We thought we'd start today's live blog with some reaction, given the 200+ comments it's received across the website, Facebook and Twitter/X. Unsurprisingly, plenty of people have plenty to say on the matter.

In the interest of balance, it's at this point I should probably point out we got plenty of comments to the effect of "So?" or supporting the stopping of cyclists for helmet advice, admittedly some of these comments came from accounts with football club crests as their profile picture, many of them from people who otherwise would not comment or view anything on road.cc, but I guess the point is that some people did not see anything wrong with the officers' approach and West Midlands Police's subsequent statement.

Skipping back to the road.cc comments now, perhaps most importantly from HoldingOn... "I really hope Joe can encourage his granddaughter back onto her bike. A 12.5 mile cycle is a fantastic effort at 8 years old!"

OldRidgeback: "I saw this on Twitter. I think it's a terrible approach by the police. They'd be better focusing on bad driving."

Pub bike: "It seems like WMP like all other forces in the UK have given up policing motorists (if they ever did) because it is too difficult/can't be bothered/too many loopholes in the law/insert excuse here etc. and now solely focus on warning victims about the possible impact of criminal behaviour..

"This is the same as putting up those ridiculous signs on residential streets saying 'Thieves operate in his area', which really should say 'Police don't operate around these parts'."

Another Twitter reply raised the point officers will do this "while ignoring illegal windscreen tints, illegal number plates, speeding, dangerous driving etc." which is interesting considering West Midlands Police's press releases and communication to the media which we have covered on this website since the summer.

For context, multiple cyclists and pedestrians were killed in hit-and-runs during May, the situation so grim West Midlands Walking and Cycling Commissioner Adam Tranter called for an urgent meeting with the region's mayor Andy Street, the Police and Crime Commissioner, West Midlands Police, and other relevant figures.

Those incidents also came in the month after it was revealed that of 286 camera footage close pass submissions from cyclists in 2022... only one resulted in prosecution.

So, since the early summer we've heard plenty from the force's press department about the steps it is taking to address the issues, firstly admitting the need to review how video reports are managed, and subsequently expanding its Traffic Investigations Unit.

Then, in August, the force boasted of a crackdown on dangerous driving, called Operation Triton, the meeting arranged by Mr Tranter apparently agreeing on the need for tougher measures, with the cited aim to "target the most dangerous drivers" with "relentless enforcement of the rules of the road".
West Midlands Police operation June 2023 (Twitter)

And even as recently as Sunday, we ran a story on West Midlands Police celebrating the improved action on footage submitted by road users, saying "action taken against hundreds of careless and dangerous drivers", the force thanking the public for 640 video submissions in September of alleged dangerous or careless driving, of which 416 (65 per cent) resulted in "action", from warning letters to court appearances and fines.

As one comment under yesterday's story summarised: "Just when West Midlands Police were once again starting to look like a shining example of how to deal with cyclists safety for other forces to copy after a few years of backsliding..."