Northumbria police scrap motorcycle unit

[empty]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/8044926.stm

Why was it underused?

While we might not agree always with the boys-n-girls-in-blue, this seems like a sad day.

MT

[jambo]

When the police have decided that the roads are too dangerous for their fully trained bike units we have some issues.

[plowsie]

When the police have decided that the roads are too dangerous for their fully trained bike units we have some issues.
Very true.

[SoulKiss]

When the police have decided that the roads are too dangerous for their fully trained bike units we have some issues.

The Health and Safety Exec dont get called in when we bin it tho......

Still....

[Kilted Ginger]

Any idea where / when / how they'll sell the bikes, nice well maintained tourer there.

[startrek.steve]

Maybe there's just not enough police bikers in their force to justify to fleet?
They cant make a cop ride a bike can they?

Steve

[Baph]

They're having a laugh, surely? Or have they gone PC mad? :confusd:

Any idea where / when / how they'll sell the bikes, nice well maintained tourer there.

Maybe not Met bikes, but take a look here: http://www.mod-sales.com/direct/vehicles/,21,/Motorcycles.htm

[Owenski]

When the police have decided that the roads are too dangerous for their fully trained bike units we have some issues.

+1 (and another for DP)

[Ginger 1]

Any idea where / when / how they'll sell the bikes, nice well maintained tourer there.

Found this


http://www.forcemotorcycles.com/

[Daimo]

At risk in poor weather.

None of those fully trained coppers had ever better go near the A2 in rush hour, in winter, in the dark, in torrential rain, with rear lights looking like stars in your visor....

8 years and never had a crash due to wet weather on some of the countries busiest roads.....

Patheticly lame!!!! :lol:

[Ceri JC]

At risk in poor weather.

None of those fully trained coppers had ever better go near the A2 in rush hour, in winter, in the dark, in torrential rain, with rear lights looking like stars in your visor....

8 years and never had a crash due to wet weather on some of the countries busiest roads.....

Patheticly lame!!!! :lol:

+1. On significant amounts of ice/thick snow, fair enough, go out in a car instead, but if the police can't ride when it's a bit damp, I'd suggest their supposed "best in the world" training is a tad overrated. ;)

I'd prefer bike cops to car based ones across the board apart from pursuit vehicles or those used for transporting multiple officers, for faster response times, cheaper costs to the tax payer and not least, they'll have a more realistic idea of what is acceptable/safe riding on a bike. I must admit, I always at least slightly resent anyone who isn't a better rider than me criticising my riding (and I suspect most of us feel the same), because it's beyond what they are capable of/consider safe. At least with a bike cop who has done even more post normal test training than I have and hundreds of thousands of miles under his belt, it's a bit easier to take it on the chin. Someone in a car who has never ridden a bike will have very different ideas about what can be done safely on one. Normally this just results in cagers being (unjustifiably) a bit miffed/scared. When we're talking about police, it could be the difference between a blind eye and points, or even a ban.

[peterco]

Northumbria Police axe motorcycle fleet

By Robin Goodwin (http://www.visordown.com/localiser/member.asp?SP=&v=1&memNo=161014)

"It's complete madness and yet another victory for the health and safety brigade," says furious bike cop

http://www.visordown.com/news/images/696/_thumb_police-bikes.jpghttp://www.visordown.com/t.gifNORTHUMBRIA Police Force has axed its £200,000 motorbike fleet after the machines were deemed too dangerous.
In a health and safety gone mad ruling, police bosses are worried about their motorcycle-mounted cops riding in 'wet and snowy' conditions. The police force has now sold all its machines and opting to use cars instead.
One furious cop said: "It is complete madness and yet another victory for the health and safety brigade.
"Any police motorcycle rider is a trained professional, not some speedfreak tearing up the road Maybe they'll offer us pushbikes - as long as we can produce our cycling proficiency test certificates." In a controversial move, Chief Superintendent Neil Mackay defended the move, saying weather was not the only issue. He added: "We were concerned that motorcyclists on escort duties were more vulnerable than officers in cars." Russ Watson, chairman of Northumbria Police Federation, joined in condemning the decision. He said: "Motorbikes are an essential resource to any force."




Fron visordown
pete
http://www.visordown.com/images/bookmark.gif (http://www.visordown.com/members/myBookmarksNonMembers.asp?sp=&v=1)

[Spiderman]

Crazything to do. Police should have all the resources they need and one of those resources is a bike.

Are they gonna ban cops having phones nect and give them a couple of tin cans and some string cos we all know that mobiles fry your brain, dont we.

[TEC]

We were concerned that motorcyclists on escort duties were more vulnerable than officers in cars.
So just how are they going to do normal escort duties in cars :rolleyes:

[Marcus]

OK - slight derail here. If its deemed too dangerous for trained bobbies to ride in crap weather, wtf is it with the new test regs? - Debate at will.

[G]

I have actually seen a car reverse into a police motorcycle, knock it and the rider over, then drive away. So not the most ideal mode of transport for a persuit vehicle.....which then begs the question what use do they have within a force when there are better safer vehicles available.

Dont get me wrong I think its a real shame, and they DO have they uses, whether that is a justifiable expense or not is a whole different question.

[Jamiebridges123]

Oh give it a break. Police motorcyclists are a good thing and it's just the whole Anti-Bike thing winning.

[davepreston]

the bikes on escort duties are there to stop traffic not take on cars same as on persuits they inform not aprahend
they seem to forget about there preventitive mesures they use in informing motorist eg who do you listen too more about road safety a cop or a bike cop

[Spiderman]

and just as London Ambulance and many other are saying "bikes are best" as they can get to places that cars etc cant get to as quickly. You need a lot les cars to move out the way to let a bike thru, yes even their big old bikes than you need to let an ambulance or cop car thru for that matter.

Guess theres no traffic in Northumbria then.

[rob13]

Northumbria didnt have a dedicated motorcycle division, though they did have traffic officers who could and were trained to ride bikes. I have been told that they tended not to go out in the bad weather, opting to take the car instead so experience is obviously not being gained in that situation.

I think there is some strong willed anti-bike powers that be up in Northumbria at the moment which has led to this.

[Jackie_Black]

I think its just one power mad anti bike health and safety loon. But to be honest it's only a matter of time till bikes are outlawed in this country.

[Swin]

I think its just one power mad anti bike health and safety loon. But to be honest it's only a matter of time till bikes are outlawed in this country.

+1 - it's not the actual bikes or danger riding them, it's the health and safety brigade that are legislating these guys off the road :(

[Jackie_Black]

They'll get us all in the end. Lower the speed limit to fifty and then make bikes illegal. They'll justify it by saying we are the biggest road death statistic. *******s.

[keith_d]

They'll get us all in the end. Lower the speed limit to fifty and then make bikes illegal. They'll justify it by saying we are the biggest road death statistic. *******s.

Sounds like they'll be outlawing pedestrians too then!!

[Jackie_Black]

No they wont unfortunately. They'll try and legislate them safe. Which is of course impossible. They just need to accept that sometimes people die and sometimes its on roads, on bikes, in cars, in planes etc. Obviously its very grim when it happens.

There is only so safe you can make something that moves with humans in it.

The bikes will be back as soon as armed response get stuck in traffic and they realise they need armed police to be able to respond through cities etc (on motorbikes:D).

[Jamiebridges123]

Death's invevitable. I'd rather die on my bike than in a hospital of old age.

I'd also rather crash on a bike than in a car. If I come off my bike at least I have a chance of avoiding the tree. If I hit it in a car I get crumpled up too!

[Shellywoozle]

Hope this doesn't reach Staffs, that's the division I want to join when I learn to ride LOL

I wonder how many accidents that unit has had as there must be some kind of justification around that decision.

[lukemillar]

I'd rather die on my bike than in a hospital of old age.

What a stupid thing to post. I'm sure your family doesn't share the same sentiment :rolleyes:

[Stu]

What a stupid thing to post. I'm sure your family doesn't share the same sentiment :rolleyes:



I'd also rather crash on a bike than in a car.
That one's not much better either :roll: You ARE times safer crashing in a car than a bike.
The point is avoiding crashing :)

[Jamiebridges123]

What a stupid thing to post. I'm sure your family doesn't share the same sentiment :rolleyes:

Funnily enough having nearly died on a bike I think I'm quite enough qualified to say which I prefer!

Offtopic bit v

I was just saying that everyone will die at one time or another (not that anyone particularly looks forward to the day :|) and I personally would rather die on my bike (or in some other big fantastic fireball of death way) than of old age or cancer or some other terminal disease. My Dad says "fair enough mate just dont plan too soon!" and my Mum says "I don't want you dying at all", my GF says "get a car" :D

Yes Stu you are totally 110% correct mate. Avoid crashing :p

[Ceri JC]

Chief Superintendent Neil Mackay defended the move, saying weather was not the only issue. He added: "We were concerned that motorcyclists on escort duties were more vulnerable than officers in cars."

I agree that it's questionable if they should be used as anything other than the 'spotters' until a chopper can be scrambled in a pursuit, but escort duties? The whole point of being an escort is you're supposed to be more expendable than the VIP you're protecting. If being by bike lets you spot the assassin 100M sooner and the VIP gets away okay, you've done your job. If you're in a car, you'll be as likely to get snarled up in traffic as the VIP's car. It's with good reason all motorcades have bike-based outriders...

[Ch00]

All sounds like some High ranking officer is looking for career evidence to me. "look at me I have fixed a problem that didnt need fixing"

Give it a few years then the next High ranking officer will go "we need bikes how can I get my next rank?"

In Met land we have hundreds of bikes and will need more for 2012. During the G8 stuff we used a lot of other forces riders to boost our numbers.

Ch00

[Mogs]

Probably looking to be the next Chief Constable of North Wales. What better statistic to put on your CV than to say 'I was instrumental in reducing the injury figures to zero for the Motorcyle division'.. then the next one into Cumbria will be able to say "I was instrumental in establishing a successful motorcycle division".