Stopped by police cycling with child in childseat

tl;dr: A police officer today stopped me and told me he didn't want to see me cycling with my child again.

I am a university student. I cycle into college five (or more) days each week. The journey is about 3.6miles.

On my way to/from university, I have to drop off/pick up my two-year-old daughter. The distance from our child minder to our house is a mere 0.8miles. We both wear helmets (EN1078 compliant) and her childseat is a fairly standard rear-mounted recliner, which is compliant with EN14344. I always make sure that I cycle down a route with very few right-turns. Just one right turn is needed on the way. I don't go through red lights, etc, etc.

I travel with a rucksack containing my laptop and bike-fixing equipment (there is plenty of clearance between the bag and child) and for the 0.8mile journey I also carry an over-the-shoulder changing bag (like this). Given today's hot weather, I'd responsibly covered her in suncream and taken a sunhat, which I attached to the back of her bike seat with elastic bands.

This morning (at approximately 10:20) I was cycling in a cycle lane about 100 yards from my destination. A 4x4 police traffic car was crawling alongside. I believed he was trying to pass, and continued in the cycle lane (pretty much gutter cycling) and slowed down. He then started beeping, and I turned to see the officer driving pointing towards the pavement. I pulled over and he overtook and came to a halt... at first I was wondering if I had done something stupid, like hadn't given way when turning left at the mini-roundabout or gone through a zebra crossing.

The officer asked where I was going. I told him. He said that I was putting my daughter's life "at risk" and that he didn't want to see me cycling with her again. He told me that I was "carrying too much weight" on the bike, presumably due to the rucksack and changing bag (although I presume that her little sunhat strapped to the back drew attention and made the bike look overladen). He also said that I "didn't know what was going on" around me, backing this claim up by the difficulty he had in stopping me (due to the fact I thought he was trying to overtake). He also said that the seat (safety standard compliant and fitted securely) was bouncing around.

He concluded by telling me that I should proceed on foot to my destination, that he didn't mind if I wanted to put my life at risk but not my daughter's and made some threat about what he would do if he caught me cycling with her again - although I missed the end of his sentence as he started to mumble a bit, possibly because he didn't have much in mind. I've since found an article on The Telegraph website about a father who was fined for carrying a child on a bike last year, despite the seat being approved to British safety standards and correctly fitted.

I'm not entirely sure what to do now. I didn't get any of his details, and nor was I in the mood to have any kind of confrontation with him. Surely this kind of "advice" goes against the current drive to get families out of cars and onto bikes?

If it happens again get his police number and ask him exactly what law you are breaking (politely)?

^this, in fact, if you have his number report it today. They work for you.

How condescending and unhelpful of him. Carry on and next time they stop take their details and do as above.

It's none of his business.

I'd visit the local cop shop and make a complaint, or at least go in to find out what this guy was talking about.

If he stops you again ask explicitly why you're being stopped. Just being stopped because of something he reckons is not enough. If there is a law you're breaking, ask what law, how and why.

Personally it feels like an instance of that bigotry that people have against cyclists. You're cycling in exactly the same way as millions of Dutch and Danish people who would laugh at being stopped by a cop like that.

Wanted: One small child and child seat for police baiting experiments.

Anyone?

Wanted: One small child and child seat for police baiting experiments.

Anyone?

You can be the small child, surely?

Child, sure but I fail at the 'small'.

Child, sure but I fail at the 'small'.

Good point.

I have forwarded a slightly more detailed version of my account to the Cycle Task Force and our local campus bobby, so hopefully I can get some more clarification on this.

Remember seeing this almost every day in Delhi, generally only dad had helmet on (if that). Don't see what possible legal recourse they could have, tell them to take it up with the manufacturer of the seat....

I've since found an article on The Telegraph website about a father who was fined for carrying a child on a bike last year, despite the seat being approved to British safety standards and correctly fitted.

Whatever that is taped to the top tube doesn't look like something that might comply with any safety standards. Seems the police were spot on, unlike your unfortunate situation in which they appear to have been a bit of a bell end.

Hope it gets sorted out and you're both back on the bike asap.

Whatever that is taped to the top tube doesn't look like something that might comply with any safety standards. Hope it gets sorted out and you're both back on the bike asap.

Look past the pictures...

"In this case Murtza had bought the seat from Halfords and attached it to the bike with bolts, before wrapping it in duct tape to make sure it was secure.
A Halford’s spokesman confirmed that some of its seats were designed to fit to the crossbar and that instructions were provided.
The spokesman added: “All Halfords child bicycle seats are approved to the European Safety Standard EN14344.”"

"“The most important thing is that it is a proper seat that has been fitted properly."

Looks to me like he bought a saddle and attached it to the top tube. Don't child seats usually have something to stop the kid's little legs flailing all over the place.

The satement from Halfords is meaningless. He says some of their seats are designed to fit the crossbar, but isn't referring to this one in particular.

Yeah, I'm not entirely convinced about that story either. It doesn't look like it has a back, either..

This manner of public service reminds me of 'GET-IN-THE-BACK-OF-THE-VAN!!!!'

That photo sure does look like a tiny saddle duct taped to the top tube, especially the lack of footrest (or could not be bothered to install those).

generally bicycle seat look like this;

I would seriously complain. If you were not breaking any laws then surely he had no right to stop you from cycling.

I would have been fuming ! Infact where was this and what did he look like ? Grrrr

4x4 ? = British transport police ?

I think the 4x4s are generally just Met Police traffic cars (had cones in the back). I'm not entirely sure if they are even linked to local police stations?

Looks like the child has the helmet on the wrong way around too ! Not the best example there..........

I think the 4x4s are generally just Met Police traffic cars (had cones in the back). I'm not entirely sure if they are even linked to local police stations?

Yeh maybe traffic unit. Where did this happen ?

Definitely complain. My wife is a nanny, and regularly rides a tandem with a four year old stoking and a baby in the rear seat. All to standard and approved. If the Police are trying to crack down on something which isn't illegal, and which they clearly know sod all about, then they're wasting a very limited resource.

Definitely complain.

Where were you?

My mum used to ride around Cambridge, and then Winchester, with me sat on a seat exactly like this, I'd hold onto the middle of the handlebars.

The picture above has little hoops for feet- my mums version just had a cross bar that I put my feet on.