he didn’t draw breath.

Sad thing is that that copper is representative of pretty much every member of the police that I’ve ever met. Serious lack of intelligence, awful attitude and a massive superiority complex.

What a pair of d!cks.

Copper may have been in the wrong, but like all these things we don’t know what happened before.

I’d guess the morons were riding wide 2 abreast preventing people getting past, just look at the line of traffic that comes past

Police should know better, but the guys should have just shut their gobs, apologised and been on their merry way to carry on regardless.

Dont see why they should. If the bike cop had said “I think you should single out on this road” and he knew the highway code as it is well I’d have trouble not laughing at him as he thumbed his obviously unread highway code.
On a more serious point though, if those charged with helping to protect vulnerable road users are so ignorant of the law and the safety issues of riding a bike its no wonder the roads are so ****.

Sad thing is that that copper is representative of pretty much every member of the police that I’ve ever met. Serious lack of intelligence, awful attitude and a massive superiority complex.

Doesn’t represent the majority I’ve met.

just look at the line of traffic that comes past

Cant see any in the time it takes for the motorbike to stop and get off his bike.

Drac+1 – nearly every copper I’ve met, on duty or informally, have been hard working, bright and want to help and protect the public. But then I tend not to start the meeting looking to make myself look bigger and better.

unfortunately 99.9 per cent of motorists are more concerned with getting past without a hold-up, than the potential safety benefits that two abreast brings.

They also see two abreast as a big FU, it just antagonises motorists, it shouldn’t, but it does.

I tend to like to get on with my fellow road-users, that and no one wants to ride with me.

Sad thing is that that copper is representative of pretty much every member of the police that I’ve ever met. Serious lack of intelligence, awful attitude and a massive superiority complex.

We’ve clearly had some very different experiences.

Who would put a soundtrack on that film? They deserve arresting for that alone and probably copyright infringement too.

My experience of coppers is pretty good. Nice guys and gals the Edinburgh ones I have worked with

One incident sums it up for me. they were doing a crackdown on cyclists without lights and pulled me over for no front light. I took it out of my pocket and told them the bracket broke. The cop suggested putting it in a front pocket so it shone vaguely to the front and told me to be on my way.

They also see two abreast as a big FU, it just antagonises motorists, it shouldn’t, but it does.

You can say precisely the same about one-abreast, frankly. HGH.

MrPottatoHead – Member

the guys should have just shut their gobs, apologised and been on their merry way to carry on regardless.

Nah. If you go about apologising when you’ve done nothing wrong, what’s the point in apologising for anything? It obviously doesn’t mean anything. The guy’s a little bit of a knob but he wasn’t stopped for being a knob so that’s OK.

the first bit was most insightful

‘if you want to get lower,…duck out the wind…yeah’

telling his mate how to ride a bike… 😉

awful attitude and a massive superiority complex.

They should fit in well here then.

Nah. If you go about apologising when you’ve done nothing wrong, what’s the point in apologising for anything? It obviously doesn’t mean anything. The guy’s a little bit of a knob but he wasn’t stopped for being a knob so that’s OK.

Well put.

There was never going to be any value in arguing it on the roadside.

Apart from generating a lot of publicity in favour of the facts.

Sitting back and letting misinformed people abuse the law (and I’m count both motorists and police officers, here) is a sure way of being treated even worse than we already are.

There is a serious case for some 1970s style ‘information films’ to debunk some of the awful misconceptions about road behaviour, that are (scarily) prevalent in today’s society. (That last word may be an oxymoron, in this context)

Apart from generating a lot of publicity in favour of the facts.

The cyclist’s attitude has destroyed any hope of that.

Nah. If you go about apologising when you’ve done nothing wrong, what’s the point in apologising for anything? It obviously doesn’t mean anything. The guy’s a little bit of a knob but he wasn’t stopped for being a knob so that’s OK.

That’s the point really.
That cyclist might have been an insufferable knob, rolling round Essex blasting Coldplay 🙄 and not exactly being respectful whilst being right, but he was right… Which is all that really matters when being accused of a fictional RT offence.

Was that music added afterwards, or were they actually listening to it as they were riding ?

Either way, very weird.

Apart from generating a lot of publicity in favour of the facts.

The cyclist’s attitude has destroyed any hope of that.[/quote]

Doesn’t change the fact that the police officer was wrong, and proven to be wrong.

The problem is though, that just like nearly every other video it does nothing to improve the image of cyclists. There’s probably a Daily Mail article now where they are frothing over the cyclists attitude, his choice of music, his funny clothing etc. No non-cyclists will be debating on whether they were in the right.

And I don’t think an apology needs to be an admission of guilt.

“Thank you officer, I appreciate you were considering the safety of me and other road users, and I’m sorry you felt it warranted pulling us over on this occasion. I’ll definitely consider very carefully when I choose to ride two abreast in future.”

Doesn’t change the fact that the police officer was wrong, and proven to be wrong.

Luckily no one suggested it did.

The problem is though, that just like nearly every other video it does nothing to improve the image of cyclists. There’s probably a Daily Mail article now where they are frothing over the cyclists attitude, his choice of music, his funny clothing etc. No non-cyclists will be debating on whether they were in the right.

Exactly.

No non-cyclists will be debating on whether they were in the right.

I wouldn’t say that. We’re on the second page already.

Think they were right to challenge the police officer. I wish i’d challenged the police when they did nothing about the hit and run driver who knocked me off my bike.

What a colossal bellend. I’m not watching more than 30s due to his **** attitude.

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