cyclist hit by police car

[Amanda P]

There is a balance to be struck between arriving at the scene of an incident promptly (hence blue lights and sirens), and not causing road accidents in the process of getting there.

Unless the incident is a massacre or a major bomb threat or something similar, driving safely should surely take precedence over speed?

Judging from the stats, and the absence of major incidents in West Yorkshire, it seems like the balance has got skewed there.

 

[Vikeonabike]

Something I think is missing is part of the obligation that an emergency vehical is under when running with flashers on.

They are obligated to drive safely for the road conditions, and take nessisary precautions to avoid accidents.

That is true. An emergency services driver can still be prosecuted for various road traffic offences, even if driving under blues.

 

[peanut]

as far as I'm concerned Police high speed runs are a complete waste of time. They never come out to burgaries or car thefts . They spend most of their time chasing easy connvictions like vehicle Mot and license offenders .

What's the point of putting dozens of innocent members of the public at risk in order to try and catch a couple of under-age joyriders who are either too young to prosecute or will get off at Court anyway.

That young man has now had his life ruined. The other day he had the whole of his life in front of him now its all behind him ,over

 

[ComedyPilot]

Did the cyclist admit he was wrong or did he conspire with three work colleagues to pervert the course of justice in a court of law by perjuring themselves? Despite the fact that they were supposed to be the people who uphold the law.

Context, context.

Tho point I was making is that it is wrong (IMO) to mistrust all police, just because of the PATHETIC actions of a few. Just as it would be wrong of me to dislike ALL cyclists because of the actions of one.

As Vikeonabike stated police can and DO get prosecuted for breaking the law, they uphold the law, but are NOT above it.

 

[ComedyPilot]

I wonder how many people offering an opinion on this thread have actually driven an emergency vehicle at speed to a high or immediate priority?

 

[Disgruntled Goat]

Tho point I was making is that it is wrong (IMO) to mistrust all police, just because of the PATHETIC actions of a few. Just as it would be wrong of me to dislike ALL cyclists because of the actions of one.

As Vikeonabike stated police can and DO get prosecuted for breaking the law, they uphold the law, but are NOT above it.

Yeah right:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4559173.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4902957.ece

 

[ComedyPilot]

As Vikeonabike stated police can and DO get prosecuted for breaking the law, they uphold the law, but are NOT above it.

Yeah right:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4559173.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4902957.ece

Not wanting to be pedantic, but both links there are of police officers being prosecuted.

Not quite sure what you mean by 'yeah right' ?

If you are not happy with the outcome of the cases, and feel that is a case of the police 'getting away with breaking the law' I suggest you complain to the people who 'let them off', a magistrate and a jury.

The people you seem to have a problem with, the police, were the ones who investigated the incidents and put forward the case to the CPS, and having reviewed the cases, the CPS decided there was enough evidence to support a successful prosecution.

Is it their fault also that the prosecution did not bring a guilty verdict too?

 

[summerdays]

If I hear sirens ... my first thought is to get out of their way (and possibly anything that they may be following if the police) ... possibly completely off the road, as I always think car drivers may be trying to do the same and concentrating on their mirrors rather than to the side of the road.

 

[peanut]

I wonder how many people offering an opinion on this thread have actually driven an emergency vehicle at speed to a high or immediate priority?

I hear what you are saying but i think there are some instances where the situation doesn't warrant the risk to others.

this is a really tragic case which is fortunately not common but its not going to be much help to the victim and his family if it was due to a relatively low priority emergency such as a joyrider or burglary

 

[Vikeonabike]

Yeah right:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/shropshire/4559173.stm

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4902957.ece

Everyone can point to something where somebody got away with something that they shouldn't have. I can point at any number of criminal acts that have gone unpunished because of a good brief or for a host of other reasons.

as far as I'm concerned Police high speed runs are a complete waste of time. They never come out to burgaries or car thefts . They spend most of their time chasing easy connvictions like vehicle Mot and license offenders .

What's the point of putting dozens of innocent members of the public at risk in order to try and catch a couple of under-age joyriders who are either too young to prosecute or will get off at Court anyway.

That young man has now had his life ruined. The other day he had the whole of his life in front of him now its all behind him ,over

Peanut,
Would you like to put your name on the list requesting any 999 call made by you, on your behalf or on behalf of a loved one be responded too in accordance with the road traffic regulations. So next time an ambulance is needed on your behalf it shoud sit in rush hour traffic for 30 minutes for example, or drive at normal speed to get to you from another town because that emergency service is not available in your town.

As for easy convictions like MOT offenders or Licence offenders. So un-roadworthy motor vehicles / driving without a licence or insurance is not a priority.

As for not coming out to burglaries, car theft etc. That is a LOB, the police will attend, but jobs get prioritised and a car that has been stolen sometime in the last 6 hours will not take priority over a vunerable missing from home or a domestic in progress. From personal experience, you tell the young girl I helped pull out of burning car about 60 seconds before it went boom that High Speed Runs are a waste of time!

PS If you call, despite your views, you can guarantee that my uniformed emergency services colleagues in your area will come over, at high speed and try save your ass!

Catrike,
Whilst I sympathise with your views, I was once beaten up by a group of people of a certain ethnic appearance (a long time ago). Not badly, but enough to make an impression. Now if I was to judge everyone of that appearance by the same rules that you judge the police by, what sort of person would that make me?

 

[ComedyPilot]

I hear what you are saying but i think there are some instances where the situation doesn't warrant the risk to others.

this is a really tragic case which is fortunately not common but its not going to be much help to the victim and his family if it was due to a relatively low priority emergency such as a joyrider or burglary

Whenever a police officer goes for the 'disco lights' they have and continue to do running risk assessments of the incident and the drive, and are constantly justifying the action they are taking, balanced against the need/scale/priority of the incident being attended.

Ask any emergency vehicle driver what the priority is on a blue light run, and they (should) tell you that it is to arrive safely. A blue light run does not have to be carried out at 150mph, a lot of runs are carried out at less than the national speed limit.

Obviously the human element creeps in, and they have info that a child is being used as a punch bag, they WANT to ge there ASAP, and BLUE MIST can take hold. It's not an easy job, not everyone can do it, but I fully support those that do.

 

[peanut]

Peanut,
Would you like to put your name on the list requesting any 999 call made by you, on your behalf or on behalf of a loved one be responded too in accordance with the road traffic regulations. So next time an ambulance is needed on your behalf it shoud sit in rush hour traffic for 30 minutes for example, or drive at normal speed to get to you from another town because that emergency service is not available in your town.


?

now that you mention it I've never read about any ambulances running over cyclists have you?
yet we constantly hear every day about Police cars hitting innocent people due to excessive speed . Police have special high speed and advanced driver tests which i don't believe ambulance drivers receive.

In answer to your question NO I would not want other peoples lives put at risk in order to save my life or that of loved ones .What price my life if it costs that of another human being?

 

[shunter]

It a simple fact,

If speeds kills, as widely publicised, then there is no excuse for the ambulance, police service risking the death of other people in response to the saving of another individuals life.

The general public complain against drivers speeding per se but if it was a case of the emergency services breaking all rules to save a relative their attitude is different.

Maybe speed in general doesn't actually kill but inappropriate speed does.

 

[Riding in Circles]

Catrike,
Whilst I sympathise with your views, I was once beaten up by a group of people of a certain ethnic appearance (a long time ago). Not badly, but enough to make an impression. Now if I was to judge everyone of that appearance by the same rules that you judge the police by, what sort of person would that make me?

It is a fair point, but in general my views have not been contested by experience in the many years since.

 

[Twenty Inch]

I nearly got taken out in similar circumstances today. Approaching a three-way dog-leg roundabout, I caught the glimpse of flashing blue lights in the side of a car. I braked hard and came to a stop, just before a copper went past far too fast, tyres squealing into the turn, nearly losing it. Had I not seen the lights and braked, he would have broadsided me. He didn't have his siren on.

I saw him 5 miles further on at a junction, so it can't have been that much on an emergency. He behaved like a total pillock at that junction too, although this time without blue lights.