# Police get 93-page guide to cycling



## dellzeqq (12 Nov 2009)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20091112/tuk-police-get-93-page-guide-to-cycling-6323e80.html it could all be press nonsense, but if it does exist I'd love a copy. Just to work out what I've been doing wrong all these years!


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## zimzum42 (12 Nov 2009)

Maybe it'll tell them that riding a fixie with no rear brakes is not illegal...


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## marinyork (12 Nov 2009)

Having seen the PCSOs out training quite a few times I can quite believe it is 93 pages...


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## Ian H (12 Nov 2009)

Most policepersons I see on bikes do look remarkably ill-at-ease.


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## dellzeqq (12 Nov 2009)

Ian H said:


> Most policepersons I see on bikes do look remarkably ill-at-ease.


that used to be the case in the Great Wen, but, these days, they look the business - despite the extraordinary weight of their Smith and Wessons.


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## Davidc (12 Nov 2009)

Worrying - I agree with Boris!


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## magnatom (12 Nov 2009)

The original Cyclecraft has 195 pages, excluding the index. I wonder which sections they missed out....


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## jiggerypokery (12 Nov 2009)

When Blunkets Bobbies first popped up on the streets I was acosted walking my bike home after the p***ture fairy from hell had visited me and used up my spare tube and last patch. Is this your bike, said the PCSO, yes said I, can you prove ownership sir said he?

Now, as it happens I couldn't, I had nothing with me that linked me to the bike directly other than the fact that I WAS DRESSED HEAD TO TOE IN BLOODY JELLY BELLY LYCRA AND WEARING CLIPLESS SHOES!!!!!

So I just raised an eyebrow and asked him if that was a sensible question given my state of attire. He blushed a little, said that he had to check as there had been a spate of bike thefts in the area and wished me a good day.

Smart aren't they these PCSO's!


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## Bollo (12 Nov 2009)

Ian H said:


> Most policepersons I see on bikes do look remarkably ill-at-ease.


Certainly also the case around my area of operations, although the London cycloplod look very handy indeed from what I've seen.

About a month ago I found myself at the back of a peloton of 4 cycle-mounted police officers (not PSCOs). I wasn't hugely sure of the overtaking etiquette as they weren't going with purpose and I was getting a little tight for my train. Luckily they soon pulled off by nipping through the grounds of Basingstoke Registry Office. Did they fail to see the round, red-bordered sign with a bike on it or was the shortcut back to plod central too tempting to resist? Mmmmmm.


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## John the Monkey (12 Nov 2009)

Given that it's quite possible these days for people to have not laid eyes on a bike since their earliest formative years, what's the harm?

I do wish the press would make up their minds; first cyclists are a lawless menace, next they're ridiculing attempts to raise standards of riding among a group riding as part of their duties.


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## Cab (12 Nov 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> Given that it's quite possible these days for people to have not laid eyes on a bike since their earliest formative years, what's the harm?



Pointless repetition really. Just issue them with a copy of cyclecraft.


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## jeltz (12 Nov 2009)

Cab said:


> Pointless repetition really. Just issue them with a copy of cyclecraft.



To an extent I think it also has information to do with policing. I don't see the problem, myself. 

I was listening to this on the Today program this morning and I suspect that much of the advice which is being ridiculed has its place. 
E.g. Not dealing with subjects while you are still engaged with the bike. I mean if you stop astraddle a bike and chat to some idiot, you cant step back if pushed or if they grab the front wheel then the crossbar may smack you in the knackers.

Another on not dismounting until stationary, well I've seen people coast to a halt while swinging their leg over, but probably not the best thing to do and more likely to send a copper sprawling than coming to a complete stop 1st. 

That it warrants a news story is probably the biggest disgrace.


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## Norm (12 Nov 2009)

jeltz said:


> Another on not dismounting until stationary, well I've seen people coast to a halt while swinging their leg over, but probably not the best thing to do and more likely to send a copper sprawling than coming to a complete stop 1st.


Whoa! At risk of entering helmet-debate territory, I nearly always do that on tarmac and have never (yet!) gone sprawling anywhere. 

(Damn... I've said it now...  )


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## jeltz (12 Nov 2009)

Norm said:


> Whoa! At risk of entering helmet-debate territory, I nearly always do that on tarmac and have never (yet!) gone sprawling anywhere.
> 
> (Damn... I've said it now...  )



But in that situation you are not (I'm assuming) pursuing a feral yoof at the time, I'd guess that in those circumstances the chances of coming a cropper would be raised due to the enthusiasm to catch the bugger. Where as reaching a complete halt 1st would probably be the better idea, and loose little time.


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## Norm (12 Nov 2009)

Indeed, but you said "_probably not the best thing to do_".

Or did you just mean "_probably not the best thing to do when pursuing a feral yoof_"?


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## Ian H (12 Nov 2009)

jeltz said:


> ...Another on not dismounting until stationary, well I've seen people coast to a halt while swinging their leg over, but probably not the best thing to do and more likely to send a copper sprawling than coming to a complete stop 1st...



It used to be the acknowledged way of getting on and off a bike - scoot and swing leg over to start. Reverse procedure to dismount. Not so easy with toe-clips and positively dangerous with clipless pedals.


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## Origamist (12 Nov 2009)

It's all moot now:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8356367.stm


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## magnatom (12 Nov 2009)

Seriously though, they should be given a copy of Cyclecraft. Ok it doesn't tell them how to nick a robber, but surely they would get training in that anyway!


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## John the Monkey (12 Nov 2009)

magnatom said:


> Seriously though, they should be given a copy of Cyclecraft. Ok it doesn't tell them how to nick a robber, but surely they would get training in that anyway!


Unless the opening scenes of "Hot Fuzz" have lied to us.


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## Bromptonaut (12 Nov 2009)

magnatom said:


> The original Cyclecraft has 195 pages, excluding the index. I wonder which sections they missed out....



My thought hearing this on the radio this morning was much the same.


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## Tony (13 Nov 2009)

Bromptonaut said:


> My thought hearing this on the radio this morning was much the same.


+1. The real story is in the last line of the BBC link above--a booklet puttogether by a group of coppers, NOT an officially sanctioned effort fromTop Plod.


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## Vikeonabike (13 Nov 2009)

As many of you know this is a subject close to my heart and something I have been trying to get going with my constabulary for a couple of years. This Document was aimed at each individual constabulary to aid them in training their officers on bikes. The information involved is more than just how to ride safely on the road. 
However the press have got thier teeth into it and the spinless numpties at ACPO have suddenly backed down. 
I spent 3 weeks in a great deal of pain after a bike accident whilst chasing somebody. I lay the blame totally at the feet of the constabulary as I had no training (fast dismount) and ended up wih broken ribs.
Myself and a colleague were just beginning o make some ground towards training and properly equipping cyclists on my force. So this has really pi$$ed me off, the timing couldn't be worse.


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## Vikeonabike (14 Nov 2009)

User76 said:


> So, if you couldn't do it, why pick then to try? Numpty



possibly because saying to a member of the public "I know they've just punched you in the face but I'm not trained to chase them on my bike so I'll just have to let them go" wasn't really an option. But I may consider it in the future.
Numpty is what I felt like though, espeacially when I could hear the CCTV operator trying to do a welfare check on me whilst laughing, lots!


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## Auntie Helen (14 Nov 2009)

The Police do get quite a bit of cycle training as the cycle training company I work for often do training for them (Bikeability Level 3).


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## Vikeonabike (14 Nov 2009)

Auntie Helen said:


> The Police do get quite a bit of cycle training as the cycle training company I work for often do training for them (Bikeability Level 3).




Auntie H
depends on the constabulary.
I think we may have sent a number of PCSO's to be trained up as instructors. However nothing ever materialised when they came back due mostly to lack of support from the *"Driving School"* who were in charge of it.


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## WeeE (14 Nov 2009)

Bike police are both more cost-effective and more effective at policing, in many built-up areas. It's a great advance.

You'd think an "alliance" of "taxpayers" would be all in favour of cycle police being well trained, then, wouldn't you?

I can't imagine what it must be like to try to pull over a white-van or a truck for dangerous driving, if you're on a bike yourself; and you surely need to be very familiar with all the footways and cut-throughs possible to a pedestrian, so that you can give chase if need be; and you need to know how to get through snarled-up traffic quickly and safely at speed, to get to the scene of a road-traffic incident. Just a few good reasons for a manual.

The whole complaint is a carefully-orchestrated propaganda drive by some of the 13 paid employees of the private company calling itself Taxpayers Alliance - "partners" of the Drivers Alliance which is the same outfit under a more accurate hat. 

The TPA, for anyone who still doesn't know, is NOT an alliance and is not a group of taxpayers. It's a limited company of professional far-right lobbyists, _whose chief exec doesn't even pay UK tax_, and which is wholly funded by the road-construction, haulage and car-manufacturing industries.

The more modal share claimed by cycling and walking, the more business these stand to lose - in road construction, if the government does what it says it intends, that should mean billions less in contracts and in public subsidy. They are fighting tooth and nail to firmly fix "acrive travel" as looney, trivial & antisocial in the minds of the public.


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## Vikeonabike (15 Nov 2009)

Have e-mailed the journalist at The Sun and suggested that he attend a police cycling course.....Obviously the answer will be NO.....doubt he could actually get on a bike anyway!


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## Cubist (15 Nov 2009)

We insist all staff who ride bikes are trained to Bikeability Level 2. The council are happy to do it for free as a partnership initiative. They offer Level 3 free to anyone who feel confident enough to try it. 

Jiggerypokery

Rather than ridicule a PCSO for asking if the bike is yours, next time thank him for checking. After all, if your bike was stolen you'd want them to look for it wouldn't you. Are you telling me that no stolen bikes end up in the hands of lycra wearers? . Think your logic through and then ask yourself whether your smug bullshit actually makes you look any better.
It's easy to carp and criticise from the sidelines. If you can do any better sign up as a Special and show us how it's done......


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## summerdays (15 Nov 2009)

Cubist said:


> We insist all staff who ride bikes are trained to Bikeability Level 2. The council are happy to do it for free as a partnership initiative. They offer Level 3 free to anyone who feel confident enough to try it.



Why not insist on Level 3 for all staff riding bikes - unless your patch is all quiet roads?


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## Cubist (15 Nov 2009)

summerdays said:


> Why not insist on Level 3 for all staff riding bikes - unless your patch is all quiet roads?


You've got to draw the line somewhere. All staff are encouraged to go to Level 3, but the Risk Assessment is satisfied by L2.


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## Vikeonabike (15 Nov 2009)

Cubist said:


> If you can do any better sign up as a Special and show us how it's done......




+1


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## summerdays (15 Nov 2009)

Cubist said:


> You've got to draw the line somewhere. All staff are encouraged to go to Level 3, but the Risk Assessment is satisfied by L2.



What sort of percentage would go on to do Level 3 - the majority or the minority?


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

Cubist said:


> Rather than ridicule a PCSO for asking if the bike is yours, next time thank him for checking. After all, if your bike was stolen you'd want them to look for it wouldn't you. Are you telling me that no stolen bikes end up in the hands of lycra wearers? . Think your logic through and then ask yourself whether your smug bullshit actually makes you look any better.
> It's easy to carp and criticise from the sidelines. If you can do any better sign up as a Special and show us how it's done......



I don't agree with any of that. At the end of the day there is very little evidence the bicycle belongs to anybody and you'd have to take most bikes off most people and back to the station on that basis. When out cycling I don't have any more evidence that it is my bike than my SPD shoes belong to me. I could take one of the receipts with me everytime I cycle but it'd soon get crumbled damp and so on beyond all recognition. I could give a PCSO the details of the shop I bought it from where it is registered in my name but that is trusting the PCSO to be competent enough to do an investigation and trusting the shop who aren't very organised. I can comfortably predict what would happen in such a scenario.


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## Cubist (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> I don't agree with any of that. At the end of the day there is very little evidence the bicycle belongs to anybody and you'd have to take most bikes off most people and back to the station on that basis. When out cycling I don't have any more evidence that it is my bike than my SPD shoes belong to me. I could take one of the receipts with me everytime I cycle but it'd soon get crumbled damp and so on beyond all recognition. I could give a PCSO the details of the shop I bought it from where it is registered in my name but that is trusting the PCSO to be competent enough to do an investigation and trusting the shop who aren't very organised. I can comfortably predict what would happen in such a scenario.


No, but if it is recorded as stolen, they will be able to check the serial number. No one expects you to inconvenience yourself to prove what you rightfully own, but if the police don't stop anybody on a bike then they'll never find the stolen ones. To mock them for trying is very small-minded indeed.


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

Cubist said:


> No, but if it is recorded as stolen, they will be able to check the serial number. No one expects you to inconvenience yourself to prove what you rightfully own, but if the police don't stop anybody on a bike then they'll never find the stolen ones. To mock them for trying is very small-minded indeed.



Yes, I'm aware of this. However I've never heard of anybody being stopped by the police flipping the bike over, checking the frame number for 15 seconds and then politely saying thank you, Sir, have a nice day. I've seen copper stop people in other cities and make a hash of it, comical arguments ensue, try and scan for a transponder and then say that's funny there isn't one on this bike. I've also been stopped often enough on foot and in cars to know the routine. One of the benefits I see of cycling is actually that as cycling isn't that popular round here the police just ignore you thinking you a strange eccentric and not a criminal like if you were on foot. I'm not particularly bothered if the police stop me and check my frame provided they do a proper job of it and aren't rude. I'd expect one of the things that winds people up is if you report a bike stolen there's no interest whatsoever but if you're cycling around a member of the police wants to insist the bike is stolen when they couldn't even point to where the frame number is. The PR needs working on.


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## Vikeonabike (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> However I've never heard of anybody being stopped by the police flipping the bike over, checking the frame number for 15 seconds and then politely saying thank you, Sir, have a nice day.




This happens on a regular basis. If we stop somebody that is riding a bike for any reason (may be description of the bike, arrest, person suspected of crime etc) then it takes no time at all to check frame number against the local crime file record whilst running a PNC check on the person. 
It would be unlikely that somebody in lycra / spds etc on a high end bike would be guilty of theft (although it happens) but they may be unwittingly be riding a stolen bike. However if I see one of our local scrotes riding an expensive bike they and the bike will get spun.
Being polite is not an issue, I'm even Polite when I'm arresting them!

Moving on from this, the best way to catch criminals is by being on bikes. Most of the petty criminals in my area either go on foot or by bike. Training needs to be given to officers to enable them safely to catch and take down the bad guys without injuring themselves, the criminal or a member of public in the process!


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

Vikeonabike said:


> Moving on from this, the best way to catch criminals is by being on bikes. Most of the petty criminals in my area either go on foot or by bike. Training needs to be given to officers to enable them safely to catch and take down the bad guys without injuring themselves, the criminal or a member of public in the process!



I'm quite happy for the police to be on bikes, particularly if it means going into no go areas, hell there are enough of them. Even apart from that I'm quite happy for them to be on bikes as it gets rid of the distorted view of reality they have driving round in their cars and may even lead to more harmony when cyclists inevitably complain about being beaten up, things lobbed at them, someone driving into them and driving off etc.

I don't think you get how bad PR the 93 page manual looks though. I'm not a Daily Mail reader and it doesn't look good on the surface.


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## John the Monkey (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> Yes, I'm aware of this. However I've never heard of anybody being stopped by the police flipping the bike over, checking the frame number for 15 seconds and then politely saying thank you, Sir, have a nice day.


Happens in Manchester.

It's one of the reasons the force there (especially in the University areas) urge people to register their bikes on Immobilise (or mark them with UV pens). Both methods allow an officer to quickly check ownership there and then.

Bike theft is fairly common in the town centre, and the stolen bikes are often used to enable the thief to commit other crimes, so the crime and disorder team are quite keen to crack down on it.


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> Happens in Manchester.
> 
> It's one of the reasons the force there (especially in the University areas) urge people to register their bikes on Immobilise (or mark them with UV pens). Both methods allow an officer to quickly check ownership there and then.
> 
> Bike theft is fairly common in the town centre, and the stolen bikes are often used to enable the thief to commit other crimes, so the crime and disorder team are quite keen to crack down on it.



That was what I was talking about earlier. The problem with Immobilise is not everyone will be registered with it and as soon as the police stop someone who isn't they are stumped and start throwing their weight round. It is far from what I was talking about what would be the ideal scenario.


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## Norm (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> I don't think you get how bad PR the 93 page manual looks though. I'm not a Daily Mail reader and it doesn't look good on the surface.


... is one opinion.

Other opinions may vary.


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## Vikeonabike (15 Nov 2009)

The only reason there is bad PR on it is that somebody thought it should beput out to the press. 

Who in their infinite wisdom decided to make comment without any knowledge of the subject! Then gets comments from more people who have a complete lack of understanding of what the manual is trying to achieve. This then gets blown out of proportion by all and sundry. ACPO then get jittery and also deny any involvement in it.

I am fully in favour of the document, I am using it to try and get my constabulary to instigate cycle training and properly equip cyclists. After all, surly a bike being ridden by a police officer is an "Emergency Vehicle" and should be marked accordingly. It also then makes sense that if officers are to "respond" to incidents then they should be afforded the same level of training as police drivers and motorcyclists?

However as I have said before. If a police officer chasing somebody on a bike injures or kills a person during a cycle pursuit, you watch the gutter press start screaming about police officers pursuing without training!


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

Vikeonabike said:


> The only reason there is bad PR on it is that somebody thought it should beput out to the press.



I don't see why it shouldn't be out in the press. The idea will rise or fall on its own merits.



Vikeonabike said:


> I am fully in favour of the document, I am using it to try and get my constabulary to instigate cycle training and properly equip cyclists. After all, surly a bike being ridden by a police officer is an "Emergency Vehicle" and should be marked accordingly. It also then makes sense that if officers are to "respond" to incidents then they should be afforded the same level of training as police drivers and motorcyclists?



It's a bike for crying out loud. Training is good up to a point but you seem to be trying to weigh the thing down through a weight of bureaucracy and its own self importance until it collapses. What then, no PCSOs or Police Officers on bicycles? 



Vikeonabike said:


> However as I have said before. If a police officer chasing somebody on a bike injures or kills a person during a cycle pursuit, you watch the gutter press start screaming about police officers pursuing without training!



Ultimately it's the fault of the police officer if that happened (whatever that may be). It's not the fault of the force having inadequate training (a classic way of deflecting culpability) or magic fairies or anything else. If someone cannot take that responsibility they aren't fit to be a police officer, nevermind ride a bike.


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## John the Monkey (15 Nov 2009)

There are lots of "simple" things that people need extra training in when using those things become their job though.

How much training does an officer get in the use of a baton? It's only a stick, after all.

A bike is simple. Riding it in traffic is less so. That latter task needs training at the very least - a 93 page booklet would seem to be a start and little more, given the length of Cycle Craft, as remarked previously.


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

I'm aware of how long cycle craft is. Because of that (rather than a reasoning support it) and the training on top I think a 93 page manual is too long and does not look the best thing in the world or sane use of taxpayer's money. I'm willing to indulge the police a bit, but they really don't help themselves.


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## Vikeonabike (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> I
> 
> 
> Ultimately it's the fault of the police officer if that happened (whatever that may be). *It's not the fault of the force having inadequate training* (a classic way of deflecting culpability) or magic fairies or anything else. *If someone cannot take that responsibility they aren't fit to be a police officer, nevermind ride a bike*.



It's not inadequate training, it's NO training in the case of my force!

On that basis, Police, (Ambulance or Fire crews) should not need training in response driving. After all if they cannot take the responsibility then they aren't fit to be police officers?

Honestly, riding a bike at speed in a response environment requires training. You can't just hop on a bike and ride safely. In the same way you cannot hope to drive a car safely and quickly without training. My advance driving and pursuit courses were the most stressful, mentally draining things I have ever done (all be it the most fun).

Besides this document is much more than just riding a bike. It includes public order tactic, self defence arest and restraint techniques.


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## marinyork (15 Nov 2009)

I'm afraid you're starting to look like a nominee for an apple and orange Nobel Vikeonabike. Cycling and driving are not the same thing and an argument offering up that they are the same is a poor one. It's about weighing up different factors, yes training is needed but not too much as to stop anyone cycling and I'm afraid you really do have to bear in mind how it looks to the public. 

I've never said that I am against training, what I said still stands, the police really are responsible for when they ride/drive. This was mostly to counter the annoying habit you have of defending the police as having special rights, special behaviours and being a special class of citizen that get special patronage that they alone can do whatever they want to anybody and be above the law and behave however they like. You're the same as anybody else, you kill someone on a bike, it's your fault.


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## Norm (15 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> I don't see why it shouldn't be out in the press. The idea will rise or fall on its own merits.


Are you naive enough to think that is how it works? To think that public opinion cannot be swayed by the spin that newspapers put on stories? To even believe what you read in the press?

I've only been involved in a few news items but I have seen that the papers report only the story which sells the most papers, ignoring the truth.



marinyork said:


> I'm afraid you really do have to bear in mind how it looks to the public.


Again, that is only one opinion, formed out of media hype.


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## summerdays (16 Nov 2009)

marinyork said:


> It's a bike for crying out loud. Training is good up to a point but you seem to be trying to weigh the thing down through a weight of bureaucracy and its own self importance until it collapses. What then, no PCSOs or Police Officers on bicycles?
> 
> Ultimately it's the fault of the police officer if that happened (whatever that may be). It's not the fault of the force having inadequate training (a classic way of deflecting culpability) or magic fairies or anything else. If someone cannot take that responsibility they aren't fit to be a police officer, nevermind ride a bike.



Many jobs have course that may at first seem pointless because it is obvious, but often once I've done the training its usually been informative, and given me a new perspective on something. 

I'm all for a cycling manual for the police - it should be in addition to Cyclecraft, giving the police the techniques of how to use the bike/deal with the bike in their duties. Think of how many cyclists we complain about their position on the road etc. The police are (hopefully) setting an example to other cyclists and motorists about how to cycle on the road. 

I know that some of the PCSO's around here are Bikeability trained but I haven't got any idea of whether they all undergo training or just some.


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## dellzeqq (16 Nov 2009)

the Met training is quite testing - it involves riding down flights of stairs, an accomplishment overlooked by John in his otherwise excellent book. 

And that's the point isn't it. 'Here's the bike, get on it, follow me, watch me do this, now you do it, watch out for that, look over your shoulder, sorry it weighs approximately three tonnes'...


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## Cab (16 Nov 2009)

Vikeonabike said:


> I am fully in favour of the document, I am using it to try and get my constabulary to instigate cycle training and properly equip cyclists. After all, surly a bike being ridden by a police officer is an "Emergency Vehicle" and should be marked accordingly. It also then makes sense that if officers are to "respond" to incidents then they should be afforded the same level of training as police drivers and motorcyclists?



I was talking to one of our local PCSOs a couple of months ago about the heap of crap she was riding. In my view she's an excellent PCSO, she's bright, enthusiastic, sensible, and she commands respect from the locals. Yet the bike she's allocated seems to be a clunker abandoned on the streets of Cambridge. Nasty, cheap, mountain bike.

I entirely agree that good training and adequate equipment should be seen as being essential. But I wonder how much specific advice is needed for police cyclists over and above whats already incorporated in Cyclecraft?


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## John the Monkey (16 Nov 2009)

dellzeqq said:


> the Met training is quite testing - it involves riding down flights of stairs, an accomplishment overlooked by John in his otherwise excellent book.


Which reminds me, I'm fairly sure that C+ did a feature on the training given to cycling paramedics. There seemed, to my eye, to be a fair bit to it, and they (hopefully) don't have the additional complication of chasing malefactors as a possible part of the job.


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## Vikeonabike (17 Nov 2009)

Take a look a t PSC website, in particular this video.
http://www.publicsafetycycling.org.uk/psctv.html
Give an idea of some of the training that Emergency services cyclists take part in!

Taysides Video
http://www.saddlerscottage.net/policesystems/cycle/index.html

Interview with Matt Landridge in City Cycling Mag
http://www.citycycling.co.uk/issue5/issue5page6.html


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## Vikeonabike (17 Nov 2009)

User76 said:


> That doesn't make sense, if you were about to give chase, why do the flying dismount, you'd have to get back on again!
> 
> As it was you try and do a flying dismount, fall off and smash yourself in _*or*_ you come to a serene stop jump off and collar the villain. How much time were you actually going to save by your flying dismount, 0.7 of a second maybe? Instead, you injure yourself and your town loses a copper for several weeks while you get better. If it was a scenario in a Police training test which would you pick?
> 
> Any chance the CCTV will be on Youtube



Maggot
I tried to grab the little scrote whilst still riding. If I had grabed him with my right hand it would have been the back brake I would have pulled. Therefore I would have managed a serene stop. It's all just experience.
CCTV might be on Youtube at somepoint in the future


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## Cab (18 Nov 2009)

Vikeonabike said:


> Maggot
> I tried to grab the little scrote whilst still riding. If I had grabed him with my right hand it would have been the back brake I would have pulled. Therefore I would have managed a serene stop. It's all just experience.
> CCTV might be on Youtube at somepoint in the future



Excellent, I'll look foward to seeing that footage


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## Mac66 (18 Nov 2009)

Public perception is largely formed by "red top" newspapers in my opinion. These exist solely to generate sales, rather than providing any sort of reasonably informed opinion. 

I have not read the Sun article but the "outrage" seems to revolve around a unit within the police spending a couple of grand to show the police how to ride a bike.

Now I am betting nearly all the Sun readers are thinking to themslelves "I can ride a bike so how can this cost money?" No doubt they can ride a bike the half mile to the pub and back at 5 mph on a nice sunny day. Stick them on a bike at a 3 lane entrance to a roundabout and they would $h*t themselves, but they remain blissfully ignorant of the realities of riding and the many skills it requires to keep yourself and others safe.

The police should be applauded for any effort they make to try and provide instruction/training to their officers. My only potential critisism(sp?) is whether the unit that provided the manual had any cyclists amongst its membership? I would have thought that they should have started with Cyclecraft and supplemented it with the additional requirements for cycle mounted police. Perhaps this would have been more costly though?

It is a shame that ACPO did not have the spine to challenge the story as it was portrayed.

I have taken a broad brush to readers of the Sun and no doubt there are Sun readers among us, so please be assured that I am not Sunnist. All purveyors of news have an agenda and my news is received via the ever unbiased internet!


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## Auntie Helen (1 Dec 2009)

Sorry to bring this up but someone sent me this video today - a good example of why cycle training might be useful:


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghIkrZn5gqI


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