Off-duty PC who was on bike ride broke pensioner’s jaw after close pass

To continue the thread of Her Majesty's Finest administering tellings off to cyclists who've done nothing wrong, one of my fondest memories is cycling up a Sheffield street, and a police car come coming the other way suddenly coming to a halt. An officer jumped out, stood in my way, and proceeded to tell me with barely disguised glee and pomposity that the road traffic act 19-whatever does also apply to cyclists, and that it was an offence to cycle the wrong way up a one way street. It was wonderful to point out the signs indicating that though the street was one way for motorised traffic, bicycles were welcome to go the opposite way. The discombobulated panjandrum could only splutter that he'd missed those signs, and to take care as traffic would, indeed, be coming the other way. I guess it's to his credit that he conceded the point and didn't keep digging!

Perhaps it's part of the training.  I was close passed as I slowly came up to the back of a traffic jam - he swerved left in front of me before stopping dead.  I needed to brake and avoid but then of course overtook him and the rest of the queue to the front.  I did mutter something like "stupid idiot" as I passed.  It is a two lane approach and he was in the left turn only lane - I then continued straight on after the lights turned to green.

Ten or so seconds later the same car did the same but he got out asking what I said - guess what - he was a policemen - I think he was on his way home after (presumably a stressful) shift.  From his demeanour I didn't want to escalate so made some apology for upsetting him but still said I wasn't impressed - he gave me a minute or so tirade about having an advanced driving qualification - maybe that gives him the confidence to make close passing sharp braking moves.

As Lukas points out police are trained and "... entrusted by society to use violence" - they need to be trained to "put up thy sword" once they have had to implement it, but some (like Chauvin) can't.

I understand why the guy was angry after a dangerously close pass. But that doesn't give him the right to hit anyone. As a police officer, he's supposed to set an example. Assasult is still assault.

Wow, this story hits a whole bunch of nerves.  I was subject to a close pass a few days ago in the B1149 from Edgefield to Holt in Norfolk at around 1830 - so close in fact that the blue metalic hatchback hit my backside at about 60mph.  Fortunately, it wasn't an inch closer and luckily I didn't come off.  The driver thought about stopping and slowed down, but then saw my rage, obvioulsy thought better of it, and sped off.  With a few days hindsight - and reading this article - I think I'm grateful that they did.  

It's the first time in 30-odd years of road cycling that this has happened.  But it could also have been the first and last.  Statistically, the driver is likely to have been young, but this particular type of hatchback is more frequently driven by pensioners - which would lend itself to the demographic up here. 

I normally ride with rear light, but I'd taken it off to clean the bike. Visibility was good, but I was wearing a dark blue jersey, black shorts - but with shocking yellow Northwave shoes. But could this driver see me at all? 

I was riding within a metre of the road edge, but the road is tree lined.   As I usually ride with lights and at least something bright-pink,  do I make sure that I wear brighter colours?  Do I invest in a camera, which would ruin the sleek lines of my bikes?  I thought that I'd just count myself lucky and just carry on.  But looking at my Strava numbers...they're down a bit since. 

I think we can agree. It's better to kick the shit out of the driver's car, than the driver.

Also, I blame Rod Liddle for the incident

I watched a very interesting conversation with a US attorney yesterday (I could probably find a link somewhere but will paraphrase) He was saying that the police are a legitimized group of people entrusted by society to use violence. Unless there are proper checks and balances and unless the  - ' the 'uniform' is always correct and the wearer of the uniform's word must be always be upheld' - attitude is not subject to serious and balanced review then what you have is just another 'gang'.

Obvioulsy he was talking in the context of the George Floyd lynching  - but the points hold. 

I would love to know what reasons the CPS came up with for not doing the basic function of their job.  I wonder if the Chief Freemason had a word.

A police officer should uphold the highest standard in or out of uniform if they can't then they don't belong in it. Video evidence and witnesses were available so I'm not sure why he couldn't be charged.

While I've often wanted to do this, I've managed to control myself, and I have to wonder what was happening in the officer's life that had him on such a short fuse. That said, there is no excuse for inflicting such injuries on an old man and leaving the scene without calling help.

Slight incredible that the CPS decided not to charge him "The independent CPS prosecutor concluded that our legal test for a prosecution was not met and so no charges were brought." from a DM report, so I won't post the link.

Shame that an officer with long service is provoked by a driver into resorting to violence and loses his job. The police will now consider the matter closed and completely forget that even their own can feel endangered and under threat from drivers, and so when the next cyclist submits footage of a close pass, they will decline to take action.

And so it will continue.