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[hotel21]

Meant as a funny tale, not a preaching lesson, so no offence or bible thumping intended.....  



Once upon a time, I was out and about doing what I get paid for.  (see the newbie welcome if unclear)

My colleague and I were having a busy day and asked a chap who was travelling at warp speed to check out how soft and comfy the rear seats were in our shiny Beemer.  He didn't want to, so we twisted his arm a wee bit.    

Once there, he insisted that he still didn't want to be there and that we should be doing other things rather than be talking to him.  We asked him to watch the telly that was in the dashboard for a couple of minutes.  We hoped that would calm him down, but it had no effect as he did not like the channel or the programme.  If anything, it seemed to get him more annoyed.  

He was told it was the only channel that we could watch and that, if he kept looking, he would see a nice shiney car like his on it soon but he would have to watch really really hard as it was only going to be there for a few seconds to start with, as it was going quite quick.  He shouldn't worry though, we managed to keep up with it and, if he looked at the corner of the screen, he could see how fast it was going......  (really dont advise having too many dangly things in the rear window.  Makes your boring blue repmobile quite distinctive from all other blue repmobiles...) 

Once he realised that he was now a TV star and that we wouldn't send the tape to a Mr Beadle, he settled a bit but told us we should change jobs and go catch what he called 'real criminals', such as rapists and murderers.

Cue radio message....



Zed Tee from Hotel two-one, for the benefit of a member of the public, could you advise how many ongoing rape and murder enquiries there are within the force area at this time, please?

To Hotel two-one, none at this time, over.

Roger Zed Tee, thank you.

Well sir, it would appear that you now have our full and undivided attention.  Want to see the tape again?


As we say up this neck of the woods, his gas was now at a peep, and he paid up like a good 'un at the court later.  

Discuss......   :-/



 



  

[Taxi_Driver]

Yeah amusing  

I once got pulled over on the m4 a few years ago driving a company car.

I was in outside lane sat on 90mph.....when i suddenly noticed id gone passed a patrol car that was tucked in nice and tight in front of a HGV on the inside lane (not saying they do that on purpose  )

Id had a bad day at work and thought....sod it....carnt be bothered to slow down.
Next thing its behind me in the middle lane....i still carnt be bothered to slow down...

Lights on and i have to pull over.....great i think....not...here comes speeding ticket  

Officer opens passenger door....and says before you say anything sir....your gonna get a ticket for something and as your not wearing a seatbelt....that will do  :-?

So i get a £20 fine for not wearing a seatbelt plus a lecture about we know this is a company car....and reps cannot stick to 70mph....just slow down when you see us and speed back up when you carnt see us anymore...and dont go faster than 90 otherwise you would have got a speeding ticket as well.

Dunno if traffic are still the same or i just had good experience as it were  :-/

[summat]

Lol!    


A fair cop, I'd say

[Andy B]

Meant as a funny tale, not a preaching lesson, so no offence or bible thumping intended.....  

.......
Discuss......   :-/

 

Sorry (well not much) Hotel21
But as previously discussed with regard to private roads etc etc. Practice what you preach & condescending tw4t seem to spring to mind!!!  
I've followed coppers at 40 in a 30. Reversing the situation I held a copper to 29 in 30 where he couldn't overtake, when we got to a set of traffic lights that were changing against us I pulled into the right hand lane to turn right, while he put his blue flashy light on to take him through the now RED light! It was off again within 30ft.

[hotel21]

Andy B - each to their own.  Like I said, meant as a funny tale and nowt else.  Any similarity to actual events is purely coincidental, names and circumstances changed for poetic licence.....  

As to your counter tale, no doubt everyone has a similar story, myself included.  

Like any big workforce, there are good, bad and indifferent workers within, scattered throughout the different branches up and down the country.  You recount only one small aspect of the tale.  The cop in the car may well have another and, by acting as a 30 mph roadblock, you may have either 1) scored a minor point for yourself or 2) prevented the detection of a crime or offence by delaying the cop who did not want to use lights/sirens to allow Burglar Bill to run off on hearing them or 3) made the cop late for dinner and all chips/doughnuts are now finished.  

B

[Taxi_Driver]

Hotel21...

I know a retired patrol.....who told me it can be the norm for patrols putting on their blue lights to get through traffic even tho no emergency..and used to do it quite regularly esp when shift finishing time and wanted to get to local pub b4 last orders  ..he said it was not allowed to put on sirens unless real emergency tho.

Just wondered?

[TheBoy]

Lets face it, we all know the speed limits, if we get caught either by camera or patrol exceeding these limits, its fair cop.

Whilst there are probably scumbag coppers, most are just doing what they are paid to do, and enforcing the rules (made by others).

[Andy B]

Andy B - each to their own.  Like I said, meant as a funny tale and nowt else.  

As to your counter tale, no doubt everyone has a similar story, myself included.  

Like any big workforce, there are good, bad and indifferent workers within, scattered throughout the different branches up and down the country.  You recount only one small aspect of the tale.  The cop in the car may well have another and, by acting as a 30 mph roadblock, you may have either 1) scored a minor point for yourself or 2) prevented the detection of a crime or offence by delaying the cop who did not want to use lights/sirens to allow Burglar Bill to run off on hearing them or 3) made the cop late for dinner and all chips/doughnuts are now finished.  

B

10 o'clock in the evening, just me and him on the road, big wide major road on which he could have passed me if he'd wished. Bad choice of words on my behalf. Do we get to know this dangerous speeders speed and in what kind of car he was in? This current campagne with a blacket message of 'Speed Kill!' p's me off. I could go on a rant, but will use the well used responce of INAPPROPIATE Speed kills! 70mph is less than half of what a V6 3.0 will do and so has the 150mph brakes to match! There is one member who was done for 79mph on a Motorway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just what is the justification for that? While 'you lot' act like that you'll never get motoring Joe Public to be behind you! And you'll continue to get the reply you got ... go & catch a proper criminal  (- or you could charge the ignorant & gullible normally law abiding kids - but that's another long long story. We fought the law and won though!!)
Trouble is if you legally own & run a car, chances are you'll have a few quid to spare and besides you have your name & address on the front & back of the car for any misdemeanors to be contacted via!
Anyway if you work(ed) in Fife we've probably already met! I used to get stopped every week-end some where between home & Rosyth (HMS Caledonia) My crime was to be young and drive a MkIII Cortina.

[TheBoy]

The Oxford traffic plod used to pull me DAILY. I had a Astra GTE at the time, and it was when the media caught those joyriders in Blackbird Leys (estate on edge of Oxford) on camera.

My crime? Young, and driving GTE, and out late at night.  However, I was glad they stopped me, at least if it had been nicked, I knew plod was ready to pull anyone over...

[hotel21]

TD - Using the lights/sirens to get home if you are running late?  Of course it happens, just not officially.    Same as the employee at Dixons/Woolies/Pick an expensive shop - are not supposed to put items aside at sale time AND get staff discount at the same time!!  In both these and others similar, you would need to have your head well buried in the sand to believe otherwise.  Perks of the job?  Possibly, but hopefully used sensibly.  I know I do, cant speak for others.

TD and Andy B -  Good Cop/Bad Cop? - Again, of course it happens.  The usual starter is most times based on the attitude test. By that, if a person is stopped and comes back at the cop with all (verbal) guns blazing, they have most times talked themselves into a booking.  The converse, most times, is also true.  The caveat in the last bit, though, is based on the old cop/young cop.  The older guy has, most times, seen, done and worn most T shirts around whilst the young cop, new in the job, books everyone - its the only way to be fair, isn't it?

I subscribe to the former.  A warning, most times, goes further to educate than a booking.  

But I also have a pen and tickets...



Hth

Broocie

[TheBoy]

I think my (nice) attitude to Mr Plod is why I always (touch wood) have gotten away with nought more than a bollocking...

[Andy B]

.......
My crime? Young, and driving GTE, and out late at night.  However, I was glad they stopped me, at least if it had been nicked, I knew plod was ready to pull anyone over...

How many time have I heard that well used & abused phrase by coppers? It didn't seem to matter if it was day time or 3 in the morning. On one occasion the copper said 'I knew it was you .... I've stopped you before!!!!!!!!!!!' So WTF did he stop me this time?
 When my Mk III was knicked where were the coppers? Exactly ..... no where to be seen!  

[TheBoy]

I've obviously had a better experience with the law then you

[Andy B]

Andy B - each to their own.  Like I said, meant as a funny tale and nowt else.  Any similarity to actual events is purely coincidental, names and circumstances changed for poetic licence.....  



B

and asked a chap who was travelling at warp speed to check out how soft and comfy the rear seats were in our shiny Beemer.  He didn't want to, so we twisted his arm a wee bit.    

Once there, he insisted that he still didn't want to be there and that we should be doing other things rather than be talking to him.  We asked him to watch the telly that was in the dashboard for a couple of minutes.  We hoped that would calm him down, but it had no effect as he did not like the channel or the programme.  If anything, it seemed to get him more annoyed.  

He was told it was the only channel that we could watch and that, if he kept looking, he would see a nice shiney car like his on it soon but he would have to watch really really hard as it was only going to be there for a few seconds to start with, as it was going quite quick.  He shouldn't worry though, we managed to keep up with it and, if he looked at the corner of the screen, he could see how fast it was going......  (really dont advise having too many dangly things in the rear window.  Makes your boring blue repmobile quite distinctive from all other blue repmobiles...)

Which was the funny bit? It must've gone over my head.
He already knew why you were pulling him over. He didn't need a head-master lecture from you two!

[Kev]

The Oxford traffic plod used to pull me DAILY. I had a Astra GTE at the time, and it was when the media caught those joyriders in Blackbird Leys (estate on edge of Oxford) on camera.

My crime? Young, and driving GTE, and out late at night.  However, I was glad they stopped me, at least if it had been nicked, I knew plod was ready to pull anyone over...

I'm with TheBoy.

When i started out i got stopped almost every night. I think i knew every policeman at my local nic. We were on first name terms.

But from that i knew, if they saw someone else driving my car then they would have known something was up.

From experience though, i have found Traffic to be a lot more fair and just. I don't think they have a point to prove.  

[Kev]

And standing back from it all, looking at how Bruce told the story, it was amusing.  

[Salty]

And standing back from it all, looking at how Bruce told the story, it was amusing.  

A different take on it I suppose  

[hotel21]

Andy B

He did not get a lecture.  I am more professional than that.  I either give a bollocking or a booking, not both.  You chose what you would prefer.

Looks like we are going to be on either side of no mans land over this.

The tale referred to is meant to be light hearted and an amusing pastiche on what actually happened.  If this flies over your head, or if you take umbrage at it, so be it.  I refer you to the comments about verbal guns blazing and talking yourself into a booking.  I actually liked the Dagenam Dustbin and owned a few.......

Not all cops operate out of the Kremlin school of traffic policing.  Some do have a (warped?) sense of humour, some do prefer to educate rather than book, and some have seen too many accidents and death over the years and simply dish out points and prizes rather than continue to educate.  I dont normally throw the death and misery aspect down peoples throats.  Most know simply that death and misery happen.  Speed, innapropriate or otherwise, is just one small facet of this.  Drink, drugs, road and vehicle maintenance, road conditions, inexperience etc etc also play a substantial part.   If you have been agrieved by traffic officers actions over the years, so be it.  I am glad that we are not all made the same.

B

[Hillper]

I wonder how any of us would be in that situation if we were the law?

I know I would love to be a traffic cop from time to time.

It can't be easy listening to all the excuses you've heard time and time before.  Trying to remain calm when you know the offender is clearly lying through his teeth etc.

Recently, I whizzed passed a patrol car which was joining the dual carrirageway.  He finally caught me miles up the road and was upset that he couldn't catch me in his diesel escort.  A few civil words later and I was on my way feeling very lucky.

Blow me down, the very next day, like an idiot, I did the same thing and unbelieveably another cruiser was joining as before.  This time I was very quickly caught by one of the larger Vauxhall products!

The first thing I was asked was "Are you in the job?".  I guess I must look like an officer of the Law!

I said "No, but I'm begining to wish I was".  A few civil words later and I was on my way!!!!

Stopped twice in two days and both times got away with it.

They're not all bad!

[Andy B]

Andy B

Looks like we are going to be on either side of no mans land over this..

Probably. We often hear & see tales where the one rule for us and another rule for you is used.

The tale referred to is meant to be light hearted and an amusing pastiche on what actually happened.  If this flies over your head, or if you take umbrage at it, so be it.  I refer you to the comments about verbal guns blazing and talking yourself into a booking.

On the contrary! I always adopt the Yes Oficer No Oficer approach!    

Speed, innapropriate or otherwise, is just one small facet of this.  Drink, drugs, road and vehicle maintenance, road conditions, inexperience etc etc also play a substantial part.  

Does this also apply if you're a Traffic Cop and want to get aquainted with your car on the Public Highway at 160mph. refer to 1st answer.

If you have been agrieved by traffic officers actions over the years, so be it.  I am glad that we are not all made the same.

B

I wouldn't say agrieved - just pi$$ed off. TV programmes like Traffic Cop just serve to reiterate the "Holier than thou" attitude of most of them.

[Goonlord]

The Engineer that told me this swears it truly happened.........

Working for a forklift company we have about 40 mobile engineers
 one of them who will remane nameless was driving along the M62 eating his lunch and doing about 80

when in his door mirror he spots the dreaded blue lights ......So he pulls over .........
Mr plod walks up the side of the van opens the door and says "what do think your on"
quick as a flash our guy says....cheese an tomato do you want one!!!!!!!!!!!!

didnt work though he still got a ticket  

[TheBoy]

I think the recent court case of the copper caught doing 150mph+ claiming he had to get used to the car are a very, very tiny minority, yet picked up by the tabloid press. Obviously his collegues thought he was wrong and booked him....

I can only go by my own experience, and I've found the traffic plod to be pleasant and reasonable every time I've been pulled - even if the "Morning Mr Mansell" type jokes are a little tiresome sometimes...

Also, my GTE days aside, every time I've been pulled, it has always been because I was doing something wrong...

[Big Rod]

Bruce,

I am not in any way saying that you are guilty of this, so please don't take offence. I'm just sticking in my 2p's worth, but........

What sticks in my throat is when law makers and enforcers blatantly and willfully break laws. That shouts hypocrite at me. Don't get me wrong, I'm of the, 'Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the blind obedience of the foolish', school of thought and as long as you're not harming or inconveniencing anyone else then I think 'rules' are fair game, but when I get busted for doing only 83 MPH on a non congested three lane motorway in perfect driving conditions and then I'm witness to hypocritical behaviour by the same organisation(s) that have penalised me, it's bound to have a detrimental effect on the level of respect I have for the authorities.

Now I appreciate that the Police have an arduous job at times and are only human after all, but on more occassions than I care to remember, I've seen police vehicles driving irresponsibly particulalrly on motorways. I'm talking speeding for no good reason, (I know emergency vehicles are exempt from speed limits, but when there's no need then they should practice what they preach IMO!), horrendous lane discipline and tailgating to name a few.

If your job is to uphold the law then you should damned well stick to it!!

I do exceed the speed limit from time to time but only where it's safe to do so. My ex-police driving instructor, (Bloke by the name of Scott if memory serves correctly, maybe you know him.), actually promoted exceeding the posted limit on appropriate occassions. That criteria is never taken into account. It's always cut and dried. You were speeding therefore you're a criminal. Recieving a 'bollocking probably infuriates me more than getting a ticket and again doesn't instill any greater respect due to the fact that I know a number of Policemen & women and the tales I have relayed back from them about their antics, (on and off the job!), contradicts their assumed authoritative position.

And don't get me started on (s)cameras!!!!

[mr des]

i dunno im no fan of the authoritys but thats nothing to to with the actual people inforcing them just the whole notion that we need to be told what to do, i thought it was a well told funny story, sometimes a good bollickin is what we need to see the bigger picture from what ive heard broocie certainly sounds like the kind of cop i would like to come accross, in my misspent youth i came upon quite a few over nothing more serious than what the dutch have already seen the light to accept, and no im not a lady of the night. the thing is tho hypocritical behaviour from any institution not just the law is bound to enrage as its the biggest disrespect you can have leveled at you. but speeding on motorways if left completely un checked will breed a total lack of respect for the speed limits but in the case of less than 90 in good conditions should not be subject to fines and points but a long chat to reinforce the point that if you speed you will be pulled over and end up getting there later than sticking to the limit.

[Kev]

I always thought that emergency vehicles were NOT exempt from speed limits, the exception being Traffic, and only with good reason i.e. pursuit etc.

They are however exempt from red lights etc. but you must have your blues and siren on.

Or am i wrong?

[mr des]

thats certainly the case over here because when penalty points came in there was uproar that ambulance drivers would get points on their licence by going past speed cameras on emergency calls

[Jay w]

i, like most people have been stopeed a few times, and more often than not i was doing something wrong.....

I went through a stage of getting pulled on a nightly basis, reason, my number plates were illegal, eventually i got bored of the constant telling off and changed the, only to be pulled again and again, this time for not wearing a seatbelt, however i was wearing a 4 point harness, the police behind couldn't see it though, again after a while they got wise to this fact and left me alone.

Now i am a little wiser, yes i still speed, yes i have 3 points, and yes it stung when i got caught, but there is no point in trying to dodge something that i was guilty of. After i got back in the car my wife said ' i would have given them hell if that was me' why, just to feel better? It's not worth it.

Again i have met some police who will pull you over, have a 'word' and let you on your way, i have a lot of respect for people who are prepared to use their judgement.

There is an age old saying of 'why aren't you out catching muggers and murderers' and there is a lot of resentment about speed cameras and the points system, at the end of the day if you break the rules and get caught then you have to expect a punishment no matter how small your crime was

[Auto Addict]

When I had my Carlton 3ltr 24v Gsi (one of the first off the production line) I was pulled over by the police in Bristol.

I glanced at the speedo, 38 in a 40, phew :-?

They had a good look round the car, then came over to me and asked if they could 'have a go' in it, as it was quicker than anything they had got.

I declined.....

[sounds2k]

...TV programmes like Traffic Cop just serve to reiterate the "Holier than thou" attitude of most of them.

the trouble is that if all you saw was people being pulled over, bollocked then let off it wouldn't make for good TV ratings ... same as big brother and all the rest of that type of program, only the "interesting" bits make the final cut ... and I'd imagine probably over 90% of the traffic patrol work is probably just cruising along and boring as hell !!

TV gives a distorted view ... like any media, it shows you what the makers want you to see ...

I always thought that emergency vehicles are exempt from red lights etc. but you must have your blues and siren on.

if they are running B&2 then a red light and similar becomes "give way" - if they go through a red light and cause an accident then it's deemed their fault.

[STMO123]

I dont do a lot of motorway driving...so I haven't seen a traffic cop for about three years

[Andy B]

Andy B

Looks like we are going to be on either side of no mans land over this..

Probably. We often hear & see tales where the one rule for us and another rule for you is used.
.

As was said before in this 'wee story' it's just one incident but if the boot was on the other civilian foot I think we would be walking or cycling to work.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/25082006/325/police-officer-guilty-driving-159-mph.html
MY last comment on it - honest!

[Markie]

Ouch this seems to be the subject of split views this one....

Hotel 21 - do like your style and the story - was brought up with father in Polis as you know and as your probably equally aware....Police always seem to have mates in the force round there houses ( well they did in the olden days lol) so i grew up with lots of Police "Uncles" This was brilliant for me as back then they brought the company car home for tea and i always got to sit in it ( not now i bet!!)

So i do know where your coming from, problem is a lot of people dont interact with the police on a daily basis to see there just "people". Then when they do they invariably have done something wrong so are hit in the pocket, or they are a victim of crime and associate the police as the perputrators of that crime. And yes i have partly done this myself recently with my car theft.

Think really the police need to take all the "serving the people" type slogans off there cars and change it to something like " dont shoot the messenger" As often people to attack them wrongly.

Good story this though and interesting thread....folks lets not make this personal though!!

[TheBoy]

It probably is annoying that burgularies etc do not seem priority for police, and most of police we see day to day are traffic police or camera operators...

As I've previously said, I have never had any problems with being stopped, even if the 'Evening Mr Mansell' jokes are crap.  And the coppers are usually genuinely nice people doing a respectable job.

We all know the hassles Markiec had getting the police to turn up after his car was nicked - and its this part of the force that aggrevates me. Its not the coppers themselves, but the system. Not enough plod, and too much beaurocracy. Trouble is, petit criminals know this, so petit crime (probably) increases, knowing there is little chance of getting caught