Cyclists ‘a real worry’ says North Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner – before conceding they aren't actually doing anything wrong

Predictably, the first of her comments has just been quoted on the 14:00 news on BBC Radio London.

Clear message: let's get those awful cyclists indoors! 

Presumably we should all be wearing jerseys with 'Don't worry - be happy' on them, to put the villagers at ease.

Also, it seems a mistake to give the same person responsibility for the police and for crime...surely there's a conflict of interest there? If you are commissioning crimes, you shouldn't also be in charge of the police. They clearly didn't think that through.

Police and Crime Commissioners are completely pointless, invented by the Tories, like most crap innovations. And like most crap innovations the idea came from the US, where every petty local official is elected, which just seems to lead to more opportunities for petty-minded gammony stupidity. They get elected on tiny turnouts, and most of them seem to be morons.

That said, I've given up cycling for the duration. Even going for a walk is a PITA, with the struggle to keep a distance from everyone. Cylists, like joggers, probably do breath out a bit more forcefully, hence the distancing will be even more tricky.

Nothing is going to be remotely normal for quite a while. It's amazing the sheer number of existing tensions and issues that this disaster intensifies, though.

I've never seen the point of these "commissioners". They are invariably dim little Hitlers with zero knowledge of either the law or policing. They seem to add nothing other than act as a sounding board for miserable Gammons.
This dimwit couldn't even be arsed to look up the widely published guidelines

The authorities need to crack down hard on this kind of misinformation and scaremongering. Not reinforce it.

A similar worrying quote yesterday, which was repeated on the BBC news, was from the chief nursing officer who said she'd seen "hoards of cyclists" coming towards her over Westminster Bridge. Probably trafficlights and the narrow road width caused that. Apparently London has declined to follow the lead of some other capital cities world-wide who have coned off traffic lanes to increase road space for cyclists.

Her commentary is the very definition of ugly ignorant prejudice. It's the kind of attitude one might have expected towards immigrants back in the 50s - they're causing tension because they were going through people’s villages and communities and to think about their behaviour (i.e.the fact of being there).
The police should expose and robustly challenge prejudicial views, not echo them and give justification.

Been out on the bike every day for the last 2 weeks; never seen more than a pair (usually a couple) of cyclists, or a family.  Never see another human cycling through villages.  What about the epidemic of speeding motorists during lockdown; reckon they're more of a risk to the villagers?

It's a pity people in villages feel threatened by seeing riders passing through on two wheels. 

Are they also worried (in normal circumstances) of the thousands of cars and drivers turning up in their village?

I made the mistake of going through Malham one sunny warm weekend day (a few years ago, not during lockdown!) and it was like Piccadilly Circus. Thousands of cars parked all over the field, the tiny lane towards it stop-start with two-way traffic trying to squeeze past each other. It was horrendous and dangerous.

Yet seemingly no concerns about the air pollution, the danger to kids or vulnerable road users, the congestion...?

A few dozen cyclists ride (individually) through a village and suddenly the residents lose their collective tiny minds...

I am a regular cyclist and I live in a quiet village. I think it is a very positive thing to see as many people on bikes as I am seeing right now. I do not detect any hostillity at all and as well as cyclists I am seeing more family groups out walking together and there is universally more friendship shown to other exercisers.

As long as cyclists start and finish their trips from theur homes the countryside is just where they should cycle rather than in large towns and cities where due to traffic lights they have to congregate at junctions. It would be the right time for the police to be lobbying for universal urban speed limits and turning off of traffic lights where possible or giving priority to cyclists and walkers even if it meant that cars would be slowed almost to a standstill.

Is there an element of not having their usual occupations of alcohol related anti-social behaviour and other crimes to worry about so they are looking for trouble where there isn't any.

I have heard two police leaders saying they are ready to search shopping baskets for unessential items. If necessary, and it isn't, the shops could police this themselves far more effectively.

It is disturbing when a police officer states that cycling is "a real worry" it really isn't.