# Police Cycling on Pavements



## BSA (4 Nov 2008)

I live and work in Sheffield and a few times I have noticed police officers on Specialzed bikes riding along side each other on pavements. 

Are they allowed to do this? Surely it is illegal to ride on pavements. 

If it legal for the police surely it sets a bad example to everyone else.


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## Sh4rkyBloke (4 Nov 2008)

Unless they are on a designated cycle path it is illegal.


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## Twenty Inch (4 Nov 2008)

Sh4rkyBloke said:


> Unless they are on a designated cycle path it is illegal.



Not quite. It is permitted to ride safely and slowly along the pavement if you are intimidated by the traffic. The coppers obviously are, bless them.


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## Rhythm Thief (4 Nov 2008)

I have less of a problem with them riding on the pavement than I do with them wobbling about in the gutter, riding on the wrong side of the road and shooting out of junctions in front of my lorry. To be fair, this behaviour is by no means restricted to the police, but it is especially galling from them.


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## Bodhbh (5 Nov 2008)

Noticed a couple of coppers MTBing at speed along the grand union canal the other day. Nice work if you can get it.


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## mickle (5 Nov 2008)

I met a couple of firemen on brand new fire service bikes the other day in Southampton. What use is a bicycle to a fireman? They did have water bottle cages on their frames...


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## sheddy (5 Nov 2008)

To allow them to get to the Fire Station ? 
Much faster than driving (as we all know)


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## Twenty Inch (5 Nov 2008)

mickle said:


> I met a couple of firemen on brand new fire service bikes the other day in Southampton. What use is a bicycle to a fireman? They did have water bottle cages on their frames...




Were they wearing helmets??


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## Vikeonabike (6 Nov 2008)

Ah, my favourite subject. 
No one is exempt from the law!!!
However I ride mine on pavements and I will justify this. If I am going to an emergency call I will use the most direct route from A-B. If this means pavements then so be it! The patch I patrol is criss crossed by various paths and I can crossit in less than 5 minutes cutting across. However if I use the roads then I will double my time getting to my destination.
If I stick to the roads on normal patrol, I cannot possibly cover my whole patch or get a good look at what is going on. Basically Police Officers riding on footpaths to achieve thier patrol aims is justifiable.
Will I give a ticket to sombody for riding on a pavement, probably not. Will I give them a ticket for riding on the pavement no handed, whilst texting. Oh Yes! (or knock them off for inconsiderate cycling).
And to finish.

On 1st August 1999, new legislation came into force to allow a fixed penalty notice to be served on anyone who is guilty of cycling on a footway. However the Home Office issued guidance on how the new legislation should be applied, indicating that they should only be used where a cyclist is riding in a manner that may endanger others. At the time *Home Office Minister Paul Boateng issued a letter stating that*: 

"The introduction of the fixed penalty is not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of traffic and who show consideration to other pavement users when doing so. Chief police officers, who are responsible for enforcement, acknowledge that many cyclists, particularly children and young people, are afraid to cycle on the road, sensitivity and careful use of police discretion is required." 

Almost identical advice has since been issued by the Home Office with regards the use of fixed penalty notices by 'Community Support Officers' and wardens. 

"CSOs and accredited persons will be accountable in the same way as police officers. They will be under the direction and control of the chief officer, supervised on a daily basis by the local community beat officer and will be subject to the same police complaints system. The Government have included provision in the Anti Social Behaviour Bill to enable CSOs and accredited persons to stop those cycling irresponsibly on the pavement in order to issue a fixed penalty notice. 

I should stress that the issue is about inconsiderate cycling on the pavements. The new provisions are not aimed at responsible cyclists who sometimes feel obliged to use the pavement out of fear of the traffic, and who show consideration to other road users when doing so. Chief officers recognise that the fixed penalty needs to be used with a considerable degree of discretion and it cannot be issued to anyone under the age of 16. (Letter to Mr H. Peel from John Crozier of The Home Office, reference T5080/4, 23 February 2004)


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## BSA (6 Nov 2008)

Thanks "Vikeonabike" thats exactly the sort of answer I was looking for. It certainly clears up a lot of rumours about the law.

I'm certainly not against police using the pavements just wondered how it was being viewed from the publics perspective.

Are you a police cyclist?


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## Sh4rkyBloke (6 Nov 2008)

Hmmm... I suspect when people see Plod on a bike on the pavement it's next to a perfectly good road and not, as you suggest, a cross-way which cuts out travelling time... 

I've seen them without lights on the pavement too... one rule for one it seems!


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## wafflycat (6 Nov 2008)

Everytime I've seen a plod cycling on a footpath, he's not been in any rush, so I am doubtful he's been in a rush to arrest a felon...


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## Vikeonabike (6 Nov 2008)

BSA said:


> Thanks "Vikeonabike" thats exactly the sort of answer I was looking for. It certainly clears up a lot of rumours about the law.





BSA said:


> I'm certainly not against police using the pavements just wondered how it was being viewed from the publics perspective.
> 
> Are you a police cyclist?


I am, indeed. I spend 80% of my time on patrol on my bike!



Sh4rkyBloke;464010]Hmmm... I suspect when people see Plod on a bike on the pavement it said:


> Sh4rkyBloke' said:
> 
> 
> > I've seen them without lights on the pavement too... one rule for one it seems!
> ...


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## gbb (7 Nov 2008)

BSA said:


> Thanks "Vikeonabike" thats exactly the sort of answer I was looking for. It certainly clears up a lot of rumours about the law.
> 
> I'm certainly not against police using the pavements just wondered how it was being viewed from the publics perspective.
> 
> Are you a police cyclist?



Is it a modern urban area BSA ?
I ask because many areas in Peterborough are 'new town' type estates, interlaced with a myriad of cyclepaths..and sometimes (quite often actually) it's difficult to know whether you're on a cyclepath..or a footpath.

The Police here are quite often seen in such areas. (NOT on the footpaths in the city centre...just these urban areas). No-one seems to mind....no-ones ever said anything to me either.
Cycling on a footpath in the city centre seems a definate no no...but once outside, it seems a different matter.


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## Sh4rkyBloke (7 Nov 2008)

Vikeonabike said:


> Sh4rkyBloke, you may well be right. I admit i will use the pavement next to a perfectly suitable road for a number of different reasons. It may be that I am slowly pedalling through an area looking for someone or something. I may just be being nosey and checking out the gardens in a local neighbourhood for something that looks out of place.


Sorry - let me qualify further... the ones I've seen are generally riding at a reasonable pace, without lights and chatting to each other. They are paying scant attention to gardens, and even less to the path they are cycling on.

I've substantially less problem with a Police Officer doing what you describe - in fact it should be applauded... (but wouldn't walking the bike be just as effective for this?) as long as they are also paying attention to the users of the pavement too!!


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## BSA (7 Nov 2008)

> Is it a modern urban area BSA ?



I have seen them in several areas of Sheffield, they are definitely not cycle paths. 

I have no problem with the police using the footpaths and I thinks its great to see them on bikes, I was just confused as to how it worked with the law.

I am pleased that the police are given the power to use their common sense when it comes to riding on pavements. I for one would hate to see children been forced to ride on the roads.


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## Twenty Inch (7 Nov 2008)

And how come they can use those blue flashing lights but the rest of us can't? Answer me that! Seems there's one law for them, another for us...


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## Vikeonabike (7 Nov 2008)

Twenty Inch said:


> And how come they can use those blue flashing lights but the rest of us can't? Answer me that! Seems there's one law for them, another for us...



20"


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## Vikeonabike (7 Nov 2008)

Gbb,
I work Westwood and Ravensthorpe, I very rarely get complaints (had one so far), most people seem to be happy just to see us about!


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## Riding in Circles (7 Nov 2008)

Police are allowed to cycle on the pavement because they are exempt from the law. At least they act like it.


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## Vikeonabike (7 Nov 2008)

Catrike UK said:


> Police are allowed to cycle on the pavement because they are exempt from the law. At least they act like it.


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## Vikeonabike (8 Nov 2008)

> As a reassuring presence, it's good. Until you see CPSO written on his back.



Police Community Support Officers. A very contentious issue, even in the job.
How useful they are very much depends on where you live. For example, in West Mids they have the standard powers to give out tickets for minor offences. They really are just bods out on the street making it look as if you have more Police on the beat.
However in Cambridgeshire they have been trained to raise the paper work for minor crimes and take statements for those crimes. This takes a lot of pressure off officers allowing them to deal with the sharp end. Although tehy (PCSO's) cannot make arrests, they can be left to do many other jobs. For instance if we get a shoplifter, I now only have to beconcerned with the arrest and interview process, leaving a PCSO to raise the crime and, take statements and sieze CCTV etc. As a nieghbourhood patrol officer my PCSO's are invaluable.
But that is just Cambridgeshire and I cannot vouch for other forces!


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## Vikeonabike (9 Nov 2008)

The ones that I work with on my patch have a good relationship with the locla kids, better than me in most cases and that may be beacause of thier limited powers. They also tend to have a better relationship with all otther groups as they have time annd stop and talk to people, gain thier trust and pick up the intelligence we need to get results. For some sections of society it may be that they can feel mor comfortable talking to a PCSO rather than a warranted officer. I crtainly couldn't do my job with out them. 
However if anyone meets them tell them thier Bloody useless and bone idle, don't want them knowing they're indespensible do we!


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## gbb (9 Nov 2008)

Vikeonabike said:


> Gbb,
> I work Westwood and Ravensthorpe, I very rarely get complaints (had one so far), most people seem to be happy just to see us about!



Welcome Vike....
That reminds me of a funny thing i saw the other week...i was parked in my car waiting for someone....just idly watching folk at the Westwood shopping centre one late evening.
Two young lads (16 to 18 maybe) were idling around and chatting with beer cans in their hands.
Two PCSO's or Police came along on their bikes and started chatting with them. One of the officers plucked a beer can off one of the lads and rode to a bin and dumped it in it. 

Along came another lad to see the first two old boys...can in hand. Officer rode up behind him, plucked the can from his hand...and rode to the bin and dumped it  The youth didnt even have chance to say anything 

No-one seemed to get agitated...they just accepted it and carried on chatting with the officers (or so it seemed from my car)


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## Vikeonabike (10 Nov 2008)

gbb said:


> Welcome Vike....
> That reminds me of a funny thing i saw the other week...i was parked in my car waiting for someone....just idly watching folk at the Westwood shopping centre one late evening.
> Two young lads (16 to 18 maybe) were idling around and chatting with beer cans in their hands.
> Two PCSO's or Police came along on their bikes and started chatting with them. One of the officers plucked a beer can off one of the lads and rode to a bin and dumped it in it.
> ...



We have a fairly good raport with the local youths. They know our rules, they will try and push the envelope now and again but generally don't get arsey with us. 
One of those Officers, didn't happen to have a beard and look remarkably like a Viking did he?

Next time you see me pop over and say hello!


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## gbb (12 Nov 2008)

Vikeonabike said:


> We have a fairly good raport with the local youths. They know our rules, they will try and push the envelope now and again but generally don't get arsey with us.
> One of those Officers, didn't happen to have a beard and look remarkably like a Viking did he?
> 
> Next time you see me pop over and say hello!



Crikey...was it you ???
Dont often get over that side of town, but be sure if i do see you...i will


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## Vikeonabike (14 Nov 2008)

gbb said:


> Crikey...was it you ???
> Dont often get over that side of town, but be sure if i do see you...i will




More than likely me an one of my PCSO's...
However I get about a bit so if you see a cop with a beard on a bike in P'Boro' it is going to be me!


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