Man claiming to be off-duty Kent Police officer reportedly threatened cyclists

Thug was found to be impersonating a police officer.
QUOTE:
Man claiming to be off-duty Kent Police officer reportedly threatened cyclists and "used car as defensive weapon", claiming they should not be riding two abreast.

Ultra-endurance cyclist Chris Hall posted the disturbing account to his Twitter page yesterday claiming that the man and a woman had children in the car and continually shouted abuse at Mr Hall and his partner for riding two abreast. The man claimed he was an off-duty police officer, and reportedly gave his name and badge number. Mr Hall continued in the Twitter thread:

"Woman and man in car start shouting at us out the window to ride single file. Instantly feel threatened and let them go past and carry on. Car then stops in the road to continue shouting at us. Man threatens us using car as a weapon steering us towards the pavement...

"...Continually threatens us to stop claiming he is a police officer. Partner and I are feeling incredibly under threat as the car is being used as a weapon to force us single file and to make us stop at the side of the road. Car turns in on us and doesn’t indicate at a junction.

"Eventually we are forced to pull over. Man gets out the car and with an incredibly raised voice threatens to arrest me as I didn’t listen to him once he said he was a cop. I asked for him to show me his badge and he didn’t have it but said he would go home and get it.

"To which I said ok. He didn’t go home. His wife continually shouted at my partner stating we were reckless and dangerous stating she was also a police officer. Raising her voice at both of us. I continually reminded him of rule 66 of the Highway Code. He argued we were cycling...

"...In a dangerous manor (SIC) and should be single file. Eventually after having the man and wife shout at us for about 20 minutes and after them using their car as a defensive weapon on us, they left: my partner in tears and me very shaken my the whole event.

"If this is how you train your officers, @kentpoliceroads I'd be happy to help in how this can be seen as intimidating to a person. I’d also like some clarification on what we did wrong.

"My partners a relatively new cyclist and has recently started trying to take it more seriously, having just purchased a new bike. Riding two abreast is a way to help with her confidence on London and Kent’s roads which quite frankly are unsafe for cycling.

"I have the car registration number, officer’s name and eventually he gave me his badge number. I’m now done with cycling in London and the South East. I think I’ll be moving out of London soon or maybe even to a country where cycling is part of their culture.

"I think I’ve covered everything. The officer probably has a different story to
tell of the incident but simply a vehicle should never be used to intimidate someone as a weapon. We are both incredibly shaken by it all."

UPDATE:

Chris Hall, who took to Twitter to detail a 20-minute long ordeal in which he and his partner were threatened by a man claiming to be a Kent Police officer, has said the force told him they believe they are dealing with "two people impersonating police officers". Mr Hall says the male driver and female passenger had children in the back of their car, and that Kent Police say they don't recognise the officer number the man gave out.

Mr Hall also told road.cc: "I'll be honest it was horrible. We are both ok but definitely pretty shaken up by it all. I've cycled across the world and have cycled in London for over ten years, and this was the scariest incident I have ever dealt with."

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling...log-item-17439

On 27/07/2020 17:38, Simon Mason wrote:

Thug was found to be impersonating a police officer.
QUOTE:
Man claiming to be off-duty Kent Police officer reportedly threatened cyclists and "used car as defensive weapon", claiming they should not be riding two abreast.

Ultra-endurance cyclist Chris Hall posted the disturbing account to his Twitter page yesterday claiming that the man and a woman had children in the car and continually shouted abuse at Mr Hall and his partner for riding two abreast. The man claimed he was an off-duty police officer, and reportedly gave his name and badge number. Mr Hall continued in the Twitter thread:

"Woman and man in car start shouting at us out the window to ride single file. Instantly feel threatened and let them go past and carry on. Car then stops in the road to continue shouting at us. Man threatens us using car as a weapon steering us towards the pavement...

"...Continually threatens us to stop claiming he is a police officer. Partner and I are feeling incredibly under threat as the car is being used as a weapon to force us single file and to make us stop at the side of the road. Car turns in on us and doesn’t indicate at a junction.

"Eventually we are forced to pull over. Man gets out the car and with an incredibly raised voice threatens to arrest me as I didn’t listen to him once he said he was a cop. I asked for him to show me his badge and he didn’t have it but said he would go home and get it.

"To which I said ok. He didn’t go home. His wife continually shouted at my partner stating we were reckless and dangerous stating she was also a police officer. Raising her voice at both of us. I continually reminded him of rule 66 of the Highway Code. He argued we were cycling...

"...In a dangerous manor (SIC) and should be single file. Eventually after having the man and wife shout at us for about 20 minutes and after them using their car as a defensive weapon on us, they left: my partner in tears and me very shaken my the whole event.

"If this is how you train your officers, @kentpoliceroads I'd be happy to help in how this can be seen as intimidating to a person. I’d also like some clarification on what we did wrong.

"My partners a relatively new cyclist and has recently started trying to take it more seriously, having just purchased a new bike. Riding two abreast is a way to help with her confidence on London and Kent’s roads which quite frankly are unsafe for cycling.

"I have the car registration number, officer’s name and eventually he gave me his badge number. I’m now done with cycling in London and the South East. I think I’ll be moving out of London soon or maybe even to a country where cycling is part of their culture.

"I think I’ve covered everything. The officer probably has a different story to
tell of the incident but simply a vehicle should never be used to intimidate someone as a weapon. We are both incredibly shaken by it all."

UPDATE:

Chris Hall, who took to Twitter to detail a 20-minute long ordeal in which he and his partner were threatened by a man claiming to be a Kent Police officer, has said the force told him they believe they are dealing with "two people impersonating police officers". Mr Hall says the male driver and female passenger had children in the back of their car, and that Kent Police say they don't recognise the officer number the man gave out.

Mr Hall also told road.cc: "I'll be honest it was horrible. We are both ok but definitely pretty shaken up by it all. I've cycled across the world and have cycled in London for over ten years, and this was the scariest incident I have ever dealt with."

https://road.cc/content/news/cycling...log-item-17439

QUOTE:
I’m now done with cycling in London and the South East. I think I’ll be
moving out of London soon or maybe even to a country where cycling is
part of their culture"
ENDQUOTE

Very sensible. It sounds like the makings of a win/win outcome, wouldn't
you say?

It would be nice to be able to believe that he is as able and prepared
to respect certain obvious widespread aspects of British culture as he
expects others to respect his micro-culture.

PS: His: "He argued we were cycling in a dangerous manor", to which you
added your usual idiosyncratic "(SIC)", might have been correct after all.

Matthew Scott PCC
@matthewinkent
Replying to @chrishallrides and @3rdcatproblems
Sorry to read about this and hope you are both ok. If you want to email me a little bit more (including details you took and where it took place) I’ll see if there is anything we can do to assist:

Both Kent Police and Kent's Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott have replied to Mr Hall, and road.cc has asked for more details.

ENDS
More to follow.

Trevor Ward
Flag of European Union
@willwrite4cake
·
Jul 26
Replying to
@chrishallrides
Sorry to hear this but let’s not needlessly besmirch the reputation of police. He quite obviously was NOT a police officer. He sounds more like a cowardly piece of ****.