Cyclist tells car stopped in bus lane to 'get out of the f***ing way' but it turns out to be unmarked police car
30 November 2022, 12:42
A cyclist has been confronted by police after he told them to "get out of the f***ing way" for stopping in a bus lane in south London.
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Footage from the man's helmet camera showed an officer pull him and his two children over on Wandsworth Bridge, accusing the father of committing a public order offence.
The officer said: "Swearing in the street with two small children.
"You're committing public order offences with your kids."
He went on to accuse the cyclist of being "inconsiderate and stupid", adding that there are people "who will stab you" for swearing at them.
"If we weren't police and we were the wrong type of people... if I overran you because we are the wrong type of people, you want to put your kids' lives at risk?" the officer said.
Tell me you’re aNt1-cYCL1St without telling me you’re aNt1-cYCL1St @theJeremyVine @JoRigby_Balham @carlafrancome @London_Cycling @MikeyCycling @SafeCycleLDN @wandscycling @HF_Cycling @crisortunity pic.twitter.com/FV5FiKdVwj
— Bea Gator (@BeebsG) November 26, 2022
Responding to the officer, the cyclist said that physically attacking him would be against the law and it was "really important" that people did not block the lane.
"Well swearing in the street is against the law," the officer replied. "You just did it."
He claimed that shouting an expletive was an offence under Section 5 of the Public Order Act and the man could be punished with a £100 fine.
However, the Met Police have since admitted it was "clearly wrong" for the officer to tell the cyclist that he had broken the law.
Inspector Tony Adkins of the Met's Roads and Transport Policing Command said: "I've seen this video, and what the officers say is clearly wrong.
"Officers were conducting an operation in the area to stop a vehicle, and I am content that it was appropriate for them to have stopped in a bus lane due to this operational need.
"I will speak with the two officers concerned when they are next on duty."
The act states that using "threatening or abusive words or behaviour...within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm of distress" is a breach of the law.
