Police spotting (junction watch)

Saying to no to calls for mandatory helmet-wearing was actually a sensible decision by Boris. Credit where it's due.

Also what hippy said

saw a chap with a bike being walked over wandsworth bridge by a stocky dude with moustache dressed all in black. no obvious police markings on him but he did have an earpiece.
could be my paranoia but seemed odd. also heard something akin to a police whistle earlier but again, there is a construction site near the big roundabout, but they don't use whistles anymore, do they?

if there are cops around that way they are well hidden.

I love how all these officers watch the white vans scream through the light
Or yawn through the light...

Conveniently, the University of Bath today seems to have published some research showing hi-vis doesn't prevent close overtakes of cyclists. Maybe carry a copy of this and hand it to the police when they inquire why you aren't wearing any?

http://opus.bath.ac.uk/37890/1/Walker_2013.pdf

^That's actually a good idea, along with the research about wigs being more effective that helmets and a copy of the highway code.

Unfortunately you'll be locked up no matter what you choose to beat the cops with.

All over angel way tonight. Got pulled over by one for a friendly chat about staying safe apparently. 'have you thought about getting a helmet?" "How about yellow reflective clothing?"

One turned up on a motor bike and I asked them both if they were also targeting motorists for friendly advice about how to keep cyclists safe. Motorbike guy informed me he had caught 4 drivers on their phones yesterday. I felt like saying telling him I could spot 4 in the next 5 minutes, but he was alright.

They were alright but lets be honest, its a massive waste of time and they clearly aren't targeting motorists and I believe in doing so are just fuelling the crappy attitudes of motorists who point the finger at us.

not a waste of time at all - systematic harassment is a fantastic way to discourage people from riding a bike, and fewer cyclists mean fewer cycling deaths. job done.

They should just wait, winter will do that soon anyway

keeps them busy and prevents them from causing trouble otherwise.

Right. I'm off to chain gang.

Dressed as a Rapha Ninja*.

Do your worst copper..

*I will be wearing a helmet and have lights on and will obey all traffic laws as ever

^ this except Gore tex instead of rapha

#allblackeverything

My commute is so non eventful. Nothing ever really happens.
I guess that is a consequence of taking mostly back streets all the way home

It really bugs me that sooner or later, someone in uniform and hi-viz clobber is going to tell me to stop just so he or she can deliver a misguided lecture about cycling safely.

I've clocked up a good solid 20 years of commuting in London and have a pretty good idea of how to look after myself and, perhaps more significantly, what the law says about behaviour on the roads. I've also had some pretty disappointing dealings with the police on the roads, so I can foresee any exchange of words with the police being at best an irritation.

Is there some effective way of identifying myself as someone they really don't want to speak to? Other than wearing hi-viz and a plastic hat, obv.

Take a bus

a tshirt with 'ACAB" printed on the front. They will still stop you, but the cycle safety chat will go out the window.

ha ha, that's an idea

Checked my raffle ticket last night and noticed the cop spelt(spelled) my name wrong.

Does that mean Im not eligible for the £50 prize?

Call it road tax

They were out in force again tonight...

I had to quite forcefully suggest to the four plods on the same junction that they should redistribute themselves as I couldn't get onto the ASL on the previous set of lights...

They were all chatting amongst themselves about 20 yards from Brixton police station's canteen...

Cunts... Looked like a boy's night out to me...

I guess that is a consequence of taking mostly back streets all the way home

htfu

Usual care in the community support polis at aldgate this evening looking important and talking bollocks to people on bikes.

I hung around and recorded some of their shit advice on my phone for the record. if you're a dj and want a sample pm me...

Yeah, when you consider you can kill someone (so long as you're driving and the victim is a cyclist, of course) and be fined a hundy.

FUCKING this^

Driving without due care leading to death = £160 fine and you're not even required to resit your test.

[strike]>>>>[/strike] NEC

Notenoughchevrons

tempted to stop and give them a hand in spotting some offenders.

If someone gets offered hi vis ask them why bother, when the police don't bother to charge a driver who killed a cyclist because she had her hand over her eyes:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2511334/Author-killed-cycled-country-road-female-driver-dazzled-winter-sun.html