Incidents and outcomes

[magnatom]

First off, cycling is incredibly safe! You are more likely to be killed walking than cycling (per unit distance). However, incidents do happen and sometimes they need to get reported. It would seem that the way that the police and the CPS (PF in Scotland) treat incidents seems to vary significantly from area to area (and over time!). So I just wanted to collect information about incidents you have reported and what the outcome was.

So how about following this format.

Incident Description:

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)

What action did the police take:

What action did the CPS (PF) take:

What action did the court take:

Any other comments:


Try and keep this thread clean by keeping it to the incidents and outcomes. Not too much waffle please!

 

[magnatom]

Incident Description: On a frosty morning, I entered a roundabout at about 15mph. There was no other traffic on the roundabout. As I approached the next entrance a oil tanker pulled out right in front of me forcing an emergency brake from me, leaving me centimetres from being wiped out. The oil tanker kept on driving as if nothing had happened.

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fqACT1jNV0[/media]


Google map: Here

What action did the police take: They eventually decided to charge the driver with dangerous driving.

What action did the CPS (PF) take: They decided not to proceed with the case due to 'Insufficient Evidence'

What action did the court take: N/A

Any other comments (i.e. link to the original thread) The original thread is here.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Incident Description:
Car deliberately drove into me after I rapped on the window when it was drifting towards me in traffic.

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc):
No video, but four independent witnesses.

What action did the police take:
Arrested the driver and charged her with common assault and leaving the scene of an accident.

What action did the CPS (PF) take:
Prosecuted her for both offences.

What action did the court take:
Case adjourned after the defendant sacked her barrister on the day. New hearing date just before Christmas.

 

[fossyant]

Incident

Driver was agressive, revving engine, then chased me and tried to run ne off road.

Police took seriously, spoke to driver, no other evidence, so dropped. Incident logged against car. Car had previous. Driver had collar felt, and any more incidents won't do him much good.

 

[boydj]

Incident : driver ran me off the road after I had complained about him cutting me up previously by chapping on his window when stopped at lights.

Reported to police with reg at the time (incident was 200 yards from the police station). Driver also reported the incident a couple of hours later.

Police took a statement from me and interviewed the driver under caution. No further action - conflicting accounts and no other witnesses.

 

[Rochenko]

Description
Car overtook me whilst approaching crossroads to turn left, with about 6 inches room between my right pedal and the car, before left-hooking me. I swerved to avoid impact. Soon caught up with car at pedestrian crossing on red. Drew level with it on the left just as it moved off. Driver then drove car at me, steering sharply left, whilst looking at me through window on passenger side.

Location
Park Place, Cardiff

What action did the police take
Incident (and registration of car) logged, then took a fortnight to respond further. Friendly local PC (cyclist) told me the driver was known to them and lived outside Cardiff (Aberdare). The incident was referred to another PC in Aberdare (cyclist and motorcyclist), who phoned me to confirm that the driver was known to the local force, and had been cautioned before for similar behaviour. He told me that, although there was not enough evidence to prosecute, but he would be speaking to the driver and the incident would be recorded against the car.

What action did the CPS take:
N/A

What action did the court take
N/A

Any other comments
N/A

 

[thomas]

SORRY ABOUT FORMATTING...FORUM REALLY MUCKED UP with the layout.

FIRST:


Incident Description:




I was slow pulling away at traffic lights (New to Norwich, on a 'hill', in too high a gear) and a bus driver behind gets impatient so just goes for it. Nearly runs into the back of me, misses by about a foot. I slap the bus, he stops, I carry on down the road. Bit of mouthing off at each other.


Any other information: Pre camera, but second to final straw.




It was coming out of here from the bus bit (which streetview car couldn't go down) and turning into the camera (so right out of junction).
http://maps.google.c...,46.64,,0,13.11


What action did the police take:




I think the Police officer phoned the bus company and asked them to deal with it and to phone me if they felt it relevant. I didn't get a phone call. After a bit of chasing the bus company they sent a fob off email.


What action did the CPS (PF) take:




n/a


What action did the court take:




n/a


Any other comments:




Complete fob off. The Police officer should at the very least have spoken to the driver, rather than asked the company to deal with it. The company also acted very poorly and I wouldn't touch Anglian Buses (it helps that I don't need to use them tbh).








SECOND:








Incident Description:




Tailgating by driver, wasn't too impressed. Told the local PCSO as I went past (a few moments later)


Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)




was on video, but you can't show tailgating with a forward facing camera...or at least not with an atc2000


What action did the police take:




spoke to driver


What action did the CPS (PF) take:


What action did the court take:


Any other comments:






I wasn't too impressed with the attitude of the PCSO so made a bit of a complaint about him. I can't remember what he said in his email regarding it. Probably was being a bit unreasonable looking back. Anyway, made a more proper statement and the actual police officer sort of made subtle reference to the guy being a bit useless. Anyway, never heard anything from it and just sort gave up as it wasn't worth pursing.








THIRD:




Incident Description:




Watch video basically, terrible and quite threatening driving.


Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)




[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNTd5EI6s8M[/media]



What action did the police take:




Watched video and admitted the driving was bad. The numberplate wasn't fully visible, and the few that we did try didn't match the car or didn't match the colour of the car. Obviously, can't really do much if you can't identify the car so it was left unless I had or gained any more information.


What action did the CPS (PF) take:


What action did the court take:


Any other comments:




Was happy, shame you couldn't make the numberplate out on the film (both visually, or from my voice). Little unsure of what would of actually happened had you been able to, but not worth trying to guess.

 

[BSRU]

Incident Description:
On the 13th of April 2010 while riding along Wotton Bassett Road in Swindon at around lunchtime, I was overtaken very closely by a lorry, which swerved out violently to get past me, forcing an on coming moped rider to move of his way. He then violently swerved back and actually hit the kerb.

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVGSFpB9c90[/media]


What action did the police take:
The Sergeant in charge of the local traffic unit visited my house and informed me that unless a collision occurred they would not be interested in any complaints about bad driving even if corroborated by video evidence.
What action did the CPS (PF) take:
N/A
What action did the court take:
N/A
Any other comments:
Did not follow correct reporting procedure, just copied video on a cd and sent it to the Police traffic unit with an accompanying letter.
The correct procedure for Wiltshire Police is, first should call non-emergency number to report it plus obtain a reference number. Then they would send me an official report form to fill in and send back.

 

[BSRU]

Incident Description:
On the 3rd of June 2010, while riding along Faringdon Road Swindon at about lunchtime I had the driver of a licensed taxi decide to move into the road space I already occupied by using his car to bully me out of the way, despite knowing I was there.
Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxrnORI98Ug[/media]

What action did the police take:
Received a letter stating no further action would be taken, that is filed away and just another statistic.
What action did the CPS (PF) take:
N/A
What action did the court take:
N/A
Any other comments:
I followed the official Police procedure to make my complaint, phone them first then filed in a form sent by them.
Now it does not appear too bad on video but I remember it was quite scary when it happened.

 

[BSRU]

Incident Description:
On the 16th of September 2010, riding along Penzance Drive towards Wotton Bassett Road in Swindon at about 7:50am, as I came parallel with a side street, Padstow Road, a driver decides to pull out into the space I occupied then lurch to the left causing me to brake as hard as possible to avoid contact.
Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)
[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SakRYMLN9DU[/media]


What action did the police take:
Cautioned for careless driving.
What action did the CPS (PF) take:
N/A
What action did the court take:
N/A
Any other comments:
No excuse for not seeing me as I had two Magicshine lights and two flashers on, the driver had a clear and long view of me.

 

[boydj]

Incident #2 :

Hit side of vehicle at speed. Vehicle turned right from oncoming lane after being flashed by car in lane 2. 'Flasher' was one of several vehicles overtaking me, riding in the middle of lane 1, and slowed to let the other car turn.


Police interviewed driver at the time and decided NFA - not sure why, but the fact he had been flashed was considered a mitigating fact. One solid witness was a police civilian worker in the car behind the one which 'flashed' (and did not hang about). Driver's insurance paid out with no quibble, thanks to the witness, so the Police had enough evidence to charge the driver had they so decided.

 

[magnatom]

This is all good guys. The more I can get the better. It's all good, but anyone who has video footage as well, make sure you add it.

 

[Number14]

Incident Description: Sat 5 Jun at approx 1630hr going home northbound on the A32 out of Gosport. Doing about 20mph when van pulls out of junction as I get to it. Van moves towards kerb as I go down nearside, too dangerous to go on offside, and I tap the van to let him know I'm there and the gap is closing. Several hundred yards of inconsiderate driving and "conversation" take place before he lobs a juice bottle at me and drives off.

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94vzorR8fFM[/media]


Google map: A32 north

What action did the police take: Civilian desk officer not too interested because there was no witness until she was informed that the incident was on video. Local PC came round to take a statement a few days later and came back with his probationer to take a full statement (at 10pm on a Friday night). Two hours and 6 pages later, police left. Driver interviewed and charged for assault and given a police caution.

What action did the CPS (PF) take: Driver prosecuted for drivng without due care and attention.

What action did the court take: 5 points on his licence, £175 fine, £35 costs and £15 victim fund. Also cost him a day off work to attend court.

Any other comments: Excellent service from local bobby who initially dealt with the incident. His probationer kept me informed with what was happening through the case. Excellent service from Hampshire Constabulary.

 

[Amanda P]

That particular tale probably needs a thread of its own.

EDIT: New thread created to discuss the above further.

Meanwhile:

Incident Description: I was cycling along a straight, unobstructed stretch of rural road, having just left a 40mph zone. It was dark, there was ice and compacted snow on the road, although this was mainly confined to the edges, the road having been recently ploughed and gritted. My wife was coming to meet me, also by bike. As I approached her, a car coming up behind failed to either overtake me (possibly because of her presence on the other side of the road) or to slow sufficiently behind me, and so hit me firmly from behind. I was knocked off the bike and fell to the floor. The car stopped just in time to avoid the nearside front wheel running over my head.

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)

What action did the police take: I had no ready means to take notes, so in the presence of the driver and her passenger, and my wife, phoned the police non-emergency number, intending to have all this information taken down that way. The officer on the phone firmly refused to take any details or give me an incident number, because no-one had been hurt badly enough.

Some weeks later, I called the non-emergency number again, asking to report the incident and get a number for it. This time, I spoke to a traffic officer who clearly felt that the incident should have been logged and that an officer should have been sent to the scene. He undertook to interview the driver himself, to take a statement from me, and to investigate why no action was taken at the time of the incident. He did all of these things, but eventually reported that the police would be taking no further action.

What action did the CPS (PF) take:

What action did the court take:

Any other comments:

 

[ohnovino]

Incident Description:
Mid morning on a weekday this summer, riding along a quiet road with a pinch point up ahead. Hear the car behind me slow down, have a quick look back and see he's matched my speed so I assume he's being very polite and waiting to overtake. Then he speeds up, pulls alongside and the passenger reaches out and hits me. Car speeds off, I contemplate chasing him down but the road's empty and there's no way I'm catching him. So instead I pull over and use the voice recorder on my phone to note down every piece of info I can think of (location, time, car details, description of all occupants of the car and a statement of what happened).

Any other information: (i.e. post the link to the video, google map etc)
No camera, hence...

What action did the police take:
Nothing really. When I got home I went to my local nick to make a statement, but I already knew there'd be nothing they could do as I had no corroborative evidence whatsoever (and hadn't been injured at all). They took all the details and said something about how they could be logged for intelligence purposes. I was impressed with the attitude of the lady who dealt with me at the police station. She seemed both genuinely sympathetic and also regretful that there wasn't much they could do.

Any other comments:
The police made it clear that they wanted to hear about these incidents, even if they lacked the evidence to act on them. A while ago there was a spate of attacks on cyclists in one particular area, and once the police heard about them they mounted high-profile patrols and stamped it out immediately.