Discussion
... when i wrote of my car the other night and the police attended, i was asked to show my documents at the station the next day. However, i wasnt given a formal producer and the officer at the front desk seemed surprised to have seen me...
Was it an offical producer, or was he just 'testing me'?
Was it an offical producer, or was he just 'testing me'?
You should have been given a HORT 1 to produce your documents. This in turn would have been attached to the HORT2 in the station, and a copy on the ARB (Accident report book). Maybe he forgot to give you the top copy, hence the surprise from the front office. You may recieve a copy in the post. If not, don't worry, you have done your bit.
The HORT/1 - the form you are generally given to take in with your documents is basically an aide memoire which can be used to ensure that the documents you produce are the ones that the officer wishes to check and that the result of your production is correctly routed to that officer.
However, the fact that you have been required to produce by the officer is sufficient in itself for you to be legally required to produce with the obvious implications if you fail to produce or are lacking in the necessary bits of paper.
Obviously there are logistical problems if you aren't given or lose the HORT/1 such as ID'ing the officer etc. but providing you produce & get the desk clerk / cop to enter the doc's up in the register ( in such circ's MAKE SURE YOU SIGN THE BOOK! ) you're OK as you have discharged your legal obligations.
However, the fact that you have been required to produce by the officer is sufficient in itself for you to be legally required to produce with the obvious implications if you fail to produce or are lacking in the necessary bits of paper.
Obviously there are logistical problems if you aren't given or lose the HORT/1 such as ID'ing the officer etc. but providing you produce & get the desk clerk / cop to enter the doc's up in the register ( in such circ's MAKE SURE YOU SIGN THE BOOK! ) you're OK as you have discharged your legal obligations.
Well as I was in a daze, I wasn't totally focused on what he was saying, as it seemed an after comment from him. They asked if I would 'sit in my vehicle and be breathalised please Miss'... and I said 'sure, though I don't have my licence on me, will that be a problem' to which he replied 'take it down and show it at the station in the morning'.
My fiance thinks he also said that he would leave a message at the front desk.
He asked my name, DOB, i think he asked my address, and he asked for my occupation and where I worked...
It just all seemed rather odd, they seemed more interested in clearing up (fair enough) and scaring me about how much it was going to cost to get the crash barrier repaired than actually making sure I wasn't some raving loony with a dozen convictions and a gun in the boot!
My fiance thinks he also said that he would leave a message at the front desk.
He asked my name, DOB, i think he asked my address, and he asked for my occupation and where I worked...
It just all seemed rather odd, they seemed more interested in clearing up (fair enough) and scaring me about how much it was going to cost to get the crash barrier repaired than actually making sure I wasn't some raving loony with a dozen convictions and a gun in the boot!
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