Dear Sir/Madam
I am not intending the matter described below to be treated as a formal complaint, but as a matter of concern that should be brought to the notice of TVP. I do not have identifying details of the officer or vehicle involved, but do have time and place and, even if the officer cannot be identified, I feel the incident is worthy of being logged. It is particularly of concern, I feel, as it is about ignorance and attitude.
I was riding northbound on Stoke Poges Lane in Slough at around 10:50am on Saturday 22 September. I was about halfway between the Elliman Avenue junction and the junction with Granville Avenue further north, so about on a level with Mildenhall Road, as that road name appears in this Google map:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=slough&hl=en&ll=51.523004,-0.596867&spn=0.019386,0.037937&sll=52.8382,-2.327815&sspn=9.643526,19.423828&hnear=Slough,+United+Kingdom&t=m&z=15At that point, a male officer of about 35 in a silver people-carrier type Police vehicle had been parked on the pavement and verge, and was clearly preparing to move off. On the northbound side of the road, in the direction I was riding, there was a queue of traffic, but there was a bit of a gap, and the officer was intending to turn right through it into the southbound carriageway. However, in preparing this manoeuvre, he moved into the green-painted cycle lane without looking to his right, as I approached. I had to stop, and said 'Oi!' by way of remonstration, which he did not appear to hear. Then he did look right and noticed me, and I gesticulated by pointing to my chest with a sense of 'I'm here; it's my right of way'. Now that he had noticed me, I proceeded to ride around the nose of his vehicle, regained the cycle lane and proceeded on my way. In those few moments he had wound his passenger side window down and said 'You shouldn't be travelling through the traffic.'
It seems to me that the officer was very lucky that, this time, his actions did not result in an incident involving damage and/or injury; he moved his vehicle into the carriageway without looking, ie without due care and attention. I had the right of way. He then proceeded to make out that this was my fault for filtering along a cycle lane, which I believe I am allowed to do. This displays a level of ignorance about what cyclists are and are not allowed to do!
I trust that you will give this matter careful consideration.
Yours sincerely
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