So, for a while now and esp after the big shut down recently, police seem to be a pretty much permanent fixture over @ Ace Cafe.
It’s hard because on one hand I’m not doing anything wrong, so shouldn’t have anything to worry about but, at the same time it’s like, do we have to have supervision from the boys in blue every time we come out for a chilled evening on our bikes. Having so many police posted up outside the cafe all the time seems unnecessary and a waste of police time.
My view on the police force has changed dramatically to the worse after my crash.
They’re bigots, opinionated useless bunch of cunts. I have lost all respect for them. And that display at the ace just confirms it.
When I crashed coming round Vauxhall couple of years back, there was a police car and ambulance in the queue of traffic behind me, neither asked if I was alright or helped with the bike. the ambulance used itself as a barricade for the spilt oil on the ground but at no point checked on me. I was sat on the roadside with my buddy obviously in some discomfort, my mate was pretty pissed off and gave the police a mouthful- was pitiful all in all.
I can’t comment on goings on at the ace since I ve never actually been!
I have no problem with the police being at the ace to monitor everyone because the answer is yes, the place does need supervision for the few twunts who want to show off.
As Mian says, no problem with coppers being there at all, in fact last time I went they stopped me to offer me a free bike safe course and a pair of earplugs. There is 2 many idiots pulling stunts.
Alba, I appreciate you had a bad experience but it’s not really fair to stereotype a whole organisation on the actions (or inactions) of a few. Likewise it’s not fair to stereotype all bikers based on the reckless riding of a minority. A lot of coppers are motorcyclists.
Whilst people continue to ride dangerously on public roads outside the Ace, it will continue to attract police attention. On an interesting note, the Distinguished Gentleman’s ride recently organised a 1,400 motorcycle ride through central London, and from what I gather there were no incidents or unworthy police attention. Granted, different “genre” of motorcycle.
I don’t see what the problem is if you are generally a law abiding motorcyclist. If you’re going to ride with a small plate, or loud exhaust you’re asking to be pulled. If you do get pulled, in London it’s mostly a driving licence and insurance check. If you’re legit, it’s a small inconvenience. I’d have no issue getting stopped every day on my commute, knowing that my documents are in order and my bike is (largely) legal. We need more traffic officers on the road!
I always find complementing them on their moustache and discussing their favourite cheese works wonders!
Obviously the stunting on the road will cause the police to attend - especially as mentioned above it’s a bus route and used by lorries.
However, anywhere else where there were so many people crowded into a small area of an evening would also attract a police presence - they’re not just picking on bikers, they are sometimes needed there and have been asked to be there by local residents.
I for one am pleased they have finally taken the issue seriously, the idiots performing their little stunts were threatening the existence of the ace cafe which is a piece of biking history, the marshals at the ace can’t be expected to police the road, if you’re not one of the idiot stunters then you have nothing to worry about.
Imagine if the police had stepped in when they was racing bikes and fighting at the Ace cafe back in its history and shut it down then. We wouldn’t have this problem now…
