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Police force unleashes secret weapon... a Brompton bicycle — catches nine law-breaking drivers in two hours

Since Thursday the Brompton operation has caught 11 drivers using their phones, one drug driver, a dangerous driver (pursued on two wheels) and numerous other offenders

Surrey Police has added a Brompton e-bike to its fleet, with the folding bicycle already helping to catch more than 20 law-breaking motorists in its first few days in operation.

The police force says by far the most common offence officers using the Brompton have caught drivers committing is using their phone behind the wheel. In a two-hour cycling shift on Thursday one folder-riding officer caught five motorists.

Regular readers of the road.cc live blog will no doubt be aware of Surrey Roads Policing Unit's combative approach to dealing with anti-cycling rants and myths being spouted on social media, and the Brompton is the latest addition to the Vanguard Road Safety Team's real-world fleet.

> Surrey traffic cops tell driver spouting Highway Code whataboutery to return licence

What's more, the bike was donated by Brompton meaning the only cost involved — the force estimates — is 5p to charge the e-bike battery and the cost of maintaining the bicycle in crime-fighting condition.

On Thursday, a two-hour operation saw an officer catch five phone-using motorists, a disqualified driver, a drug driver, one vehicle in a dangerous condition, and a motorist using illegal number plates.

Yesterday's six-hour shift saw six more drivers using their phones caught, one driver without a licence, another without insurance, one case of driving without due care, a dangerous driver, one drugs seizure...

And the crime fighting continued on Friday evening...

Summing up the benefit of the Brompton, Surrey Police warned road users: "We can’t be everywhere, but could be anywhere." 

Dan joined road.cc in 2020, and spent most of his first year (hopefully) keeping you entertained on the live blog. At the start of 2022 he took on the role of news editor. Before joining road.cc, Dan wrote about various sports, including football and boxing for the Daily Express, and covered the weird and wonderful world of non-league football for The Non-League Paper. Part of the generation inspired by the 2012 Olympics, Dan has been 'enjoying' life on two wheels ever since and spends his weekends making bonk-induced trips to the petrol stations of the south of England.

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19 comments

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OldRidgeback | 1 year ago
1 like

This is comparatively low cost policing that will have a real benefit on improving road safety. I think a lot of drivers are going to get nasty shocks and start spreadng the word.

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RoubaixCube | 1 year ago
4 likes

Great timing. The London MET police need some so when their new electric cars they spent millions of taxpayers money on run out of power mid chase. they can break out the brompton from the back of the car and continue.

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Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
1 like

Where can I get a set of their bike sized blues and two's lights?

Asking for a friend. 😈

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AlsoSomniloquism replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
1 like
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ktache replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
1 like

Night-Sun used to do police lights, back in the halogen and nimhi days.

And a police siren.  I had their horn, bit high pitched, still no one noticed me, unlike the airzound.

You had to prove membership of law enforcement before buying any of their police stuff.  They made the big helicopter spotlights, indeed known as Night-Suns.

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ktache replied to ktache | 1 year ago
0 likes

In fact Nite-Rider make a police set of LEDs, reassuringly expensive too.

Nite-Rider and Night-Sun were big competitors back in the day, Night-Sun never went down the LED route. They dabbled with Li-ion, and did not persist. They did not last.

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Freshmn09 replied to Secret_squirrel | 1 year ago
0 likes

the ones featured are special-order Exposure Strada and Red-eye combos with special settings specific for the Emergency services. 

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nordog | 1 year ago
1 like

How many bicycles per car or Motorbikes could they buy just think four bicycles to one e'motorbike could save thousands of pounds and catch hundreds of law-breaking scum and remove them and their cars off the highway.   Weldone Brontom I hope your sales go through your roof!

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nosferatu1001 replied to nordog | 1 year ago
1 like

Even better these were donated. Just a quid in electric so far. 

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mattw | 1 year ago
1 like

Is this connected in to the ANPR databases etc via the camera, I wonder?

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nosferatu1001 replied to mattw | 1 year ago
1 like

Yep. The DB sits on the handheld.  When you can get a half terabyte sd card it's easy to get a lot of data there.

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Sriracha | 1 year ago
8 likes
Quote:

On Thursday, a two-hour operation saw an officer catch five phone-using motorists, a disqualified driver, a drug driver, one vehicle in a dangerous condition, and a motorist using illegal number plates.

Hallelujah! More of these these grey/absent/false plates off the road please. Pretty sure any motorist systematically hiding their reg plate has more to hide besides.

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steaders1 | 1 year ago
1 like

It's not a secret anymore

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Hirsute replied to steaders1 | 1 year ago
5 likes

That doesn't actually matter as per their tweet from the end of the week

 

Despite the driver of this car seeing us and our #VanguardRST (link is external) bike at the British Motor Show on Sunday, our message clearly didn’t get through - caught using his mobile phone whilst driving in Guildford.

6 points and a £200 fine issued.

 

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ktache replied to Hirsute | 1 year ago
4 likes

Phone users are not aware of anything but what is on their little screen and a little bit of what is in front of their vehicle.

Any viewing of a video from one of those "cycling vigilante" to see this.

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OldRidgeback replied to ktache | 1 year ago
1 like

Yes indeed, I've photographed plenty while I've been out on my morning run with the dog. I've submitted a few images to the cops and had emails back saying action is being taken. In many instances, the first the driver will know of this is when they get a letter in the post. 

I really need to start using my headcam when I'm commuting on my motorbike/bicycle again.

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eburtthebike | 1 year ago
3 likes

I'm sure a cost:benefit analysis will show that this is an extremely good value addition to the police's armoury.  One can only hope that other forces will be informed and act appropriately.

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ShutTheFrontDawes | 1 year ago
2 likes

A "drugs wipe" doesn't sound pleasant for the person administering the test. I also had no idea that traces of illegal substances could be detected rectally.

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chrisonabike replied to ShutTheFrontDawes | 1 year ago
2 likes

Trainspotting?

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