Looks like bored police in Gloucester are playing “most ridiculous law infringement” to pass the time.

Adam Bevan was pulled on a 40mph dual carriageway while doing 22mph on his Claud Butler mountain bike. “The wind was behind me and the lights were green so I went straight over the traffic lights. I was going quite fast.

“A police car behind me sounded its siren as it overtook me and pulled into a lay-by. I carried on cycling thinking it couldn’t be for me but a policeman called out as I went past.

“He took my name and asked if I knew how fast I was going. I just started laughing and said ‘not 40’ but he said I was going a bit too fast for a cycle on the dual carriageway.

“He warned me about my future conduct on that road but I carried on laughing, which he didn’t seem very happy about. I think the whole thing was ludicrous.”

Gloucester police haven’t logged the incident, but claimed that his speed could have been considered dangerous in an area with high accident statistics, but even if he crossed a junction at the collosal velocity of 22 mph he was still under the 30mph limit for approaching a junction.

Garry Handley, Road Safety Team Leader at Gloucestershire County Council made it clear he has absolutely no idea about the capability of modern bikes by saying “We are extremely concerned about speed and inappropriate use of speed. Cyclists also need to think very carefully about their braking systems and pedestrians don’t expect a cyclist to approach at 22mph.” My how we’d love to sit him on the handlebars of a bike running 4 pot DH discs on 185mm rotors with soft compound tyres and pads.

So as we’ve long suspected, it’s officially our fault when drivers and pedestrians cut us up. Maybe it’s time to introduce mandatory warning notices that state “Danger: This vehicle may be travelling in excess of 10mph”. On the other hand, maybe if they got out of their cars a bit more often they’d realise walking speed isn’t the limit of human velocity (and they might be less likely to cause a really big accident by having a coronary at the wheel in later life).