Police Bike through red light
Discussion
I was in Manchester today (it's OK, I don't make a habit of it), and was driving towards some lights with a Police bike behind me on the wet road.
There were some traffic lights ahead and they were just going amber as I was approaching and I thought the better of trying to get through, so I stopped just as they went red.
The Police bike nailed the throttle, sped throguh the now red light, and tried to turn right and got rather sideways as he tried to negotiate the corner. Luckily he made it, as the lights for the other cars were now green.
He had no emergency lights and had been following me for about 100yds, so it was clear that he simply didnt want to have to wait at some lights.
That really impressed me; I'm glad we have such responsible coppers showing a good example.
There were some traffic lights ahead and they were just going amber as I was approaching and I thought the better of trying to get through, so I stopped just as they went red.
The Police bike nailed the throttle, sped throguh the now red light, and tried to turn right and got rather sideways as he tried to negotiate the corner. Luckily he made it, as the lights for the other cars were now green.
He had no emergency lights and had been following me for about 100yds, so it was clear that he simply didnt want to have to wait at some lights.
That really impressed me; I'm glad we have such responsible coppers showing a good example.
Which reminds me: a few (20) years ago I was in the car with my father and a police bike nailed it past us and around the other side of some central bollards, clearly exceeding the local speed limit. My old man said "oh he's probably on his way to an emergency" (he is a barrister, btw).
We arrived at some traffic lights in two lanes and the bike was there, waiting patiently in the queue. As we stopped, the bike was right beside us and my father (embarrassingly) wound down his window, beckoned the policeman to open his visor, and said, "In a hurry are we? I notice you don't have your emergency lights on".
LOL! The copper went very red and luckily the lights went green before the old man got a chance to continue.
We arrived at some traffic lights in two lanes and the bike was there, waiting patiently in the queue. As we stopped, the bike was right beside us and my father (embarrassingly) wound down his window, beckoned the policeman to open his visor, and said, "In a hurry are we? I notice you don't have your emergency lights on".
LOL! The copper went very red and luckily the lights went green before the old man got a chance to continue.
towman said:
:rolleyes; Another "one cop did something wrong so they must all be bastards " thread.
No I cant see anyone saying that in this thread.
I see people giving their personal experiences of of an unresasonable police officers. I have had a couple as well.
No point in trying to inflame things worse than they are towman...
From what you have said I would say it's almost certain that the rider found himself on a slippery part of the road and, in danger of locking up and losing the front end, took the best option. All the advantages of two wheels count for absolutely nowt when there's not much grip. If there was some diesel, gravel, horse shit, a metal manhole cover, white lines or even overbanding at the point where he applied the brakes, coupled with the rain, then he would suddenly have found himself a passenger in danger of losing the front and ending up in an undignified heap. You don't have to be going quickly for this to happen - my brother (Driller) recently dumped his Triumph Tiger in Paris at not much more than walking pace by applying the brakes on a wet white line.
Road traffic rules are designed for average motorists. The police are not average, they are trained to a much higher standard. This is especially true of motorcycle police.
I've no problem with a flexible attitude to the way the law is applied. Better trained drivers/riders should be allowed some latitude.
However (there had to be a 'but') there should be a mechanisim by which non-police drivers can undergo the training and have similar latitude applied.
In the case of jumping lights this isn't realistic, but if you go to court for 75 in a 60 you should be able to cite approved training as mitigating.
I've no problem with a flexible attitude to the way the law is applied. Better trained drivers/riders should be allowed some latitude.
However (there had to be a 'but') there should be a mechanisim by which non-police drivers can undergo the training and have similar latitude applied.
In the case of jumping lights this isn't realistic, but if you go to court for 75 in a 60 you should be able to cite approved training as mitigating.
simonrockman said:
Road traffic rules are designed for average motorists. The police are not average, they are trained to a much higher standard. This is especially true of motorcycle police.
I have nothing against the police doing such manouvers when necessary however the police should never be above the law. We're not a police state. What you said surely states the police are above the law?
Otherwise, if I took an advanced riding police course and had 30 years of experience under my belt, I would be an above average rider and therefore able to skip lights and negotiate slipperly corners in dangerous situations without compromising the safety of myself and everyone around me?
Police are certainly not above the Law.
If the Police rider in the above example did ride in this matter because he couldnt be bothered to stop at a set of ATS then more fool him because its only a matter of time before he does come a cropper.
I know that im biased but im sure that he had a reason for risking life and limb.
If the Police rider in the above example did ride in this matter because he couldnt be bothered to stop at a set of ATS then more fool him because its only a matter of time before he does come a cropper.
I know that im biased but im sure that he had a reason for risking life and limb.
Mr E said:
As suggested, I'd hope he'd taken the decision that he was unable to stop safely on the amber, so moved through and cleared the junction as quickly as possible.
Hmm, not sure about that. Travelling at the right speed for the conditions and all that? That would sound good for an average motorists defence. "Oh, I was going too quickly to stop so I went in a bit spicy and slid it across the junction".
I'm sure I've heard people before when caught going through the amber/red say "I didn't think the lights would change", to which the response generally is "well what did you expect the traffic light to do".
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