The Cycling Lawyer - assaulted

[Lizban]

EG:

http://www.thisislon...dard-readers.do

In that case the police failed to gather evidence, lied to the victim, turned away witnesses and cocked up the case from beginning to end.

In this case:

http://admin.roadpea.../pr/latest.html

Four cyclists killed, the driver exonerated at the scene before the investigation had even begun, and then the cops don't bother to bring charges within the 6 month limit so the driver gets away with a poxy fine.

But that doesn't prove anything other than incompentence (or worse) in these cases, there are hundreds of other examples were the police got it wrong agasint other groups. (including motorists and peds and all sorts)

I feel a campaign to tighten up invesigation standards is a good thing - portraying cyclists as a victim of a conspiricay by the police force is just wrong.

 

[turnout]

Nobody's suggesting a conspiracy.

I said it's part of the "cyclists as an out-group" phenomenon. This is a recorded fact.

 

[Lizban]

Nobody's suggesting a conspiracy.

I said it's part of the "cyclists as an out-group" phenomenon. This is a recorded fact.

What is an 'out group'? (serious question)

OK let's rephrase the conspiracy it's an emotive word that gets in the way of a good discussion.

How about

Cyclists are treated less favourably by the police as a result of the fact that they are cyclists? - Is that a better reflection of your views.

I'm interested maybe I'm naive but the fact I would be treated worse by the Old Bill becasue I ride a bike never crossed my mind.

 

[BentMikey]

Have you read TRL549, Liz?

 

[Lizban]

Have you read TRL549, Liz?

No (nor had I heard of it until it was googled)

£50 for the hard copy - can you download (legally)

 

[Dan B]

To be clear - I have no doubts that the police reaction has been poor in a number of cases. But what I question is it BECAUSE we are cyclists?

(Or as I suspect that 99% of the time it is one persons word agaisnt anothers)

I think it's failure to take seriously the unequal "danger" relation between car driver and cyclist. In pedestrian-on-pedestrian action, a bit of pushing and shoving or standing intimidatorily close to someone might technically be common assault but it's unlikely you'll get anyone to take notice. In car-on-car-action - well, people get cut up and tailgated all the time and nobody likes it much but likewise it's hard to get the Law to take an interest. When the aggressor is in a car and the victim's unprotected, though, there's a much greater potential for something to go badly wrong and it seems to me that the police are failing to take that inequality into account when they decide how to respond. Since they probably would factor that in in other spheres where someone is "taking a gun to a knife fight", this is inequitable.

 

[turnout]

More than 900 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) of up to £60 issued to drivers and motorcyclists in a London crackdown.


Over 400 FPNs of up to £60 issued to cyclists.

http://www.bikehub.c...re-bike-police/

There are seven times as many private car journeys in London than bike journeys.

So it looks as though the commuters least likely to kill or injure anyone are the ones disproportionately targetted by the cops.

 

[Lizban]

More than 900 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) of up to £60 issued to drivers and motorcyclists in a London crackdown.


Over 400 FPNs of up to £60 issued to cyclists.

http://www.bikehub.c...re-bike-police/

There are seven times as many private car journeys in London than bike journeys.

So it looks as though the commuters least likely to kill or injure anyone are the ones disproportionately targetted by the cops.

interesting.

Was my description of your view a valid one?

 

[BentMikey]

No (nor had I heard of it until it was googled)

£50 for the hard copy - can you download (legally)

You can download it for free from the same page where you saw the price for the hardcopy. Explore it a bit.

 

[turnout]

interesting.

Was my description of your view a valid one?

Yes Liz, that's fair enough. The police are as susceptible as anyone else to prejudice.

I don't want to overstate it but this country's unique in Europe with regard to the antipathy toward cyclists.

Jokes about ramming them, putting up piano wire, running the lycra nazis down.

Mind you I used to chat with the bike cops in The City Of London and they were a great bunch of lads.