Video: British Transport Police show how NOT to pass a cyclist

I don't see where the problem is! This happens to me about twice a day! The whole of the UK's drivers that don't ride are like this! I am absolutely sick of them all. It's about time the law or driver's minds are changed about cyclists.
You just don;t get any of this riding in France or Spain! Just why are we a nation or cyclist hating petrol heads?

Leeds city centre is a death trap for cyclists,

No doubt the BTP had an "excuse" - called to an incident, tea break overdue etc. no doubt he set off much faster than all the other cars. that is no excuse for shoddy driving and it happens all the time. Take possession of the lane you are in, position yourself where the driver of a car would be, do not ride in the gutter or on lane markings. Most of all don't expect other road users to be good drivers.

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Pardon my ignorance, but how/where does one write to Robert Goodwill? Can he be emailed?

I copied him in to an email to my MP, as his website says he'll only reply to his own constituents. Otherwise, you can write a paper letter to him as Under Secretary at the Department for Transport.

Another "dual destination" lane where it is best to make early approach to the right of the lane, if going straight ahead ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-ujuJXNq3w contrary to the blue paint.. er I mean .. super highway.

A few weeks ago I was 'tailed' by a Gardaí Traffic Corps car, along an ambiguously sign posted 'newish' road...goes from a 50, to a 60 (about 30metres with solid white lines due to bends in the road) then into an 80kph, whereas the opposite lane (not a dual carriageway) is clearly signposted as 80kph
...the 80kph sign on my side 'appears' some 1.3kms along the road...I kept just above the 50/60...with a clear road in front of me and when I reached the 80kph sign I sped up to around 78kph and stuck on the cruise control
...the Gardaí car followed for 3 more kms, didn't bother to try and pass me with at least 2 safe places with broken white lines....the second we move back to a double white...he then pulls out and overtakes me and continues to accelerate well past 95kph....I guess his pizza was getting cold.
Now, had I maintained anything above 60 on that ambiguously sign posted stretch I can bet he would have pulled me over....

It's a horrible junction for any cyclist. Three lanes into four means that the middle lane competes with those turning left (whom believe they will over take traffic in the left-hand lane and possibly slower traffic wanting to turn right.

Personally I would take the lane to prevent unwarranted undertaking (in either the middle or right-hand lane). The traffic knows to hold it's position until I'm in mine. Effectively, because the cyclist sits between lanes he invites twits to try and undertake and because they think that there's enough room. I just wouldn't cede the space to them that easily until I was happy to do so.

I had an experience with a BTP vehicle on my way home once & they were deliberately intimidating. Following closely; determined to get past me, even in standstill traffic.

The cyclist above is in the correct position, although on first glance he looks to be too far over.

I often find if one car gives a lot of space when overtaking, others behind follow suit. However if someone overtakes close then others behind will also take silly risks. If the bloody BTP cannot overtake properly then what hope is there...

Posting that same picture on facebook resulted in me being called a "f**king muppet" and a "retard"

Reading the comments on the road.cc facebook feed it's a bit depressing how many people (most of whom are presumably cyclists themselves) think that the police driver did absolutely nothing wrong and/or that the cyclist was in the wrong.

It may not have been the worst bit of driving ever, but it wasn't exactly a shining example to set to the public either. If the police happily ignore the Highway Code for no good reason then how can we expect anyone else to follow it?

For the record, here are the lanes marked onto a still from the video. The cyclist's position looks spot on to me.

Police camera action

Naughty for the jump start.
Slapped wrist for crossing the hatch markings (they're not solid lined).
No problem passing on the left on a one way street.
No danger to the cyclist whatsoever.
Storm in a teacup.

Your nicked!

I wrote to cycling minister Robert Goodwill recently, asking him to implement British Cycling's suggestion that rule 163 on overtakes be clarified, and proposing that he could do some media interviews to make people aware of how they should be overtaking cyclists. I asked him to consider French-style signs, reminding drivers to leave plenty of room when overtaking.

I got the reply today. Rule 163 exists, it's perfectly adequate, and there's no need for signs to remind people of their obligations under the Highway Code.

He's wrong, and this is one of a million pieces of evidence showing that rule 163 is routinely ignored.

I think it's a shame that we have a cycling minister who is doing nothing to stand up for cyclists. My impression is that he thinks his job is to be an apologist for the status quo.

And I wonder why, whenever I complain to the police in Leeds about shoddy driving they tell me the driver has done nothing wrong.

For anyone interested I think this is the StreetView of the correct junction:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.7995838,-1.5529322,3a,75y,279.71h,80.21t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sKv8rX7NczGgJ0Z_Whi6AoQ!2e0?hl=en

I used to work for BTP in London, not the first time I have seen former colleagues in the news

Yes 3 lanes going into 4 suggest middle lane traffic can flow left or right. So the cyclists position was one of the two best positions. Probably the best. The other might be centre of the lane?

They also move left as soon as it was safe to do so.

On a brighter note, the lorry/bus with the camera behaves impecably, slowing his speed and crossing into the outside lane when safe to overtake.

Pretty shoddy. I do hope the driver is educated as to his error.

" I had just received an emergency call, and had to negotiate another road user as best/quickly as the circumstances allowed....it was only a cyclist...I'm sure he must have at least ran one red light today and terrorised some motorists unjustly...he's lucky I didn't arrest him for being a public nuisance" amid some back slapping and cheers from the public gallery....

Also notice that the police car rolls forward and then has to brake before the lights have even gone amber.
Just bad driving or trying to intimidate?

The cyclist was not in the wrong place he was avoiding being forced onto the A58(M) and contrary to what you might think our place is not at the left side of the road we are entitled to use any of it (except motorways).

The Police Car should have come around him the right way and I see hash-marking abuse too. You will usually get a warning from traffic police for this behaviour (although there might be a reason like not being able to see your destination until it's too late). Hash-marking surrounded by solid lines should only ever be crossed to avoid a collision.

Shoddy driving and yes he'll get a reprimand at best although in my experience the response will probably claim his actions were justified (just as one officer has so far tried to justify assaulting myself without warning).

You know the score, pal. [If] You're not cop, you're little people!

Always a good time for a Blade Runner quote.