Almost took out a copper...

Alright guys,

Was off out this evening, thought it was a bit chilly and I'd take the car because I'd be coming back late and it's freezing!

So I'm going through a tunnel on the ring road in Brum, two lanes and heavy traffic but we're moving at about 20mph. I'm in the right hand lane and I'm looking in the mirror for filtering bikes as usual and lo and behold I see a copper on his bike so I pull over to the right til I'm almost in the gutter so he can get past.

A couple more had come in to view by then so I stay over to let them all pass. The last one to come past me passed so close and braked as he went past the offside of my bonnet and he must have been less than a hairs breadth from me clipping his pannier and sending him off.

This really narked me cos although I'd seen him and moved over he almost hit me and doubtless I'd have got done for it with him being police.

Anyway, they were going further round to attend a crash so the traffic got severely worse and I turned off at a roundabout and came home instead!

So car drivers (or at least car drivers who are bikers) do see bikes, do try and let them through and the bikes almost cause an accident. I'm going to be extra careful when filtering on the ring road but I think that copper was lucky and not riding very well.

/End rant!

Difficult to comment without being there - but the road is VERY narrow there, and twisty, so not much room for bikes to get through - and with 2 lanes of traffic there isn't much space at all. Not a place where I would want to filter TBH. He must've been in a hurry.

i agree mate being in the forces i can understand him /her for being in a ruch but no reason to ride on the limit all the time

Originally Posted by cartwrim

Alright guys,

This really narked me cos although I'd seen him and moved over he almost hit me and doubtless I'd have got done for it with him being police.

/End rant!

In all fairness if he had hit you, you wernt moving, there were witness around i couldn't see how you could have got done.

Not being rude to any police officers but isnt it there job to take all reasonable steps to avoid crashing into things, even if they are attending a serious crimes. After all there no point in pushing to get to the scene of an accident/crime if inoccent people are indured in the process

You didn't almost take out a copper a copper almost took himself out, you were stationary and he almost clipped you. If it is where I think it is then the road is very narrow there. Maybe he just mis-judged the gap slightly or slipped etc, I know I have had a couple of near misses like that, cops aren’t infallible (like the car that came around the corner straight into a lamppost by my girlfriend’s parent’s house), it was close but it was all alright.

Alright guys,

I don't think I made it clear in the original post, they didn't have the blues and two's on, I only moved over cos I was looking out for bikes around there and all the traffic including me were still moving around 20mph when they went past, it was as he braked sharply and pulled slightly to the right when he went past that he almost drifted into me.

As you say noone's infallible, I just thought the police would be better I guess! Never mind, noone was hurt (except maybe whoever was in the accident but hopefully not )

I would imagine the usually are but mistakes happen.

There were a few roads closed in town last night due to the wind blowing some scaffolding off or something so the rest of the roads were rammed, and you know what some drivers seem to be like in heavy traffic, I lost count of the amount of near accidents I saw as all types of vehicle were trying to fit in every gap. And I am sure at least two cars were actively trying to knock me off. There were a lot of police taken up by closing the roads so the rest probably had a lot to deal with so that may be why he was in a rush.

cartwrim wrote:

less than a hairs breadth from me clipping his pannier and sending him off.

Teachers notes:

Must try harder!

On the subject of ropey police driving, I was followed (well, he happened to be going the same way for 4 miles or so) by a police van (looked like a dog unit) the other day. I recognise that not all police are traffic cops or trained to a far higher standard of driving than joe public, but you would hope they would at least be "better than average".

Now, I'm no cop hater and I actually have a lot of admiration for some police riders I've followed, but this van was rubbish. Whilst not actually doing anything directly dangerous, nor having any near misses he was fairly poor throughout. Late braking, tailgaiting (he was't trying to get past), not indicating on approach to, on, or when exiting roundabouts, poor road positioning for corners, wrong lanes for turnings, etc. All on icy roads!

If people see police going round roundabouts without indicating it's just going to reinforce the general opinion that it is acceptable driving practice to do so.

[Bluepete]

FFS!

According to one post, this section of road is so narrow that filtering is difficult at best. This just goes to show the skill these lads have, riding 200 kg's of pan euro through atrocious conditions with sufficient skill to get the bike, panniers and themselves through "skimming" cars without hitting them on the way to an emergency! Often sirens etc make matters worse, especially in heavy traffic, cars swerving all over when numpty cage pushers panic and have no idea what to do.
You try it, then deal with irate cage pushers who have dinged each other and keep your cool whilst everyone else looses theirs.


end of MY rant