Yes, the video corroborates the cyclists eye witness account. If either is not there (ie the video is unclear, or someone else takes it in who wasn't there at the time) then the police will take the view that there is little point getting shouted at by seniors or a fiscal.
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Cycling News
West Midlands Police just raised the bar...
(125 posts)-
Posted 7 years ago #
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Had brief chat earlier with someone who was last week discussing OpClosePass with some senior Police Scotland folks. Launch date not decided, but certainly within "2-3 months", apparently.
Posted 7 years ago # -
certainly within "2-3 months", apparently.
Put back yet again?
Their lack of will to do this is clear for all to see.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Put back yet again?
As far as I know, they've only ever had a tentative launch schedule and I'd far rather they put it back a bit than make a pig's lug of it.Also should be noted that they didn't say they'd start sometime between 2 and 3 months from now, but answered positively when asked if they'd have started in 2-3 months time. Could be planning on launching quietly today!
Posted 7 years ago # -
Or, equally, if you ask them three months from not, they might tell you that they'll start before September.
If, for the last 5 (?) months, they're convinced close passes are dangerous, and have been convinced police must protect cyclists from such driving, then their behaviour is bizarre.
And, frankly, reeks of all their past broken promises to cyclists.
Posted 7 years ago # -
I'll stick a fiver on this ending up being an inconsequential promo fortnight coinciding with the summer school holidays, first two weeks of July
Box duly ticked, move along now, there's nothing to see
Posted 7 years ago # -
@bax
Remember the crackdown on cars stopping in ASLs?
A 2 week "awareness" period where police would give out warnings. Then, they'd start giving out penalties.
They did the first part. Forgot all about the second part.
Why should this be any different?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Why should this be any different?
Applying a straight bat to your rhetorical -
Wasn't the legendary ASL crackdown a local 'Lothian and Borders' affair
Whereas this would purport to be a serious nationwide Police Scotland initiative ?
Nevertheless we must anticipate the inevitable community-minded balancing act..
The swift reciprocal follow-up exercise targetting the red light jumping two-wheeled menace that stalks our streets leaving danger chaos mayhem in its wake
Posted 7 years ago # -
@bax, you bet. Time to not cross any lines Smokey
Posted 7 years ago # -
Operation Close Pass looks likely to launch in Edinburgh on 24th April.
One of the officers involved is most definitely a cyclist.
Posted 7 years ago # -
According to Police Scotland, via one of my MSPs:
As part of OpClosePass in Edinburgh, divisional officers will be issued reports with guidance on how to investigate reports of close passes from the public, and specialist Road Policing officers will provide guidance to officers, including examles of the standards of evidence required to satidy the Procurator Fiscal.
Also says they support assigning a "sufficient percentage" of the transport budget to cycling in realise the 10% of journeys by 2020.
All sounds good.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@Frenchy
Does this mean they'll be simply waiting for reports from cyclists?
Or will they be looking out for close passes as per West Midlands police?
Posted 7 years ago # -
Out looking, like WMP, starting on the 24th.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Posted 7 years ago #
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Comment below Cycling article -
“
Speaking with a couple of officers at the Cycle Show on Saturday, I cannot wait till this is rolled out nationwide. I believe the portal to report third party incidents will become national in the beginning of 2018! :)
“
Posted 7 years ago # -
National England or rUK rather than entire UK, I presume...
Meanwhile in Scotland: http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/15554700.Death_of_Scots_mother_in_bike_crash_sparks_fresh_police_warnings_over__fixies_/
Posted 7 years ago # -
Still leading the way:
https://west-midlands.police.uk/news/4208/pedestrian-road-deaths-down-wmp-targets-dangerous-drivers#
Operation Safer Schools and Safer Crossing sees traffic cops in plain clothes mingling with pedestrians on the look-out for drivers who ignore zebra crossings, speed near schools, jump red lights, use phones at the wheel or commit other motoring offences in key locations.
Details of the offending vehicle are taken down and either radioed ahead for colleagues to intercept the driver or a postal prosecution.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Twitter convo with Dumfries and Galloway police twitter - this kicked off by @pidginposting retweeting the following from D&G plod;
@DumfriesGPolice: In 2016, 32 pedestrians, 8 pedal cyclists & 30 motorcyclists sadly lost their lives on Scotland’s roads #GoSafeRoadSafe https://twitter.com/DumfriesGPolice/status/924957705827246080/video/1
video starts off with a kid stating hes wearing a helmet and hi viz cos it makes sense.............
Cue me -
@nelly0168: @DumfriesGPolice Aye, well done. "Wear a helmet and hi Viz because it's the cyclists fault if a driver doesn't see you.." #victimblaming
@DumfriesGPolice: @nelly0168 We are asking everyone to take responsibility for their own safety & to share road space respectfully & responsibly.
@nelly0168: @DumfriesGPolice Come on ! It's 100% the drivers responsibility to see a driver/pedestrian. Where's the advice for pedestrians to wear hi viz?
@DumfriesGPolice: @nelly0168 We agree however cyclists can improve the chance of being seen in poor light by wearing bright clothing. Pedestrians stuff later in week
@DumfriesGPolice So you will be telling pedestrians to wear Hi Viz clothing too? Given that car drivers killed 4 times as many pedestrians??
Am I being over sensitive, but FFS these are the people responsible for road safety - they JUST DONT GET IT.
Posted 7 years ago # -
If they are ignorant, they can be retrained.
I suspect they just want to do this project and move on, so its the easy same old soundbite rubbish every time.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@Nelly
Am I being over sensitive
Maybe, maybe not.
but FFS these are the people responsible for road safety - they JUST DONT GET IT.
They don't.
If they used the same logic for other crimes - and dangerous driving is a crime - there'd be a huge outcry.
Especially when their advice to young women would be to wear long skirts on a Friday night in order to "improve their chances" of not being raped.
Posted 7 years ago # -
And next week they will be advising drivers to paint their cars fluorescent yellow to improve their chance of being seen in poor light...not.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Especially when their advice to young women would be to wear long skirts on a Friday night in order to "improve their chances" of not being raped."
This is very unfair and it is quite offensive to see you equating what is a reasonably sensible precaution when cycling, with rape.
In many situations people can take steps to ensure a better outcome for themselves. It is not anyone's fault if they are a victim of a crime or an accident, but it is not victim-blaming to suggest you might do things to improve your own chances of not being a victim of crime.
The driver is responsible for seeing you, but it doesn't mean we have to make it hard for them. It isn't a competition as to who has the most rights to enforce, its about increasing your own ability to stay safe. If I get run over, nobody will be comforted by the fact that the driver was in the wrong, I'd still be dead.
Long skirts have nothing to do with rape, which tends to be about control and power. Wearing High-viz has everything to do with being seen well on a dark-night.
Posted 7 years ago # -
Where does locking your bike fit in the sensible precaution / victim blaming scale?
Posted 7 years ago # -
"Wearing High-viz has everything to do with being seen well on a dark-night"
Conflating high-vis and reflectivity is amongst the smallest of the errors in your post.
Posted 7 years ago # -
A person shouldn’t have to lock their bike to avoid it being stolen but many do, because it seems like a sensible precaution to take to help make it difficult for thieves.
It is not necessary to wear Hi-vis, but i’m struggling to see why doing something to help others see you is somehow controversial here. I wear it myself when i’m cycling, I still fully expect moterists to take proper care when driving around me but I don’t see it as an issue to be wearing it.
If it starts to go down the line of “it’s your fault you were hit by a car because you didn’t wear hi-viz” then yes, that would be completely wrong. The idea that people suggesting it be worn is now victim blaming, is an overreaction.
Posted 7 years ago # -
"The idea that people suggesting it be worn is now victim blaming, is an overreaction"
I will agree with that when the police start telling pedestrians to wear hi Viz and helmets.
That they won't do that suggests to me that they are singling out cyclists - that sounds like deflection at best and blaming at worst.
Oh, and they still haven't responded to my last tweet, which says it all
Posted 7 years ago # -
I don't remember the details and could be wrong but I'm sure cyclist hear has been discussed in court during dangerous driving cases. So it already has gone down the line of"your fault if you didn't wear it".
Sensible precaution yes, but the police shouldn't be the ones publishing it.
Posted 7 years ago # -
‘Sensible precaution yes, but the police shouldn't be the ones publishing’
The police will use the advice in the Highway Code. Rules 3 & 59 in respect of pedestrians and cyclists. The Highway Code even illustrates these rules. When the Highway Code changes so will the police advice.
The advice of Rule 3 is scheduled for reference later on in the campaign.
Posted 7 years ago # -
@mmaohara
This is very unfair and it is quite offensive to see you equating what is a reasonably sensible precaution when cycling, with rape.
You see, I'm old enough to remember a time when British judges would bring up how the victim was dressed when ruling on rape trials.
And when police would "advise" young women on what they should and shouldn't wear if they want to reduce the likelihood of rape/sexual assault.
Just the same logic that's behind telling cyclists to wear hi-viz.
(Which is why I used it.)
Posted 7 years ago #
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