Open season on cyclists (in Nottingham)

Car hits bike, cyclist to blame

A cyclist waited for the hearse to pass, then the mourners’ vehicles to pass. Then a long wait. Then another, random car. Then, after two long gaps and a random car, a red Pugeot speeding to catch up, because they were late, hit the cyclist. A woman jumped out and abused the cyclist while he lay on the road.

All recorded on his helmet-cam.

A police sergeant sent the following by email:

“Also to be considered is that the vehicle that collided with you was the second vehicle following a hearse and limousine as part of a funeral cortege. Whilst you had the right of way in accordance with the Highway Code and Road Traffic Act a road user should be aware of traffic conditions around him/her. This would include any emergency vehicles at junctions that have an exemption in law regarding speed limits and traffic signs that whilst they still have to be prepared to stop at red lights for example, the drivers depend on the courtesy of other road users to allow precedence.

In the same manner, I would personally expect that if I were to see a hearse being driven with a coffin in the rear that there would be other vehicles following and I would allow the cortege to proceed by giving way even though I actually had the right of way. This is also something that the court would consider as mitigation were we to prosecute the driver in your case.”

My philosophy is to treat others as they treat me. Thus I cut slack as I am myself cut slack, respect the respectful, etc. My personal experience of the police is almost entirely negative, and I find it hard to feel anything for a body that works harder on twisting the statistics to make them look a success than on succeeding.

So:

“Also to be considered” – clumsy beyond belief. Is this your second (or third) language?

“This would include any emergency vehicles at junctions that have an exemption in law regarding speed limits and traffic signs that whilst they still have to be prepared to stop at red lights for example, the drivers depend on the courtesy of other road users to allow precedence.” – clumsy beyond belief. Even clumsier than the “also to be considered” above. Are you a special needs seven-year-old in disguise? By emergency vehicles I take it you mean emergency vehicles attending incidents. The actual rules are (and, given your job and my job, how come I know this and you don’t?) that an emergency vehicle attending an incident may treat red lights as give way junctions.

“…I would allow the cortege to proceed by giving way…” the cyclist should telepathically recognise hearse and limo, long gap, car, longer gap, another car, as a cortege. Apparently.

Unbelievable that before hitting send he didn’t get a native speaker and non-dyslexic who had successfully graduated from playgroup with satisfactory skills in Janet, John, and crayons to check things over. Unbelievable that his seniors are backing him (I’d have him chained up in the attic with the other embarrassments). But I suppose a police force that love kettling and condone killing a peaceful paper seller walking home from work are never going to be anything to be proud of.