Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
AJPITFC

Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by AJPITFC »

I have just been knocked down by a female police driver.

I was traveling at 29.4mph along a straight down hill section (30 mph limit) when she passed me, clearly speeding.

Without warning she stopped, did not look in her mirror, did not signal, just stopped.

I hit her police car with a crunch and my 15 stone hitting her panda car does not half make a dent.

But to my utter amazement her excuses were:
I was traveling too fast for a cyclist
I should have worn a helmet (U wot?)
I should have seen she was looking for a house and slowed down expecting her to stop
She could not give me room to pass her on the inside as she had found the police she had been searching for and was of duty, so needed to park quickly. (no blue light note)

Despite my complaints to her and her control room, she flatly refused to say sorry, as “this could be taken as an admission of guilt and I could sue her”.

If it would have been the other way round can U imagine the charges?

I did asked her if she had heard of “Think one, think twice, think bike”, was but greeted with an non committal stare.

So for all those who have had accidents, the police are just a bad and really do not care about us cyclists.

Outcome, a police complaint but what’s the point? They investigate themselves, therefore chances of it beheld are nil despite the fact I have witness’s.

N E one else has a similar experience?
pwward

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by pwward »

Please make a complaint. It's a bit of effort but results can be surprising and senior officers may look rather dimly on her behaviour. I bet at the least you will get an apology. I hope you are alright, if you made a dent in the car it must have smarted a bit.
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

If the complaint is not properly taken you must make a complaint to the Chief constable's office.

In fact it would be wise to make that your FIRST call; he may pass you on to the Chief super in the area but he will then know you mean business.

This is a matter of one of the Chief constable's officers acting in an apparently thoroughly indisciplined way, and it is the last thing the Chief wants.

Report it to him now, telling his Secretary that you wish to make a complaint against one of his officers.

If you merely have another constable from the same office/shop come round, you will get no satisfaction whatsoever. Colleagues work together and she will ensure that her friend does come round.

Phone Chief constable's office NOW!
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

You must get an incident number from the policewoman and if she will not give you one, then that is further ground for complaint.

One of her colleagues may give you an incident number that the incident did take place. Otherwise she may deny it ever happened after a few weeks.

Official incident number time place and so on... name of officer, number.

Regards,

Gar
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

she flatly refused to say sorry, as “this could be taken as an admission of guilt and I could sue her”.

If it would have been the other way round can U imagine the charges?

There are possible criminal charges and they must be made. Of course you may sue her.... in a criminal court and she is GUILTY in your judgement. The magistrate may say the same.
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

Have you got a witness or witnesses? She may have been thinking that when she did the denying, with her other eye on a witness you had not noticed.

If no witness your case is much weaker; it is only your word against that of a policewoman on/off duty.

Make a complaint to the chief constable nonetheless. She will get a ticking off, if you do it properly.
zeb

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by zeb »

As it sounds like you were injured there is (or was a few years ago) the legal requirement for police to be called to the scene of a road accident involving injury. I don't believe the WPC would qualify as there is a conflict of interests and she was off duty. Witness statements should have been taken.

If this was not the case I would believe that would amount to a disciplinary offence. There must be some record of her returning a car with a dint in it and having to explain.

This sounds like it should be relatively straightforward to follow up. Ask your local councillor if the police close ranks, and you can always sue.
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

that would amount to a disciplinary offence. There must be some record of her returning a car with a dint in it and having to explain.
Get the number of the car on the incident number report.

Thanks for zebs correct remarks.
BUT PHONE CHIEF CONSTABLES OFFICE
AND MAKE A COMPLAINT.

There is no other good way.
blackie

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by blackie »

All of the comments are quite right. Gar is spot on. If she was in a Police vehicle whether marked or plain she has to call a supervisor and have the accident recorded by the supervisor before she leaves the scene. If she is travelling to or from work it is also classed as a POLAC (Police accident). In any respect you are entitled to report this to your local station, demand an accident report reference number and complain to the duty inspector if your demands are not met.
She could be looking at disciplinary charges against her if she has not complied to the above. Paul Basidldon who has not worked his route out yet.
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

And if as you say, the constable is not prepared to report a police accident and attempts to blame
the other party, there is really something very seriously wrong.

If you have a bruise of any sort, or damage to the bike, and you can possibly use any other bike, do so and also have any bruise photographed.

Visit to your GP if there are any cuts and grazes.
Edward

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by Edward »

Deafening silence from thirdcrank ex-cop on this issue.....
Yorkshireman

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by Yorkshireman »

Edward
Posted:Friday, 26 May 2006 08:33 Deafening silence from thirdcrank ex-cop on this issue.....

No call for this ... This is not C+F (and we don`t all look on here every day !)

Colin N.
thirdcrank

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by thirdcrank »

In your original posting, you do not make clear what you want to achieve. If you were injured/bike damaged, then you might reasonably be seeking compensation. If so, as in any accident, you are best with professional advice. (Listening to saloon bar lawyers is a waste of time.) If you are a CTC member then the CTC's legal service might be a good choice. Otherwise, there are various solicitors who advertise in the cycling mags who specialise in recovering compensation for cyclists. Most solicitors offer a short initial interview free to see if you have a worthwhile case, explain what it might cost if anything, and so on. The important thing is to assemble all your facts and have a clear aim. That free interview will be wasted if you spend all the time letting off steam. Police authorities have third party cover for their motor vehicles and claims are dealt with on much the same basis as motor insurance claims generally.

If your aim is criminal proceedings for drving without due care or similar, then complain to the police by any way you find convenient or if you have no confidence in that route contact the Independent Police Compaints Commision. If the police car has been damaged to the extent you imply then events must have been the subject of some sort of investigation already. The eventual decision whether or not to prosecute would be taken by a senior member of the Crown Prosecution Service. They have a code of practice which guides their decisions.

If your aim is discipline proceedings for impoliteness or similar then the advice is much the same as for criminal proceedings. The difference is that an initial decision on any action would be with the police. You would always have the right to ask the Independent Police Complaints Commission to review a police decision. The Independent Police Complaints Commission does publish a useful booklet explaining your options.

You mention witnesses. Independent witnesses are always the most valuable.

Incidentally, you make a particular point about the speed. Speed limits apply only to motor vehicles so unless it is suggested you were riding dangerously or recklessly then your speed is not really an issue. Drivers of vehicles of the emergency services, including the police, have a certain amount of latitude in certain circumstances to ignore some traffic regulations including speed limits so it is possible that the driver of the police vehicle was exempt at that time - depends on the nature of the incident to which police had been called. That latitude is always subject to the overriding requirements of care etc.

To (fellow) Yorkshireman thanks for sticking up for me on this but it takes more than anonymous banter to get to me, which is why I am always happy to add my name - Mick Agar
AJPITFC

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by AJPITFC »

Thanks “Thirdcrank” for your reply

Typically a coppers reply who is not in the REAL world!! Due to the pension no doubt and still thinking like a copper!!!!!

If I had done to her what she done to me, I would have faced criminal proceedings.
Why should the reverse not apply?

All I was saying is that coppers are no better than any other driver and they tend to treat us, in all our situations, like as second class citizens.

I did ask for someone to attend but the delay was son long I did have to pick my kids up from school.

Yes I have registered a compliant, but the complaint about the copper, well lets just say it a waste of time.

Yes I have put it through my insurance for damage to my bike and injury to myself. The insurance company reaction was a very clear NFC (No F***ing Change), but the bike is being repaired at their cost less my NCB.

Overall, from most the posting the Police of today are really not interested in Cyclists interest and this is simply one example.

Finally, just to point out the ALL my family are servicing Police officers and my comments to them were met with “please don not rock the boat but remember we look after our own!!!”

SAY NO MORE

And for the record I ahve no problem with ID'ing myself my name is Alan Pascall and I live in Suffolk.
gar

Re:Knocked off by a Police Women!!

Post by gar »

no confidence in that route contact the Independent Police Compaints Commision
Heh! Heh! Brazilian shot dead in cold blood and they forget about it!!

I should think that it is perfectly obvious what he wants to achieve....from his first post above......
SATISFACTION to have a wrong put right.

What has the correspondent done in the last day or two, to get things moving, to deal with one whom he considers to have done him wrong?

..... other than talk to us about it?

The measure of "justice" needs to be commensurate with the wrong done, so such a complaint would be grandiose.

If there are no injuries, and no damage to your bike, then all you need is an apology. She would have to accept that the incident took place for you to be able to proceed.

Do you have the incident number by now, and the car number?

If you did not get an apology from her, then you know what you have got to do.

It does sound like particularly unpleasant indiscipline.

I am always here to talk. I look in for five minutes twice a day.
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