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Drawing pins scattered on Leeds commuter cycle routeDrawing pins (licensed CC BY 2.0 on Flickr by Emanuele Longo).jpg

Drawing pins scattered on Leeds commuter cycle route

Police warn riders to be vigilant after riders puncture due to suspected act of sabotage
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Dec 07, 2017 19:14
11

West Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to cyclists to be vigilant after drawing pins were found scattered on a route used by bike commuters in Leeds.

An officer who patrols the north east of the city revealed on Twitter that he stopped to help a female cyclist who had punctured on the Meanwood Valley cycle path this morning – and subsequently realised that he, too, had picked up a drawing pin in his own tyre.

He subsequently added that a friend had picked up four drawing pins at the same location this morning.

Leeds Cycling campaign also tweeted about the drawing pins, saying that one of its members had picked up no fewer than 150 of them.

Leeds. West Yorkshire Police
drawing pins
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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11 comments

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8486 Ali Mac | 7 years ago
1 like

I regret my remark has given rise to the misinterpretation that police are not taking this matter seriously or that we are disengaged from the cycling community, especially since I was also punctured! The purpose of the tweet was to warn other cyclists, rather than to report on action being taken.

I am happy to reassure you that we have taken the matter seriously and responded proportionately (I didn't get the helicopter out).

Here's what the police did/are doing.

Off-duty officer assisted at scene (cyclist); officers (cyclists) posted alert & engaged local cycling community via twitter; incident reported; evidence seized for forensic examination; Neighbourhood sergeant for the area (competitive cyclist who also leads on Operation Close Pass) made aware; he engages local cycling organisations and the council who sweep the path the same day; has organised for Police cadets to carry out further work on part of the path that is overgrown; directs further overt and covert patrols into the area.

Investigation continues and we will be looking at taking positive action for criminal offences such as criminal damage / endangering road users.

 

Avatar
Deeferdonk | 7 years ago
2 likes

Yay, free stationary! 1

Avatar
Eton Rifle replied to Deeferdonk | 7 years ago
2 likes
Deeferdonk wrote:

Yay, free stationary! 1

That actually works on more than one level...

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Beecho | 7 years ago
1 like

Anti Darwinism

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brooksby | 7 years ago
4 likes

... 

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Crippledbiker | 7 years ago
7 likes

It's all fun and games - till a wheelchair or handcycle picks up a pin.

And can't dismount.
Can't get out of the way.
Often can't do a tube change on their own - and rarely able to use a pump.

Serious dick move.

Avatar
chrisallen0282 replied to Crippledbiker | 7 years ago
0 likes
Crippledbiker wrote:

It's all fun and games - till a wheelchair or handcycle picks up a pin.

And can't dismount.
Can't get out of the way.
Often can't do a tube change on their own - and rarely able to use a pump.

Serious dick move.

This route is used by a charity group with accessable bikes at weekends to give people with learning difficulties opportunities to ride bikes, so as above, this is really annoying

Avatar
BehindTheBikesheds | 7 years ago
3 likes

Why do the police think something that can cause a serious incident is a "joke"?

Typical response, if that were similarly effective nails being scattered on a main trunk road the police would react far differently.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to BehindTheBikesheds | 7 years ago
5 likes
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Why do the police think something that can cause a serious incident is a "joke"?

They don't - or rather he doesn't - seem to. The phrase "someones idea of a joke" tends to mean exactly the opposite.

Avatar
oldstrath replied to fukawitribe | 7 years ago
1 like
fukawitribe wrote:
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Why do the police think something that can cause a serious incident is a "joke"?

They don't - or rather he doesn't - seem to. The phrase "someones idea of a joke" tends to mean exactly the opposite.

He may not think it's a joke, but not much evidence of taking it seriously or trying to find the criminals responsible.

Avatar
fukawitribe replied to oldstrath | 7 years ago
0 likes
oldstrath wrote:
fukawitribe wrote:
BehindTheBikesheds wrote:

Why do the police think something that can cause a serious incident is a "joke"?

They don't - or rather he doesn't - seem to. The phrase "someones idea of a joke" tends to mean exactly the opposite.

He may not think it's a joke, but not much evidence of taking it seriously or trying to find the criminals responsible.

Much evidence from what ? The only thing we have to go on about that so far from this article is the link to 'Beware' warning tweet he put out.. presumably he took it at least somewhat seriously don't you think ? Beyond that you and I don't know, unless you have some further information in the matter; in which case share it.

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