West Mids Police-thanks for nothing

[upsidedown]

Half an hour ago, me in primary left hand lane at the lights to stop the left hook, bus pulls up in the right hand lane. Lights change, off we go, bus overtakes me, little shoot in White Citroen VK10 WWT decides he cant wait to get to the back of the queue 100 yards ahead so squeezes his way through, brushing my right pannier. At this point he feels it necessary to put his passenger window down and remind me to read the HC which days I should stay 18 inches from the kerb. Caught up with him in the next queue where we had a full and frank exchange of words.
Called West Mids Police who said that as I'm not injured they will just log it, no visit, no record on the computer, nothing.
But he did hit me and drive off, I pointed out. Silence.

Useless.

 

[vernon]

Half an hour ago, me in primary left hand lane at the lights to stop the left hook, bus pulls up in the right hand lane. Lights change, off we go, bus overtakes me, little shoot in White Citroen VK10 WWT decides he cant wait to get to the back of the queue 100 yards ahead so squeezes his way through, brushing my right pannier. At this point he feels it necessary to put his passenger window down and remind me to read the HC which days I should stay 18 inches from the kerb. Caught up with him in the next queue where we had a full and frank exchange of words.
Called West Mids Police who said that as I'm not injured they will just log it, no visit, no record on the computer, nothing.
But he did hit me and drive off, I pointed out. Silence.

Useless.

What were you expecting them to do?

 

[upsidedown]

Their job ?

 

[Mawsley]

<br />Their job ?<br />

<br /><br /><br />
Which, when I was flattened in Wylde Green, was to climb into the ambulance to tell me it was unlikely that I would be prosecuted.

None too impressed with WM's finest, me.

 

[downfader]

Please report this on stopSMIDSY along with the Police response. They are still collating evidence. I would also take this to the local paper abd see if they'll run it as a road safety peice.

 

[BentMikey]

...and now you know one reason why so many of us use cameras.

 

[upsidedown]

I've done this route five days a week for the last four years. Stourbridge is a pretty dreadful town for cycling with it's horrible ring road and terrible potholes, but like mist places most drivers are ok.
This though was a deliberate act of intimidation; I'm 6'6" and 16 stone and not easily scared, but there are a lot of newcomers who need to be protected from these bullies. I'm going to the police station tomorrow in my way home to find out what they are willing to do. Will also report on smidsy.

 

[ufkacbln]

May I first state that misleading the Police would be unacceptable and that if you did you would be a very, very naughty boy (or girl)!


I came across and accident a while ago with a gentleman doing a very fine impression of a Premier League footballer. He had been clipped by a left hook, ans was insisting that he could not be moved from the road as his knee was too painful.

I offered help, but he simply winked and told me that it wasn't actually a problem, but by blocking the rad and having an injury he was making sure the Police attended and dealt with the incident!

 

[BlackPanther]

I'm 6'6" and 16 stone

You should've just tipped the saxo on its side and rode off.

 

[upsidedown]

Lightly brushed by a ton of steel moving at 40mph while trying to avoid drain covers and potholes.
They need to change their priorities.

 

[downfader]

[QUOTE 1390714"]
Is it right to blame the police? They're driven from above, and a cyclist being lightly brushed is right at the bottom of their dictated priorities, camera or not.

Not saying it's right, but that's how it is.
[/quote]


In some respects you cant blame them. But in others this is a terrible peice of driving that will very possibly lead to a more serious outcome. The driver, if indeed of the bullying mindset, may well now be thinking "I got away with it!"

 

[MrHappyCyclist]

I don't think there is much they can do apart from log it. I took a video of a very dangerous bit of driving to the desk on my smart-phone. The desk officer gasped when she saw the car go past, but she apologised that they couldn't do much other than put the reg out to their patrols so that they could have word with the driver if they came across the car. I don't know whether they even did that to be honest.

 

[janm399]

I don't think there is much they can do apart from log it. I took a video of a very dangerous bit of driving to the desk on my smart-phone. The desk officer gasped when she saw the car go past, but she apologised that they couldn't do much other than put the reg out to their patrols so that they could have word with the driver if they came across the car. I don't know whether they even did that to be honest.

Ah, but that's the difference. The officer in your case was at least interested and made you feel as though he would like to do something about it. (Whether that actually happened or not is another case.) In OP's case, the police simply refused to do anything. Imagine that you've just escaped possible serious injury and you're told:
(1) "It was terrible driving, but I'm really sorry, there's little I can do about that. If you give me the registration, I can log it, though." vs.
(2) "And what do you want me to do?"

I'd want to hear (1), even if it's all lies.

 

[pablo666]

Ah, but that's the difference. The officer in your case was at least interested and made you feel as though he would like to do something about it. (Whether that actually happened or not is another case.) In OP's case, the police simply refused to do anything. Imagine that you've just escaped possible serious injury and you're told:
(1) "It was terrible driving, but I'm really sorry, there's little I can do about that. If you give me the registration, I can log it, though." vs.
(2) "And what do you want me to do?"

I'd want to hear (1), even if it's all lies.

But such lies will continue the unrealistic expectations of the public, and eventually lead to more dissatisfaction with the lack of service. It's also dishonest. Do you really prefer the police to be dishonest? If so, where do you draw the line on such dishonesty? This is the reality of this millenium. The police could, trace the driver and advise....Such bullies will ignore advice, so is a total waste of valuable police time, which would be better spent patrolling said road. They could report for court action, but where is the evidence? Your word against the drivers. In fact most police time is spent dealing with such crap as 'ex partners slagging me off on facebook' innit. And 'domestics----boyfriend removal service' etc read the blogg 'Inspector Gadget' and be enlightened. I'm a commuter cyclist and plod. I would love to be able to spend time dealing with the crap cage drivers on the road, but the system defeats us. The Government, The Chief Officers, The CPS, and the courts all conspire to prioritise, and effectivise (sic) policing. Unless, there is a 'massive' of independent clearcut and compelling evidence, the system is not interested as it isn't a priority or would not stand a reasonable chance of a sucessful prosecution. ((Rant over))..

 

[Bicycle]

If a UK police force spent time investigating an incident where a car brushed against a pannier I'd think I might be paying rather too much tax.

If that same force then spent money on a prosecution, I might start thinking that they were spending poorly and spending it on people who were making extraordinarily poor decisions.

If the CPS were to take up the case and pursue it.... I'd try to smile and think about something else.

As a keen cyclist and a driver with a history of speeding endorsements, I think we are pretty well policed.

I've spent a good part of my life overseas and have never been anywhere where the police have been better than ours - Germany and France are right up there, but not better.