CTC to deliver damning report on Devon and Cornwall police attitude to cyclists

Apologies for the late addition to this thread, but I've just found this article online, so hope it's ok for me to add my experience. I live in Devon, and drive (and cycle!) these narrow roads routinely. You take your life into your hands on some of these lanes, and the paucity of cycle lanes in the towns is a joke, as they start and end in the most surprising places. Road a bit narrow? Let's cut out the cycle lane then. That'll solve the problem.

In respect of D&C police, several years ago I driving to work along a narrow lane, when a boy racer behind me pulled out and overtook dangerously. In doing so he didn't notice the cyclist coming in the other direction, causing him to swerve and fall off his bike. The cyclist was shaken up but ok, fortunately.

I managed to get the car's number and reported him to D&C police. I was called to the local police station and gave a statement; they also tracked down the cyclist because he'd mentioned to me where he worked. I found them to be supportive and proactive. The boy racer was prosecuted and found guilty, so a positive result there, thanks to the steps taken by local police.

I haven't heard from the police at all so far, insurance company has paid out via solicitor, I guess that just shows how inept West Yorkshire police and in particular the 'investigating' officer really are; beaten to a resolution by an insurance company, must be a historical first. Anyway, I have contacted police to give jobsworth a chance to explain the situation. Good or bad, either way letter will be sent at end of September. I think 9 months is ample time to update me.

I'm seriously consisdering going to Cornwall and taking my bike in the back of the car. In light of the general view and experiences expressed above I'll take my cash elsewhere.

My wfe doesn't cycle and worries about me when I go out. I have to convince her that it's not a jungle out there, but when the police back away from a dedicated traffic unit and only respond to an incident after the event I begin to wonder...........

It's is tragic, what happened in Cornwall and my sympathy goes to the families.
Something needs to be done about ignorant drivers. They moan and groan, try to cause injury and feel safe when they can drive off rather than discussing situations face to face. Stricter laws are required to clamp down on such lunacy and an ad campaign to educate the ignorant.

You have my sympathy Xrecymech; very frustrating when the plod think they are some sort of universal cop with psychic powers. I suppose cynicism goes with the job. I would be interested how your complaint goes.
I was once told (after being knocked of my bike by a wing-mirror) that I had not been hit! I had simply been startled by a passing car! He and his colleague just got back into their car and left me injured and on my own by the side of the road. That is Surrey Police for you, useless...

Poor or none existent policing isn't just reserved for Devon & Cornwall, we too have crap police here in Yorkshire. I was hit by a van in January this year as he came out of a junction to my left, I had right of way he just didn't bother looking. The driver did not stop, but returned to the scene some 40 minutes later, presumable after he had time to check his vehicle for damage and then realising his number plate was missing, luckily the accident was witnessed by a motorist at the other side of the junction. When the van hit me the witness said I was thrown around 15ft in the air and thrown from one side of carriageway to the other, approx 25 feet, landing face down, the witness actually thought I was dead. Now for the ridiculously inept police officer who attended the scene half an hour so after the incident after the witness had called 999 reporting a hit and run. Because it took so long for the police to attend, witness had left, leaving contact details with ambulance crew. Policeman tried to get to speak to me at hospital, staff wouldn't let him due to work they needed to carry out. I went home next day, police did not get in touch with me; I had to get in touch with them after 5 days of silence, even then I had to go to the officers station as returned calls were none existent. When I did speak to him, his levels of stupidity became very quickly apparent, at first he said that there were no witnesses, but he could not explain how or why he didn't know that when the accident was reported as a hit and run, one can only assume he thought the driver must've dialled this in himself. So he then finally realised that the van driver, and not me, might actually have done something wrong. Although, his next line of questioning was, was I wearing a helmet, was I wearing something hi-viz, did I have lights. Yes I had a helmet, yes I had lights, and I was wearing fairly bright cycling clothes, had he got there in a reasonable he would've seen what I was wearing before it was all removed in the back of the ambulance!!. So policeman gets witness details, I tell him what witness told me and he then disputes the witnesses account by saying that I couldn't have gone so far or high on impact otherwise my injuries would have much more severe, not knowing that I am not a mountain goat and carry some additional padding. The doctors said that as I was knocked out on impact, this probably saved my from serious injury due my body being relaxed when I landed, so, idiot policeman know thinks he is medically qualified to say what my injuries should be. Couple of days later, go to collect whats left of my bike from local garage, woman there says policemen spoke to her to see if she saw anything, she says not, but he then goes on to suggest to her that 'maybe I had hit a grate or something' yes mr plod, I hit a grate and it through my 30 feet across the road, you pillock! Basically shows this officer was really looking at ways to find me as the 'guilty' party rather than the driver who didn't give a toss who he hit or what happened to them as a result

Anyway, 6 months down the line, I have heard nothing from the police since. So I think I shall be sending a formal complaint to ipcc and same letter the the chief constable who really should know that the quality of some of his officers is a joke at best, and is probably the same in most forces

Devon resident for 8 years now. Exeter now Plymouth no significant personal incidents to date, touch wood. I feel safe cycling Devon's roads but like everywhere there are a minority of aggressive drivers. Our cycle club has met a few on occasion. Will be interested to see the CTC details as we are an affiliated club.

I spent two months on the Lizard last year - cycled most evenings that it wasn't actually a monsoon (OK- that's almost every other day) and was met with nothing but courtesy on the roads.

This summer we're in Totnes, Devon and again I've not had any 'incidents' but it's a whole lot more scary as traffic levels seem higher and roads narrow.

Have yet to see any traffic cops - but often see an ambulance car parked up a side road.

Just anecdotal wiff-waff I know.....

I have ridden in most cities and areas in this country and for the last five years have been in Cornwall.
It is easily the worst place I have ever ridden in terms of careless and dangerous driving. Every ride has some sort of near miss or incident. The attitude and shear lack of care by drivers in this area towards other drivers as well as cyclists is unbelievable.

In my experience of driving in North Devon i find the london plated(look at the dealer stickers)expensive Audis and Beemers etc to be the most aggressive drivers.

The Police commissioner speaks! And does exist (I hope). I have just spent a lovely day on Exmoor so nice I was going to comment on it! There are some knob-heads round here but I did not come across any today.
Nearly all road users are OK round here, but the minority of dicks really take the biscuit.
Most dick-heads seem to infest the North Devon link road, it is a complete free for all! Drive how you like and at whatever speed you want, no Policing at all! An average of one person per year dies on it and all anyone says is, "The road is dangerous and should be a dual-carriageway!"

Perhaps the thought of the many cyclists who holiday in Devon and Cornwall* taking their business elsewhere might provoke those county councils into putting pressure onto the police authority to reinstate traffic patrols.
* I don't just mean "bike-riding" holidaymakers; I have enjoyed many wonderful driving holidays in both counties but I'll spend my holiday money elsewhere until I hear this stupidity is revoked. I will not venture over their borders until that time.
Perhaps I am part of a minority here, but didn't little David slay Goliath??

interesting. am holidaying in cornwall this year. probably will leave the bike at home after seeing some of these comments. i ride london streets every day, but know them.... it's a shame because a bike is often the best way to get the lay of the land....

I live in Cornwall and have to say it's not just a policing problem. There is a cultural hatred of cyclists by a large proportion of motorists. I hear it every day. I could write pages on it. I had someone tell me a story today, with pride, how their father pushed their 4x4 as close to a cyclist as possible, with the intention of the cyclist hitting the kerb. Motorists down here enjoy bragging rights for how much they intimidate cyclists. The sad thing is that Cornwall is a beautiful place to ride a bike, we've terrible roads but stunning scenery for the tourer. Cycling could be a massive boom to the county's economy. But attitudes have to change.

well we don't pay road tax.

I've been done for speeding by them but on a clear sunny afternoon up a dead straight overtaking lane close to it turning into a motorway. I was over the limit and deserved a ticket, but what erked me was the fashion of just shooting fish in a barrel rather than tackling a dangerous stretch of road...

In their defence, on the two occasions I contacted Devon & Cornwall Police about dangerous driving (one near miss and a bus driver who cut me up) the police tracked down both drivers and had a word, which is more than I'd expected. That was before they disbanded the traffic unit though.

While I have no evidence to support this—other than a feeling about how incidents that I have been involved in have been handled by both the police and ambulance services—but I believe that incidencts involving cyclists are not treated as seriously as they should do and there seems to be a culture of victim-blaming where cyclists are blamed for the incident even though it's entirely not their fault.

After stopping to help an injured cyclist after an incident a while ago we waited for an hour for the police who didn't turn up. The ambulance eventually did but the paramedic constantly went on about "idiots on bikes".

Time for a complete shift-change in their attitudes, would be my opinion. Luckily there is Roadsafe in London who at least understand what you're talking about but general attitudes are poor.