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Dear reader, I regret to inform you that Essex Police are at it again…
On Friday, we saw that the county’s Roads Policing Unit don’t take kindly to cyclists, after being recklessly overtaken by Range Rover drivers, effin’ and jeffin’ all over their social media.
Well, it turns out that they’re not that fond of cyclists filtering through traffic either.
In a since-deleted tweet, which was flagged by the Colchester Cycling Campaign, Essex Police advised cyclists and motorcyclists against filtering.
We are pleased to see that Essex Police have deleted their tweet advising cyclists and motorcyclists not to filter.
— Colchester Cycling Campaign (@CampaignCycling) July 29, 2022
On their website, on a page titled “Keeping our vulnerable road users safe”, they also warned against filtering as part of their “top tips” for motorcyclists, alongside other useful guidance such as “don’t drink or drug drive”.
Now @EssexPoliceUK should update this advice on their website https://t.co/5Q8rOdKfZt pic.twitter.com/cWj4AJtRLr
— Colchester Cycling Campaign (@CampaignCycling) July 29, 2022
Under the heading, “Filtering is dangerous, don’t do it”, Essex Police reminded people using bikes, motorbikes, or e-scooters that “your decision to filter through the traffic could result in you being injured or worse”.
They continued: “As a smaller “vehicle”, drivers in cars and lorries may not see you approaching them from behind. If they haven’t checked their mirror before changing lanes, they may not see you until it’s too late.”
Needless to say, not everyone was impressed with Essex Police’s latest dabble in victim-blaming:
Filtering is legal and covered in the National Standards for Cycle Training and the Highway Code pic.twitter.com/saXmcUSAsV
— Colchester Cycling Campaign (@CampaignCycling) July 29, 2022
hang on, they were advising AGAINST the highway code?
— Michael Polom (@pmmikes) July 29, 2022
In other words “if they are guilty of driving without due care and attention”. As you say lovely victim blaming from @EssexPoliceUK
— ChrisC (@ChrisC_CFC) July 29, 2022
Imagine being in an incident whilst filtering, i.e. someone opening their door whilst queuing in traffic. How would @EssexPoliceUK respond? Considering their own bias on filtering. How can the public enforce the police to follow the law?
— ᗩᑎᗪY ᗪEᖇᗷYᔕᕼIᖇE (@Andrewbanshee) July 30, 2022
Another ‘anti cyclist’ post from the police, as bad as being told to wear helmets! (I do). I would have less issues if they (the Police) also tweeted to remind drivers to check mirrors etc, but never do. It is always proportioning blame onto the victims in a similar manner to
— Cyclist_With_Attitude (It/trouble/nutter/mad) (@CyclistAttitude) July 30, 2022
Oddly enough, since that latest backlash against their road safety ‘advice’, that particular tip has been removed from Essex Police’s website…
Result pic.twitter.com/T1mKzV6Ee5
— Colchester Cycling Campaign (@CampaignCycling) July 30, 2022
Perhaps the message is getting through?
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