The long arm of the plod.....

Managed to get pulled this morning for slinking over the pedestranised walk bit (over a red) and then for hovering waiting for a break in the traffic. This was coming up to Trafalgar Square from Whitehall. I have been stopped a couple of times around Whitehall (they have guns, and are a bit thick. I have a beard and a tan and have spent a lot of time in the Middle East. I am however not Brazilian but I doubt they would ask) This was the first time that I have had a full name check and the “ are you known to us” chat and was threatened with ‘being charged’…every other occasion has been a “we understand why you do it sir” and has been good natured.

Charged with what exactly? If it is a offence what is the worse that they can do?
And if any one knows for sure if you have to give them your name that would be appreciated…

(Have posted this on Moving Target as well )

Mat Sinclair I have a beard and a tan

That's good enough for me, 10 years, no parole.

If you cross a solid white line on red, wich you would have done to cross over the ped area they can give you a fixed penalty notice.

Or a full body cavity search.

I have one pinned on my desk.

edit: a fixed penalty notice I mean. not a full body cavity search.

leeww [quote]Mat Sinclair I have a beard and a tan

That's good enough for me, 10 years, no parole.[/quote]

very good leeww!!!
Brick has is right, you musnt cross that line, pay attention to the cabbies, bus-drivers, white-vanos that set a good example to us all.......havin only just converted to fixed, I now appreciate that stopping at that line is an acquired skill that will take some time to master.

BTW - how much is your FPN Tommy ?

my mate got a £30 fpn for jumping a red the other day. he said he would refuse to pay so they offered to arrest him. he relented

Exactly

it's a £30 fine, i had one myself a few years back

Yeah 30 quid. I was unlucky becasue the bloke chased me for a km (without me realising, I did not want to be on police camera action) and I stoped to chill at a snarl up, he said the week before they where running a schem where they would 'reeducate' people in a short workshop but the week they got me was back to fines.

Had some experience with this. Conclusion: DON'T STOP FOR THEM.

or go just the right speed for the csu officer to think he has a chance. speed up slow down speed up. haha.

So is the FPN something that is on record? Ie if you get your collar fondled for, say, trying to off load crack outside the local primary school and they do you a shout out name check, will the officer smile smugly when it becomes apparent you have form and make the obvious connection between underage pipe smokers and red light you jumped 5 years ago?

Also if they arrest you on what basis would it be on...Has any one been arrested/had there bike held over night in a dark cold cell with no blankets and unable to make its one rightfull call?

I got searched on the street when I dared question a copper who wrongly accused me of going one way down a one way street, he said he 'd throw the book at me (I'd really pissed him off) "what book?" I asked....he didn't really have a response to that a £30 fine is about it unless you assault them, don't even mention car ownership or driving licenses or car drivers as you can get points on your license for offences committed on a bike (dangerous driving, due care and attention, intoxicated)

Screamed like a nutter at two motorbike coppers who nearly knocked me off as they swooped illegally right at me into the bike lane I was in....they pulled me over and gave me the hard-man routine saying they'd have my job! I gave them my boss's phone number which one of them called immediately....I answered my phone and shouted "I'm self employed you idiot".

they pulled me over and gave me the hard-man routine saying they'd have my job! I gave them my boss's phone number which one of them called immediately....I answered my phone and shouted "I'm self employed you idiot".

absolute genius!

hahah

make him work for his money ha ha

@ Winston.

That's the funniest thing I've heard all day. Thanks for the laugh!

That's ace winston!
But how long were you caged and beaten for saying it? :)

winston ... don't even mention car ownership or driving licenses or car drivers as you can get points on your license for offences committed on a bike (dangerous driving, due care and attention, intoxicated)...

'fraid not, cycling offences have their own set of rules which are completely separate from car ownership - a driving licence relates to your ability to drive, not your ability to cycle.

I contacted the police about this very point after someone else told me the same thing, this is the response I got.

bloody urban myths and stupid pub-talk!

If only I'd've known that for the last eight years!

winston bloody urban myths and stupid pub-talk!

If only I'd've known that for the last eight years!

Hehehehehehehe!

Now, y'know the tooth fairy.....?

I'm pretty certain you can be done for riding whilst pissed.

The worst of it is, there is no prescribed blood alc level for cyclists.

Seems it rests on the "judgement" of the woodentop that stops you. And on this judgement, you could get hit with a £1000 fine.

How this would stand up in Court I'll never know.

And I hope I don't find out!

You could in Oz. It wasn't "driving under the influence" it was something like "not in proper control of a vehicle". You could get done for being drunk on roller skates!
So it was up to the copper to judge you - perhaps it did require a breatho? Not sure. I always loved riding drunk past the Booze Buses on the way home from work..

Jackolas Had some experience with this. Conclusion: DON'T STOP FOR THEM.

Same, words to live by.
It is only Motorbike cops you have to look out for, the rest can be dumped easy.

kowalski I'm pretty certain you can be done for riding whilst pissed.

The worst of it is, there is no prescribed blood alc level for cyclists.

Seems it rests on the "judgement" of the woodentop that stops you. And on this judgement, you could get hit with a £1000 fine.

How this would stand up in Court I'll never know.

And I hope I don't find out!

I got done a month or so ago for riding drunk.
I wasn't actually terribly pissed, although I did have a lot of booze in the system.
I'm sure they just picked me up because a) it was in the City, where the cops have bugger-all to do after about midnight and b) you can be fairly sure that there's a good chance somebody cycling in the wee hours in London has had a drink or two [well, perhaps not, but still].
They claimed I was cycling erratically, but I don't think this was true.
Anyhow, I was very co-operative etc but still (and I guess they just needed to have a certain tally of arrests etc) I was breathalysed and taken down to the nick.
As pointed out, alcohol levels are irrelevant, but still.
"For my own good" they put me in a cell for a few hours, since they had "a duty of care" etc, etc, and would have been liable if I'd got hit by a car or something walking home, apparently.
If they'd charged me it would have been a "my word v their word" thing as to whether I was drunk.
They gave me a FPN, which I only accepted on the basis that it's not something that sticks. A fifty pound fine, but not for drunk cycling but rather for "being drunk in public" which is contrary to the Licensing Act of 18-something or other.

Mat Sinclair So is the FPN something that is on record?

As I say, apparently not.
I'll be making a Data Protection Act request of the police to check that this is the case. A civil suit will result if not... :)

that sounds fucking well dodge..

Interesting that 1750 got breathalised.

You don't get breathalised for being pissed in public I'm sure.

Else plod would just stand outside the pub, tool in hand.

kowalski Interesting that 1750 got breathalised.
You don't get breathalised for being pissed in public I'm sure.
Else plod would just stand outside the pub, tool in hand.

Indeed. But it's just one way in which the police can do you for more or less anything if they're bored or just fancy - one reason I'm always super-polite to them if I ever have dealings with them.