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Hampshire Police Be Bright Be Seen initiative (source Hampshire Roads Policing on Twitter).PNGPolice stop 100s of law-abiding cyclists in 'safety' drive - after saying they don't have manpower to investigate close passes
Road traffic officers from Hampshire Police have stopped hundreds of cyclists in the past week in a road safety drive – even though they had done nothing wrong. Earlier this year, the same force told a cyclist it had insufficient resources to take action against a motorist filmed making a close pass on him.
Under its Be Bright Be Seen campaign, Hampshire Police has not only been fining cyclists riding illegally without lights – at least 34 to date – but has also stopped nearly 450 others who were doing nothing wrong to offer them safety advice and distribute high-visibility gear.
According to the Twitter feed of Hampshire Roads Policing, last week in Southampton, 130 riders were stopped, with four fined for having no lights. In Basingstoke, 100 were stopped, with five fined. And in Portsmouth, officers stopped 250 riders, of whom 25 received fines.
We engaged with 250 cyclists in #Portsmouth yesterday, gave out #freebies & issued 25 tickets for riding without lights #BeBrightBeSeen pic.twitter.com/quuSSDwPXR
— Hants Roads Policing (@HantsPolRoads) October 27, 2016
The initiative was strongly criticised by many on social media, however, with Twitter user @BezTweets highlighting a letter received by a cyclist from Hampshire Police earlier this year explaining why the force had not taken action on a video of a close pass that he had submitted to them.
The footage was shot on Bell Street, Whitchurch, by Mike Stead just after 2pm on the afternoon of 18 January, but following an exchange of telephone calls and correspondence with Hampshire Police, he was told that the force had insufficent resources to investigate such cases unless they met the legal definition of 'dangerous driving,' and that they "had to prioritise incidents which involve injuries or fatalities."
Contrasting his experience with the operation the force has launched in recent days, Mr Stead told road.cc: "My experience is that Hants Police have no budget to take road policing seriously.
“Therefore their idea of making cyclists 'safer' is to get a few cops out on a commuter run for a few hours, get some trite photos snapped, hand out a few FPN's, and job done, box ticked.”
He added that he believes there is “No chance of changing the culture where the driver of 1500kg of steel moving at 30+MPH gives a person on a bike mere inches of 'space'.
“They know they won't be caught, there won't be any investigation, and no consequences.
“Therefore people on bikes will continue to be maimed or killed, while cops hand out tickets to the survivors for trivial, beaten-up 'offences'."
Speaking about its Be Bright Be Seen campaign last week, Sergeant Rob Heard of Hampshire Police said: “During this week we will be speaking to cyclists and other road users about safe riding and driving tips and about sharing the road together for the safety of all.
“Cycling is a great way to keep fit and healthy, however cyclists are one of our vulnerable road users and when they are involved in a collision the injuries can be serious.
“As the light reduces and visibility diminishes it is always good idea for all road users to be bright and as visible as they can.
“Despite the dangers, some cyclists take the risk of riding without lights, which as well as being illegal, increases their risk of being involved in a collision.
He added: "We hope that this week of action will remind both cyclists and motorists that a little extra consideration of each other will make our roads safer for everyone."
The force’s approach is a stark contrast however from that adopted by road traffic police in the West Midlands, who in a widely-praised initiative are targeting and prosecuting motorists making close passes on cyclists, deploying plain clothes officers on bikes as well as using footage shot by cyclists.
> West Midlands police target close pass drivers
When the initiative was launched in September, receiving national media attention, West Midlands Police Road Traffic Unit said in a blog post that since cyclists were not to blame in most collisions that resulted in death or serious injury of a rider, “it would be a waste of our time, and thus public time and money to concentrate on cyclist behaviour. The figures speak for themselves ... drivers don’t let your prejudices get in the way of the truth…”
On the subject of high-visibility clothing, they said: “Don’t think hi viz clothing will keep you seen, although hi viz has a place in some circumstances such as low light conditions, it is contrast that catches the attention of the driver who might pull out on you, that, and movements the human eye and brain are wired to detect.”
Police in the London Borough of Camden and in North Wales have said that they will follow the approach adopted by their colleagues in the West Midlands, with other forces also studying the initiative.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
Latest Comments
- SimoninSpalding 23 min 12 sec ago
Can definitely relate to this. I got to the age of 38 and was seriously unfit, to the extent that I was laid up in bed with a bad back every other...
- mikewood 24 min 15 sec ago
I think all new housing developments should be forced to do exactly that. They already do the LTN type thing. And cyclists do ride past it, I have!...
- Rendel Harris 29 min 55 sec ago
Have you had your cranks checked under the Shimano recall scheme? I ask because I took Mrs H's 2016 Roubaix into the LBS for the free check on her...
- Andski808 17 min 52 sec ago
True, but it applies to equally to all sorts of branded products - cars, kettles, phones etc...
- David9694 1 hour 17 min ago
Car crashes into front of home in Briggs Mead, Wymondham...
- nowasps 1 hour 28 min ago
I've worked my way through a gifted box of these, and the review tallies exactly with my own experience.
- E6toSE3 1 hour 59 min ago
Quite wrong. The really interesting stuff was good goggles for under £80 - my budget and I was previously limited to Tifosi. Had to ask about...
- Haitchaitch 3 hours 17 min ago
I concur that rigid bollards can be a danger having broken a couple of ribs earlier this year in a shared cycle lane with central bollards telling...
- brooksby 5 hours 3 min ago
"No, it's OK, really", replies cycling.
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60 comments
I don't see anything in 163 (2) that suggests that, link ?
Edit : Although the Act does state "A person riding a cycle on a road" (em added)
Agree with that, some other posts ere giving the impression you could just cruise past and not stop at all. Stop, then if no actual offence then go.
I had the immense pleasure of tapping on the window of a police car outside Liverpool Street station on Monday night. Personally, I was ablaze with lights, as is my wont, but the police car wasn't. Little victories!
:o)
Wow. Did they respond well?
I've seen police vehicles drive into ASLs on red, but never dared mention it to them for fear they wouldn't take it well.
Something smelling of fish here...
Why are they giving lights or hi viz out and fining people. It's either an awareness campaign in which they are increasing safety (best to give the lights to those with none), or it's punishment.
The stupidest outcome is to use the fines for those without lights to pay for more lights or hi viz to those that do!
they were issuing lights to those without so they could get home. Also issues with £50 FPN that would not be actioned if they could provide proof of a set of lights being bought within 28 days of FPN being issued. Presume temp lights had to be returned at same time?
How about we (society/police) fine those with lights to pay for lights for those without
Quote:
"He added: "We hope that this week of action will remind both cyclists and motorists that a little extra consideration of each other will make our roads safer for everyone.""
So how many motorists did they stop as part of this campaign? Just asking!
"We hope that this week of action clearly demonstrates that we really couldn't care less. People just don't like cyclists, you know."
The most striking difference between this and the West Midlands Police, is that while West Midlands are basing their policy on an analysis evidence, Hampshire are using blind ignorance. Too much public money is wasted on un-evidenced nonsense and prejudiced, this should stop.
Reserve some ire for the muppets who have made this an issue that the Police, for whatever misguided reason, have decided to waste their resources on addressing.
Get some lights and put on some appropriate clothing. Jeez, it's not rocket science.
Sorry but I don't do appropriate clothing. Lights, yes.
There is no legal requirement. People cycling have no obligation to wear hi-vis.
My view is that if a driver can't see me on a bike, they shouldn't be operating such machinery
And - yes I've been told after asking a police van driver about the behaviour of a deliberately aggrssive close passing vehicle. The first response - 'you really should be wearing a helmet and hi-vis'
Your comment veers a bit too close to victim-blaming for me...which is what the police doing.
From West Midlands Police to use cycling officer to target close-passing motorists road.cc
- Tips for cyclists
The third point relates to hi-vis clothing. “Don’t think hi viz clothing will keep you seen, although hi viz has a place in some circumstances such as low light conditions, it is contrast that catches the attention of the driver who might pull out on you, that, and movements the human eye and brain are wired to detect.”
That is one of the most stupid posts I've ever read on here...
For me, that would be your post itself. Of course pushing high-viz is a kind of victim-blaming. Worse thing about it is it even happens for pedestrians.
I might occasionally use it if I'm left with no choice but to cycle on really badly designed roads full of crap drivers. Just as I know women who deliberately dress-down in baggy shapeless outfits in an attempt to avoid harassment. its an individual's choice, but promoting it as if its an obligation or morally-wrong to not use it is a morally reprehensible thing to do.
No legal requirement to stop in these circumstances if you're a law-abiding cyclist.
Just ride on by.
It seems that the police have become hamstrung by a focus on a technical version of "fairness", in which if one week they stop car drivers then the next week they must stop cyclists, then the next motorbikers, and finally lorry drivers to round out the month. Even if cyclists are responsible for a tiny fraction of the number of incidents. Much like the media, which feels if they get one respected atmospheric scientist in for interview then they must also get one nutball climate change denier, and if they report what Hillary Clinton says as a debatable but rational policy position then they must report what Donald Trump says likewise, even if it is very easily proven to be utter horseshit.
I really have no time for the police these days and if I was literally being stopped for no legal reason I'd be on my way and then on the phone to a mate, who's a solicitor, if they physically tried to stop me going anywhere.
Meanwhile in Leeds, the Lord Humungus and Wes are burning around in the roads on motorbikes and quads with no immediate action taken.
They're entitled to stop you. But not entitled to keep you. They stopped me on the motorbike once for one of these TFL surveys looking into traffic patterns, etc., I was quite aggrieved but looked it up and they were well within their rights to be stopping people, but you could just carry on if you didn't want to answer questions.
Police can stop any motor vehicle for any reason using powers under the Road Traffic Act.
Pedal cycle is not a motor vehicle so they would need a reason to stop you based on some othe police power.
Guess it'll be be PACE then unless something else applies to bicycles..
They actually have no power to stop you on a pedal cycle if you are obeying the law. They can ask you to stop if they feel like it, but you don't have to stop for them if you don't feel like it either.
We are not living in a police state thankfully.
Remember how the Dukes of Hazzard would frustrate Boss Hogg and Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane by crossing the County line? Sometimes, it seems our county lines are just as inpenetrable. Policy should be nationwide, not open to the interpretation of individual forces.
Used to be a bit like that around Sherburn in Elmett area on motorbikes. North Yorks police were ok, West were complete dicks and into speed-goading on unmarked bikes, riding quite close and trying to encourage a break away and then the blues would come on. People would never get pulled for doing 80 though, they'd wait until the speed got higher which I found odd. Surely in the name of safety you'd pull people once they broke the speed limit rather than letting them go faster?
Funnily enough I used to work with a guy who was the son of the 'head mechanic' of South Yorks Police...he always maintained that South Yorks police generally thought that the West Yorks police force were a bunch of wankers when it came to traffic enforcement
meanwhile if you stopped the same number of drivers how many would have no tax, no insurance, bald tyres? Beyond belief....
On my commute over the past 3 years I've seen 4 setups checking insurance etc., each with a short queue of cars (and associated miserable drivers) to be towed away (perhaps to be scrapped), so they definitely do do them to car drivers, too.
I agree, 1st few days every month I see police at a lay-by checking for MOT / TAX
The rest of the month I wont see a police car unless
This kind of policing is (relativly) cheap and easy
And the media will get hold of it and it'll stir up a bunch of cyclist hatred. As does every single article about cyclists in the press.
If they'd have spent the time catching close passers and processing close pass footage, they'd actually have made the world a teeny tiny better place, instead of just a little bit worse.
They wouldn't need to process many either. Pick a few, actually enforce the law and send drivers on training courses (at driver's expense of course) or fine a few, and suddenly the number of people risking a close pass drops as they never know until later if there was a camera filming.
My camera / bike computer setup is quite distinctive and after a few of my clips were used in a local paper's online edition about bad driving, I saw several cases of an attempted "faily-poor" pass that seemed to get aborted when the red of by bike computer wrap became visible to the driver . . . Wasn't just once, happened quite a few times. (In one case the passenger window was down and I heard the passenger tell the driver "I think that's the guy from the paper" )
Institutionally anti-cyclist.
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