Bike safety poser for cops

Jean Furlong

May 06, 2009

| Submit Comments | Comments (25) | Previous | Next

Pc Tony Cobban with the bike

A POLICEMAN refused to sit on a bike for a publicity photograph - because he hadn't passed his cycling proficiency test.

Pc Tony Cobban said health and safety red tape laid down by his bosses meant he could not even sit on a stationary bike for the photo.

Lancashire police say any officer who hasn't passed the exam, based on the course taken by thousands of schoolchildren every year, is banned from using a cycle until they do.

But that decision has been slammed as being politically correct - by its own authority.

David Whipp, a member of Lancashire Police Authority, said: "I think it's one of these PC-gone-mad things over Pcs on bikes.

"I think having coppers on duty on bikes is great.

"I think the balance on health and safety is probably right but there may be one or two occasions where you raise your eyebrows."

Slammed

Coun Geoff Driver, Conservative group leader for Lancashire County council, said: "You are winding me up.

"The mind boggles when a grown man can't go on a bike for a photograph. When I hear stories like this I just think what on earth is going on?"

Pc Cobban, a community officer in Preston, said: "It was basically a health and safety thing. I was just being cautious as I haven't passed the cycling proficiency test.

"My personal view would be concern if anything happens to me while on the bike and it hasn't been risk assessed or insured - in this day and age you have to cover all bases. It's the way of the world.

"I could get on the bike but I'm not massively proficient."

Safety

And Insp Nick Emmett said: "Our officers are required to be appropriately trained and assessed prior to using bikes for patrolling in order to comply with insurance and for the safety of themselves and the public.

"An increasing number of our neighbourhood officers do patrol their wards on bikes and their communities have welcomed this due to their increased effectiveness and visibility."

The force said the cycling proficiency exam they use is a modified version of tests taken by youngsters learning to ride bikes.

But it is 'police specific', using in-house instructors issuing extra guidance such as how to use police radios while cycling.

PCSO Emma Nixon - who HAS passed her test - stepped in to pose for the picture.

| Submit Comments | Comments (25) | Previous | Next

Showing comments 1 to 25 and replies | View All

Jay B, oldham (06/05/2009 at 10:30)

hahaha! you couldnt make it up!!

Acid, Chadderton (06/05/2009 at 10:33)

Cycling proficiency? When we were kids they used to tick us off for riding on pavements but now they do it themselves. Has the law changed or are the police a privileged group that are allowed to make their own laws? Scrub that question - we know they are!!

Frostee, Oldham (06/05/2009 at 11:13)

I really thought this was a wind-up when I first heard it on the radio this morning. I don't think I'll bother saying what I really think, it won't be allowed. This country has now descended into complete absurdity.

Frostee, Oldham (06/05/2009 at 11:29)

I forgot in a previous posting to thank PCSO Emma Nixon for her bravery in stepping into a situation that was too risky for Pc Cobban. I admire her courage and hopes she receives the police gallantry medal for such a selfless act. It's good to know that we can now rely on female PCSO's when situations become too hazardous for our regular male police officers.

Ali Malik, Cheetham Hll (06/05/2009 at 12:26)

Whimps

sneakitawc (06/05/2009 at 12:31)

most five-year-olds can do wheelies.

Mr Manchester (06/05/2009 at 13:22)

One pair of stabilisers, plus a lolly stick to make a motorbike noise. Hey presto, one law enforecement officer back on the beat. Job done. Next...

Phil L, Denton (06/05/2009 at 14:21)

No, Acid, the law hasn't changed. Pavement cycling IS illegal. Just before I read this story, I witnessed a yob cycling on the pavement on Fairfield Street and dodging traffic to cross the road to cycle on the opposite pavement. A few seconds later, he would have hit me on the blind junction at the top of Baring Street. The police meanwhile, were have a cosy chat with their BTP (and there's a misnomer) friends in the comfort of the Station. Earlier, I had just missed being hit by a cyclist on the *foot*bridge from the Station across London Road.

Pavement Cycling, like Bus Stop blocking, is a "100% tolerance" crime, because the potential victims have no political power.

Jay B, oldham (06/05/2009 at 15:03)

hang about! this is a major story!!

a PCSO has actually done something for once!!

hooray!! we're finially get something for our money!!

Piccadilly Dog, Beswick (06/05/2009 at 15:54)

Phil L, Denton - the reason why cyclists use the pavement on Fairfield Street is because the 'improvements' made as part of the Fire Station Quality Bus Corridor scheme made it more dangerous for cyclists on this stretch of road. Instead of the wide lanes before, the creation of the bus lane made the road narrower. Traffic leaving town, in order to give cyclists 'room' have to go into the other lane, head on into other traffic. Most don't, so pass the cyclist with little/no room.

FYI, parts of the A635 Fairfield St/Ashton Old Road are now legally 'mixed-use' (shared pedestrian/cyclist), so cyclists can use the pavement, because there are no 'CYCLISTS DISMOUNT' signs up. Manchester City Council signage (like Victoria Station) strikes again?

Ms B, Manchester (06/05/2009 at 15:57)

And these are the very people who are paid to (allegedly) protect us?
..........Jessies!

Jay B, oldham (06/05/2009 at 16:35)

Piccadilly Dog thats just another fine example of the useless road designs our councils come up with. the main motorist looses avaliable road space and still has to pay tax for it.
the poor cyclists suffer for this too.
its about time we started standing up to our local councils and government on all these pointless uselles things they keep forcing upon us.
these bus lanes cause the congestion that they then told us needed to be addressed with the con tax!

we where not fooled with that trick!

Phil L, Denton (06/05/2009 at 17:11)

Here we go again - Bus lanes at fault for everything from the Iraq War to Swine Flu. At least the buses using them carry hundreds of tax-paying commuters an hour. What a waste cycle lanes are. The few cyclists that actually use them are cycling in the wrong direction - if London Road is anything to go by. Yes, GM's bus lanes are badly thought out, but that's partly because the Government wouldn't invest enough to do them properly. Bus Lanes should be longer; should be on road sections that reduce generally traffic lanes from 5 to 4 (eg Denton Island to Thornley Park), not 2 to 1; and where they don't affect frontages.
The Fairfield Street bus lane ISN'T a bus lane - its a taxi rank - and the sections of pavement I'm talking about are NOT signposted for shared use.
FWIW, the problem is greater on London Road than Fairfield Street, its just the two examples I witnessed immediately before reading this article weren't on London Road!
As for the "I pay my taxes as a motorist diatribe". You never listen to the other side. Virtually, all the public money that goes into "public" transport, goes on Rail. The vast majority of people can only reach rail with a car (or a bike!), so non motorists are dependant on private investment. Oh! And Diesel trains aren't subject to fuel tax, but buses are! And why did I say BTP (British Transport Police) was a misnomer - because they only cover Rail. Bus passengers have no protection from crimes. Hence, throwing an orange carton at a motorist warrants a 9 month sentence, but throwing a lump of concrete at a bus (note, the media don't acknowledge the existance of passengers - just vehicles - when referring to missile attacks........or bus lanes, come to that), only warrants a Caution.

Chris (06/05/2009 at 19:01)

Reading between the lines this officer was taking the mickey because he didn't want to do the photo shoot.

PW, Manchester (06/05/2009 at 19:25)

I want to go back to the seventies. The world was a lot more straightforward, and there was a greater reliance on common sense. I can see why a lot of people just give up and drop out! This country has gone to the dogs!

Ian (06/05/2009 at 20:19)

unbelievable!!

Acid, Chadderton (06/05/2009 at 22:46)

Frostee, things must be different in your part of Oldham. Here in Chadderton the only ones who do ANYTHING are the PCSOs and the traffic police. The 'real' police officers can't be bothered to get off their backsides and even patrol the area. The local Lidl was robbed the other week and they reckon the safe was so big it would have taken them about 2 hours to move it. The shop is 5 minutes from Chaddy Police Station but they can't even bother to send patrols round there. Several times a week there are kids riding mini bikes up and down the canal behind the police station. The police must be able to hear them but they can't be bothered coming out to sort them out. I've seen them drive all the way to the local butty van though (about 2 minutes away)!!!

CorneredAllTheLuck, Tameside (07/05/2009 at 01:41)

This elf and safety culture is the fault of ambulance chasers and greedy sad people with nothing better to do than exploit every situation they can. The action of the cop is a complete joke though.

Jay B, oldham (07/05/2009 at 10:22)

Phil L you sound a little muddled up! all those things are the fault of the useless labour regime we've had for the last dacade.
bus lanes are to blame for one thing only! congestion. like you say they are ill thought out. if they want to introduce them they should be an extension of the road, not replacing a lane and not making traffic have to merge in.
we've got on up in oldham which was planned as one bus lane and two normal lanes and what did we get. just one normal lane and one bus lane.
now they've built a massive tesco's next to it and a new junction and its just gridlock now.
why is it as soon as competant people get into council departments and government they seem to loose all common sense and brain function?

Frequent Flyer, Altrincham (07/05/2009 at 15:37)

AND ENGLAND HASNT GONE MAD ???? - THE WHOLE P C THING IS A CIRCUS !!!

NickS (08/05/2009 at 19:54)

Grow up Pc Cobban , Its a picture. You weren't cycling so you dont need a CYCLING proficiency test?

Your havin a laugh, Tameside (09/05/2009 at 07:07)

Acid Chadderton: just how many coppers do you think are on duty at any one time? For your information it's between 6 &a max of 10. But not just for Chadderton my friend, the same cops have to cover Failsworth, Hollinwood, Royton, Shaw, Higher Crompton, and in some cases Oldham town Centre on Friday & Saturday nights. And why do people have such a problem with cops eating & taking a break? Do you not have a lunch break? And iam sure you dont have the constant pressure of 'meeting targets'. How about you join the Police & see for yourself???

zarquon, bramhall (09/05/2009 at 10:26)

Brilliant...so health and safety is a defence for all actions in life. Watch out for the cracks in the pavemnt..they can kill!
Reminds me of the vicious keep left signs or the marauding old ladies beating up youths with walking sticks in monty python hahahahaha

Acid, Chadderton (09/05/2009 at 23:49)

Your havin a laugh, Tameside. You are DEFINITELY having a laugh!! You obviously don't work out of Chadderton or you'd know better. The car park never has less than about 40 private cars and bikes there at any one time. I had to point out a suspicious container about 200 yards from the station that the police must have driven past several dozen times in the 3 weeks it had been sat there (near their favourite butty van and also near the canal which had been maliciously polluted not long beforehand). I tried to flag down a patrol car to report teenagers playing on the frozen canal and was totally ignored!! You don't have to take my word for it though as I've heard it 'from the horse's mouth' - Yes, from a copper at Chadderton station!! And as for targets - my mate's daughter is a copper and she told him they reach their targets by going for the 'soft targets' - nick a few motorists and then put your feet up. Don't talk to me about pressure - you must mean bed sores!!!

Hamish Macbeth, Whitefield (11/05/2009 at 07:14)

I think you will find that PC Cobban refused to get on this bike to take the mick out of todays Police Service rules and regulations. policy and procedure in relation to everything.....
Even the bosses fell for it - by having to back him up!

()

Report

News