A Metropolitan Police officer was left scrambling after he tried and failed to stop a motorcyclist in south London.
In a video posted to X, formerly Twitter, the red-headed copper deploys what appears to be a spike strip designed to puncture the tyres of the motorbike. It is unclear why the officer was trying to stop the rider, who was travelling down Streatham High Road.
In the clip, which has been viewed more than 1.2 million times, the officer waits for a passing cyclist, before rolling out the spike strip across the road.
The motorbike, which was approaching at speed, breaks hard and performs a U-turn, riding in the opposite direction down the pavement. Text overlayed over the clip appears to mock the officer, saying: “Wrong timing or what”.
As the dishevelled copper gathers his strip and runs off, the video displays the words “it’s the run for me”, poking fun at the way he exits the scene. It is unknown when exactly the video was taken.
The video isn’t the only recent clip shared by the London-based X account ‘UB1UB2 West London (Southall)’ demonstrating police failing to stop an errant vehicle.
On November 23, the account shared another clip of officers standing by whilst a car drove into stationary vehicles, including a police car, before zooming off.
The clip claims to show one officer, who appears not to be trying to stop the rogue car, saying he isn’t “paid enough” to handle the situation. However this could not be heard in the footage.
According to Crystal Roof, crime on Streatham High Road is at a “medium” level and since 2021 has been well below the rate across the city.
Twenty years previously the High Road was voted the worst in the country in a BBC and Commission for Architecture and Built Environment poll. Now, however, like much of London, it has undergone a process of gentrification.
According to Home.co.uk, the average monthly rental value of a two-bed flat in Streatham is more than £2000 and a three-bed is more than £3000.
