Polite Disagreements.
Discussion
Following on from the Section 59 thread has opened up a few questions:
If you're stopped by a Police Officer and he or she tells you that you have committed some driving offence, even though you know you haven't, what exactly should you do ?
I consider myself a polite and reasonable person and any attempt that I might make to challenge what I've been erroneously told by a Police Officer, however politely and respectfully I put it, is going to look like a challenge to their authority and a failure of the attitude of test. As I've no wish to antagonize them do I keep my mouth shut and take up the issue later or will that just make the situation worse ?
I should add that is a hypothetical question and I know Police Officers, like all of us, have bad days where their judgment may not be as sound as usual.
But I also know that they are not Lawyers and some elements of law are outside of their immediate purview (construction and use legislation for instance)
If you're stopped by a Police Officer and he or she tells you that you have committed some driving offence, even though you know you haven't, what exactly should you do ?
I consider myself a polite and reasonable person and any attempt that I might make to challenge what I've been erroneously told by a Police Officer, however politely and respectfully I put it, is going to look like a challenge to their authority and a failure of the attitude of test. As I've no wish to antagonize them do I keep my mouth shut and take up the issue later or will that just make the situation worse ?
I should add that is a hypothetical question and I know Police Officers, like all of us, have bad days where their judgment may not be as sound as usual.
But I also know that they are not Lawyers and some elements of law are outside of their immediate purview (construction and use legislation for instance)
Sometimes they can come out with such drivel it's genuinely hard to know where to go with it.
Many years ago, I was stopped, and amongst other things, was asked to produce my insurance certificate. As I had it on me I produced it, to which he replied angrily "this runs out in 2 days!"
Wtf do you say to that? I think I just mumbled "I know." Really wanted to say "but it's valid today, you soppy f
ker. If I'd shown you my new one, you'd rightly say that it doesn't start for 2 days, so I'm not covered. So don't be such a fking tt."
But I didn't.
Many years ago, I was stopped, and amongst other things, was asked to produce my insurance certificate. As I had it on me I produced it, to which he replied angrily "this runs out in 2 days!"
Wtf do you say to that? I think I just mumbled "I know." Really wanted to say "but it's valid today, you soppy f
ker. If I'd shown you my new one, you'd rightly say that it doesn't start for 2 days, so I'm not covered. So don't be such a fking tt."But I didn't.
Had this once.
Was pulled at 2am after exiting a roundabout with traffic lights on. Police car was waiting to join the roundabout as i passed and claimed i must have gone through on red as his light was green.
I said sorry I knew it was close but the light was definitely amber as i went over the line - he seem to accept this and was sent on my way. Or maybe he was just checking i wasnt pished.
Was pulled at 2am after exiting a roundabout with traffic lights on. Police car was waiting to join the roundabout as i passed and claimed i must have gone through on red as his light was green.
I said sorry I knew it was close but the light was definitely amber as i went over the line - he seem to accept this and was sent on my way. Or maybe he was just checking i wasnt pished.
Donbot said:
I find it is best to politely disagree. If they are the type to start getting annoyed, just keep your mouth shut and sort it out at a later date.
This is probably the best answer. You cant talk yourself out of a ticket, but you can always talk yourself into one. State your case, politely and only once. The side of the road is not the correct place to argue with a cop, save that for court.
Arguing with a cop on the roadside is an easy way to get some extra (and usually rather nebulous) charges added on. OTOH being nice to a police officer has resulted in a few KM's being taken off a ticket (reducing the fine) for me back in Australia.
Pica-Pica said:
OpulentBob said:
As long as you remind them who pays their wages, they should be amenable and accommodaing.
..and tell them you know Amber Rudd very well. That should smooth things along nicely.Alex said:
And politely suggest that they should be out catching real criminals. Cops love that.
In all fairness I did have grounds for this once as I was pulled over for no obvious reason, the whilst stood there with PC massive chip on his shoulder and PC small man syndrome, another cop car turned up and finally a third. Seven officers then all stood around trying to find something wrong with my car or get me to admit to something, I was issued a producer.
The crazy thing is I'd just come from the police station having produced my documents barely 10minutes earlier to the officer who was passenger in the third car that arrived. Sadly she was a junior officer so had no say in what was going on but was the only one who apologised to me once the others had got bored and buggered off.
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