angry wrote:
Ignore the username here. This is not intended to be a rant against the BiB but I would welcome IG's view of his West Mids counterparts.
Birmingham have started having BiB's patroling the city centre on cycles. However twice I have seen them cycling resonable distances on pavements. In neither case was the spped excessive or dangerous but in both cases the street was relatively busy with pedestrians and in the second case he was weaving in and out around them.
Hmmm! It's a very bad example as it is illegal to ride on pavements. We are only allowed to if in "obvious pursuit" per our guidelines here or to get to some emergency whereby we have little choice but use a pedestrianised area - and even then we are supposed to proceed with care.
If there is no obvious reason - I'd drop a line to the Super in Traffic and get him to clarify his situation on this. Hopefully you will not be told to "get a life" as reported on the Vine programme.
Guy must have got the desk jokey from hell methinks!
Quote:
Case 1 - BiB approachs main road from side road wanting to turn right. No right turn is permitted and there are railings in the centre of the road which prevent this. There is a subway allowing this turn which is a detour of 200m. BiB however turns right on to the pavement, rides along it for 50m and then rejoins the road once the railings have stopped.
Unless he had a good reason - like a report of an incident further along that road in which his action may have saved some time - cannot think of one thing to justify it. See it again - report it. Whethr or not you have the badge number - we know roughly where our guys and gals should be if on patrols.
Sadly - there are some numpties (minority but enough to taint the hard working rest of us!
) in uniform.
Quote:
Case 2 - BiB cycles the length of Broad street (about 800m) on the pavement on the 'wrong side' of the road without attempting to join the traffic despite having plenty of opportunity to do so.
Again - cannot see a good reason and would suggest you report it if you see it happening again. Better still - take a photo
West Mids do like photos
Quote:
What do people think of cycling on pavements (other than designated cycle lanes) in general and do the police have any exemptions.
As said - would only have an exemption if chasing some yob down some back street alleyway. (why they
ouch trained us to ride up and down
steps )
If we see people cycling on pavements around here - we have a warning word in the first instance and fine if there is an "attitude"
or a repeat offence.
We do not issue warnings to toddlers and their parents enjoying a stroll with little child in the battery operated buggy. If there was an obvious danger - then we would have a calm polite and firendly word with the parent and offer suggestions - but certainly would not start giving lectures on MOTs and licences - can only think the officer was trying to be funny and it was taken the wrong way?
Once ticked off Wildy for tearing up the high street at well over 12 mph many years ago when she was wheelchair bound.
We do have another problem emerging though as more and more elderly take to electric powered buggies and trikes.
They go a lot faster than a toy car from Toys R Us!
So what should we be doing to promote awareness and safety on this?