Police operation targets cyclists and gets criticism but I think it is a good idea …..

just my opinion but I think this a good approach from the police (fines skipped if they can prove they bought lights)

road.cc

On Thursday night, over 30 cyclists were stopped in Cambridge in the first hour of an operation designed to crack down on people who ride without lights in the dark. Cambridgeshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Sir Graham Bright, says the annual Operation LIT is ‘not about giving cyclists a hard time’.

Running until November 22, Operation LIT – which stands for ‘Lights Instead of Tickets’ – is so-named because those stopped will be able to get out of paying the £50 fine by purchasing bike lights and then presenting the receipt  and LIT form at Parkside police station within seven working days.

Speaking to Cambridge News Online, Sir Graham Bright commented:

“This campaign is not about giving cyclists a hard time. It is about keeping them, and other road users, safe.

“Many of the people stopped had lights in their bags but had not attached them. Once attached they were sent on their way with no charge. With the longer nights, now is the ideal time to remind people of the need to keep safe and make sure that other road users can see them.”

PC Simon Railer, from Cambridgeshire police, said that as a minimum requirement, cyclists should have a good set of working lights fitted to their bike – a white light to the front and a red to the rear. He also recommended the use of a high visibility top and reflective-aids.

However, while few would argue with the importance of having lights on a bike, some locals have questioned police priorities. A Cambridge resident told road.cc:

“Police here really need to concentrate on the thing that actually harms cyclists, which is careless, reckless or impatient driving.”

Earlier this week, a similar blitz in Oxford saw 267 cyclists given fixed penalty notices in three hours. Again, it is possible to avoid the fine by purchasing a set of lights.

Not everyday you get punched off your bike by a car driver

Yesterday I saw a car deliberately block a box junction – I tried to remonstrate that he should keep it clear to no avail. Today on my way to pick up my daughter I saw the same guy parking so I stopped to chat….. ‘excuse me can I chat to you about yesterday …’ next thing I have a hand around my throat and I am punched off the bike …. ‘we will leave it at that’ he said
Err … No.
Took a photo of him and car.

Just gave my statement to officers and hopefully mr angry will get charged with assault …. Difficult with no witnesses but hopefully he has priors so they will take it more seriously.

Super sleuth mum nabs bike thief

Super sleuth mum nabs bike thief – Going Going Bike.

fantastic story

When your bike is stolen always report the theft to the Police. However as we have seen before in these blogs, some owners go the extra mile to try and recover their bikes and find the person who stole their bike.

We therefore can only applaud the lengths Wokingham resident Lisa Bradley went to try and find who nicked her husband’s s bike. Mum-of-two Lisa on her own initiative managed to track down CCTV images of the thief with detective work that would make any police criminal investigation department proud.

Crime scene

Her husband’s bike was stolen from a shed in Crowthorne, Berkshire, in July, and the theft was reported to local police. But Lisa refused to accept this was the end of the matter and turned detective. When inspecting the shed after the robbery, Lisa noticed an energy drink can had been left behind by the thief.

She then went to the local shop nearest to the property where the bike was stolen to see if they sold the energy drink brand found at the crime scene. The shop did sell the brand.

CCTV

At this point Lisa asked staff whether she could review the CCTV video for the day of the robbery to see if she could spot the thief or thieves buying the energy drink brand. A review of the exterior CCTV camera also picked up the thief walking past the shop with her husband’s bike.

Lisa and the shop owners were able to make a match of the man on the bike with a man who bought that energy drink brand a few hours earlier. Lisa took stills of the CCTV image of the man and was able to distribute the image around the Crowthorne and Sandhurst area.

Arrest

A positive identification of the man who stole the bike was subsequently made and police later arrested 19 year old man and charged him with the robbery. He was convicted of the theft by East Berkshire Magistrates on August 10.

New bike

Sadly for Lisa her husband’s bike had already been sold on by the thief and has yet to be recovered, but when Berkshire Cycle Co heard of Lisa’s super sleuth skills they offered to give her a new bicycle for her husband.

Lisa told the Wokingham Times: “I went out of my way to catch this guy and hopefully it will put him off doing it again the future.

“It is amazing what Berkshire Cycle Co have done. It really restores your faith in other people.”

Driving without due care and attention – A cyclists lucky escape in London

 

2 stupid car drivers – OK the first one an idiot but at least he pulls over comes across to sort it all out …. woman that obliviously drives over the bike and then trys to blame the cyclist is a worse offense. So far police doing nothing but hopefully the thread will lead to action. Hopefully the cyclist gets his justice and compensation.

 

YOUTUBE THREAD

Uploaders’ Comments (iuckcan)

• I don’t know how I kept my cool, must have been in shock. I tried to send this video to the police but I have been going round in circles. So far the police has not come back to me or taken any action.

  iuckcan 1 week ago

Top Comments

• That is absolutly disgusting. Have the police got back with anything as yet? Please keep us informed on what has gone on. They both need their licence taken off them for that.

  steloveass 11 hours ago 5 

• You deserve a medal for not going for the silver Focus (Second car) driver . The 1st car was bad enough, but that’s at least undue care and attention. She only makes it worse by asking “where were you?”. I note you have 2 flashing lights on ya handlebars. And orange clothing. How she didn’t see you.. Honestly. What she saw was the Black car that hit you go, and she just automatically did the same.

  lanzecki 15 hours ago 5 

see all

All Comments (27)

• glad your ok ,but wtf is wrong with drivers nowadays .

  the idiot in the focus needs her car crush stupid cow

  germanicdogman 14 minutes ago

• Eeeek. i can’t believe that happened. IF you need any help sorting this out. let me know.

  gaz545 33 minutes ago

• What a shocking bit of driving compounded by the bad attitude of the woman, at least they guy manned up and did not try to squirm his way out of his responsibility, like she was trying to.

  BadSwindoomRoadUsers 34 minutes ago

• I didnt see you is not enough..Bollocks! The hold point says stop to oncoming traffic..the two drivers are wrong..thats a Double Compensation Mate..I hope you are okay!

  Traffic Droid

  SonofthewindsInc 35 minutes ago

• Her attitude is disgusting. People like that should be banned and NEVER allowed to drive on our roads.

  I’m glad you’re safe and well.

  PeowPeowPeowLasers 58 minutes ago

• The guy was an idiot, but the woman WTF is wrong with her?

  TheVexatiousLitigant 1 hour ago

• Instead of a hi-viz jacket try wearing a sign which says “50% off – Everything must go!”. At least she would notice you!

  Seriously though, you are lucky she did not run over you. I am a regular rider and notice this sheep following the heard mentality all the time. I trust no vehicle

  BTW Can I ask what camera you use? The quality looks good

  config2000 3 hours ago 2 

• can’t fucking believe the stupid bitch in the focus, jesus h, man.

  Gromitdog1 3 hours ago

• wow, what i fear and seeing it happen. Shocking even to see in youtube.

  Gromitdog1 3 hours ago

• what a stupid lady i mean your wearing everything to be seen you have done what you needed to to be seen and all respect for you for doing what you did im a road cyclist my self and i have had problems like you and you know these things happen but they shouldnt really happen to be honest and i like you i always have my helmet cam on and i never leave the house with out it and my gear for staying safe you know hope your ok and if not i hope that you will be ok best wishes man

  emo1guy 3 hours ago

A tale of bicyclist revenge

K.C., who writes the blog A Girl and Her Bike, is a girl with a bike. She’s also a District of Columbia police officer. But the second part’s not so obvious when she’s riding on a Capital Bikeshare bike, out of uniform and just trying to get home from work. Which is probably why some jackasses stopped behind her at a red light decided it would be fun to bump her bike with their car. At very least, they probably thought it wouldn’t get them arrested. Suckers!

Instead, the bumper bump turned the Girl on a Bike into a Pissed-Off Police Officer Out to Punish Evildoers on a Bike, as K.C. first flashed her badge and then chased down and caught the fleeing car on her bicycle (with the help of other D.C. officers).

It’s a hair-raising story:

I’m not sure why I decided to go after him. I was on a CaBi, in civilian attire, off-duty. Instinct I guess? I did though. I followed him up Kenyon where he had gotten stuck in traffic & the light at 14th St. NW. I guess he saw me coming after him, because all of a sudden his reverse lights came on (he couldn’t go anywhere else), and he started driving backwards towards me. I thought he was going to try to escape down the alley, but I guess he figured it was a dead-end. … I managed to get out of the way without him hitting me, but it was very close. So close I was able to hit his side mirror as he went by. The light had changed at 14th & the traffic had begun clearing, so he gunned it and managed to flee out of the block, down 14th St. It was at this time I grabbed my radio (it was in my bag) and broadcasted a look-out and that I needed help.
Read the rest at A Girl and Her Bike. K.C. says several times on her blog that she’s not a superhero just because she has a badge, but frankly, if you have to SAY it …

And it gets even badder of ass. The driver, Mr. Harrison, wasn’t just the kind of charming fellow who likes to ram his car into bicyclists. He was the kind of charming fellow who likes to ram his car into bicyclists in his time off from dealing drugs. How do they know this?

Because the criminal genius that he is, made a phone call to his girlfriend from the DC Jail. Phone calls which are RECORDED and MONITORED. And he asked her if she wouldn’t mind hiding his drugs and gun for him.

Yeah. Super Smart.

An emergency search warrant was obtained and his room searched. Sure enough, a gun was recovered.
The assault happened back in February, but A Girl and Her Bike is revisiting the story (with more details) now. Harrison pled guilty to felony possession of a firearm, felony fleeing, and misdemeanor assault on a police officer, but not vehicular assault — those charges were dropped. So right now, he could go through his whole trial without any acknowledgment that his original crime was using a car to threaten the safety or life of a bicyclist (who, yes, also happened to be a police officer, but right now that’s the only part he’s getting charged for). K.C. has a call to arms:

Mr. Harrison’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 19th at DC Superior Court. I want to pack the courtroom with cyclists. As the victim of a crime, I am able to present a “Victim Impact Statement” to the judge. You better believe that I intend to bring up the fact that I am a cyclist first and foremost, and that this whole saga began when a driver decided to literally push around a cyclist with his motor vehicle. It was just a matter of luck that this cyclist also happens to be a police officer as well. It is Not Okay for drivers to bully cyclists on our streets. His actions were not only irresponsible, but CRIMINAL. He didn’t “accidentally” hit me–he made a conscious decision to hit a human being with a 2-ton vehicle. That is assault. These sorts of things have to STOP.
If you’re a bicyclist in D.C., consider going over to the Superior Court (500 Indiana Ave., NW) on August 19 and showing this badass lady that you’ve got her back.

New York Police – the worst part of cycling there

 

Simultaneously sad and funny.. sadly. I’m just happy I don’t have to ride my bike in New York City. This guy was ticketed for not riding in the bike lane.. the video is explanation enough I think…. Stupid stupid cop