Police Cycling on Pavements

[BSA]

A few times I have noticed police officers on cycles riding along side each other on pavements.

Are they allowed to do this? Surely it is illegal to ride on pavements.

If it legal for the police surely it sets a bad example to everyone else.

[Hector's House]

Aside from anything else, the majority of polis I've seen look like your architypal wobbly fatman polisman on a bike. I remember one time really wanting to overtake a couple - they were going ridiculously slowly, on a busy road, too! I resisted, and added five minutes to that journey, but at the same time not getting myself booked for a potential midemeanour.


But as for them cycling on pavements, whilst I do not know anything about the law, i know the highway code says you can only do it where permitted. (eg, clear NCN type routes).
I've also seen a couple going through a pedestrian area. Not sure if that's illegal or not...

[Coffee]

Aside from anything else, the majority of polis I've seen look like your architypal wobbly fatman polisman on a bike.

*googles polis*

I'm pretty sure the police are allowed to bend the rules in emergencies, execution of duty. You'd want them to wouldn't you.
But everyday parking on double yellows or nipping up a no entry street to get to the chippy quicker is not going to get you any respect.

Although watch how you point out their mistake...
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=273220&in_page_id=34&in_a_source=

[Gisen]

I overtake the bicycle police in Oxford all the time, they aren't bothered as long as you do it safely.

[2Tubs]

Aside from anything else, the majority of polis I've seen look like your architypal wobbly fatman polisman on a bike. I remember one time really wanting to overtake a couple - they were going ridiculously slowly, on a busy road, too! I resisted, and added five minutes to that journey, but at the same time not getting myself booked for a potential midemeanour.


But as for them cycling on pavements, whilst I do not know anything about the law, i know the highway code says you can only do it where permitted. (eg, clear NCN type routes).
I've also seen a couple going through a pedestrian area. Not sure if that's illegal or not...

I've overtaken police on bikes loads of times*.

I usually swap a "Hi mate" as I do it.

Gazza

* Did it once on my Brommie. I think he was a bit embarrassed as he picked the speed up after that >;o)

[lauriematt]

off the topic now....but i recently came across a policeman on a bike in town at rush-hour

normally i filter thro the traffic - often on the wrong side of the road if its clear

i was a bit weary about doing it with the policeman watching me - however i sensible filtered thro in the end - staying as much as i could in the appropriate lane

[Hector's House]

Aside from anything else, the majority of polis I've seen look like your architypal wobbly fatman polisman on a bike. I remember one time really wanting to overtake a couple - they were going ridiculously slowly, on a busy road, too! I resisted, and added five minutes to that journey, but at the same time not getting myself booked for a potential midemeanour.


But as for them cycling on pavements, whilst I do not know anything about the law, i know the highway code says you can only do it where permitted. (eg, clear NCN type routes).
I've also seen a couple going through a pedestrian area. Not sure if that's illegal or not...

I've overtaken police on bikes loads of times*.

I usually swap a "Hi mate" as I do it.

It was more the fact that to overtake I would've either cut very finely into the right hand side lane with not enough time to get back into the left, or undertake on the left. They were hogging up the whole lane!

[meic]

Do you mean they were riding in the primary position?

[trekcardiff]

Well... I can say that in Cardiff MOST cyclists cycle on the pavements. I commute to work each day by cycle (and I use the road mostly) and probably a good 85% of other cyclists I pass / see are on the pavement. I have never seen anyone ever 'arrested' for this... but... then again... I've never seen any car stopped for insane speeding...running red lights...or driving on the pavements either! I think it is a matter that there is not really a traffic police force in the UK at all. I think all you have to worry about are traffic cameras....which as we have no license plates...I more often like to set off.

Bottom line, I wouldn't get too worried about cycling on the pavement. Surely the worst you woudl face is a warning...and I can't even see that happening unless you basically run into a police officer on the beat.

[meic]

Last time I went to town, I wanted to cycle along the pedestrian zone (as I always do). Two Police Officers were stood on the pavement in the middle of the entrance to the pedestrian zone.
We said "Hello" to each other as I cycled carefully around them.

I still approve of it being an absolute offence of cycling on the pavement, so that if anyone feels like cycling unreasonably there is no room to debate about what is reasonable. So long as I dont annoy anyone I will be left in peace.

[2Tubs]

Last time I went to town, I wanted to cycle along the pedestrian zone (as I always do). Two Police Officers were stood on the pavement in the middle of the entrance to the pedestrian zone.
We said "Hello" to each other as I cycled carefully around them.

I still approve of it being an absolute offence of cycling on the pavement, so that if anyone feels like cycling unreasonably there is no room to debate about what is reasonable. So long as I dont annoy anyone I will be left in peace.

According to the cycling map that Birmingham City Council Produced, the pedestrianised areas in Brimingham are all OK to cycle (with caution) on (excepting Victoria Square if memory serves me right).

Gazza

[trekcardiff]

I still approve of it being an absolute offence of cycling on the pavement.

Well, you must have a lot better traffic conditions where you live. A lot of times the pavement is the only safe / sensible place for a cyclist in my opinion. On my commute I think it should be permissible to cycle sensibly on the pavement when there is no cycle lane and (a) cars are typically traveling at speeds which exceed the speed limit thereby creating a dangerous environment to cycle in, (b) cars / buses / etc. are typically driving / or standing still within 2 feet of the curb thereby blocking cycle traffic, (c) where there are dangerous (and often large) roundabouts without any provision for cyclists, etc. etc.

To make it an absolute offence to be cycling on the pavement sounds very extreme to me...and more the words of an ardent pedestrian than an ardent cyclist

[thirdcrank]

It's been an 'absolute' offence since 1835 at least - long before the bike was even invented. (I don't know if the 1835 act replaced something similar.)

It's a very short step IMO from saying that the footway is the safest place to be to saying that it's the only place to be. (And making it an absolute offence not to be.)

[trekcardiff]

It's a very short step IMO from saying that the footway is the safest place to be to saying that it's the only place to be.

Aye, I don't think anyone ever suggested it should be the only place to be. I definitely didn't. Indeed, I spend ~90% of my commute on the road, and probably about <10% on the pavement. However, if I were arrested for cycling on the pavement where the alternative was putting myself in serious danger...I would be very irked, but of course I would repeat the same thing time and time again...as I'm not putting myself in undue danger just because town planners can't put cycle lanes that work together, and road traffic is not adequately policed to create a safe enough place for cyclists in all places, and the majority of car drivers view cyclists as obstacles to pass rather than as a person actually getting off their buttock to get from point a to point b.

Thus, if the road isn't reasonably safe, I think it should be legal for cyclists to use the pavements. Go cyclists! Down with the out-dated 1835 laws! which, if followed to the letter, would basically get anyone commuting a fair distance injured or killed in the course of an average year (...maybe a slight exaggerations...but to make a point).

[richardyorkshire]

I often see a local police officer cycling on the pavement. In fact I almost got hit by him a couple of months ago when I was walking down the street near my house and he rounded a corner, cycling on the pavement and I had to leap out of his path.

Interestingly enough, my local police have a channel on YouTube where they post videos of themselves combating minor crime. This one shows them on a graffiti patrol, and at 2:15 into the video you will see them cycling along the pavement!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pzroXiQEI ... annel_page

I've often wondered what kind of idiot would post on YouTube video of themselves breaking the law. It turns out that the police themselves are that type.