Lucky Escapes...
Discussion
Please post your lucky escapes where, by some miracle you got "away" with it.
I was doing 55mph in a 30mph zone (11 years ago now though!) and had my Mum and little brother in the car. I was taking him to a party. Mr Plod stepped out from behind the hedge, laser gun in hand, and waved me over. Out I got and stated answering his questions, my Mum then stuck her head out of the window and said:
"Is this going to take long?"
To which he replied "not too long madam"
My Mum said "Look I'll leave him here, drop my other son off and come back for him"
PC said "just another minute", now getting flustered.
I signed the bit of paper, he gave it to me and off I went.
I took it into the police station the next day where one bobby found it amusing and showed it to his colleague, another PC came and it was shown to him too and he laughed. When I asked what was soooo very funny they said that the "arresting officer" hadn't signed the form and I had signed where he was supposed to. Effectively this meant that I had nicked myself for speeding!
It was sent off to the Fixed Penalty people and I was let off. 
I`ve been caught doing 37 in a 30 mph by copper who jumped out of bushes with Gun, showed me the 37mph on the Gun and said, if you want to keep your license you`d better not do that too much, and let me go ( This was about 6 Years ago when my Fiesta was pleased to get upto 37mph )
But my personal record is at some traffic lights at night in Billericay, as they go green the Blue flashing Lights appear in the Rear View.. Plod make me get out of the car, show me that my Left Brake light isn`t working, then shows me my two front Tyres are not quite legal (treadwise) and that my front right headlight doesn`t seem to be quite that powerful ( It only seemed to want the side light bulb to work ).. He told me I Might want to get those looked at, and lets me on my way.......I spent all the next day fixing the damn car though.
Many years ago I was driving in the US with my little sister in the car. We had been hacking along some wide roads with a pick-up on the inside and a bit of the boy-racer stuff was going down. We got to some lights and prepared to speed away on amber. I did and absolutely nailed him. Then I realised why - a police patrol car was coming the other way and I was not trained in spotting the "black and white" instead of our great UK yellows and blues. The police car hit his lights, his sirens and spun round in the road and as I thought the that hotel was only second left and the first right I would out run him. Don't ask why as I have no idea what came over me.
So I blasted round the second left and then a hard right into the hotel car park and turned the lights off, steered behind a Mobilehome, Winabago (sp?) thing and used the handbrake to stop the car (so that the brake lights wouldn't glow). Mr US Policeman shot past the hotel and we could hear him "Neenaa"-ing into the distance. He came back around the block, we were in the Hotel by now, with his lights still on and no noise and off he went. Needless to say I was sh!tting it on the return of the hire vehicle, but nothing was said ever again. Phew!
I was driving back at 3am from London in a hire mondeo and pulled off the dual-carraigeway onto our road (30mph limit). I drove along our road until I reached the side road I normally parked in. I got out of the mondeo to find a large police car just parking behind me. The policeman got out and gave me a *very* stern lecture about the dangers of doing in excess of 70mph along a 30mph. He breathalised me and said that if I had of carried on into town at that speed they would have prosecuted me however, given that the road was empty blah blah blah he would let me off but if he caught me doing anything over 30 down there again he would prosecute. I read into this that I had come off the roundabout in true hire car style (as fast as possible), woken them up, they had chased me down the road but had not managed to catch up in time to get a good speed reading (less than a mile) and therefore didn't have any evidence. I can't believe that any policeman would let anyone off under such circumstances.
Anyway, I was extremely lucky and a complete dick for speeding in a 30 and I don't do such things now I'm more, ahem, mature... no, honestly.
--
Mark
Paul - In my youth I thought (as most of us do / did) of myself as the best and safest driver in the world ever. I know realise I am not and got lucky a few times, but have since passed my IAM test and I am much more sensible.
Anyway it was the Cannonball Run that did it for me 
Edited by GingaNinga on Monday 19th March 15:05
Edited by GingaNinga on Monday 19th March 15:05 
Yeah I had a very lucky escape a few years back, It was not long after taking my car (a mini with metro turbo engine, cam etc.) to Santa pod, I was hurry home as me and some friends were going out to the theatre, I was late as I forgot the time, as I pulled into my road I gave it Santa pod style, flat out the road was just a bit over 1/4 mile so I probably hit over 80 in the 30 zone. There was a flashing white light behind I ignored, I nipped round the corner into my car park, got out and locked the car, as I was walking away a police motorbike came whizzing round the corner, he proceeded to have a right go at me, many neighbours came out to see what all the noise was,
he was going on about reckless driving etc. talking 6points this 3 points that, then he just said “good day sir” downed his visor and rode off. I will say I was shaking.
he was going on about reckless driving etc. talking 6points this 3 points that, then he just said “good day sir” downed his visor and rode off. I will say I was shaking. Years ago I rather foolishly was doing 70 in a 30 (2am) but with full beam on, including the compulsory 100w spots. These things were brilliant (pun intended) and picked out the police car in the bushes 1/4 mile down the road. I cruised past them at 30mph and they followed me etc. but I just got a talking to, not even a producer in the end.
when i was a student i had a completley knackered mini, with totaly solid ( siezed) suspension so it was more like a gokart then usual.. handpainted brg white roof, wide wheels, bucket seat twin carbs and lcb( not bad fot 90 quid all in) if you went over 60 for more than a couple of mile the speedo would swing wildly between 0 and 80 then stop (just like a new tuscan ;-p).
I was hacking down the lincoln bypass when the blue lights came on and pulled my over..
" Do you realize how fast you were going sir? "
"erm"
"over 85mph sir!!!"
I think it was my look of complete disbilief
that he let me off with a warning...
Edited by graham on Monday 19th March 23:36
In 1991 I was driving along and came across a Calibra 16v doing 30 in a 40 zone, so I overtook it. I'm now doing 40 and gradually pulling away from the Calibra when it decides to catch me up - hello, spot of racing me thinks, so I accelerate, so does the Calibra. Come on then..., so I put my foot down (we're now in a 60 zone doing 80. By the way, I'm driving an Astra 16v GTE and Calibras are the latest kit, so I have to take the p!55, don't I?
It's Sunday morning, dry and very sunny, a dual carriageway and nothing about, so I've got about 130 on the clock and the Calibra is vanishing behind me - I slow down and let him catch me up, just so that I can take the p!55 again. I do this 3 times and finally think sod it, I wasn't out for a race and this guy's no competition. I let him catch me up.
He comes alongside and starts waving... SH!T, a uniformed copper and only an inspector. I pull over and he starts ranting and raving. Basically, he gave me one hell of a bollocking. Now because he was on his own and in his own car he couldn't nick me but I didn't know that until the next day. I thought I was going to get locked up.
In retrospect, I would not have started racing but for the sole reason that he changed his driving speed for no apparent reason. Maybe he fancied his chances but got stuffed and couldn't take it?
It's Sunday morning, dry and very sunny, a dual carriageway and nothing about, so I've got about 130 on the clock and the Calibra is vanishing behind me - I slow down and let him catch me up, just so that I can take the p!55 again. I do this 3 times and finally think sod it, I wasn't out for a race and this guy's no competition. I let him catch me up.
He comes alongside and starts waving... SH!T, a uniformed copper and only an inspector. I pull over and he starts ranting and raving. Basically, he gave me one hell of a bollocking. Now because he was on his own and in his own car he couldn't nick me but I didn't know that until the next day. I thought I was going to get locked up.
In retrospect, I would not have started racing but for the sole reason that he changed his driving speed for no apparent reason. Maybe he fancied his chances but got stuffed and couldn't take it?
Years and years ago when young and foolish I bought myself a 911RS. Wonderful thing. Red. LHD. Sports exhaust which meant no heat exchanger to heat the car. I happened to be on business in Ipswich and then needed to get to Anglesey across country. This was a day or two prior to Christmas so after a few hours driving I was FREEZING! As you can imagine I was therefore in a bit of a hurry. So down the A55 I shot and noticed a white van on one of the bridges above me.
Needless to say I braked - hard. This got me down to what I was clocked at.
The copper, bless him, showed me the readout at 99.85 mph. Apparently he'd needed to clock me a couple of times to get a speed below the magic number......I said thank you very much, agreed to pay up the 30 quid and, of course, haven't ever speeded again 
ahem, ahem.
ahem, ahem. Got pulled for doing 90 in a 40 zone (eek). Well I was in me Fiat coupe turbo with me little brother and his mate in the back, they wanted to feel the power of this thing (pulls like a train from 70) so I nailed it on the dual carrigeway and got up to about 95 before I came across a slip road where a white minicab was joining - I eased off to about 65-70 as I approached him then, as I passed I nailed it again on the dual carrigeway, the road then drops (for about 1/4 mile) from 70 on the dual carrigeway to 40 but the road changes to 4 lanes before coming to a huge motorway jcn roundabout. Now this road is huge, wide and has no pedestirans, shops, houses, etc and if there were people by the road you would see them a mile off - so i keep me boot down right up to the roundabout where it then becomes a residential/shopping centre situation. I braked nice and late and hard for the roundabout then proceeded to keep to the speed limit of 40 for about 1.2 miles on a single carrigeway. You then hit a dual carrigeway that then drops to 30, due to it being in front of a busy shopping centre, and I always stick to the limit here because there are so people all over - not many other cars stick to 30 tho - I drove down here for another 1/2 mile then noticed the white minicab I'd passed had 2 guys with white shirts on - hmmm a few seconds later nice little blue light on the dash lights up - ho hum - pull over and get straight out of the car and walk over to the officer who was climbing out - gives me a light telling off for doing 90 in t 40 zone and then I'm on me way without even a producer - now would you get such fair treatment from a GATSO? BTW the unmarked police car had the local council minicab licenses in the window and on the rear bumper - v. sneaky
Many, many years ago, when I was young and foolish, late at night, Volvo Estate, whizzing along an unfamiliar, suburban, very damp, road. Didn't see the roundabout. Locked up the wheels. Straight through the middle. Smashed into a bollard. Ploughed through flowerbeds. Knocked over a small tree. Bounced out the other side and came to a halt. The only damage to the car was a smashed wheel. Bits of bollard and greenery festooned the bonnet.
I jump out to change the wheel and notice a police car has pulled up behind me.
'Are you alright, Sir?'
'Yes, thank you very much. Just a flat tyre.'
The copper looked at the roundabout, looked at my car, smiled and drove away.
lol @ GasBlaster
His bloke we were at school with, rather a chubby German lad, decided to do a but of racing around Abingdon's one way streets against this Escort with a couple of lads in it. He was in a Merc Evo II (his dads) and naturally dicked it all over, eventually he ended up slowing down and doing it again, when a couple of squad cars came up blues 'n' twos flashing. The Escort had a couple of coppers in it (this was during the rodding days of Cowley in Oxford) and they were livid (partly because they couldn't keep up I am sure!). He got his license out which was a diplomatic driving license and they couldn't do anything, even less happy policemen. Naturally sent he on his way. Lucky bugger.
I was in Glasgow about 7 or 8 years ago in my mums Suzuki Swift GTi. (No laughing!!!) and the road went from a 60 to a 30 but stayed 3 lanes wide. I stayed at 60 and got tagged by a copper who was hiding behind a tree. I got the lecture about my speed and he showed me the 30 sign I should have seen. (It was behind tree branches!) As he was showing me the display on the gun the display went off. I did an Oscar winning performance of pretending I didn't see the readout and he called over the his mate that the gun was playing up again and they would have to go back to the station to get it replaced. He almost had a tear in his eye when he said that I couldn't be dont for it as I wasn't shown the evidence.My "mates" were taking the p!ss when I got back until I told them what had happened.
Many moons ago at University I had a MG Midget, my first car. 3am I was woken up by a female friend I should have picked up at 2.00am. We jumped in my MG and I booted it down to the meeting place to look for her boyfriend who'ed walked to find her, probebly hit 60 in a 30 and after slidding around the courners I slowed to 25/30 to look for the bloke. This was when I noticed the faint blue flashing light through my misted up rear screen!!!
While the Officer was trying to make me understand exactly which roads I speeded down(All of them), he asked what speed I was doing, the drunk passanger then yells FAST!!!- keeping a straight face I said "not much more than 30 Officer". He let me on my way.(I don't think he was a traffic cop.)
I then managed to slightly jump a red light while spotting the bloke, stopped on double yellows within 15 yards of the traffic lights, then went two up on the front passenger seat.(Have'nt counted all the offences)
Driving back at 28mph I realised I was being followed by the Police with sidelights on. Took two wrong turns, going incircles by accident( Must have looked dodgy) and proceeded home. Went round a sharp bend that concealed me slightly , floored it and parked up chucking the people out. Just locking the door and the police drove by-Biggest death stare ever.
Don't know how I got away with that little lot. Anyhow older and wiser now.
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