Silly Police - Fine for blowing nose (Case now dropped)

[tintin40]

This thread still going :shock: I thought the case was cleared up and shown for what it was.
The p being good at their jobs

 

[Neil]

A few years back - perhaps 5 or 6 - I drove down a rural road, that is a 30mph stretch by a school and some houses that are near. After that, the road changes to NSL (60mph, single carriageway) as it goes out to the countryside.

I drove down the road at school kicking-out time, there were cars and 4x4s parked all over the place, and all reason seemed to have gone out of the window. Something to point out as this story progresses, though - not a police officer in site.

A few hours later, I drove the same road, coming from the opposite direction - this would be mid-evening, and not summer, because it was dark. Across the road from the school, was a Police officer, with a laser speed gun on a tripod, and another officer with a car.

At this point, as I said, I was driving in the opposite direction so from the 60mph section, slowing to the 30 section by the houses and school.

Now I'm not recounting the story because I got stopped, or got a ticket - neither happened, I wasn't speeding. I just think it was quite revealling that they were outside a school at 8 or 9 o' clock at night, with a laser speed gun, but not at the time that actually mattered - when kids were leaving the school - where were they at 3 o' clock?

The cynic in me believes it's because they had more chance of catching speeders, as opposed to acting as a good deterrent at a time when it would have matter most. Either that, or they didn't want to have to get involved in the parents of middle-england, parking absolutely awfully at school kicking-out time. I'm thinking maybe they didn't want to get involved and actually have to do something about the seeming abandonment of all sense when such parents park outside of schools, and not to rile those who'd complain the loudest.

In fairness, it's hard not to be a cynic when you see the timing of such traps, and think of the mayhem at kicking-out time.

I am also a Cynic and a raving Pessimist, my glass is always half empty never half full.

You're probably right, easy hit. Easy way to get figures in. Easy way to keep the bosses happy and meet your monthly targets. I can't defend the appropriateness of their actions to you.

But perhaps there were no Officers available at kicking out time, perhaps they were setting up ANPR

It wasn't ANPR, I'm not saying ANPR wasn't around, then, but it wasn't prevalent. And it would have been a poor choice of road - not really much traffic.

It was clearly evident why it was done - a 60 mph road that slows to a 30, done at night, when people would have not been thinking about kids and the school.

perhaps even, there had been a number of RTC's at the location in the past.

Quite possible - but wouldn't it be most effective, when most were around to witness it - at school kicking-out time?

It doesn't square with rationale like that, I'm going with Occam's Razor. I think they were going for the easy hit, rather than good policing.

Bet you that seeing those Officers there 6 years ago still makes you think about keeping to the speed limit at all times of the day.

I do always remember it, but it's not something that affects my driving.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not perfect, and I'm not telling you I've never broken speed limits, but I do always consider where (and when) they'd likely place traps - plus, on that particular road, it's not like it's unreasonable to be expected to slow to 30 for that section.

I sysmpathise with your take, and your job - and I don't personally buy into the general and complete criticism of your profession. That said, the criticism of the officer(s) involved in the case that spawned this thread, is truly deserved, in my opinion.

 

[retrojon]

It was clearly evident why it was done - a 60 mph road that slows to a 30, done at night, when people would have not been thinking about kids and the school.

It is sometimes used as a means to pull you over for a breath test rather than it being easy money.

 

[Neil]

It was clearly evident why it was done - a 60 mph road that slows to a 30, done at night, when people would have not been thinking about kids and the school.

It is sometimes used as a means to pull you over for a breath test rather than it being easy money.

Oddly enough, I've driven through plenty of stop areas, where they were doing breath-tests, once they even chose my car. I've never once been breath-tested, though - when I was directed into one of these stop areas, the TO sort of had a chat with me, leant close to the car, explained what they were doing, said he could detect no smell or trace of me having had anything alcoholic to drink and sent me on my way, without breath-testing me.

This particular speed trap I was talking about just looked like a speed trap. The breah-test setups I've seen tend to have more officers and cars around, and the direction of traffic wouldn't really be from areas that had pubs, more the other way around.

 

[grahame]

When I was much younger, in the sixth form, but with a driving licence and living in rural North Yorkshire, a group of friends and I used to go to a different pub each Friday evening. So I *must have* been 18.

Anyway, we had a rule that whoever drove wouldn't drink any alcohol, but those he gave a lift to would buy his soft drinks and crisps for the evening.

One week when it was my turn to drive, I'd dropped my mates off in the market town where they lived and was heading out to the village where I lived. I was in my father's car and it was about 11:45pm. On the edge of the market town, I got pulled over by the NYPD (North Yorkshire Police Department).

Their reason: "You were doing 30 in a 30 zone".

My response: "I thought that was what you were supposed to do, I don't speed"

They then stated "We expect people who have not been drinking to do about 35 - 40 mph along here at night, those who don't we suspect may have been drinking. Have you had anything to drink, sir? Please blow into this bag."

I explained "the rule", and blew into their bag. It came back clear.

They asked if it was my car. I said, "No, it's my father's". They asked if they could telephone anybody to confirm this.

My response was "Can you imagine my mother's reaction if she gets a telephone call at midnight that starts "Hello, this is the police, it's about your son"? She'll have a heart attack. You can follow me home if you want, and watch me put the car in the garage at the address the car is registered to. Will that satisfy you?"

They followed me home. Then left.


About 2 months later, I got stopped for speeding in the market town, by the same officers. I was on my road bike and was running late for school after a puncture, and apparently attracted their attention by overtaking their patrol car at the bottom of a downhill section of road into the town. They recognised me and said "I thought you didn't speed" I asked how fast I'd been going, and they said "About 35mph. Very impressive on a bike, sir."

I said "Sorry, I don't have a speedometer on my bike, and am going to be late for school."

They said "That was quite impressive, off you go. Don't do it again."

 

[Neil]

When I was much younger, in the sixth form, but with a driving licence and living in rural North Yorkshire, a group of friends and I used to go to a different pub each Friday evening. So I *must have* been 18.

Anyway, we had a rule that whoever drove wouldn't drink any alcohol, but those he gave a lift to would buy his soft drinks and crisps for the evening.

One week when it was my turn to drive, I'd dropped my mates off in the market town where they lived and was heading out to the village where I lived. I was in my father's car and it was about 11:45pm. On the edge of the market town, I got pulled over by the NYPD (North Yorkshire Police Department).

Their reason: "You were doning 30 in a 30 zone".

My response: "I thought that was what you were supposed to do, I don't speed"

They then stated "We expect people who have not been drinking to do about 35 - 40 mph along here at night, those who don't we suspect may have been drinking. Have you had anything to drink, sir? Please blow into this bag."

I explained "the rule", and blew into their bag. It came back clear.

They asked if it was my car. I said, "No, it's my father's". They asked if they could telephone anybody to confirm this.

My response was "Can you imagine my mother's reaction if she gets a telephone call at midnight that starts "Hello, this is the police, it's about your son"? She'll have a heart attack. You can follow me home if you want, and watch me put the car in the garage at the address the car is registered to. Will that satisfy you?"

They followed me home. Then left.

In fairness, that all sounds OK - more like proper policing.

It's quite normal for them to stop cars driving at, or just below the speed limit, after pub kick-out times.

And them wanting to check you being in a car you had permission to drive doesn't sound like a bad thing, either.

 

[crud]

My response was "Can you imagine my mother's reaction if she gets a telephone call at midnight that starts "Hello, this is the police, it's about your son"? She'll have a heart attack.

my brother was stopped in a car where he hadnt recieved the v5 yet, they phoned my dad at about 1am, saying they are the police, do you have a son blah blah can you tell us what car he drives...they wouldnt tell him what it is about till he answered a series of questions. :roll:

 

[grahame]

When I was much younger, in the sixth form, but with a driving licence and living in rural North Yorkshire, a group of friends and I used to go to a different pub each Friday evening. So I *must have* been 18.

Anyway, we had a rule that whoever drove wouldn't drink any alcohol, but those he gave a lift to would buy his soft drinks and crisps for the evening.

One week when it was my turn to drive, I'd dropped my mates off in the market town where they lived and was heading out to the village where I lived. I was in my father's car and it was about 11:45pm. On the edge of the market town, I got pulled over by the NYPD (North Yorkshire Police Department).

Their reason: "You were doning 30 in a 30 zone".

My response: "I thought that was what you were supposed to do, I don't speed"

They then stated "We expect people who have not been drinking to do about 35 - 40 mph along here at night, those who don't we suspect may have been drinking. Have you had anything to drink, sir? Please blow into this bag."

I explained "the rule", and blew into their bag. It came back clear.

They asked if it was my car. I said, "No, it's my father's". They asked if they could telephone anybody to confirm this.

My response was "Can you imagine my mother's reaction if she gets a telephone call at midnight that starts "Hello, this is the police, it's about your son"? She'll have a heart attack. You can follow me home if you want, and watch me put the car in the garage at the address the car is registered to. Will that satisfy you?"

They followed me home. Then left.

In fairness, that all sounds OK - more like proper policing.

It's quite normal for them to stop cars driving at, or just below the speed limit, after pub kick-out times.

And them wanting to check you being in a car you had permission to drive doesn't sound like a bad thing, either.

I wasn't saying whether it was good or bad, just reporting what hapenned. As it was, I think they were good police officers, showing discretion and remembering previous actions (see the second anecdote I've added to the edited version of the preivious post).

 

[Neil]

I wasn't saying whether it was good or bad, just reporting what hapenned. As it was, I think they were good police officers, showing discretion and remembering previous actions (see the second anecdote I've added to the edited version of the preivious post).

Read that, now.

And to be honest and fair, that's the sort of policing that seems to be rapidly dying out, and I miss it.

Although there's some big cause and effect going on with a general dislike or lack of respect, now, for police in society.