No wonder the police never catch anyone...

[thomas]

I would have thought that due to all the equipment cycling plod have to carry, there's no way they are going to be *as fast* as fit-young-roadie.

I did have a heavy rucksack on my back, laden with heavy lead weights* to make it fairer.






*okay, a pair of size 11 shoes.

 

[Arch]

It's a no-contest thomas! I once saw a policeman on a bike in the distance near Cinema City (I was at the lights by St Andrews car park) and I shot past him before he had reached Bank Plain. They really are useless....clipless shoes might help a bit.

Perhaps not. Stop and think about how they might have to use their bikes - on and off very quickly, and possibly giving chase on foot off the bike. Also, the one you saw - do you think he was putting in all the effort he could? Maybe, like many of us, he doesn't need to ride full tilt the whole time.

If you think you could ride about all day, at top speed, and pursue people, and do it all in clipless shoes, perhaps you should join up. As several people have already said - it's not the speed that counts, it's the visibility and the manoeuvrability.

 

[wafflycat]

Oh, forgot to mention the other benefit of cycling plod.... when on a cycling holiday in France, in Bordeaux, a couple of their cycling plod went by. Good grief! Now that was a sight to do away with the need for HRT in we ladies of a certain age.. My, those boys were *hot*... OOH... the very thought... must go for a cold shower!

 

[Vikeonabike]

My average Patrol speed is around 7mph, any faster and I'm not going to see aything nor be approachable to the public. In my panniers I carry enough paperwork for the day (in my metal file box), traffic tickets, waterproofs, firstaid kit, D Lock, Warm Jacket and hat. Roughly 10kg (20lbish). On my body I am wearing full stab proof, cuffs, batton and PAVA spray. Radio, headcam and a torch!All told that is another 10kg. My patch is about 12 sq miles in total. I probably cover anything upto and beyond 50 miles in a day depending on how busy I am! If I get a shout, sods law dictates that it will be the furthest point away from my location that it could be. I then have to ride at about 75% effort to get there and deal with the incident immediately. Why only 75%? You try riding flat out for 3 miles and then get off your bike and fight with some 20 stone drunk and his distraught wife because, although she has been beaten to a pulp and called the cops she doesnt't want her husband to be arrested!
Pursuits, only had 3 and not lost one yet....luckily I don't have to chase Bradley or Cav around the streets of Peteborough, only the local scrote whose body is that mucked up from alcohol or drug abuse that they can't pedal for too long anyway.

All in all it's a great job and the best way to Police an area, wouldn't swap it for the world!

The reason we need Training

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP415OZ7aPw&feature=related

 

[downfader]

My average Patrol speed is around 7mph, any faster and I'm not going to see aything nor be approachable to the public. In my panniers I carry enough paperwork for the day (in my metal file box), traffic tickets, waterproofs, firstaid kit, D Lock, Warm Jacket and hat. Roughly 10kg (20lbish). On my body I am wearing full stab proof, cuffs, batton and PAVA spray. Radio, headcam and a torch!All told that is another 10kg. My patch is about 12 sq miles in total. I probably cover anything upto and beyond 50 miles in a day depending on how busy I am! If I get a shout, sods law dictates that it will be the furthest point away from my location that it could be. I then have to ride at about 75% effort to get there and deal with the incident immediately. Why only 75%? You try riding flat out for 3 miles and then get off your bike and fight with some 20 stone drunk and his distraught wife because, although she has been beaten to a pulp and called the cops she doesnt't want her husband to be arrested!
Pursuits, only had 3 and not lost one yet....luckily I don't have to chase Bradley or Cav around the streets of Peteborough, only the local scrote whose body is that mucked up from alcohol or drug abuse that they can't pedal for too long anyway.

All in all it's a great job and the best way to Police an area, wouldn't swap it for the world!

The reason we need Training

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP415OZ7aPw&feature=related

LMAO! That video I've seen before and did wonder if he should get into cyclocross, that'll learn him how to dismount at speed*





*not that I could do any better.

 

[thomas]

Just found this one:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XW8DxfVcIno&feature=related


Not sure what the hell the lads in the car are saying, but naught naught Mr Plod!

If you think you could ride about all day, at top speed, and pursue people, and do it all in clipless shoes, perhaps you should join up. As several people have already said - it's not the speed that counts, it's the visibility and the manoeuvrability.

I think in my case I made it obvious that I didn't expect them to try and keep up (they were going a different way anyway) - it was just a bit of fun .

 

[fossyant]

Cracker that - were the lads speaking some alien language....?

Glad we have a PSCO on here - spotted one where I live recently - first time as I've been off with the kids this week - my kids were cycling round the park, and a PSCO did the rounds just checking on everyone... including the skate/bike area...

 

[HLaB]

A colleague of mine, whilst on a site visit to a tiny village quite far from other places saw a couple of bike cops pushing their bikes, one had got a p'ture.

 

[thomas]

Cracker that - were the lads speaking some alien language....?

I don't know, but if it is then I hear a different dialect of the alien language around here (Norwich)

 

[goo_mason]

Used to see police once or twice a year on bikes on the Roseburn Path, but not at all recently. Then last summer I did see two police cyclists arresting someone on Princes Street.

What we need now are unmarked police cyclists, just like unmarked police cars - that way they're more likely to be treated in the usual fashion by drivers, rather than the courteous treatment they get on the road when they're obviously cycling policemen....

 

[downfader]

Used to see police once or twice a year on bikes on the Roseburn Path, but not at all recently. Then last summer I did see two police cyclists arresting someone on Princes Street.

What we need now are unmarked police cyclists, just like unmarked police cars - that way they're more likely to be treated in the usual fashion by drivers, rather than the courteous treatment they get on the road when they're obviously cycling policemen....

I made the same request to Hampshire Constabulary about unmarked police cyclists. I emailed them after having witnessed how well drivers behaved around a local bobby on a bike - a road where I had been subjected to all kinds of cr*p from motorists.

They sent me a reply stating how they "sympathised" and the felt there was "no need" for that kind of action to be taken. A year later I was in an ambulance. I felt my opinion had been backed up somewhat

I think we need to ask ourselves in this nation "what do we want?" Do we want segregation that works and costs a lot of money to set up (and very probably a lot less to maintain compared to the roads-proper)? Or do we want our right on the road with cars and other motors?

Sometimes I think we're not vocal enough about what we do want and then blame councillors, the police and government for not acting.

Sorry, went off on a bit of a tangent.

 

[Bodhbh]

Seen em on MTBs several times on the Grand Union Canal towpath - it seems to be their transport of choice there. Looked to be having quite a bit of fun bombing along one time.

 

[Brahan]

Used to see police once or twice a year on bikes on the Roseburn Path, but not at all recently. Then last summer I did see two police cyclists arresting someone on Princes Street.

What we need now are unmarked police cyclists, just like unmarked police cars - that way they're more likely to be treated in the usual fashion by drivers, rather than the courteous treatment they get on the road when they're obviously cycling policemen....

Hah good idea. But surely any undercover cycling policemen would be so busy dealing with terrible drivers on his daily commute that by the time he got to work it would just be time to go home again.....and on riding home again.....well it'd take all night.

 

[thomas]

Hah good idea. But surely any undercover cycling policemen would be so busy dealing with terrible drivers on his daily commute that by the time he got to work it would just be time to go home again.....and on riding home again.....well it'd take all night.

Dealing with bad driving would basically be his job though . They wouldn't necessarily have to stop drivers, it probably wouldn't be possible....just send them a warning letter about their attitude to cyclists (record the reg and vola).

 

[magnatom]

Dealing with bad driving would basically be his job though . They wouldn't necessarily have to stop drivers, it probably wouldn't be possible....just send them a warning letter about their attitude to cyclists (record the reg and vola).

Aye if they had helmet cameras and an ultrasound distance measurement device on the bike (measuring how close cars were passing) then they wouldn't have to stop the cars at all, just send out letters/points etc as and when required.

The problem with this would be the amount of work generated!