The Lawless Streets of Swindon

[gaz]

Has Swindon got a cycling campign group? Best to get involved with them as they will have better leverage.

I've been lucky in that I've met a few officers from the roads policing traffic unit in London. And they think it's great that people do this. One of them even cycles and has a muvi.

Keep up the work and keep posting videos as a log. I can't remember the last time I reported an incident to the police.

 

[magnatom]

I only reported one of them to the Police but all three to the council. The one I reported to the Police definitely put me in severe danger but maybe it does not look as bad in the video. I reported them to the council not hoping for any sort of prosecution just a telling off or being told to be more considerate, they could have been alot worse if I did not have the experience to handle them. To be honest I did not expect any prosecution from the Police, just to log it as a statistic to show the roads are not as safe as they assume

The death threat on YouTube turned out OK in the end as the numpty used his real name as login name, a little bit of Google and I found his address, rode past to see the company van in the video parked outside his house. He went away once I posted his address in my reply.

Fair enough, but the council won't do anything about bad driving. They don't have any responsibility for it. That is a police matter (I found this out when I complained about this).

Just a couple of observations (please don't take them personally, just advice from someone who's been there!!).

Don't chase after drivers or follow them into car parks etc. This will get you into trouble and very rarely achieves anything. If you happen to catch them up, then fair enough, but never start by swearing, and try to keep your comments to questions about why they did what they did. No insults.

Try to cut down on the swearing, you swear more than me!!

Keep the reporting for the most serious of incidents. Focusing on the really bad driving means you can focus your resources and energy. As well as that there is an issue with perceived 'cry wolf', i.e. if you report to often you are seen as just a trouble maker.

Take the above or leave it. just my 2p worth!

 

[Origamist]

Don't chase after drivers or follow them into car parks etc. This will get you into trouble and very rarely achieves anything. If you happen to catch them up, then fair enough, but never start by swearing, and try to keep your comments to questions about why they did what they did. No insults.

Try to cut down on the swearing, you swear more than me!!

Keep the reporting for the most serious of incidents. Focusing on the really bad driving means you can focus your resources and energy. As well as that there is an issue with perceived 'cry wolf', i.e. if you report to often you are seen as just a trouble maker.

Take the above or leave it. just my 2p worth!

Sound advice.

 

[BSRU]

Fair enough, but the council won't do anything about bad driving. They don't have any responsibility for it. That is a police matter (I found this out when I complained about this).

Just a couple of observations (please don't take them personally, just advice from someone who's been there!!).

Don't chase after drivers or follow them into car parks etc. This will get you into trouble and very rarely achieves anything. If you happen to catch them up, then fair enough, but never start by swearing, and try to keep your comments to questions about why they did what they did. No insults.

Try to cut down on the swearing, you swear more than me!!

Keep the reporting for the most serious of incidents. Focusing on the really bad driving means you can focus your resources and energy. As well as that there is an issue with perceived 'cry wolf', i.e. if you report to often you are seen as just a trouble maker.

Take the above or leave it. just my 2p worth!

No problems, I take on all suggestions and criticisms, especially from someone who's done it all before. I know I am far from perfect and experienced enough to recognise that.

To be honest I do not really swear a lot, unless England are playing, I think I just was hot and hungry, they were all at lunchtime, for some reason it just blurted out, I meant to say "what the hell are you doing?".

Also, I have only ever followed that one taxi into the car park, it just so happened I cycled past it anyway when I noticed him pulling up, I did not say anything to him just did a silent drive by, I was not looking for any confrontation. I normally just keep on going hoping I caught it on camera.

I have only reported three incidents to the Police, one where the Police came round for a chat, they actually did something about that complaint just told me to write next time and don't bother with the video. The second was an untaxed motor driving around when it was SORN'd, which the Police were very grateful for. The third one is still ongoing, where a taxi driver moved into the space I happened to occupy even though he knew I was there. I was so furious when it happened I did the only thing I could do and complain. Probably nothing will come of it but I felt I needed to do something, if it had been a less experienced rider it could have been really nasty. I understand the "cry wolf" bit, if I become an annoyance they will just ignore me totally.

 

[BSRU]

Has Swindon got a cycling campign group? Best to get involved with them as they will have better leverage.

I've been lucky in that I've met a few officers from the roads policing traffic unit in London. And they think it's great that people do this. One of them even cycles and has a muvi.

Keep up the work and keep posting videos as a log. I can't remember the last time I reported an incident to the police.

Swindons not a great cycling town, more focused on the car, but I will look into any local groups that might exist.

Swindon's traffic Police are mostly interested in the M4 and main roads that bypass Swindon.

I will keep posting videos, I just too stubborn to give up.

 

[HLaB]

The death threat on YouTube turned out OK in the end as the numpty used his real name as login name, a little bit of Google and I found his address, rode past to see the company van in the video parked outside his house. He went away once I posted his address in my reply.

I know where you live; LOL

 

[mark barker]

Swindons not a great cycling town, more focused on the car, but I will look into any local groups that might exist.

Swindon's traffic Police are mostly interested in the M4 and main roads that bypass Swindon.

I will keep posting videos, I just too stubborn to give up.

There is a cycle focus group in Swindon, although they are based in the council offices so not sure how helpful they'll be... However if you want to meet them they'll be at the opening of the Brunel centre cycle park on thursday.

 

[BSRU]

There is a cycle focus group in Swindon, although they are based in the council offices so not sure how helpful they'll be... However if you want to meet them they'll be at the opening of the Brunel centre cycle park on thursday.

They start at 7am so I may go and have a chat, although the Swindon CTC cycle champion from that group told me how wonderful Swindon cycle paths are.

 

[magnatom]

No problems, I take on all suggestions and criticisms, especially from someone who's done it all before. I know I am far from perfect and experienced enough to recognise that.

Good. I'm glad you know you're not perfect. I, of course follow my advice to the letter, 100% of the time.......aye right!

 

[gaz]

Good. I'm glad you know you're not perfect. I, of course follow my advice to the letter, 100% of the time.......aye right!

Do as i say, not as i do

 

[BSRU]

A little positive update. When I emailed to complain I cc'd the whole of the councils transport committee, one of them just emailed to say that the issue is being seriously being looked into from a road safety point of view and a licensing point of view. I replied saying my primary aim was to ensure the taxi drivers showed more consideration to vulnerable road users. Hopefully my complaining might make the streets of Swindon a little safer.

 

[hackbike 666]

Take some comfort from the fact that it's not just in Swindon that the police won't do anything. West Midlands and West Mercia are similarly inept.

...and London,I get the impression this morning that a copper was watching me to see if i would jump a red near Big Ben.

 

[BSRU]

If I was you I'd quit cycling.

Thankfully for me I'm nothing like you.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

If I was you I'd quit cycling.

You're not... but don't let that stop you.

 

[magnatom]

If I was Lee I'd stop posting........