"When a policeman tells you to move your car, you move it!"
Discussion
On the evening before Christmas eve, I parked my car a few doors from Tony Blair's house. He has 24 hour police security with at least 4 officers who carry machine guns. There are a bunch of cones outside his house and the few houses either side (much to the annoyance of the other residents as it reduces the amount of parking available).
Anyway, I parked perfectly legally on a single yellow line, just after where these cones finish, leaving enough room in the road for anything to pass comfortably (even a bendy bus could have made it through the gap). One of the policemen came over to me and asked me to move my car. I told him I was parked perfectly legally and was visiting relatives in the square, and as such I didn't see a need to move the car. Whilst being polite in his manner, he started to tell me that my car was causing an obstruction and if I didn't move it, he'd give me a ticket, have the car removed, (then something else), which could end up in a prison sentence. All this because rather than move the car, I was happy to leave it where I'd parked it for 10 minutes whilst dropping off and collecting Christmas presents. A policeman on a motorbike backed him up by shouting "When a policeman tells you to move your car, you move it!"
If I am legally parked, and not causing an obstruction (even though a policeman has spuriously decided that I am to back up his request) can they enforce me to move my car? Even to the point of threatening prison sentence?
I initially walked off, leaving my car where it was, but then spotted another free space and went back to move it, so no ticket was given. Still, I was left fuming for a few hours afterwards at his unreasonable request and threats of prison.
Anyway, I parked perfectly legally on a single yellow line, just after where these cones finish, leaving enough room in the road for anything to pass comfortably (even a bendy bus could have made it through the gap). One of the policemen came over to me and asked me to move my car. I told him I was parked perfectly legally and was visiting relatives in the square, and as such I didn't see a need to move the car. Whilst being polite in his manner, he started to tell me that my car was causing an obstruction and if I didn't move it, he'd give me a ticket, have the car removed, (then something else), which could end up in a prison sentence. All this because rather than move the car, I was happy to leave it where I'd parked it for 10 minutes whilst dropping off and collecting Christmas presents. A policeman on a motorbike backed him up by shouting "When a policeman tells you to move your car, you move it!"
If I am legally parked, and not causing an obstruction (even though a policeman has spuriously decided that I am to back up his request) can they enforce me to move my car? Even to the point of threatening prison sentence?
I initially walked off, leaving my car where it was, but then spotted another free space and went back to move it, so no ticket was given. Still, I was left fuming for a few hours afterwards at his unreasonable request and threats of prison.
Wacky Racer said:
Sign of the times I am afraid.....
Your car could have contained a 200lb Semtex bomb in the boot.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes..
Not an unreasonable request in the circumstances........(imo)
Then perhaps the no parking area should be extended to take in all eventualities, how about a couple of hundred miles just in case the terrorists have a nuclear bomb, or better still lets stick these has beens in the middle of a field out of our way.Your car could have contained a 200lb Semtex bomb in the boot.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes..
Not an unreasonable request in the circumstances........(imo)
If you think the cop was rude ( doesn't sound so, apart from the bike cop getting a bit pompous ) then write a letter of complaint. Letters have to be dealt with, and if the copper gets too many, he has to be dealt with. Letters do count, moaning in private achieves nothing.
Or look on the bright side - by living near Blair you need never worry about burglaries, violence on the streets and police only in yellow boxes etc....in fact, you live about as safely as you can get.
I would gladly accept the above minor annoyance in return for such police favouritism and presence!
Or look on the bright side - by living near Blair you need never worry about burglaries, violence on the streets and police only in yellow boxes etc....in fact, you live about as safely as you can get.
I would gladly accept the above minor annoyance in return for such police favouritism and presence!
voyds9 said:
Wacky Racer said:
Sign of the times I am afraid.....
Your car could have contained a 200lb Semtex bomb in the boot.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes..
Not an unreasonable request in the circumstances........(imo)
Then perhaps the no parking area should be extended to take in all eventualities, how about a couple of hundred miles just in case the terrorists have a nuclear bomb, or better still lets stick these has beens in the middle of a field out of our way.Your car could have contained a 200lb Semtex bomb in the boot.
Terrorists come in all shapes and sizes..
Not an unreasonable request in the circumstances........(imo)
Oops, sorry - thought you lived there!
Hey, ruling class mentality, has never changed. If a low life scum complains about a copper, the copper may well get in trouble. If you complain about these coppers, they will get commended for such excellent policing.
The bike copper was a wind up, but at least he stopped short of the actual truth - when a copper asks you to move you do it, especially when we are defending the ruling classes.
As said, has always been the British way.
Hey, ruling class mentality, has never changed. If a low life scum complains about a copper, the copper may well get in trouble. If you complain about these coppers, they will get commended for such excellent policing.
The bike copper was a wind up, but at least he stopped short of the actual truth - when a copper asks you to move you do it, especially when we are defending the ruling classes.
As said, has always been the British way.
jondude said:
Or look on the bright side - by living near Blair you need never worry about burglaries, violence on the streets and police only in yellow boxes etc....in fact, you live about as safely as you can get.
It's my family that live near Blair, but given that the police who stand outside Blair's house are the same one who guard the American Embassy, I'd not hold out any hope of better security - they won't lift a finger at anything not to do with them in case it's a diversion. I saw the police at the American embassy watch people break into cars and not lift a finger.voyds9 said:
Then perhaps the no parking area should be extended to take in all eventualities, how about a couple of hundred miles just in case the terrorists have a nuclear bomb, or better still lets stick these has beens in the middle of a field out of our way.
There is a "no parking zone" that extends a few houses either side of Blair's house. I'd parked beyond this. There were other cars parked closer (on the side of the street where Blair's house is), and no reason to believe I'm a terrorist. I'm white, drive a TVR and my relatives have lived in the square for 19 years longer than the Blairs.If Blair really needs such security and protection, perhaps he shouldn't have chosen to live in central London 100 metres away from the busiest arab populated street in the country.
Seems many of the answers I'm getting back are of the view that if you don't what a policeman tells you (even when it's unreasonable) then you're a terrorist and subject to anti-terrorist laws. It really is time to pack up and leave the country!
Image of what the area & cones look like:
Edited by ec1 eex on Thursday 27th December 15:26
ec1 eex said:
... no reason to believe I'm a terrorist. I'm white, drive a TVR ...
Well, you certainly sound like one of those "Motoring Liberation Front" fanatics who are attempting to kill the kiddies, the planet etc. etc. all the time with gratuitous use of illegal speed, hydrocarbons, cars, roads etc. etc.CommanderJameson said:
Parrot of Doom said:
I'm quite stubborn, and would have told the coppers where to go on this occasion. They don't make rules up as they go.
In this case, they don't have to; if a policeman directs you to move your vehicle, you must move it. Or get nicked. Your choice.What would the offence be?
SLCZ3 said:
I seem to have missed something here, is Tony Blair still the PM ??? is he still a an MP???? is he an Airport??? No i did"nt think so, so why the security unless it is to prevent Gordon Brown mugging him for some Xmas tips.
Because it's no doubt something that Cherie had sorted out whilst Tone was still in office.......I don't understand this one..the cones mark the end of an exclusion area and you park beyond that...so what's the problem?
If, as you say, your car wasn't causing an obstruction, then I don't understand why you were asked to move on...if the distance is a threat then the coned area should be made larger...and annoy the other residents further.
From what you've posted it looks like they were being unreasonable imho.
wrinx
If, as you say, your car wasn't causing an obstruction, then I don't understand why you were asked to move on...if the distance is a threat then the coned area should be made larger...and annoy the other residents further.
From what you've posted it looks like they were being unreasonable imho.
wrinx
Mojocvh said:
SLCZ3 said:
I seem to have missed something here, is Tony Blair still the PM ??? is he still a an MP???? is he an Airport??? No i did"nt think so, so why the security unless it is to prevent Gordon Brown mugging him for some Xmas tips.
Because it's no doubt something that Cherie had sorted out whilst Tone was still in office.......Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 27th December 12:45
has caused so much aggro in the world that hes a target. Parrot of Doom said:
Why? What power does a police officer have to arbitrarily instruct people to do as they're told, when they're not breaking any laws?
What would the offence be?
Under the anti-terrorism laws, and the 28-day detention ruling, you can argue that one from inside your prison-cell PoD. And then 27 days later they let you out without even a 'sorry'. And it's all legal...What would the offence be?
...completely immoral, but legal. The two diverged some time ago, and seem to be getting further and further apart under this government...
Parrot of Doom said:
CommanderJameson said:
Parrot of Doom said:
I'm quite stubborn, and would have told the coppers where to go on this occasion. They don't make rules up as they go.
In this case, they don't have to; if a policeman directs you to move your vehicle, you must move it. Or get nicked. Your choice.What would the offence be?
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