Reporting road problems to the police. (Good reaction)

[Ron4x]

I reproduce below an email I sent this morning to the North Wales Police who seem to have acquired a reputation for being anti-biker. I also reproduce their reply. I should have addressed my email to Dyfed-Powys as the incident occurred in their patch, so I got the wrong force area. Not that it seems to matter.

I'd encourage bikers to report road defects as the police seem willing to take them on board. I feel more than a bit guilty that I didnt phone 999 from my mobile after nearly having a crash, but felt that 999 was a bit extreme. If the guy on the Suzuki reads this, I hope he is OK.

Email to the police ----

Yesterday was a reasonable day so I went on a ride from home in Four Crosses to Aberdyfi. It was an uneventful ride except about half-way I encountered some gravel spillage right in the middle of the lane I was travelling in. I slowed down and tried to avoid it but some got under the wheels and a violent shaking of the handlebars resulted. It was scary but I did not lose control and carried on with my ride. This was at about 2pm. Returning the same way at about 4pm, I noted when just outside the village with the spill (sorry cant remember the name of it) one of your officers was travelling towards me in a patrol car. He signalled me to slow down, which I did. I had not noticed it but there was more gravel on the side I was travelling on, and thanks to the officer’s timely warning, I managed to avoid it totally. As I drew level with it I saw a Suzuki motorcycle propped up against a gate with the rider nowhere, so it seems that someone coming the other way might have hit the gravel and come off. If that was the case, I do hope that he came to no harm.

It seems to me that had I reported the spillage, possibly it could have been swept off the carriageway, even on a Sunday, but I hesitated to phone 999 about it. Do you wish riders to report such potential hazards please ? To which phone number, and what details should be passed to you, please?

Reply only a couple of hours later from the police -

Hi Ron,

The police and highways are always concerned for the condition of the roads and safety of all that use them. If there is something of an urgent nature it should be reported to the police possibly on the non urgent line 101 or if very urgent 999 or 112. If of a less urgent nature I can be informed and will investigate to give the facts if necessary to those concerned.

The North Wales Motorcycle Alliance is concerned about road conditions also and they can be contacted to take the matter forward also. www.nwmotorcyclealliance.co.uk

I am unaware of any motorcycle collision that may be related to this being reported.

I will ensure that the relevant departments receive this information.

92773 Paul Cheshire M.B.E.
Cydlynydd Beicio Diogel / BikeSafe Co-ordinator
Grŵp Gwasanaethau Gweithredol/Operational Services Group
Ffon / Phone : 01492 804155

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I dont think anyone can expect a better /more constructive reply than that, so if you see any spillage/gravel/sand or other defect, please report it. I certainly will in future.

Ron

[soforene]

You got lucky in contacting Paul.
I met him on Sunday at a First Bike on Scene event in Rhyl and he seems like a good guy in the PoPo.

Not too sure if you'd be as successful in contacting the local plod (anywhere else in the country) re: gravel but God loves a trier.

[Andrew122]

Yeah, that's not a bad result at all.

I was going through the city centre last week in the rain and went through the biggest diesel spill I've ever seen. I think a bus may well have been the culprit since it was right next to a bus stop. I feel a little bad for not doing anything about that now. I didn't realise that the police were receptive to such information. I guess next time I'll know.
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[Rogerborg]

[harscot]

good reply, I do a lot of nightshift work, with a lot of traveling involved, and quite regularly report bad/dangerous road conditions that I come across to the local police ( Dingwall, in the Highlands ) who are quite receptive and responsive on getting said report sorted out.
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2nd bike X reg Honda 650 Deauville in 2011:
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[oldenuff]

I grumbled to our local police about thick mud on the roads. They replied promptly and sympathetically.
They have a very subtle way of dealing with recalcitrant farmers. The ask nicely for the farmer to clear it up and if he doesn't take quick action they get the county to clean it up and bill the farmer. They said that it had cost one farmer £700. Much quicker and more certain than trying to take the offender to court.
I passed their reply to the local parish magazine, that is seen by local farmers, and we have had much less contamination than in previous years.
I think that most of the police are reasonable people in an unreasonable situation.

[doggone]

You might be better reporting problems to the local Highways Dept to be honest.
If something happens after they have been 'informed of a problem' they will be in trouble.

[oldenuff]

My experience with the local highways folk is that they will reply - eventually - while the police are much quicker off the mark. That is because the Highways Act makes depositing mud, or other hazardous material, on the road a criminal offence.

[Pol Anorl]

I called 999 once as a tractor had dropped fuck tons of little ball bearing like seeds over the road, and i mean fuck tons, atleast 2 inches deep all the way across a country lane under tree cover, didn't know wtf i hit till i went back after nearly going through a hedge, needless to say they couldn't find it and gave up looking. came back later and swept it up myself, i could barely walk on the stuff let alone ride on it.
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[oldenuff]

I had a similarly prompt and helpful reaction from our local force when I grumbled about mud on the road. Our local force have a subtle response to farmers. They don't invoke the Highways Act but ask nicely for the problem to be cleared. If it is not they get the county to clear it and bill the farmer.

[Meesch]

A few years ago I read in MCN(?) that if you see diesel on the road it wouldn't be considered inappropriate to dial 999 and for the BiB to attend with lights on.

And I have to say the couple of times I've called into a local station personally to report oil on the road they've been grateful for the info and attended pretty quickly.

[Rogerborg]

If you're reading this, may I suggest that you take 5 minutes to find the numbers for your local cop shop and your "neighbourhood policing team" (aka actual coppers) and stick them in your phone? Gives you an alternative to 999 if you want to report a local problem for local people.
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