Has anyone else avoided a nicking by being contrite?
Discussion
Back in the 90's i was caught obscenely over the limit in my Cav SRI
Nice Policeman in unmarked car gave me a FPN for the maximum speed that would only get me 3 points and a fine. I put this down to being polite and genuinely remorseful.
The alternative was going to be a very long ban.....
Nice Policeman in unmarked car gave me a FPN for the maximum speed that would only get me 3 points and a fine. I put this down to being polite and genuinely remorseful.
The alternative was going to be a very long ban.....
Every time i've been pulled, the police ask me if i've been drinking, I think it's a standard question. My tactic is to always say "yes but a while ago", even if I haven't. Their eyes seem to light up thinking they'll snag a drink driver, by the time i've had the test and the all clear they usually have calmed down about the reason they've initially pulled me for. I always get let off.
I'm not proud of this but... (a long time ago, in a land far, far away..)
5-6am ish, a weekday, see the lights in the rear view mirror, hear the siren on a short stretch of dual carriageway.
I was working in a nightclub at the time, after closing had gone down to the beach with a bloke I worked with, a couple of girls, and a carton of Steinlager.
Things hadn't worked out quite right, and the girls had buggered with their car, off leaving my mate stranded- I'd followed them on the GPZ550- so I offered to give my mate a ride home. The beers were balanced on the tank, my helmet less mate was on the back, and I was over the limit. As an indication of how much, I promptly stopped the bike and put the stand down- still in the right hand lane of the carriageway on a sweeping bend.
I was contrite,
but I reckon that the real reason that I only had the keys taken off of me and told to leave it 24 hours before picking them up was that the cop must have been at the end of his shift, and couldn't face the hassle.
5-6am ish, a weekday, see the lights in the rear view mirror, hear the siren on a short stretch of dual carriageway.
I was working in a nightclub at the time, after closing had gone down to the beach with a bloke I worked with, a couple of girls, and a carton of Steinlager.
Things hadn't worked out quite right, and the girls had buggered with their car, off leaving my mate stranded- I'd followed them on the GPZ550- so I offered to give my mate a ride home. The beers were balanced on the tank, my helmet less mate was on the back, and I was over the limit. As an indication of how much, I promptly stopped the bike and put the stand down- still in the right hand lane of the carriageway on a sweeping bend.
I was contrite,
but I reckon that the real reason that I only had the keys taken off of me and told to leave it 24 hours before picking them up was that the cop must have been at the end of his shift, and couldn't face the hassle.
Couple years ago I worked late nights at a student bar in Birmingham.
It was quite a few miles home to solihull where I lived and driving at 4am+ meant hardly anybody about.
Cracking 65ish down a 30 main road I could only gape in horror as I realised police were pulled up in a road off of this main road.
I flew past them and did the best I could not to slam the brakes on including going down through the gears and giving it a little bit of handbrake.
They pulled out behind me and continued to follow me for a while before pulling me over.
An attractive young female officer exited the vehicle and walked up to the car, at this point I was s
tting my pants because I had never been in trouble with plod in my life.
"Do you know why we've pulled you over sir?"
"Ye sorry I think I was going a bit over the limit"
"You were going pretty fast, lucky there is nobody around, please drive safely in future sir"
And that was it, nearly pissed myself with happiness.
Hasn't stopped me speeding though
It was quite a few miles home to solihull where I lived and driving at 4am+ meant hardly anybody about.
Cracking 65ish down a 30 main road I could only gape in horror as I realised police were pulled up in a road off of this main road.
I flew past them and did the best I could not to slam the brakes on including going down through the gears and giving it a little bit of handbrake.
They pulled out behind me and continued to follow me for a while before pulling me over.
An attractive young female officer exited the vehicle and walked up to the car, at this point I was s
tting my pants because I had never been in trouble with plod in my life."Do you know why we've pulled you over sir?"
"Ye sorry I think I was going a bit over the limit"
"You were going pretty fast, lucky there is nobody around, please drive safely in future sir"
And that was it, nearly pissed myself with happiness.
Hasn't stopped me speeding though
Loads of time when I was young... a good attitude would normally result in a good outcome.
104 in a 30 at 4am, racing another car, doing donuts in a supermarket car park in the early hours of the morning, doing multiple laps of a wet roundabout on the lock stops in the early hours of the morning, pulling out of junctions sideways, eating a McDonalds whilst doing 90 in L3 of the M6... the list goes on.
All of these indiscretions resulted in a pull, a breathalyser (passed), a massive bking and instructions to go home immediately.
That was >20 years ago... seems harder to 'get away with it' nowadays, though I did get pulled by the royal protection squad in an unmarked RR a couple of years back in Windsor after turning left from a right turn lane to get past a doddering Micra driver. I was contrite and polite and sent on my way with a mild telling off.
104 in a 30 at 4am, racing another car, doing donuts in a supermarket car park in the early hours of the morning, doing multiple laps of a wet roundabout on the lock stops in the early hours of the morning, pulling out of junctions sideways, eating a McDonalds whilst doing 90 in L3 of the M6... the list goes on.
All of these indiscretions resulted in a pull, a breathalyser (passed), a massive b
king and instructions to go home immediately.That was >20 years ago... seems harder to 'get away with it' nowadays, though I did get pulled by the royal protection squad in an unmarked RR a couple of years back in Windsor after turning left from a right turn lane to get past a doddering Micra driver. I was contrite and polite and sent on my way with a mild telling off.
Similarly, in a far away place...
2 chaps driving a Wolseley 1500 back from Wakefield to Sheffield, both having had too much juice to even consider driving... car in front suddenly swerved a couple of times on the A61 south of the N Sheffild junction, and ended up in the middle of the 3 lanes upside down. We were somewhat bemused, but my friend stopped the car on the verge with headlights illuminating the Anglia (we could see what it was now).
We helped (dragged, really) the driver out to the side (smashed windows), and went back for the passenger, a young lady who appeared lifeless. (We were worried that the car in the middle of the road would be hit by another vehicle, and then real carnage resulting.) The odd car passed back and forth. After around 10 mins, the YL was breathing but motionless and a police car turned up. (No mobile phones BTW...).
After we'd described what we'd seen, and done, the policeman said, "well done lads, but with the amount you've been drinking, I'd get off home before the sarg appears". Which we did. Nowadays, my friend would have been breathalysed.
And in the same era, I'd had a great Xmas eve lunch drinking with my friend in Sheffield centre (a great place in the 70s...). We walked back to his car, and just before he set off, there was a tap on the driver's window. "And where are you lads going?", said the policeman. "Home", said the driver. "A good idea", said the policeman, and my friend was waved off. Again, a different result would be expected these days.
And that's not to mention the time outside the city hall, around middnight after a concert and some beers, we were trying to break into my friend's car as he lost the keys. A policeman approached and asked if that was our car. "I wouldn't be breaking into this fking heap if it wasn't mine", said my friend. And the policeman showed us how to break in and start the engine. What a top bloke!!
2 chaps driving a Wolseley 1500 back from Wakefield to Sheffield, both having had too much juice to even consider driving... car in front suddenly swerved a couple of times on the A61 south of the N Sheffild junction, and ended up in the middle of the 3 lanes upside down. We were somewhat bemused, but my friend stopped the car on the verge with headlights illuminating the Anglia (we could see what it was now).
We helped (dragged, really) the driver out to the side (smashed windows), and went back for the passenger, a young lady who appeared lifeless. (We were worried that the car in the middle of the road would be hit by another vehicle, and then real carnage resulting.) The odd car passed back and forth. After around 10 mins, the YL was breathing but motionless and a police car turned up. (No mobile phones BTW...).
After we'd described what we'd seen, and done, the policeman said, "well done lads, but with the amount you've been drinking, I'd get off home before the sarg appears". Which we did. Nowadays, my friend would have been breathalysed.
And in the same era, I'd had a great Xmas eve lunch drinking with my friend in Sheffield centre (a great place in the 70s...). We walked back to his car, and just before he set off, there was a tap on the driver's window. "And where are you lads going?", said the policeman. "Home", said the driver. "A good idea", said the policeman, and my friend was waved off. Again, a different result would be expected these days.
And that's not to mention the time outside the city hall, around middnight after a concert and some beers, we were trying to break into my friend's car as he lost the keys. A policeman approached and asked if that was our car. "I wouldn't be breaking into this f
king heap if it wasn't mine", said my friend. And the policeman showed us how to break in and start the engine. What a top bloke!!Pulled for a going 'quick' round some parts of Reading at 1:30AM. Was very polite, handed them my license, all was good. They simply told me they had bigger fish to fry and let me on my way. This was in February.
I also recall my dad getting caught doing 115 on the A1 in the late 90's. Since they'd just packed away their gear they couldn't pinpoint a speed (apart from the sound of an E36 318 at what was probably close to VMax) so gave him a £40 fine. Me and my dad are both pretty silly at times...
I also recall my dad getting caught doing 115 on the A1 in the late 90's. Since they'd just packed away their gear they couldn't pinpoint a speed (apart from the sound of an E36 318 at what was probably close to VMax) so gave him a £40 fine. Me and my dad are both pretty silly at times...
A few weeks ago I was being tailgated on a dual carriageway by a chap in a 5 series for a few miles, he was definitely "pushing me on". We got to a set of red lights and stopped. On green I hammered it and left him well behind. He caught up with me down the road when I hit the inevitable traffic. Shortly after, the blue lights came on. I immediately resigned myself to points, probably lots as I had undertaken someone earlier during the "pursuit", albeit they were turning right at the upcoming junction and indicating (they were doing 40 in a 60!)
He asked me what the speed limit was, I replied 70. He said even if it was, I'd have been speeding. Lol.
He said I was doing at least 80, as he had to do way past that to catch up. I did point out that it would be the case, as it would take his car a lot longer to get up to speed than mine, so he would have to go a lot faster to actually catch up. Stupid really ..lol
Luckily he wasn't a tw*t and told me to calm it down in future and we ended up having a chat about my car. I apologised if I had done anything wrong and he let me on my way
Lesson learned though...and thank Christ I didn't get caught doing some of the things I did when I was younger..
He asked me what the speed limit was, I replied 70. He said even if it was, I'd have been speeding. Lol.
He said I was doing at least 80, as he had to do way past that to catch up. I did point out that it would be the case, as it would take his car a lot longer to get up to speed than mine, so he would have to go a lot faster to actually catch up. Stupid really ..lol
Luckily he wasn't a tw*t and told me to calm it down in future and we ended up having a chat about my car. I apologised if I had done anything wrong and he let me on my way
Lesson learned though...and thank Christ I didn't get caught doing some of the things I did when I was younger..
Last summer I was pulled by a woman traffic officer in an unmarked car having been doing not much shy of a ton on a wide-open single carriageway NSL A-road with little traffic about. I clocked the rapidly closing-in black Vauxhall behind me as I came up against a few dawdlers doing the typical 44mph, meanwhile executed safe overtakes with the traffic car proceeding to follow closely, at which point I cottoned onto the likliehood of it being plod and gently backed off to just over an indicated 60, no brakes or frantic lowering of speed for fear of looking 'obviously' guilty but my fears were confirmed when it lit up.
As we were entering a nice long straight at this point, with no oncoming traffic, I cheekily indicated left and slowed as one might for an emergency services vehicle needing to pass safely
no such luck
The conversation was very reasonable, I attributed my speed to having been slightly carried away with enjoying the drive, making reference to the excellent driving conditions, great weather/visibility, lack of traffic and so on, whilst being as humble about the whole situation as possible... got a little bit of a lecture about sticking nearer to the NSL in the future, but was allowed to proceed without a ticket. I was very grateful and have generally eased off a little since - meanwhile my faith in traffic police very much bolstered!
As we were entering a nice long straight at this point, with no oncoming traffic, I cheekily indicated left and slowed as one might for an emergency services vehicle needing to pass safely
no such luckThe conversation was very reasonable, I attributed my speed to having been slightly carried away with enjoying the drive, making reference to the excellent driving conditions, great weather/visibility, lack of traffic and so on, whilst being as humble about the whole situation as possible... got a little bit of a lecture about sticking nearer to the NSL in the future, but was allowed to proceed without a ticket. I was very grateful and have generally eased off a little since - meanwhile my faith in traffic police very much bolstered!
Did something stupid and got pulled by a motorbike cop. His opener was 'What did you do there then?', I explained what I had done, why, and how wrong it was. He told me not to do it again and said he was surprised I had held it.
In my experience motorbike cops are on an entirely different level to your average traffic cop.
In my experience motorbike cops are on an entirely different level to your average traffic cop.
yep. Way back in 1989 I owned a Ford Granada 2.3GL manual. V6 noise and all that. Anyway, one teatime finishing work waiting to turn right up a main road, I knew there were roadworks further up the road, and would be turning right at a pretend (painted) roundabout 100yds up the road as well, so as soon as traffic stopped coming towards me,I thought their lights are red, I'm off down the outside and shot across painted circle and up a hill. I noticed a new shape granada pullout from traffic and slot in behind me.....he wants a race thinks me, so of I go. Cue blue lights.......D'oh.
Anyway, I pullover, officer asks me to get out of car, where I give me version of events. He just says, stupid thing to do, and I bet you won't do it again in a hurry. No says I sheepishly, whereupon he says, and if you just take a look at my car you'll see why. 3 more officers grinning at me like cheshire cats. He was on driver training, and i provided the entertainment that evening !!
Keep a keen eye on other cars now, and have never had a point in 31 years...............That's done it hasn't it.
Anyway, I pullover, officer asks me to get out of car, where I give me version of events. He just says, stupid thing to do, and I bet you won't do it again in a hurry. No says I sheepishly, whereupon he says, and if you just take a look at my car you'll see why. 3 more officers grinning at me like cheshire cats. He was on driver training, and i provided the entertainment that evening !!
Keep a keen eye on other cars now, and have never had a point in 31 years...............That's done it hasn't it.
Just one of many...I got cut up by a Transit full of meatheads in Watford who then blocked my exit and hogged the right hand lane. I saw the red mist and undertook it at much, much higher than the speed limit and cut close in front of it. Completely failed to notice the marked Volvo in my mirrors. They could easily have sent me to court for dangerous driving but instead, they said I was a dhead who was probably going to upset the wrong van at some point and get a severe beating from a gang of gypsies. They told me to get the fk out of sight. So, so, so lucky.
If you grovel and agree with everything they say, they will usually let it go. I've 'earned' 18 points at stops by my reckoning, but have only actually got 3.
head who was probably going to upset the wrong van at some point and get a severe beating from a gang of gypsies. They told me to get the fk out of sight. So, so, so lucky.If you grovel and agree with everything they say, they will usually let it go. I've 'earned' 18 points at stops by my reckoning, but have only actually got 3.
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