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news
Video: London cyclist pulled over by police officer – who needs to re-read the Highway Code
A London cyclist has posted footage online showing a police officer overtaking him too closely in his vehicle then, after telling him to pull over, provides him with advice on how to cycle on the road that is at odds with rules contained in the Highway Code.
Helmet camera user Evo Lucas posted footage yesterday to YouTube and other social media sites of the incident, which happened in Walworth, South London.
At the start of the clip, he turns left from Wells Way into Albany Road, then passes the police car at traffic lights before tuning right into Portland Street, which subsequently leads into Brandon Street.
Around 1 minutes 30 seconds into the video, the police officer makes a close overtake on the rider, who says, “Excuse me,” then as he pulls alongside the police vehicle asks, “Are you in a hurry, sir?”
The officer asks Mr Lucas, “Wanna pull over?” then puts his flashing blue lights on and passes the rider, who comes to a halt behind him.
He asks him: “Do you want to explain why you are cycling in the middle of the road, making it difficult for vehicles to pass you?”
But Mr Lucas pointed out that he was allowed to use the width of the carriageway and suggested the officer may have broken the speed limit when he overtook him, saying: “No sir, I am entitled to use the whole road and you are entitled to do 20 mph on a 20 mph road.”
“Which I was doing,” the police officer replied. “Now you are getting to a fine line of obstructing vehicles.
“You are getting very close to the way you are cycling to obstructing vehicles from passing you,” he added, saying that Mr Lucas should “take on board” his advice.
Mr Lucas responded: “You take on board you were driving too closely, sir”
As he rode away, the cyclist said: “Well you should have waited then, sir. Are you detaining me, sir? I'm going to work. No, you need to get on board with how the Highway Code works, you are a police officer.”
The Highway Code allows cyclists to ride in primary position, including on narrow roads, and also instructs motorists “'Not get too close to the vehicle you intend to overtake. Give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car.”
A number of police forces across the UK have adopted the initiative launched by West Midlands Polcie last year that targets drivers passing cyclists too closely.
However, one commenter to Mr Lucas’s video on Twitter pointed out, “How are the general public meant to be educated on how to pass cyclists safely, when officers like this get it so wrong?”
In a reply to a question on the London Cycling Facebook group regarding whether he had reported the incident, Mr Lucas said: “I'm hoping he will call me and I'll get an apology. If so I'll leave it at that.”
Should Mr Lucas receive an apology the police officer won't be the first London driver to apologise to Mr Lucas as the result of one of his helmetcam videos - back in 2014 a white van man who close passed Mr Lucas in Covent Garden lost his job and was convicted of assault on the video evidence of the footage. At his trial the van driver changed his plea from innocent to guilty after learning of the existence of helmetcam footage of the incident and offered Mr Lucas a "profuse apology".
Last year one of Mr Lucas's videos also provoked some intense debate around the subject of red light jumping in the capital when his video of an incident in which Guardian journalist, Jack Shenker being ticketed for riding through a red light went viral. Mr Shenker maintained that he rode through the light because it was safer to do so.
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.
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139 comments
Policeman is making a valid point about obstructing traffic by cycling in the middle of the road. I've cycled myself for 30 years and I cringe so badly whenever I see helmet-cam warriors and internet twats acting in such a self-righteous, entitled way. There's a sub-section of riders whose lives are so fucking small and pathetic that they go out actively looking to piss people off, it seems. If it's such a trauma, and such open warfare each day, why don't you just take the fucking bus? Or just quit cycling altogether?
Yeah, a fine bit of police work there.
And it's not like there is any other serious sh*t going on in London ....
I agree it's petty. However this is how motorists feel when cyclists ride like arseholes. I always ride as close to the left as I possibly can - never had any kind of run-in and I ride daily. It's called common courtesy, coupled with a sense of self-preservation. Making someone nervous who's driving a few tonnes of steel whilst I'm protected only by Lycra ain't sensible - regardless of who is right or wrong. I'd rather be alive quite frankly.
I wouldn't ride daily in central London as I value my life. If I had to I'd avoid major junctions like that as it's just too hairy for me. Luckily I live in Scandinavia for work now and we have amazing cycling infrastructure - I rarely share the road with a car any more. I sincerely hope the UK catches up to this as I'm sick of people whining. It is bloody dangerous to ride on the road: fact.
No it isn't. Unless you also think walking is "bloody dangerous".
www.cyclinguk.org/campaigning/views-and-briefings/road-safety-and-cyclin...
I don't know whether you are trolling - but you are certainly spreading misinformation.
That link says that cycling safety in the UK is one of the poorer countries in Europe. I don't get your point.
My ideal view is that bikes and motorised traffic should be entirely separate as much as possible. In Scandinavia every footpath has a line down the middle and the outer is for cyclists - this is just basic logic. If I still lived in the UK I'd happily pay large taxes to build cycling infrastructure so it's safe for everyone.
I realise then that nobody would have anything to complain about, which would be a national tragedy.
Yes, you are a troll. I wasn't sure before but now that is my point.
What is your point? I don't see how this is a logical statement.
I think road.cc should run an article on you...
the headline should say something like - person who has no experience of a situation fails to see the point of view of those who do, but can't seem to stop posting to repeatedly reinforce that idea
I've ridden around central Bristol daily, for 10 years.
My main point is: don't act like an entitled, whinging, sad, middle-aged, passive-aggresive beardo cockshaft when you're out riding your bike, and especially don't then upload it to YouTube as you just make people hate us, which makes my life as a cyclist worse, and more dangerous.
whinging about whinging = whinging squared
you seem to have no problem eciliciting hatred by yourself - which is all good and proper as I assume you are an adult and thus responsible for yourself
I too dislike some of the rubbish whiny videos posted on you tube by cyclists, motorcylists and car drivers alike - I don't blame them for anything that happens to me though!
There's no luck at all involved in that - you just picked an area in Europe trendy and progressive, yet vague enough, to avoid being called out on specifics, in order to aid your trolling.
Who the fuck says they live in Scandinavia? Are you learning Scandinavian? Maybe go for a Scandinavian passport after a few years?
Troll off, and take your mate, Willo, with you. Again.
I've got dual citizenship and yes it's pretty cool being a Nordic citizen. I'm not giving specifics. Presumably Willo is someone else who also called you folks out for acting like dicks?
Which bit of 'not riding in the door zone of parked cars' don't you get ? The rearward shot shows a whole bunch of them.
And as for 'riding as far to the left', perhaps you could do the rest of us favour and read a copy of Cyclecraft (or the IAM equivalent) - skulking in the gutter just encourages close passes when there's not enough room, particularly at pinch points. And yeah, I used to do a regular cycle commute too.
Exactly re door zone... would the officer have preferred the rider to be 'car doored' and end up under his wheels?
This is what works for me. Been hit by a car only once, but I was speeding over the limit down a hill and someone pulled out and didn't see me: my fault.
I think there's a false dichotomy here, ie. Riding in the middle vs skulking. I ride balls-out and somewhat aggressively, but I hold a line close to cars and scan for occupants as on balance I feel safer, as do drivers. I feel I have fewer close passes too, on balance, the more I'm out of the way.
This is my two cents. I love riding my bike and never get angry, or receive punishment passes, etc etc. EZ life. Go figure.
There is no speed limit on a bike, perhaps the driver did not see you because you were hidden in the gutter.
As for your comments on riding correctly in a city with poor cycling infrastructure, poor driving stands and no presumed liability - I don't think your opinion counts seeing as you don't experience any of these.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and care for my safety, much appreciated.
Firstly I don't ride in the gutter - I'm about 6 inches out.
Secondly, I was hit when I absolutely bombed it down Bristol's Park Street, with parked cars left and right. I was going faster than traffic and a few feet out into the road. Someone pulled out fast on the right from a side street and pulled straight into a parking space on my left, cutting me up. My thighs took the force and I flipped over the bonnet and skidded several metres on my gloved hands - I was bloody lucky as I was doing about 35-40mph with no helmet (15 years ago).
Finally, I'm British and have ridden for more than 20 years on UK roads. Now living in Scandinavia, but I still ride in Britain with other lycra-clad friends and see the occasional open warfare and animosity so yes, I have up-to-date experience.
Troll-de-lol-de-troll
By which you're implying that I'm saying this simply for effect or to annoy people? No, this is what I sincerely believe. I think Road.cc are trolling for clickbait, more than anything as these are such petty non-events. 'Angry people click more', is the rule for news sites looking to make revenue. Good luck with your valiant helmet-cam crusade, noble cycling knights of justice. lol
Aw, bless. I do believe that we've upset the applecart. The sun's out too :o)
Still, I always like the line 'This is a public right of way; I use it by right but you use it under licence, a licence which may be taken away if you fail to meet the required standards'.
Applecart = bikebikebike = willo = TROLL.
Do not feed.
I have no idea what you're chatting about. My only issue is the absolutely stinking attitude so many of you display. Occasionally one of your own needs to point that out as frankly I feel a lot of this YouTube vigilantism, negativity and mouthing off in public lets the whole fucking community down.
Nope.
Possibly Applecart = bikelikebike = willo = TROLL
Not sure why he's subverted my username, but it ain't me.
Yeah was wondering about that the other day. Didn't think you guys were the same (it'd be too obvious), but couldn't think why he'd pick you out. Maybe just a coincidence.
Anyway, Willo's a grade A timewaster. No point engaging. Some guys you can have your say, they can have theirs and move on. But Willo will not take note of any decent point anyone makes. Just ignore and repeat what he said previously in a different way.
Go back to driving your black cab/white van. I call BS on the "I've cycled myself for 30 years".
Never owned a car. I'm not giving you my Strava though so think what you will.
You have had your bit of attention, now clear off.
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