Where do you stand if...
Discussion
Say you were parking in a public car park and were manoeuvring across the parking bay and a battered old car comes driving past with the driver aggressively pointing at signalling to you. You happen to "visually" register your dissatisfaction to him.
Say the bloke in the battered up car then picks up his Police cap and comes over and "aggressively" starts having a go that he doesn't have to put up with those gestures, accusing you of a manoeuvre you weren't doing (or going to do), i.e drive down a one way stretch. If he then states that you were going to do it because your wheels were pointing a certain way.
Say the situation passes off without any further incident and an you apologise profusely, but could a single off duty Police officer with no witnesses arrest you or secure a prosecution if you challenged him to prove it?
Say the bloke in the battered up car then picks up his Police cap and comes over and "aggressively" starts having a go that he doesn't have to put up with those gestures, accusing you of a manoeuvre you weren't doing (or going to do), i.e drive down a one way stretch. If he then states that you were going to do it because your wheels were pointing a certain way.
Say the situation passes off without any further incident and an you apologise profusely, but could a single off duty Police officer with no witnesses arrest you or secure a prosecution if you challenged him to prove it?
In my younger days I overtook an off duty copper on the way to friends house. I glanced across as I passed him to see he was in uniform! I will put my hands up and admit I passed him around the 60mph mark on a 40mph limit.
He then decided to tailgate me, waving his arms and flashing!
I figured the best thing to do was to carry on to my mates house which was about 10 miles away, that way he would either give up, or I'd be in a place where I had a witness.
Eventually I pulled up on my mates drive (copper still with me!) and gave a load of beeps on the horn, got out and decided to go straight to the copper and ask him why he had decided to follow me for over 10 miles and generally be a dick! He proceeded to give me a lecture about the fatality rate of young driver (again, I cant argue with that. I was in the wrong) and asked to see my license. I was always told by my dad, if a copper stops you never show them your license! So I didn't, he then wonders off to the back of his car and after a couple of minutes of digging around informed me that he had left his book of 'producers' at the station and on this occasion I was lucky!
I did consider myself lucky, I have no idea what powers they do have off duty, but I certainly won't be finding out again!
He then decided to tailgate me, waving his arms and flashing!
I figured the best thing to do was to carry on to my mates house which was about 10 miles away, that way he would either give up, or I'd be in a place where I had a witness.
Eventually I pulled up on my mates drive (copper still with me!) and gave a load of beeps on the horn, got out and decided to go straight to the copper and ask him why he had decided to follow me for over 10 miles and generally be a dick! He proceeded to give me a lecture about the fatality rate of young driver (again, I cant argue with that. I was in the wrong) and asked to see my license. I was always told by my dad, if a copper stops you never show them your license! So I didn't, he then wonders off to the back of his car and after a couple of minutes of digging around informed me that he had left his book of 'producers' at the station and on this occasion I was lucky!
I did consider myself lucky, I have no idea what powers they do have off duty, but I certainly won't be finding out again!
Years ago I was dropping off a friend in Basingstoke at about 130am and I was stopped because apparently it looked suspicious. Anyhow I was breathalysed (clear) and because I wasn't prepared to say who I'd dropped off they had a right attitude, going over my car with a fine toothed comb and questioning me agressively.
Anyway I'd done nothing wrong, car was well maintained (rear tyres apparently needed replacement soon, and I confirmed that I would replace them soon but they were fine) and in the end they said I would get a producer. They too looked through their car and failed to find the book so grudgingly said I was lucky on this occasion!
What a pair of tools.
Anyway I'd done nothing wrong, car was well maintained (rear tyres apparently needed replacement soon, and I confirmed that I would replace them soon but they were fine) and in the end they said I would get a producer. They too looked through their car and failed to find the book so grudgingly said I was lucky on this occasion!
What a pair of tools.
Couple of questions:
1) For the sake of being awkward, why not just say who you dropped off?
2) How do you "aggressively" question someone?
3) If they were that pissed off they couldn't "do you" for whatever because they couldnt find the VDRS, why didn't they just report you? (I'm assuming you mean VDRS, not a producer).
4) Would you not agree that if you tyres were borderline, going through your car thoroughly for further borderline defects was understandable?
Seems there was certainly one tool there anyway.
1) For the sake of being awkward, why not just say who you dropped off?
2) How do you "aggressively" question someone?
3) If they were that pissed off they couldn't "do you" for whatever because they couldnt find the VDRS, why didn't they just report you? (I'm assuming you mean VDRS, not a producer).
4) Would you not agree that if you tyres were borderline, going through your car thoroughly for further borderline defects was understandable?
Seems there was certainly one tool there anyway.
Edited by Mk3Spitfire on Thursday 29th January 19:15
Edited by Mk3Spitfire on Thursday 29th January 19:16
I think we all know what aggressively questioning someone means. Tone of voice, invasion of personal space, phrasing of the question... Let's not pretend there's no such thing.
I've had an jncident with an off duty copper. It's an awkward junction which had just changed but the lanes were clearly marked and long story short he was in the wrong lane and pissed off that I both didn't yield and that I'd undertaken him (he was in front, I pulled alongside at a give way, we both pulled away together). He pulled in behind and while driving got out his warrant card which in the process meant he took both hands off the wheel. Unfortunately the traffic ahead was stationary and he then felt I'd brake tested him while his hands were off the wheel.. It was a comedy of errors.
We had a chat while alongside at the next junction waiting for lights, he said I'd be hearing from them and we went our way. I got home, made copious notes of the incident, and heard nothing if it.
Some would argue there's never an excuse, copper or not, I just put it down to the guy having a bad day and most of us on here have no idea what he may have been dealing with at the time. I've certainly been in a similar mood before now. Life's too short to worry, just keep calm if you can, trouble is at its worst when both sides get the red mist.
Edit... I assume off duty, he may not have been but wasn't in a marked car or wearing uniform. I also assume he was police although I'm not familiar with warrant cards, he may have been a special. Either way, the point still stands.
I've had an jncident with an off duty copper. It's an awkward junction which had just changed but the lanes were clearly marked and long story short he was in the wrong lane and pissed off that I both didn't yield and that I'd undertaken him (he was in front, I pulled alongside at a give way, we both pulled away together). He pulled in behind and while driving got out his warrant card which in the process meant he took both hands off the wheel. Unfortunately the traffic ahead was stationary and he then felt I'd brake tested him while his hands were off the wheel.. It was a comedy of errors.
We had a chat while alongside at the next junction waiting for lights, he said I'd be hearing from them and we went our way. I got home, made copious notes of the incident, and heard nothing if it.
Some would argue there's never an excuse, copper or not, I just put it down to the guy having a bad day and most of us on here have no idea what he may have been dealing with at the time. I've certainly been in a similar mood before now. Life's too short to worry, just keep calm if you can, trouble is at its worst when both sides get the red mist.
Edit... I assume off duty, he may not have been but wasn't in a marked car or wearing uniform. I also assume he was police although I'm not familiar with warrant cards, he may have been a special. Either way, the point still stands.
Edited by Jon1967x on Friday 30th January 08:11
Why wont people learn that you are under no obligation to engage in a conversation with these people? Givr them the basics i.e. name, dob and address, ignore every other question and remember to film them.
Why the hell should anyone tell the police who they just dropped off. It is none of their f
king business?!
Why the hell should anyone tell the police who they just dropped off. It is none of their f
king business?!MacW said:
Oh hell I'm screwed, I agree with something Eclassy said...
I'm not saying give them his national insurance number and his password to Facebook. But there's ways of talking to people. There's ways of interacting with people to make life easier for everyone. It's called being part of society. Sadly, it's a skill I fear Eclassy never learnt. Edited by Mk3Spitfire on Friday 30th January 10:59
Personally, in 20 odd years of having a license, whenever I've had dealings with the Police I've found being polite and civil works for me and tends to get me on my way a lot faster.
I'm obviously doing it wrong. I'll be awkward and obstinate and tell the officer my rights next time & also remember to film the encounter on my mobile so I can upload it to the internet where everyone can tell me how wonderful I am. Is that right?
I'm obviously doing it wrong. I'll be awkward and obstinate and tell the officer my rights next time & also remember to film the encounter on my mobile so I can upload it to the internet where everyone can tell me how wonderful I am. Is that right?
northwest monkey said:
Personally, in 20 odd years of having a license, whenever I've had dealings with the Police I've found being polite and civil works for me and tends to get me on my way a lot faster.
I'm obviously doing it wrong. I'll be awkward and obstinate and tell the officer my rights next time & also remember to film the encounter on my mobile so I can upload it to the internet where everyone can tell me how wonderful I am. Is that right?
Now you're getting it!I'm obviously doing it wrong. I'll be awkward and obstinate and tell the officer my rights next time & also remember to film the encounter on my mobile so I can upload it to the internet where everyone can tell me how wonderful I am. Is that right?
northwest monkey said:
Personally, in 20 odd years of having a license, whenever I've had dealings with the Police I've found being polite and civil works for me and tends to get me on my way a lot faster.
I tend to be polite & civil with anyone who's polite & civil with me. Both sides need to act this way, not just one.Rovinghawk said:
I tend to be polite & civil with anyone who's polite & civil with me. Both sides need to act this way, not just one.
This tends to be my take on it too. I always start respectfully and politely (and to be honest it usually carries on that way) but if someone fails the attitude test then they get nothing but name, rank and number from me.In truth my dealings with the police are far from a regular occurrence but there have been a few over the decades, mainly dealt with without any unpleasantness.
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