Reported Drink Driver
Discussion
I have just witnessed & filmed someone drink driving and called 999, the call handler stated all they can do is put a marker on the car as the drink driver had entered their home and they won't be sending anyone out.
I am guessing the police were too busy as surely the hip-flask defence wouldn't work when they have been recorded driving all over the road\pavement and getting out of their car.
I am guessing the police were too busy as surely the hip-flask defence wouldn't work when they have been recorded driving all over the road\pavement and getting out of their car.
TonyToniTone said:
I have just witnessed & filmed someone drink driving and called 999, the call handler stated all they can do is put a marker on the car as the drink driver had entered their home and they won't be sending anyone out.
I am guessing the police were too busy as surely the hip-flask defence wouldn't work when they have been recorded driving all over the road\pavement and getting out of their car.
If I was too guess - they had no one to send and in the grand scheme of things the risk has passed the moment they got out of the car.I am guessing the police were too busy as surely the hip-flask defence wouldn't work when they have been recorded driving all over the road\pavement and getting out of their car.
It's unfortunately a sign of the times - the Police are on their knee's - local response are incredibly busy and run out of Cops within minutes of the starting whistle and traffic are such a 'rare breed' they are typically miles away, at a job or in custody with a prisoner.
All incidents are risk assessed continuously and the moment the risk is removed (in this case the moment the idiot gets out of the car) the job will be closed/ passed to intel and then closed so other incidents with a higher element of risk can be resourced.
The Police also have no power of entry for a simple drink drive without injury (It's complicated but stick it into Google) and would rely on the consent of the home owner or tenant which rarely happens....
You did the right thing and it's demoralising but please keep reporting this kind of thing - maybe send the video into your force - if the driving is bad enough they might get stuck on for a due care or dangerous driving offence.
I reported a drink driver once; he was at a party down the road and kept staggering out to his car and going for a drive. A police car went by my house, said drink driver pulled out and almost had a crash with the police car, and the police did nothing.
On the basis of that manoeuvre alone it was worthy of a pull so even if they weren't there to investigate they should have stopped him.
However... On the flip side a friend was stopped by the police near a pub he'd been in all afternoon. From what he could gather someone had seen him drinking beer all afternoon, knowing he was driving home. Fortunately the beer was Beck's Blue, so he was ok. Good to know the police were on the case then, at least.
On the basis of that manoeuvre alone it was worthy of a pull so even if they weren't there to investigate they should have stopped him.
However... On the flip side a friend was stopped by the police near a pub he'd been in all afternoon. From what he could gather someone had seen him drinking beer all afternoon, knowing he was driving home. Fortunately the beer was Beck's Blue, so he was ok. Good to know the police were on the case then, at least.
I reported a drink driver after he had an aggressive altercation with my wife as she parked outside our house. He took to his heels when I got involved, predictably, took a walk around the block, then tried sneaking away in his car, even though he knew I'd already called the police. Apparently there were two vans with blue lights on outside his house, but a patrol caught him a couple of miles away and he spent a night in the nick.
I got a phone call from the police thanking me; not what I was after, more happy that the older couple two doors up wouldn't be having that alcoholic dropping their granddaughter off whilst steaming drunk, again.
I got a phone call from the police thanking me; not what I was after, more happy that the older couple two doors up wouldn't be having that alcoholic dropping their granddaughter off whilst steaming drunk, again.
Reported a white van man years ago who I was behind for about a mile. He hit the kerb twice, couldn't stay in lane drifting over into oncoming traffic, slowing down and suddenly speeding up again. Called the police, hands free of course! They sent a nearby patrol as I'd been able to give them the reg. number. Stopped him, 3 times over the limit and was actually working! They called me in the office afterwards, they'd actually asked me if I wanted to know what happened. They thanked me for helping get him off the road, said they suspected he was a regular drink driver. Result!
Its lazy policing if they don't at least do a door knock. Yes they could have drunk since being home, but you wont know until you've done that knock.
I had one recently. Left the store with more wine, we got there a few minutes after she was home. Knocked on the door. Breath test. Failed. Said that she had drank since being home.
Twice the limit. Interviewed and admitted it all and said she lied about drinking as when its happened before the officers just left her to it. One more drink driver off the road.
Yes its a little bit more work but it winds me up when officers wont at least knock on the door and try. Yes we may not have the evidence but it gets them in custody for a bit and it might just give them the wake up call they need.
I had one recently. Left the store with more wine, we got there a few minutes after she was home. Knocked on the door. Breath test. Failed. Said that she had drank since being home.
Twice the limit. Interviewed and admitted it all and said she lied about drinking as when its happened before the officers just left her to it. One more drink driver off the road.
Yes its a little bit more work but it winds me up when officers wont at least knock on the door and try. Yes we may not have the evidence but it gets them in custody for a bit and it might just give them the wake up call they need.
All the cops need to do round ours is park at the bottom of the street and breath test anyone driving a car , they’d have a field day .
But they don’t , I’ve no idea why , but there’s 5 pubs with a regular drink drive crowd who don’t give a s
t . All of the pubs are situated where there could easily be a road block and just test everyone like they do in France . But still they don’t .
If they did the cells would be full .
It’s exactly the same in surrounding villages .
If you ever question them the answer is always the same “ I’ll never get caught , there’s never any police to pull me up “
But they don’t , I’ve no idea why , but there’s 5 pubs with a regular drink drive crowd who don’t give a s
t . All of the pubs are situated where there could easily be a road block and just test everyone like they do in France . But still they don’t . If they did the cells would be full .
It’s exactly the same in surrounding villages .
If you ever question them the answer is always the same “ I’ll never get caught , there’s never any police to pull me up “
LosingGrip said:
Its lazy policing if they don't at least do a door knock. Yes they could have drunk since being home, but you wont know until you've done that knock.
I had one recently. Left the store with more wine, we got there a few minutes after she was home. Knocked on the door. Breath test. Failed. Said that she had drank since being home.
Twice the limit. Interviewed and admitted it all and said she lied about drinking as when its happened before the officers just left her to it. One more drink driver off the road.
Yes its a little bit more work but it winds me up when officers wont at least knock on the door and try. Yes we may not have the evidence but it gets them in custody for a bit and it might just give them the wake up call they need.
My guess is that the OPs incident don't reach a police officer. Closed at source, incorrectly I might add! I had one recently. Left the store with more wine, we got there a few minutes after she was home. Knocked on the door. Breath test. Failed. Said that she had drank since being home.
Twice the limit. Interviewed and admitted it all and said she lied about drinking as when its happened before the officers just left her to it. One more drink driver off the road.
Yes its a little bit more work but it winds me up when officers wont at least knock on the door and try. Yes we may not have the evidence but it gets them in custody for a bit and it might just give them the wake up call they need.
paulwirral said:
All the cops need to do round ours is park at the bottom of the street and breath test anyone driving a car , they’d have a field day .
But they don’t , I’ve no idea why , but there’s 5 pubs with a regular drink drive crowd who don’t give a st . All of the pubs are situated where there could easily be a road block and just test everyone like they do in France . But still they don’t .
If they did the cells would be full .
It’s exactly the same in surrounding villages .
If you ever question them the answer is always the same “ I’ll never get caught , there’s never any police to pull me up “
Not legal to have a roadblock in UK for no reason and having been in places (like I currently am atm actually) where it is commonplace thank heavens for that - they quickly become a massive nuisanceBut they don’t , I’ve no idea why , but there’s 5 pubs with a regular drink drive crowd who don’t give a s
t . All of the pubs are situated where there could easily be a road block and just test everyone like they do in France . But still they don’t . If they did the cells would be full .
It’s exactly the same in surrounding villages .
If you ever question them the answer is always the same “ I’ll never get caught , there’s never any police to pull me up “
Many years ago, I was at the local co-op when someone brought to my attention that my brother-in-law's wife was drink driving. Spoke to her and got nothing but abuse, so I phoned 999. By chance, traffic car had just passed - she was 3 times over the limit and got banned.
A year later, I witnessed my brother-in-law (at 10am!) falling down drunk, got in his car and drove off. I phoned 999 and reported him, and he got stopped about an hour later and was 4 times over the limit, so he got banned. So that meant both were banned at the same time.
BIL's wife got her licence back, and was seen drinking out of a vodka bottle while sitting in the driver's seat at Tesco. A local off duty cop called it in, and driver was stopped just yards from home, again 3 times over the limit.
Car was sold, they died a couple of years later - house was littered with empty booze bottles.
The good thing was, my nephew and niece were totally supportive of me reporting their parents for drink driving. And I'd report any drink driver without feeling guilty.
A year later, I witnessed my brother-in-law (at 10am!) falling down drunk, got in his car and drove off. I phoned 999 and reported him, and he got stopped about an hour later and was 4 times over the limit, so he got banned. So that meant both were banned at the same time.
BIL's wife got her licence back, and was seen drinking out of a vodka bottle while sitting in the driver's seat at Tesco. A local off duty cop called it in, and driver was stopped just yards from home, again 3 times over the limit.
Car was sold, they died a couple of years later - house was littered with empty booze bottles.
The good thing was, my nephew and niece were totally supportive of me reporting their parents for drink driving. And I'd report any drink driver without feeling guilty.
You did the right thing - we all know the risks.
I am facing a similar quandary right now. The pub in my village is right on a junction with a busy road, and sold its car park recently for housing development. Naturally there were parking issues immediately, quickly followed by the council painting double yellows around the junction itself.
My issue is with a builders Transit truck that has taken to parking on the double yellows, within 10 yards of the pub door, from 4 to 5 pm every weekday apart from Friday. I have no evidence that the driver is drinking anything other than mineral water.....yeah, right.
Half of me thinks I should report it, half thinks "get a life".
I am facing a similar quandary right now. The pub in my village is right on a junction with a busy road, and sold its car park recently for housing development. Naturally there were parking issues immediately, quickly followed by the council painting double yellows around the junction itself.
My issue is with a builders Transit truck that has taken to parking on the double yellows, within 10 yards of the pub door, from 4 to 5 pm every weekday apart from Friday. I have no evidence that the driver is drinking anything other than mineral water.....yeah, right.
Half of me thinks I should report it, half thinks "get a life".
QBee said:
My issue is with a builders Transit truck that has taken to parking on the double yellows, within 10 yards of the pub door, from 4 to 5 pm every weekday apart from Friday. I have no evidence that the driver is drinking anything other than mineral water.....yeah, right.
They could well be drinking beer - but they are allowed to have one beer aren't they? You appear to have no evidence at all that they're drinking more than that?I don't drink at all if I'm driving - but I don't automatically assume that everybody who does have a drink is over the limit.
Hmm police too busy, we were at a small car meet yesterday, and a guy revved his car which made a popping noise as he was starting to leave, and an unmarked police car put on his blue lights and stopped him from leaving and spoke to him for at least twenty minutes.
Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
PeterGadsby said:
Hmm police too busy, we were at a small car meet yesterday, and a guy revved his car which made a popping noise as he was starting to leave, and an unmarked police car put on his blue lights and stopped him from leaving and spoke to him for at least twenty minutes.
Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
Probably because someone had reported a car meet or the old bill knew it was going on so stuck a traffic car on it, hardly unreasonable for traffic to monitor events like that. Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
Maybe Mr Pops & Bangs might show a bit more restraint next time, I guess he's done it for attention but got the wrong sort... nevermind.
davek_964 said:
QBee said:
My issue is with a builders Transit truck that has taken to parking on the double yellows, within 10 yards of the pub door, from 4 to 5 pm every weekday apart from Friday. I have no evidence that the driver is drinking anything other than mineral water.....yeah, right.
They could well be drinking beer - but they are allowed to have one beer aren't they? You appear to have no evidence at all that they're drinking more than that?I don't drink at all if I'm driving - but I don't automatically assume that everybody who does have a drink is over the limit.
As you say, I have no evidence of anything other than illegal parking, which Is why I will probably try to get a life instead of worrying about things like this.
PeterGadsby said:
Hmm police too busy, we were at a small car meet yesterday, and a guy revved his car which made a popping noise as he was starting to leave, and an unmarked police car put on his blue lights and stopped him from leaving and spoke to him for at least twenty minutes.
Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
You know that people may be busy at different times right? Even different forces. If the OP had called my force over the weekend we wouldn’t have been able to get to them. Two police officers in the car.... If they are so busy how come they were spending the afternoon in an unmarked car and pointlessly stopping the car?
- Pete
Phone now? Yeah we probably would be able to.
You barely ever see a police car where I live, unless you watch Police Interceptors (which is presently covering my local force area and is often seen chasing baddies around the Notts section of the A1 at night)
Yet when there was someone they wanted to speak to at Asda's petrol station a few weeks ago, no fewer than 5 police vehicles with 7 officers arrived on blues and twos within 5 minutes. So they must be out there somewhere.....
Yet when there was someone they wanted to speak to at Asda's petrol station a few weeks ago, no fewer than 5 police vehicles with 7 officers arrived on blues and twos within 5 minutes. So they must be out there somewhere.....
I've told this on here before so forgive me if you've read it.
Some years ago I lived next door to a pair of alcoholics. As they slowly sank deeper into it the man of the couple would go to the off licence at 7pm every night for a bottle of whisky. You could set your watch by him. He'd already be steaming by that point and would be swerving down the street, avoiding playing kids etc and then driving back ten minutes later.
Every single time I called the police. Every single time it was ignored. I lived in a cul de sac essentially that was about a mile long, one way in and out. I told them repeatedly all they had to do was sit at the bottom nightly at 7pm and they'd get him. It never happened.
In the end I gave up and called his son, who thankfully did give a feck. He came up to the house and took both car and garage keys and that was the end of it. With hindsight I should probably have gone that way first but I genuinely expected the Police to deal with it.
Some years ago I lived next door to a pair of alcoholics. As they slowly sank deeper into it the man of the couple would go to the off licence at 7pm every night for a bottle of whisky. You could set your watch by him. He'd already be steaming by that point and would be swerving down the street, avoiding playing kids etc and then driving back ten minutes later.
Every single time I called the police. Every single time it was ignored. I lived in a cul de sac essentially that was about a mile long, one way in and out. I told them repeatedly all they had to do was sit at the bottom nightly at 7pm and they'd get him. It never happened.
In the end I gave up and called his son, who thankfully did give a feck. He came up to the house and took both car and garage keys and that was the end of it. With hindsight I should probably have gone that way first but I genuinely expected the Police to deal with it.
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