Anyone ever see a cyclist get a ticket from a copper?

[PaulB]

I'm asking because this morning I saw a cyclist getting a ticket written out and handed over to him by a copper and there was no doubt what was happening.

I'm here at Maspalomas in Gran Canaria and was on a ride this morning trying to hold on to the back of an eight man group of Norwegian cyclists. At a roundabout on the opposite side we were cycling on, a police car was stopped and we could all see for quite some distance that two policemen were out of the car so assumed there's been an incident. As we got closer, we could see they were talking to a dejected looking cyclist who was holding on to his bike. We could all see there was no other vehicle involved and one was presenting the rider with a piece of paper we took to be something official. My natural curiosity and the direction of travel, plus the fact the cyclist may not have spoken English, prevented me from riding over and asking what was happening. For a good half mile after this, the talk was clearly about what we'd just seen even though it was all in Norwegian but prior to this, the group had been silent.

The rider had a lightweight fast bike and clad in some what was obviously his club kit but was not with any other riders.

 

[Drago]

Yes, I have. Because I was the one issuing them.

Rare though, and only because my attempt to a softer intervention was met with something like "f*** off pig", so I could be fairly certain they weren't going to take my reasonable advice on board.

 

[ColinJ]

I didn't see it happen, but on one of my spring cycling holidays on the Costa Blanca one of the faster groups was pulled over on a rural descent by the Guardia Civil and every rider not wearing a helmet was fined.

There was a lot of grumbling back at the hotel that night.

Apparently, the police (a separate organisation in Spain) rarely/never (?) applied the law in urban situations.

The law has changed since and is a bit of a joke...

 

[chriswoody]

I've been pulled over and issued a ticket by the police.

In Hannover city centre there's a pedestrian zone that runs from 10:00 to 19:00, it was 10:15 on a cold January morning and hardly a soul around, so I nipped through a small street in the pedestrian zone as a shortcut and got caught. It was basically a sting operation, loads of cyclists were getting caught, it was a €15 on the spot fine. They had a card reader in the back of the police car in case you didn't have cash on you.

Here in Germany, it's not uncommon for the Police to have periodic blitzes on the cyclists, checking things like road worthiness and general obeying of the traffic rules. Mostly it's on the spot fines, but you can have points added to your driving licence for more serious offences like drunk cycling.

 

[Drago]

Drive a tank across the border into Poland and no one bats an eyelid.

Ride a bicycle that isnt completely in ordnung and the Bundespolizei give the rider a financial rubber hosing across the soles of the feet. Nur in Deutschland.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Yes, I have. Because I was the one issuing them.

Rare though, and only because my attempt to a softer intervention was met with something like "f*** off pig", so I could be fairly certain they weren't going to take my reasonable advice on board.

Yeah - I have known a few coppers
and they all reckoned that saying "f** off pig" was an excellent way to start a game of "find the offences - all of them"

We have a great hour or so in the office one day when a big BMW was pulled up outside by a Police transit van

(I should make it clear that we were on a quite high up first floor with thick double glazed glass so we couldn't hear anything)

a "very important bloke in a suit" got out and as the copper was walking over he could be seen to have already started explaining to the copper how he was very important and should be treated with respect and allowed to go on his way - initially at some distance away

The office stood there clearly "listening" (Drago would be able to replicate the expression) and, after a while, got his pocket book out and started writing something
The other officer in the van then wandered over - listened for a short time and then went over to the car and started examining it carefully
which prompted the "very important bloke in a suit" to go over and talk to him
so the first office went over and start looking through the inside of the car

Like I say - we were watching it for about an hour laughing and making up what the people were saying

I would love to know the final list of offenses!!!


I suppose it must have been a slick week - we were very busy normally but in those days we were sometimes slack for a few days

 

[Beebo]

I’ve seen cyclists being done for jumping red lights and the park police stop cyclists in Greenwich park for speeding.

I was stopped by a police man going the wrong way down a one way street. He gave me the choice of carrying on or turning round. So I turned around and he let me off.

 

[Marchrider]

Yes, I have. Because I was the one issuing them.

Rare though, and only because my attempt to a softer intervention was met with something like "f*** off pig", so I could be fairly certain they weren't going to take my reasonable advice on board.

Failed the attitude test ?

----------------------

I was told by a copper if I didn't get off the bike I would be thrown in the cells for the night !

yes, riding back from the pub one night with no lights on (and a fair bit of beer on board) A police van come to a T junction, put his blue lights on, slowly pulled out in front of me, wound down his window and issued that warning - "Get off the bike and push it - and I'm coming back up this road in 5 minutes and if you're back on it - I'll throw you in the cells for the night"!

I think he was smiling as he said it - but I walked the rest of the way just in case

 

[fossyant]

The cops in Spain aren't happy if you aren't wearing a lid.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

The cops in Spain aren't happy if you aren't wearing a lid.

How can they see Widnes from Spain???

 

[Marchrider]

I didn't see it happen, but on one of my spring cycling holidays on the Costa Blanca one of the faster groups was pulled over on a rural descent by the Guardia Civil and every rider not wearing a helmet was fined.

There was a lot of grumbling back at the hotel that night.

Apparently, the police (a separate organisation in Spain) rarely/never (?) applied the law in urban situations.

The law has changed since and is a bit of a joke...

View attachment 764821

should it not be the other way around?

in the summer I don't bother much with a lid in the countryside, seems little point - but I like it on in the centre of Edinburgh in case I get knocked off

 

[ColinJ]

should it not be the other way around?
View attachment 764884
in the summer I don't bother much with a lid in the countryside, seems little point - but I like it on in the centre of Edinburgh in case I get knocked off

A very daft law!

I thought the same as you back then and the law is even dafter now. How old is that rider? Has (s)he crossed the city limits? How hot is it today? Just how steep is this climb? Is (s)he carrying a helmet to put on after the climb? Yes, (s)he looks a very fit rider but... professional?

 

[steveindenmark]

If you see outside news shots of Denmark in winter. You may be suprised to see that nearly all the bikes have lights. In Oct/ November time. The police have a big purge on bike lights all over Denmark. But you see it on the news where they are pulling everyone over without lights and giving them tickets in Copenhagen. People all over the country see it and battery sales soar.

 

[Drago]

The cops in Spain aren't happy.

Yep.

 

[Drago]

but I like it on in the centre of Edinburgh in case I get knocked off

Even though in the bumpf that comes with every EN1078 lid clearly states they're not designed to provide protection in a vehicular impact?

I won't venture further than stating that particular fact as it pushes things very close to the threshold for the helmet section, but seeing as you mentioned it...