A policeman stopped a cycling ride

[GrumpyGregry]

As I read the OP, the local law limits cycling to 2 abreast, but these guys were more than that as they filtered back into formation after traffic lights
No biggy in the scheme of things but technically wrong by local law. The cop appears to have been aware of this law hence stopping them to discuss the matter & fair play to him for not being an a**e about it but just reminding the riders of their civic duty and letting it go.

Fair point.

Except in my view he was being an a**e, with nothing better to do, about it by pulling them over to remind them of their civic duty. If two Georgian cyclists stop at lights and a third rider pulls up along side them are the first two guilty of a crime? Do they draw lots to decide who can and can't ride off when the lights change. If the two form a side-by-side breakaway is the faster third rider prohibited from overtaking them because for a moment they will be three abreast?

 

[GrumpyGregry]

If we are talking about the situation the OP posted, then the police should be aware of that law, as it appears in the Highway code. I was a police officer and cannot think of any regular cycling laws that they should not be aware of. There may be something obscure that I wouldn't know but I cannot think of one at the moment.

If the OP situation happened in the UK...

Riding three or more abreast is not against the law in the UK. The piece about two abreast is an HC 'should' and therefore advisory only. Up there with keeping both hands on the handlebars.

 

[User33236]

Or what about and advanced stop line which spreads across the width of the road.

I believe this is a quiet one in that there London

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Fair point.

Except in my view he was being an a**e, with nothing better to do, about it by pulling them over to remind them of their civic duty. If two Georgian cyclists stop at lights and a third rider pulls up along side them are the first two guilty of a crime? Do they draw lots to decide who can and can't ride off when the lights change. If the two form a side-by-side breakaway is the faster third rider prohibited from overtaking them because for a moment they will be three abreast?

Ifs and buts and near blink & miss them suggestions you put forward. The OP states it took awhile to sort themselves out.

Surmising the cop watched them for a bit, felt they'd had enough time to sort out and did the blue light thing, then realised that he'd been hasty and nothing bad happened.

Or maybe he was an arse but still nothing bad happened, who really knows?