"Relentless enforcement of the rules of the road": Police force crackdown on dangerous driving after cyclist deaths

It's a shame the Police couldn't "relentlessly enforce the rules of the road" before numerous innocent people were killed in one month.

Disappointed but not surprised to hear the outgoing (not a moment to soon) chief of Polis Scotland say on the news last night that a proposal they are considering will mean only two traffic cars on the roads at night across the whole of Scotland. While not even kidding on by making the same noises as Midlands in stating they will make it easier for people to report dangerous driving.

What a green light to all the boy racers and drink drivers. Is it any surprise driving standards have sunk so low.

Quote:

The footage-reporting admission comes just months after an FOI request, submitted by Chris Smith, revealed that of 286 reports of careless, inconsiderate, or dangerous driving around cyclists considered by West Midlands Police in 2022, only one resulted in a prosecution.

...

Also last month, officers launched an on-ground response to the hit-and-run deaths, undertaking a day of action targeting dangerous driving, with more than 70 motorists stopped, including one allegedly watching a video on their phone behind the wheel.

So: 70 drivers stopped in one day when the police looked.
But only 286 reports "considered" in a year - 0.4% of which resulted in a prosecution.
Say that again - not a 0.4% conviction rate, a 0.4% prosecution rate!
Target: reduce the 400 collisions leading to KSIs to 200 by 2030.

Great ambition - make no mistake that's an extremely tall order.  I mean - given they're effectively not enforcing the law currently (see above).  Especially if they're just trying to do that with a few more police, 40 -> 30 mph speed limits plus more average speed cameras.

Hope they're also full speed ahead on their City Segments plan and serious active travel infra works if they're honestly hoping to improve those numbers!

Today people in Birmingham came together to say "Enough is Enough"

Unfortunately, as far as the police are concerned, enough evidence is never enough for them to take action on offences against cyclists. This one, for instance, was last night so hasn't yet appeared on UpRide- this Corsa SH63 YMK was illegally across the unbroken white line in a dangerous position approaching a blind bridge crest. The MOT had also expired 3 weeks before. The following vehicle was even closer to the crest when overtaking and had to swerve very close to me to avoid collision at a closing speed of 60-70mph with an oncoming Volvo. The immediately preceding oncoming vehicle, Mitsubishi Outlander WR60 YCU, was MOT-expired 5 months ago and displayed long lists of failed items on previous MOT tests. Despite all this, the response and action by LancsFilth will be zero. The Outlander will remain without MOT and may or may not get one when VED is due on 1.9.23, and the Corsa will likely remain without MOT at least until VED is due on 1.7.24. They may decide to follow the example of many other Lancashire drivers, and go completely 'bare' without MOT, insurance or VED for years (my record is 6 years so far) The police are happy to come up with platitudes when engaged on a PR stunt as described above, but when it comes to action it's back to Idleness (or Corruption) as Usual

Injuries and deaths by senseless driving is bad enough, but hit & run incidents are absolutely shocking. The very least you could do after potentially killing or injuring someone is check up on them. 

I sincerely hope that due justice and punishment is meted out to those responsible. 

Well thats depressing. Halving the number of collisions by 2030 would be the hardest thing they have ever done. 

Then again, they are probably right because there is an overwhelming number of people on the roads who hate cyclists and genuinely seem to enjoy reading about stories where they have been hurt.