Norwich drivers have been urged to watch carefully for cyclists after one woman died and another rider was seriously injured in the city within 24 hours.

One woman in her 60s died in Newmarket Road on Sunday after a collision with a red Renault Laguna, while another cyclist was seriously injured at the Kett's Hill roundabout this morning.

The Kett's Hill crash came less than a fortnight after it had fully reopened following work costing £64,000 to supposedly make it safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

Following the crashes - the causes of which are still to be determined - Norwich Cycling Campaign's Derek Williams said the situation on city roads was "unbelievable".

He said: "It's now five incidents this year, I can't believe it.

"Most drivers are careful and conscious of cyclists but sometimes people get distracted, often by phones.

"It only takes a little lapse in concentration and it can cause a lot of problems.

"On the other hand, you have some people who are simply terrible drivers, I'd go so far as to say they are psychotic."

Mr Williams said the most common way bad drivers cause danger to cyclists on the streets of Norwich was by not leaving a gap when overtaking.

He added: "It's a bit like a punch in the backside when some of them go tearing past.

"The majority of drivers overtake carefully and give plenty of room, but a large minority don't and they're the ones who cause the problems."

Mr Williams said Norfolk County Council needed to install more purpose-built cycle tracks on the road in order to improve road conditions for those on two wheels.

He said: "It's a stupid culture war from central government which is causing a lot of the aggressive driving, this whole thing about a war on cars.

"The city can't handle the amount of traffic it sees at the moment, we need proper infrastructure and enforcement for those who drive dangerously.

"They've spent all that money on Kett's Hill and didn't build a cycle track, this was done under the Developing Cities fund which is supposed to improve things for cyclists but there is nothing there at all it's just pavements.

"It's a whole different world abroad. In Holland, where they have proper infrastructure, you see about 60pc of journeys made by cycle."

Mr Williams said the cycling campaign sent its "deepest condolences" to the family of the cyclist who died.

Anyone with information about the two recent crashes is urged to contact Norfolk police on 101.

https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23737243.norwich-drivers-urged-watch-cyclists-crashes/

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:

> Norwich drivers have been urged to watch carefully for cyclists after
> one woman died and another rider was seriously injured in the city within 24 hours.

One supposes that advice to cyclists to be aware of your surroundings,
anticipate the actions of others, plan your journey with safety in mind,
etc, will go the way of the advice to wear hiviz and a helmet.

Which of these might apply here:

The Fatal Five KSI for cyclists:

1 - rider failed to look properly: 3,622

2 - rider failed to judge other person’s path or speed: 1,574

3 - rider careless, reckless or in a hurry: 1,225

4 - rider entering road from pavement: 1,097

5 - poor turn or manoeuvre: 718

Note that in neither of these cases are the facts known, but it’s drivers
that get warned about their behaviour.

> One woman in her 60s died in Newmarket Road on Sunday after a collision
> with a red Renault Laguna, while another cyclist was seriously injured at
> the Kett's Hill roundabout this morning.
>
> The Kett's Hill crash came less than a fortnight after it had fully
> reopened following work costing £64,000 to supposedly make it safer for
> cyclists and pedestrians.
>
> Following the crashes - the causes of which are still to be determined -
> Norwich Cycling Campaign's Derek Williams said the situation on city
> roads was "unbelievable".
>
> He said: "It's now five incidents this year, I can't believe it.
>
> "Most drivers are careful and conscious of cyclists but sometimes people
> get distracted, often by phones.
>
> "It only takes a little lapse in concentration and it can cause a lot of problems.
>
> "On the other hand, you have some people who are simply terrible drivers,
> I'd go so far as to say they are psychotic."
>
> Mr Williams said the most common way bad drivers cause danger to cyclists
> on the streets of Norwich was by not leaving a gap when overtaking.
>
> He added: "It's a bit like a punch in the backside when some of them go tearing past.
>
> "The majority of drivers overtake carefully and give plenty of room, but
> a large minority don't and they're the ones who cause the problems."
>
> Mr Williams said Norfolk County Council needed to install more
> purpose-built cycle tracks on the road in order to improve road
> conditions for those on two wheels.
>
> He said: "It's a stupid culture war from central government which is
> causing a lot of the aggressive driving, this whole thing about a war on cars.
>
> "The city can't handle the amount of traffic it sees at the moment, we
> need proper infrastructure and enforcement for those who drive dangerously.
>
> "They've spent all that money on Kett's Hill and didn't build a cycle
> track, this was done under the Developing Cities fund which is supposed
> to improve things for cyclists but there is nothing there at all it's just pavements.
>
> "It's a whole different world abroad. In Holland, where they have proper
> infrastructure, you see about 60pc of journeys made by cycle."
>
> Mr Williams said the cycling campaign sent its "deepest condolences" to
> the family of the cyclist who died.
>
> Anyone with information about the two recent crashes is urged to contact
> Norfolk police on 101.
>
> https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/23737243.norwich-drivers-urged-watch-cyclists-crashes/
>
>

--
Spike

QUOTE: "On the other hand, you have some people who are simply terrible drivers, I'd go so far as to say they are psychotic." ENDS
=======================================
NO COMMENTS NEEDED.

On 22/08/2023 01:59 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> QUOTE: "On the other hand, you have some people who are simply terrible drivers, I'd go so far as to say they are psychotic." ENDS
> =======================================
> NO COMMENTS NEEDED.

Have you still got your driving licence and the SAAB with no working
windscreen wipers, M'Lud?

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> QUOTE: "On the other hand, you have some people who are simply terrible
> drivers, I'd go so far as to say they are psychotic." ENDS
> =======================================
> NO COMMENTS NEEDED.

As in “It takes one to know one”, perchance?

--
Spike

QUOTE: He said: "It's now five incidents this year, I can't believe it. "Most drivers are careful and conscious of cyclists but sometimes people get distracted, often by phones. ENDS

And people like Cycling Mikey get attacked when he videos these criminals and reports them to the police.
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QUOTE: He said: "It's now five incidents this year, I can't believe it. "Most drivers are careful and conscious of cyclists but sometimes people get distracted, often by phones. ENDS

And people like Cycling Mikey get attacked when he videos these criminals and reports them to the police.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: He said: "It's now five incidents this year, I can't believe it.
> "Most drivers are careful and conscious of cyclists but sometimes people
> get distracted, often by phones. ENDS
>
> And people like Cycling Mikey get attacked when he videos these criminals
> and reports them to the police.

Is this the same guy who videos himself stopping traffic (illegal),
berating drivers for not following his Gospel (possibly illegal), while in
the background cyclists can be seen cycling on the footway (illegal)?

A right Saint if there ever was one…not

--
Spike

QUOTE: Mr Williams said the most common way bad drivers cause danger to cyclists on the streets of Norwich was by not leaving a gap when overtaking. ENDS

On Wednesday 17 May 2023 Greater Manchester Police relaunched the Operation Close Pass initiative to clampdown on those motorists not giving enough space when overtaking cyclists.

Between 1 March 2022 and 28 February 2023 there were 448 cycling-related road collisions involving injury throughout Greater Manchester.

Close Pass was originally launched by West Midlands Police in 2016 and was designed to proactively identify and educate drivers who pass too closely to cyclists.

GMP rolled out the initiative initially in 2017 after a number of trials across the City-region, with the aim to reduce collisions between vehicles and cyclists.

Officers from the Traffic Unit will cycle the roads of Greater Manchester in a bid to identify those drivers who fail to overtake them within the Highway Code’s recommended safe passing distance of 1.5 metres.

Once identified, a nearby police patrol will be called-in to intercept the driver and offer them on the spot education on how to safely overtake cyclists. Drivers who refuse the education will be charged with driving without due care and attention, which could result in the driver receiving a fine and points on their licence.

The cycling officers will use body worn cameras, along with cameras fixed to their pedal bikes, to capture any offences witnessed, including motorists using a mobile, failing to wear a seatbelt and any other offences committed whilst driving.

GMP Superintendent Gareth Parkin said: “It is really important that we keep getting the message out there to road users of how dangerous it can be and how vulnerable people on pedal cycles can feel when they are out on the roads.

“So you will be seeing more of these Close Pass operations across Greater Manchester, we are looking at hotspot locations, we will be reviewing our information and intelligence and also talking to local communities about where they would like to see these operations.

“Not only is Dame Sarah Storey throwing her support behind it but Transport for Greater Manchester have helped us launch this by providing us with the funding to purchase the pedal-bike, so our thanks go to them as well.

Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Dame Sarah Storey said: "I am delighted to see the launch of Operation Close Pass by Greater Manchester Police. Reducing road danger is a key part of the work I am doing to ensure more people have the opportunity to choose to travel on foot or by bike.

“Currently, in excess of two thirds of people cite the danger posed by drivers as a reason for not being able to make their own short journeys on foot or by bike and close passes are one of the most frightening things you can experience whilst riding.

“This operation will play a key role in continuing to build on the work the police have been doing with Operation Avro and Operation Considerate and will pave the way for the next phase of the plan which I will be announcing on June 5th."

https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/appeals/2022/may/gmp-relaunch-close-pass-initiative-to-educate-drivers-and-protect-cyclists/

On 22/08/2023 06:01 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> QUOTE: Mr Williams said the most common way bad drivers cause danger to cyclists on the streets of Norwich was by not leaving a gap when overtaking. ENDS

If no gap were left, the vehicles would collide.

Why is the English language so difficult for people like you and "Mr
Williams" (whoever he might be)?

QUOTE: "The majority of drivers overtake carefully and give plenty of room, but a large minority don't and they're the ones who cause the problems." ENDS

Police officers across Northern Ireland will be taking to the roads on unmarked bicycles, to raise awareness of cycle safety in Belfast today, Thursday 8th June.

Superintendent Gary Busch explained: “During our close-pass operations, which were first trailed in 2017, police officers in plain clothes on unmarked bicycles equipped with cameras, will be supported by police motorcyclists to identify drivers who don’t give cyclists enough room when they pass.

“We have been running local operations, to educate both drivers and cyclists to regard the roads as a shared space, but this is the first time we are adopting a coordinated operation at locations across Northern Ireland on the same day.

“During the operation, the cycle officers wear helmet mounted cameras that capture footage of motorists as they pass by. Where a driver has displayed potentially dangerous driving or has failed to allow a safe or adequate space when passing, the officers’ radio ahead to uniformed motorcycle colleagues who stop the motorist identified and offer the appropriate advice.

“While our primary focus at this early stage is education, where necessary and appropriate, we will consider enforcement action for the most serious examples, including the recently introduced careless driving fixed penalty notice. Motorists will also be offered the opportunity to view the footage captured by the cycle officers so they can fully appreciate what ‘close passing’ is like from the cyclist perspective.

“As a minimum, 1.5m is the accepted safe distance a motorist should allow between their vehicle and a cyclist on the roadway. Unfortunately, many drivers are falling far short of this safety requirement.

“I should however also stress that police officers are also tasked to observe cyclist behaviour and intervene with any cyclist who fails to observe the rules of the road or where a cyclist may need to give greater consideration to the environment around them.

Future plans for the initiative include the provision of training to cycling clubs and the limited provision of cameras to record incidents to be shared with police.

Chairman of Cycling Ulster Tommy McCague added, “All our road users should welcome every safety initiative that attempts to save lives on our busy roads today, the way ahead is learning to share and have consideration for each other. Let’s hope that today can be the start of this.”

Superintendent Busch added, “We all want to make our roads safer, and need to work together to prevent road collisions, fatalities and injuries so let’s each do our part to #sharetheroadtozero.”

https://www.psni.police.uk/latest-news/close-pass-operation-highlight-cycle-safety

This report manages not to say how effective the various Operations ‘Close
Pass’ were, despite having information on before-and-after comparisons.

Wonder why that could possibly be…

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: Mr Williams said the most common way bad drivers cause danger to
> cyclists on the streets of Norwich was by not leaving a gap when overtaking. ENDS
>
> On Wednesday 17 May 2023 Greater Manchester Police relaunched the
> Operation Close Pass initiative to clampdown on those motorists not
> giving enough space when overtaking cyclists.
>
> Between 1 March 2022 and 28 February 2023 there were 448 cycling-related
> road collisions involving injury throughout Greater Manchester.
>
> Close Pass was originally launched by West Midlands Police in 2016 and
> was designed to proactively identify and educate drivers who pass too closely to cyclists.
>
> GMP rolled out the initiative initially in 2017 after a number of trials
> across the City-region, with the aim to reduce collisions between vehicles and cyclists.
>
> Officers from the Traffic Unit will cycle the roads of Greater Manchester
> in a bid to identify those drivers who fail to overtake them within the
> Highway Code’s recommended safe passing distance of 1.5 metres.
>
> Once identified, a nearby police patrol will be called-in to intercept
> the driver and offer them on the spot education on how to safely overtake
> cyclists. Drivers who refuse the education will be charged with driving
> without due care and attention, which could result in the driver
> receiving a fine and points on their licence.
>
> The cycling officers will use body worn cameras, along with cameras fixed
> to their pedal bikes, to capture any offences witnessed, including
> motorists using a mobile, failing to wear a seatbelt and any other
> offences committed whilst driving.
>
> GMP Superintendent Gareth Parkin said: “It is really important that we
> keep getting the message out there to road users of how dangerous it can
> be and how vulnerable people on pedal cycles can feel when they are out on the roads.
>
> “So you will be seeing more of these Close Pass operations across Greater
> Manchester, we are looking at hotspot locations, we will be reviewing our
> information and intelligence and also talking to local communities about
> where they would like to see these operations.
>
> “Not only is Dame Sarah Storey throwing her support behind it but
> Transport for Greater Manchester have helped us launch this by providing
> us with the funding to purchase the pedal-bike, so our thanks go to them as well.
>
> Active Travel Commissioner for Greater Manchester, Dame Sarah Storey
> said: "I am delighted to see the launch of Operation Close Pass by
> Greater Manchester Police. Reducing road danger is a key part of the work
> I am doing to ensure more people have the opportunity to choose to travel
> on foot or by bike.
>
> “Currently, in excess of two thirds of people cite the danger posed by
> drivers as a reason for not being able to make their own short journeys
> on foot or by bike and close passes are one of the most frightening
> things you can experience whilst riding.
>
> “This operation will play a key role in continuing to build on the work
> the police have been doing with Operation Avro and Operation Considerate
> and will pave the way for the next phase of the plan which I will be
> announcing on June 5th."
>
> https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/appeals/2022/may/gmp-relaunch-close-pass-initiative-to-educate-drivers-and-protect-cyclists/
>

--
Spike

This report manages not to say how effective the various Operations ‘Close
Pass’ were, despite having information on before-and-after comparisons.
Wonder why that could possibly be…

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> QUOTE: "The majority of drivers overtake carefully and give plenty of
> room, but a large minority don't and they're the ones who cause the problems." ENDS
>
> Police officers across Northern Ireland will be taking to the roads on
> unmarked bicycles, to raise awareness of cycle safety in Belfast today, Thursday 8th June.
>
> Superintendent Gary Busch explained: “During our close-pass operations,
> which were first trailed in 2017, police officers in plain clothes on
> unmarked bicycles equipped with cameras, will be supported by police
> motorcyclists to identify drivers who don’t give cyclists enough room when they pass.
>
> “We have been running local operations, to educate both drivers and
> cyclists to regard the roads as a shared space, but this is the first
> time we are adopting a coordinated operation at locations across Northern
> Ireland on the same day.
>
> “During the operation, the cycle officers wear helmet mounted cameras
> that capture footage of motorists as they pass by. Where a driver has
> displayed potentially dangerous driving or has failed to allow a safe or
> adequate space when passing, the officers’ radio ahead to uniformed
> motorcycle colleagues who stop the motorist identified and offer the appropriate advice.
>
> “While our primary focus at this early stage is education, where
> necessary and appropriate, we will consider enforcement action for the
> most serious examples, including the recently introduced careless driving
> fixed penalty notice. Motorists will also be offered the opportunity to
> view the footage captured by the cycle officers so they can fully
> appreciate what ‘close passing’ is like from the cyclist perspective.
>
> “As a minimum, 1.5m is the accepted safe distance a motorist should allow
> between their vehicle and a cyclist on the roadway. Unfortunately, many
> drivers are falling far short of this safety requirement.
>
> “I should however also stress that police officers are also tasked to
> observe cyclist behaviour and intervene with any cyclist who fails to
> observe the rules of the road or where a cyclist may need to give greater
> consideration to the environment around them.
>
> Future plans for the initiative include the provision of training to
> cycling clubs and the limited provision of cameras to record incidents to
> be shared with police.
>
> Chairman of Cycling Ulster Tommy McCague added, “All our road users
> should welcome every safety initiative that attempts to save lives on our
> busy roads today, the way ahead is learning to share and have
> consideration for each other. Let’s hope that today can be the start of this.”
>
> Superintendent Busch added, “We all want to make our roads safer, and
> need to work together to prevent road collisions, fatalities and injuries
> so let’s each do our part to #sharetheroadtozero.”
>
> https://www.psni.police.uk/latest-news/close-pass-operation-highlight-cycle-safety
>

--
Spike

Yesterday (Wednesday 14 June 2023) Greater Manchester Police officers took to the streets of the City Centre as Operation Close Pass got underway for the first time since its relaunch last month.

Officers from GMP’s Road Policing Unit teamed up with Traffic PSCOs and headed to Chester Road off Deansgate, as work continues to make roads safer for all vehicle users throughout the City-region.

An education mat was laid out on the road which gave car drivers a visual diagram of how much space they should be leaving pedal-cyclists when overtaking them.

The PCSOs took to the roads to identify those drivers who fail to overtake them within the Highway Code’s recommended safe passing distance of 1.5 metres.

Once identified, a nearby police patrol will be called-in to intercept the driver and offer them on the spot education on how to safely overtake cyclists.

Two drivers were stopped and received education about the Close Pass scheme and given tips and pointers on how to overtake cyclists safely in the future.

Some motorists were also handed Traffic Offence Reports for various offences and officer on motorcycles stopped several vehicles to advise them about passing cars closely.

Sergeant Bradley Ormesher from the Roads Policing Unit said: “This is the first of two operations that we are running in the City Centre and there will be other operations taking place throughout the whole of Greater Manchester in the coming months.

“We had a lot of questions from the public who were passing about the scheme, with our officers informing and educating them in the hope that they pass the information to their friends and family.

“There has been some significant road traffic collision between vehicles and cyclists in recent weeks, which highlights the need for us to spread the message as far as we can to hopefully bring those incidents down and make Greater Manchester’s roads a safer place.”

https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2023/june/first-close-pass-operation-takes-pace-in-the-city-centre/

QUOTE
“There has been some significant road traffic collision between vehicles
and cyclists in recent weeks, which highlights the need for us to spread
the message as far as we can to hopefully bring those incidents down and
make Greater Manchester’s roads a safer place.”ENDQUOTE

And what are The Fatal Five KSI for cyclists?

1 - rider failed to look properly 3,622

2 - rider failed to judge other person’s path or speed: 1,574

3 - rider careless, reckless or in a hurry: 1,225

4 - rider entering road from pavement: 1,097

5 - poor turn or manoeuvre: 718

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yesterday (Wednesday 14 June 2023) Greater Manchester Police officers
> took to the streets of the City Centre as Operation Close Pass got
> underway for the first time since its relaunch last month.
>
> Officers from GMP’s Road Policing Unit teamed up with Traffic PSCOs and
> headed to Chester Road off Deansgate, as work continues to make roads
> safer for all vehicle users throughout the City-region.
>
> An education mat was laid out on the road which gave car drivers a visual
> diagram of how much space they should be leaving pedal-cyclists when overtaking them.
>
> The PCSOs took to the roads to identify those drivers who fail to
> overtake them within the Highway Code’s recommended safe passing distance of 1.5 metres.
>
> Once identified, a nearby police patrol will be called-in to intercept
> the driver and offer them on the spot education on how to safely overtake cyclists.
>
> Two drivers were stopped and received education about the Close Pass
> scheme and given tips and pointers on how to overtake cyclists safely in the future.
>
> Some motorists were also handed Traffic Offence Reports for various
> offences and officer on motorcycles stopped several vehicles to advise
> them about passing cars closely.
>
> Sergeant Bradley Ormesher from the Roads Policing Unit said: “This is the
> first of two operations that we are running in the City Centre and there
> will be other operations taking place throughout the whole of Greater
> Manchester in the coming months.
>
> “We had a lot of questions from the public who were passing about the
> scheme, with our officers informing and educating them in the hope that
> they pass the information to their friends and family.
>
> “There has been some significant road traffic collision between vehicles
> and cyclists in recent weeks, which highlights the need for us to spread
> the message as far as we can to hopefully bring those incidents down and
> make Greater Manchester’s roads a safer place.”
>
> https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2023/june/first-close-pass-operation-takes-pace-in-the-city-centre/
>

--
Spike

HUNDREDS of dangerous drivers could be caught on dashcam footage and slapped with fines after a new operation comes into force.

New signs go up on the A443 through Hallow warning drivers that the area has now become part of Operation Snap.

Drivers and cyclists can submit evidence of careless motorists as part of Operation Snap which could land people a fine or even court date if they are found to be committing an offence.

It allows people to submit digital footage from dashcams and helmet-mounted cameras showing potential traffic offences in the West Mercia region online.

Dan Brothwell, chair of Bike Worcester, said cyclists face a lot of close passes along Hallow Road.

The signs hope to improve driving conditions in the area.

Mr Brothwell, age 47, said: "It's not a hot spot, that would be unfair to say, but there have been a lot of close passes in that area.

"It would be great if it could be used as a mechanism to promote good drivers."

West Mercia Police received 310 videos claiming to show bad driving in November as part of Operation Snap.

Offences include overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone while driving and ignoring traffic lights.

Of the 310 submissions, 139 were issued with penalty notices and there were 118 cases of visits or advice being given by police.

There were also two submissions following crashes while 51 cases saw no further action taken or because they were out of the force area.

The police aim to update anyone who submits footage with the outcome of their allegations.

All submissions are dealt with pro-actively to help reduce risk taking and poor driving on our counties roads.

A similar initiative to Operation Snap, Operation Close Pass is designed to target motorists who ignore the Highway Code rules when overtaking cyclists.

Motorists who do not leave enough space when overtaking will be recorded and the offence dealt with.

The Highway Code states the minimum distance drivers must give a cyclist when passing them in a car is 1.5 metres, and this must be adhered to at all times.

At higher speeds, distances of at least 2 metres are recommended, while the same distances for larger vehicles are recommended at all times.

A failure to give a berth of at least 1.5 metres can result in a criminal sanction of a £100 fine, and may also include points on the driver’s license.

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23196878.operation-snap-comes-a443-worcester-hallow/

This report manages not to say how effective the various Operations ‘Close
Pass’ were, despite having information on before-and-after comparisons.

Wonder why that could possibly be…

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Yesterday (Wednesday 14 June 2023) Greater Manchester Police officers
> took to the streets of the City Centre as Operation Close Pass got
> underway for the first time since its relaunch last month.
>
> Officers from GMP’s Road Policing Unit teamed up with Traffic PSCOs and
> headed to Chester Road off Deansgate, as work continues to make roads
> safer for all vehicle users throughout the City-region.
>
> An education mat was laid out on the road which gave car drivers a visual
> diagram of how much space they should be leaving pedal-cyclists when overtaking them.
>
> The PCSOs took to the roads to identify those drivers who fail to
> overtake them within the Highway Code’s recommended safe passing distance of 1.5 metres.
>
> Once identified, a nearby police patrol will be called-in to intercept
> the driver and offer them on the spot education on how to safely overtake cyclists.
>
> Two drivers were stopped and received education about the Close Pass
> scheme and given tips and pointers on how to overtake cyclists safely in the future.
>
> Some motorists were also handed Traffic Offence Reports for various
> offences and officer on motorcycles stopped several vehicles to advise
> them about passing cars closely.
>
> Sergeant Bradley Ormesher from the Roads Policing Unit said: “This is the
> first of two operations that we are running in the City Centre and there
> will be other operations taking place throughout the whole of Greater
> Manchester in the coming months.
>
> “We had a lot of questions from the public who were passing about the
> scheme, with our officers informing and educating them in the hope that
> they pass the information to their friends and family.
>
> “There has been some significant road traffic collision between vehicles
> and cyclists in recent weeks, which highlights the need for us to spread
> the message as far as we can to hopefully bring those incidents down and
> make Greater Manchester’s roads a safer place.”
>
> https://www.gmp.police.uk/news/greater-manchester/news/news/2023/june/first-close-pass-operation-takes-pace-in-the-city-centre/
>

--
Spike

HUNDREDS of video clips claiming to show bad drivers were sent to the police.

Police received 310 close videos in November as part of Operation Snap.

The operation cracks down on dangerous driving near cyclists and horse riders.

This can also include overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone while driving and ignoring traffic lights.

Of the 310 submissions, 139 were issued with penalty notices and there were 118 cases of visits or advice being given by police.

There were also two submissions following crashes while 51 cases saw no further action taken or because they were out of the force area.

https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23194215.operation-snap-close-pass-footage-sent-west-mercia-police/

Police in Ipswich have this week held a close pass operation targeting motorists who fail to give cyclists enough room when overtaking them or who put them in danger through issues such as tailgating or left hooks.

The operation, held in the centre of the Suffolk county town yesterday, saw plain clothes officers riding bicycles equipped with action cameras to capture evidence of poor driving, reports the Ipswich Star (link is external).

When an incident occurred, they would report them to uniformed colleagues on motorbikes, who would then flag down the motorist concerned.

Except in cases of drug-driving or dangerous driving, motorists were given the opportunity to be escorted to a location where they would undergo voluntary education on how to pass cyclists safely.

Advice given included showing them the recommended 1.5-metre safe passing distance with the help of a mat, crowdfunded by the charity Cycling UK and distributed to police forces around the UK, as well as being informed of hazards cyclists face.

Motorists declining the offer risked being reported for careless driving.

The award-winning close pass initiative was originally developed by traffic officers at West Midlands Police in 2016, and has since been taken up by forces across the country.

Such operations are regularly highlighted to written and broadcast media, meaning that they gain wider exposure beyond just the drivers who were stopped.

According to West Midlands Police, in the first year its initiative was in operation, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the region’s roads fell by a fifth (link is external).

https://road.cc/content/news/270793-police-ipswich-hold-close-pass-operation

If there’s one particularly striking feature of police close pass operations, it’s the sheer inevitability that any officer who rides a bike a few miles will gather enough evidence for a whole swathe of prosecutions. A recent police close pass ride in Sheffield resulted in four in the space of just 40 miles.

A quick reminder for those who don’t know. Close pass operations – as pioneered by West Midlands Police – involve plain-clothes officers on bikes equipped with cameras radioing ahead to alert uniformed colleagues of close passes or other instances of poor driving. Motorists are then stopped and shown how to pass cyclists safely or, in some cases, prosecuted.

Sheffield North West NHP uploaded their latest operation, which was run on Tuesday, to Strava (link is external).

They described it as “a better morning” in terms of driver behaviour. This is striking when you think about all the millions of miles ridden by cyclists who aren’t police officers, where exactly the same sorts of thing are happening only without the drivers being stopped.

Inspector Smith wrote: "Part of our winter drink drive operation. Four vehicles identified completing dangerous overtakes and two issued tickets for dangerous overtakes and one getting a summons through the post. Only one overtake suitable for education.

“On the whole a better morning than we have had in the past but also the nature of the impatience and poor decision making of these drivers meant a higher proportion of tickets issued."

The force highlighted a couple of the manoeuvres on Twitter.

Like this guy, who thought shouting abuse out of the window while overtaking on double whites into oncoming traffic was fine? Bad idea. pic.twitter.com/Gzg87Yali5 (link is external)

This report manages not to say how effective the various Operations ‘Close
Pass’ were, despite having information on before-and-after comparisons.

Wonder why that could possibly be…

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Police in Ipswich have this week held a close pass operation targeting
> motorists who fail to give cyclists enough room when overtaking them or
> who put them in danger through issues such as tailgating or left hooks.
>
> The operation, held in the centre of the Suffolk county town yesterday,
> saw plain clothes officers riding bicycles equipped with action cameras
> to capture evidence of poor driving, reports the Ipswich Star (link is external).
>
> When an incident occurred, they would report them to uniformed colleagues
> on motorbikes, who would then flag down the motorist concerned.
>
> Except in cases of drug-driving or dangerous driving, motorists were
> given the opportunity to be escorted to a location where they would
> undergo voluntary education on how to pass cyclists safely.
>
> Advice given included showing them the recommended 1.5-metre safe passing
> distance with the help of a mat, crowdfunded by the charity Cycling UK
> and distributed to police forces around the UK, as well as being informed
> of hazards cyclists face.
>
> Motorists declining the offer risked being reported for careless driving.
>
> The award-winning close pass initiative was originally developed by
> traffic officers at West Midlands Police in 2016, and has since been
> taken up by forces across the country.
>
> Such operations are regularly highlighted to written and broadcast media,
> meaning that they gain wider exposure beyond just the drivers who were stopped.
>
> According to West Midlands Police, in the first year its initiative was
> in operation, the number of cyclists killed or seriously injured on the
> region’s roads fell by a fifth (link is external).
>
> https://road.cc/content/news/270793-police-ipswich-hold-close-pass-operation
>

--
Spike

“Offences include overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone
while driving and ignoring traffic lights”.

Sounds very much like your average cyclist.

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> HUNDREDS of dangerous drivers could be caught on dashcam footage and
> slapped with fines after a new operation comes into force.
>
> New signs go up on the A443 through Hallow warning drivers that the area
> has now become part of Operation Snap.
>
> Drivers and cyclists can submit evidence of careless motorists as part of
> Operation Snap which could land people a fine or even court date if they
> are found to be committing an offence.
>
> It allows people to submit digital footage from dashcams and
> helmet-mounted cameras showing potential traffic offences in the West
> Mercia region online.
>
> Dan Brothwell, chair of Bike Worcester, said cyclists face a lot of
> close passes along Hallow Road.
>
> The signs hope to improve driving conditions in the area.
>
> Mr Brothwell, age 47, said: "It's not a hot spot, that would be unfair
> to say, but there have been a lot of close passes in that area.
>
> "It would be great if it could be used as a mechanism to promote good drivers."
>
> West Mercia Police received 310 videos claiming to show bad driving in
> November as part of Operation Snap.
>
> Offences include overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile phone
> while driving and ignoring traffic lights.
>
> Of the 310 submissions, 139 were issued with penalty notices and there
> were 118 cases of visits or advice being given by police.
>
> There were also two submissions following crashes while 51 cases saw no
> further action taken or because they were out of the force area.
>
> The police aim to update anyone who submits footage with the outcome of their allegations.
>
> All submissions are dealt with pro-actively to help reduce risk taking
> and poor driving on our counties roads.
>
> A similar initiative to Operation Snap, Operation Close Pass is designed
> to target motorists who ignore the Highway Code rules when overtaking cyclists.
>
> Motorists who do not leave enough space when overtaking will be recorded
> and the offence dealt with.
>
> The Highway Code states the minimum distance drivers must give a cyclist
> when passing them in a car is 1.5 metres, and this must be adhered to at all times.
>
> At higher speeds, distances of at least 2 metres are recommended, while
> the same distances for larger vehicles are recommended at all times.
>
> A failure to give a berth of at least 1.5 metres can result in a criminal
> sanction of a £100 fine, and may also include points on the driver’s license.
>
> https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23196878.operation-snap-comes-a443-worcester-hallow/
>

--
Spike

1 in 6 cases NFA’d…

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> HUNDREDS of video clips claiming to show bad drivers were sent to the police.
>
> Police received 310 close videos in November as part of Operation Snap.
>
> The operation cracks down on dangerous driving near cyclists and horse riders.
>
> This can also include overtaking on solid white lines, using a mobile
> phone while driving and ignoring traffic lights.
>
> Of the 310 submissions, 139 were issued with penalty notices and there
> were 118 cases of visits or advice being given by police.
>
> There were also two submissions following crashes while 51 cases saw no
> further action taken or because they were out of the force area.
>
> https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/23194215.operation-snap-close-pass-footage-sent-west-mercia-police/
>

--
Spike

Officers from West Midlands Police who devised the award-winning Operation Close Pass that has now been adopted by police forces across the UK have outlined their plans for developing the concept further.

Since its launch in September 2015, the initiative has been credited with bringing about a 20 per cent reduction in the number of cyclists killed or injured on the roads patrolled by the force.

The operation sees plain-clothes officers on bikes equipped with cameras radio ahead to alert uniformed colleagues of close passes or other instances of poor driving.

Motorists are stopped and shown how to pass cyclists safely and, in some cases, prosecuted.

The two officers who devised the initiative, PC Mark Hodson and PC Steve Hudson, have been recognised for their efforts to improve road safety through awards by the Road Danger Reduction Forum and Cycling UK.

Now, plans to build on the success of the operation have been outlined in a post on the WMP Traffic blog (link is external), which said: “We could just keep on with #OpClosePass in its current format and we still will run our current operations which see numerous offending drivers stopped and immediately educated by our partners in #OpClosePass, the officers from West Midland Fire Service.

“But we are increasingly aware that #OpClosePass offers so much more that we could take advantage of … and so we will.”

That includes widening the range of offences targeted in the operation, as well as approaching the employers of any driver stopped during the course of their work to reinforce the organisations responsibility for the actions of their staff.

“When opportunities allow we will run #OpClosePassPlus which will see the unmarked police cyclist detecting not only close pass offences but also the multitude of other offences that the view from a pedal cycle in slow moving traffic offers,” the blog post said.

“So, as well as ending a two-hour operation with our usual dozen or more educated drivers following the Close Pass Due Care offences, we will have several seatbelt, mobile phone, vehicle defect offences as well.

“Additional traffic resources will intercept vehicles that are also suspected of being used in crime … there’s no better way to recognise the pungent smell of a cannabis smoking vehicle occupant than from a pedal cycle.”

The blog post continued: “On the educational side of #OpClosePass things are evolving too.

“The excellent officers at West Midlands Woodgate Valley Fire have already started large scale #OpClosePass education at a corporate level having been very well received at National Express Coventry and now Birmingham, serving up vulnerable road user education to up to 70 drivers in a day.

“Using this model, we plan to use any corporate driver brought into an #OpClosePass site as an opening into the said employer and reinforce that they have a ‘corporate responsibility’ to ensure that all their drivers are properly equipped to ensure the safety of any vulnerable road users they share the road with during the course of their employment..”

Officers are considering extending the initiative into the twilight hours, saying: “We are also going to experiment with running #OpClosePass into the fading light using the innovative #Call4Safety downlighters set at 1.5 metres.

“This will make it quite obvious when an offending driver has passed too close to our cyclist as they encroach into the displayed halo of light that surrounds the cyclist.”

They have run into a slight issue on that, albeit a welcome one from a bike rider’s perspective.

“Trouble is on testing, the ‘halo’ of light around the cyclist seems to reinforce our desired modified driver behaviour as #OpClosePass intended, so we may end up with very few offences, which is interesting!”

Finally, a new Twitter account for the West Midlands Road Harm Reduction Team has been created and will enable followers to get even more of an insight into the way it operates.

“We want to create something different regards our social media output just as we do our policing output,” the blog post said.

“The @trafficwmp account is a fantastic account and the #WMPRHRT will still post on the account but our own account will contain posts the are more appropriate to the work of the team and hopefully enable yourselves to interact and understand what the team does and the reasons why on a day to day basis.

“As well as the usual tweets of pictures, offences and results we will Vlog a lot of content as the format firstly can pass so much more information and secondly better convey the nature and reasoning behind what we do, the transparency of such posts is excellent and most will be from live operations giving a more thorough insight into what we do and how we do it on a daily basis.

“Another form of post we will concentrate on is #TheTrafficOfficersGuide whereby a short video or tweet will fully explain pieces of legislation, road etiquette, offending etc. and hopefully educate and change the behaviour of those who may potentially offend or alternatively habitually offend.

“The account will go live the first week in April but feel free to follow @ (link is external)WMPRHRT in the meantime in preparation for the first posts,” the blog entry added.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

More than 90 police staff were found guilty of crimes last year, data shows

Figures show 68 officers and 25 staff in England and Wales were found
guilty of crimes including sexual offences and violence against the person

The figures, released by the Home Office, detailed the outcomes of criminal
proceedings against police officers and staff in the year to April 2022. It
revealed 68 police officers were found guilty, as well as 25 police staff.

This will have included the former officer Wayne Couzens, who was handed a
whole-life sentence in October 2021 for the kidnap, rape and murder of
Sarah Everard after he abducted her from a London street.

A total of 10 officers and three police staff were prosecuted for violence
against the person, with 10 officers and two staff guilty of sexual
offences. The most common type of crime was traffic offences, with 23
officers and 11 staff found guilty, and four officers and three staff were
found guilty of general misconduct in public office.

Two police officers were found guilty of corruption, as well as one member
of police staff. A further three officers were found guilty of forgery.

The figures only include cases that stemmed from a complaint, conduct
matter or recordable conduct matter – so the total figures for convicted
officers could be even higher.

A total of 589 allegations against police officers resulted in a finding of
gross misconduct over the year, and a further 680 resulted in a finding of
misconduct. However, only 500 allegations resulted in an officer being
dismissed from the force – or would have led to their dismissal if they
were still working.

The figures cover a difficult year for the police – in particular London’s
Metropolitan police. In June 2021, the force was accused of being
institutionally corrupt by an independent inquiry set up to review the
murder of the private detective Daniel Morgan.

In February 2022, the then chief constable, Dame Cressida Dick, was forced
out after a scandal at Charing Cross police station, where officers shared
racist, sexist, misogynistic and Islamophobic messages.

Last summer, the Met was placed in special measures by Her Majesty’s
Inspectorate of Constabulary, while in November 2022, former officers
Jonathon Cobban and Joel Borders were sentenced to three months in prison
after being found guilty of sharing racist, homophobic, misogynistic and
ableist messages in a WhatsApp group with Couzens.

There were 115,235 complaints made by the public against 76,8​​31
individual police officers in the year to March 2022 – equivalent to more
than half of the total number of officers in England and Wales.

Of these, 87,786 might have justified misconduct proceedings if proven,
constituted a criminal offence or resulted in death or injury. However,
0.2% of those resulted in misconduct proceedings, and just 16 led to a
dismissal – or would have led to their dismissal if they were still an
officer.

<https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/jan/12/more-than-90-police-staff-were-found-guilty-of-crimes-last-year-data-shows>

swldx...@gmail.com <swldxer1958@gmail.com> wrote:
> Officers from West Midlands Police who devised the award-winning
> Operation Close Pass that has now been adopted by police forces across
> the UK have outlined their plans for developing the concept further.
>
> Since its launch in September 2015, the initiative has been credited with
> bringing about a 20 per cent reduction in the number of cyclists killed
> or injured on the roads patrolled by the force.
>
> The operation sees plain-clothes officers on bikes equipped with cameras
> radio ahead to alert uniformed colleagues of close passes or other
> instances of poor driving.
>
> Motorists are stopped and shown how to pass cyclists safely and, in some cases, prosecuted.
>
> The two officers who devised the initiative, PC Mark Hodson and PC Steve
> Hudson, have been recognised for their efforts to improve road safety
> through awards by the Road Danger Reduction Forum and Cycling UK.
>
> Now, plans to build on the success of the operation have been outlined in
> a post on the WMP Traffic blog (link is external), which said: “We could
> just keep on with #OpClosePass in its current format and we still will
> run our current operations which see numerous offending drivers stopped
> and immediately educated by our partners in #OpClosePass, the officers
> from West Midland Fire Service.
>
> “But we are increasingly aware that #OpClosePass offers so much more that
> we could take advantage of … and so we will.”
>
> That includes widening the range of offences targeted in the operation,
> as well as approaching the employers of any driver stopped during the
> course of their work to reinforce the organisations responsibility for
> the actions of their staff.
>
> “When opportunities allow we will run #OpClosePassPlus which will see the
> unmarked police cyclist detecting not only close pass offences but also
> the multitude of other offences that the view from a pedal cycle in slow
> moving traffic offers,” the blog post said.
>
> “So, as well as ending a two-hour operation with our usual dozen or more
> educated drivers following the Close Pass Due Care offences, we will have
> several seatbelt, mobile phone, vehicle defect offences as well.
>
> “Additional traffic resources will intercept vehicles that are also
> suspected of being used in crime … there’s no better way to recognise
> the pungent smell of a cannabis smoking vehicle occupant than from a pedal cycle.”
>
> The blog post continued: “On the educational side of #OpClosePass things are evolving too.
>
> “The excellent officers at West Midlands Woodgate Valley Fire have
> already started large scale #OpClosePass education at a corporate level
> having been very well received at National Express Coventry and now
> Birmingham, serving up vulnerable road user education to up to 70 drivers in a day.
>
> “Using this model, we plan to use any corporate driver brought into an
> #OpClosePass site as an opening into the said employer and reinforce that
> they have a ‘corporate responsibility’ to ensure that all their drivers
> are properly equipped to ensure the safety of any vulnerable road users
> they share the road with during the course of their employment.”
>
> Officers are considering extending the initiative into the twilight
> hours, saying: “We are also going to experiment with running #OpClosePass
> into the fading light using the innovative #Call4Safety downlighters set at 1.5 metres.
>
> “This will make it quite obvious when an offending driver has passed too
> close to our cyclist as they encroach into the displayed halo of light
> that surrounds the cyclist.”
>
> They have run into a slight issue on that, albeit a welcome one from a
> bike rider’s perspective.
>
> “Trouble is on testing, the ‘halo’ of light around the cyclist seems to
> reinforce our desired modified driver behaviour as #OpClosePass intended,
> so we may end up with very few offences, which is interesting!”
>
> Finally, a new Twitter account for the West Midlands Road Harm Reduction
> Team has been created and will enable followers to get even more of an
> insight into the way it operates.
>
> “We want to create something different regards our social media output
> just as we do our policing output,” the blog post said.
>
> “The @trafficwmp account is a fantastic account and the #WMPRHRT will
> still post on the account but our own account will contain posts the are
> more appropriate to the work of the team and hopefully enable yourselves
> to interact and understand what the team does and the reasons why on a day to day basis.
>
> “As well as the usual tweets of pictures, offences and results we will
> Vlog a lot of content as the format firstly can pass so much more
> information and secondly better convey the nature and reasoning behind
> what we do, the transparency of such posts is excellent and most will be
> from live operations giving a more thorough insight into what we do and
> how we do it on a daily basis.
>
> “Another form of post we will concentrate on is #TheTrafficOfficersGuide
> whereby a short video or tweet will fully explain pieces of legislation,
> road etiquette, offending etc. and hopefully educate and change the
> behaviour of those who may potentially offend or alternatively habitually offend.
>
> “The account will go live the first week in April but feel free to follow
> @ (link is external)WMPRHRT in the meantime in preparation for the first
> posts,” the blog entry added.
>

--
Spike

Dame Sarah Storey, who earlier this month became Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian athlete, joined road policing officers in South Yorkshire last week for a close pass operation targeting drivers who overtake cyclists too closely.

Fresh from winning the 17th Paralympic gold medal of her career at Tokyo three weeks ago and wearing the rainbow jersey of para-cycling road world champion, Storey accompanied the operation on Friday afternoon on the A57 through her role as active travel commissioner for the Sheffield City Region.

It was carried out as part of last week’s Project EDWARD, with the acronym standing for European Day Without A Road Death, a Europe-wide initiative launched five years ago by the European Traffic Police Network and supported by the European Commission.

An account of the operation, carried out on Manchester Road from Rails Road up to Cutthroat Bridge, was posted to Strava (link is external) by Inspector Kevin Smith of the Sheffield Northwest Neighbourhood Policing Team, who said that it was one of the roads they receive most complaints over.

“Two teams of cyclists were used, two on road bikes wearing road bike gear and looking, at least in one case, like an athlete,” he wrote. “The other pair were on our electrically assisted e-bikes.”

He outlined the specific issues related to the stretch of road chosen, which reflect a scenario we often see in submissions to our Near Miss of the Day feature.

“The A57 is a long climb with lots of double white lines due to some blind bends,” Inspector Smith said.

“It is often safer to cycle two abreast on these sections to reduce the temptation of some motorists to try and ‘squeeze’ the cyclist to the side of the road by overtaking on a blind bend and then pulling back left to avoid a head on collision with traffic the other way approaching at 50 miles per hour.

“Even when cycling solo, it is often safest to ride in primary position on these bends, to ensure that you are visible around the bends,” the officer said.

“Unfortunately, it was not the most stress-free afternoon of cycling, with lots of people apparently unable to overtake without the assistance of their horn (perhaps it is linked to a booster system?).

“Sarah’s Garmin radar detected 110 overtakes over the two laps we completed, and of those 110 overtakes, 20 were stopped for advice purposes, which is disappointing.

“Our other pair were also close passed a few times, taking the total to 25 vehicles stopped for advice purposes, and another five that we will catch up with through the post,” Inspector Smith said.

“In total 10 prosecutions for a range of offences from careless driving to contravening double white lines. It seems many drivers are unaware that if a cyclist is travelling at more than 10 miles per hour there is no loophole to allow them to overtake on double white lines, and we saw a depressing level of selfish and poor behaviour throughout the day.”

Referring to the rule which says, among other things, that cyclists “should never ride more than two abreast, and ride in single file on narrow or busy roads and when riding round bends,” the inspector revealed, “We’ve already seen some ‘what about Highway Code rule 66’ whataboutism on twitter by people trying to justify close passes.

“My reply is that on this road, the only safe place to be to overtake is on the opposite side of the carriageway (it is a 50mph road), and if you need to be on the opposite side of the carriageway, it doesn’t matter how far into the road the cyclists are, if there’s no room on the opposite side of the road, there’s not enough room to overtake.”

Inspector Smith added: “As you can imagine, trying to keep up with a gold medallist also added a new level of difficulty to the affair (this was my second highest wattage 20 minutes of 2021. and trust me, I wasn’t planning on going all out), but it was good to show Dame [Sarah] Storey how we run close pass operations to try and educate road users, either by speaking to them at the side of the road, or by providing consequences to their poor driving choices.”

https://road.cc/content/news/dame-sarah-storey-joins-sheffield-police-close-pass-op-286539