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[Big Rod]

Let me paint the picture…………(Sorry it's a bit of a yarn.)

While driving home from work last Tuesday night, I had a slight altercation with an artic' whose driver thought my car would look better without a drivers side mirror.

Whilst I thought it unnecessary, the lorry driver insisted on Police presence. Once they arrived I was invited into his 'office' to have my particulars taken. Whilst I was in the car I notice he had one of those ANPR systems on board, (You know the ones that check with the DVLA for tax disk evasion and in particular in this case, valid insurance.). Now, while I suppose I really should, I'm not in the habit of carrying my insurance certificate with me, so the Policeman issued me with a HO/RT 1 'producer' form and told me to produce my insurance certificate within seven days at a Police station of my choice. When I asked him why he didn't just check his gadget, he spouted something about data protection which I took with a pinch of salt, but I was in no position to argue. Once my 'interview was complete, I went on my merry way resisting the urge to gesticulate offensively to the driver of the lorry.

Fast forward to this morning and it dawned on me that my seven days were up!! (Oooops!!). So as I didn't have to be at work until lunchtime today I reckoned I could nip up to the local Cop Shop with my document(s). Sadly I couldn't find my insurance certificate so I ordered a copy from my insurance company then called the Central Scotland Traffic Police HQ to explain the situation and hopefully gain a couple of days extension. To cut a long story short, they said I had to report to my local nick which I duly did.

So I explained my case to the PO behind the desk to which she said that they'd have to officially charge me with 'failure to produce required documentation'.

Once I'd managed to pick my jaw up from the floor I'm ushered into a little interview room where I sat with two Sergeants for a frickin' hour while they took a statement from me and read me my rights!! A report is being sent to the Procurator Fiscal! (Scottish CPS.)

It took all the willpower I had not to kill myself laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all, ask them if they were joking and look for the Candid Cameras!

To give them their due, the officers I spoke with agreed that it was a pointless exercise.

What a waste of three peoples time and tax payers money!!

So I guess I'm now a bona fide criminal!!!

I'm just glad I didn't get chucked in the cells with a big bloke called Bubba who was looking for new fiancé.

[JamesV6CDX]

What a tale..

Indicates the importance of knowing where all your documents are though  :-/

[tunnie]

what was the guff about the ANPR system? they drive down the road with that thing scanning all the time! Without drivers consent, yet when you ask for it they say no? wtf!!

Maybe I should keep a photocopied version on insurance and MOT in the car...

Makes you wonder Rod... they let paedophiles out but someone who has a wing mirror nocked off gets more attention!

[hotel21]

Rod

Sorry to hear of your circumstances.  In my experience, there is only a very rare number of occassions where the issue of a HO/RT/1 (Home Office/Road Traffic/form one) is needed.  ALL driver details are now available via the Police National Computer, Driving licence status including date of test pass, penalty points and entitlements, date of MOT (only a VERY few garages issue old, non computer types) and the big bugbear - insurance.

The Motor Insurers Bureau supply details of insurance held to PNC.  It can show validity dates, policy holder, entitled drivers and whether it covers you to drive other vehicles.  Again, 99.9% of companies supply the info.  Some do not.  (Ironically, Police Mutual Insurance who cover quite a number of Police Officers cars as wella s support staff, do not!!)

Sometimes the system is down which forces the issue of a Hort1.

Agreed, your being charged seems heavy handed and a waste of everyones time - it probably will be in the longer run, seeing as you are an honest type!!  Please bear in mind that not all customers are as genuine.  With others, considerable time could be later wasted trying to follow up enquiry by two Officers to trace and charge.  It soon mounts up.

In all honesty, it is probable that as long as you contact the reporting officer with the original genuine Ins Cert showing cover, even though its outside the 7 days allowed, the whole thing should die a natural death.

HtH

B
      

[hotel21]

what was the guff about the ANPR system? they drive down the road with that thing scanning all the time! Without drivers consent, yet when you ask for it they say no? wtf!!

Maybe I should keep a photocopied version on insurance and MOT in the car...

Makes you wonder Rod... they let paedophiles out but someone who has a wing mirror nocked off gets more attention!

Tunnie -

The systems scan most of the time.  Your consent to the access to that info was given when you supplied it to DVLA, the Insurance company, the garage who tested your car or whatever.

The in car system shows details of various things for various vehicles, not all of which are for YOUR car.  Its similar to banking, finance, Sky TV etc - they only supply YOUR details to YOU, not anyone elses.

HtH

B

[tunnie]

what was the guff about the ANPR system? they drive down the road with that thing scanning all the time! Without drivers consent, yet when you ask for it they say no? wtf!!

Maybe I should keep a photocopied version on insurance and MOT in the car...

Makes you wonder Rod... they let paedophiles out but someone who has a wing mirror nocked off gets more attention!

Tunnie -

The systems scan most of the time.  Your consent to the access to that info was given when you supplied it to DVLA, the Insurance company, the garage who tested your car or whatever.

The in car system shows details of various things for various vehicles, not all of which are for YOUR car.  Its similar to banking, finance, Sky TV etc - they only supply YOUR details to YOU, not anyone elses.

HtH

B

Stand correct  

I was only going on what i see on Sky One with Road Wars where you see a video camera type image aimed at number plates.

[Markie]

really really cant see the PF taking this up for prosecution...

....and if they do this coutry is in an even worse state than i thought