Thoughts of a trafpol
Discussion
People on here will know I am a DC.
Today I was being asked by a support officer if it was worth his while reporting a persistant bad driver he sees every day on his way to work.
I'm told the traffic is heavy and he sees the same driver in the morning on the mobile (no hands free) with a laptop on the passenger seat which is turned on. The traffic is at a crawl and she is talking on the phone and using the lap top.
I said "well if you think you have witnessed an offence and want to report it lead on and it will be investigated" I also advised that with the details and corroboration possibly some friendly advice from a traf plod would be the best way in dealing with the matter.
Enter traf plod. Now I don't know this guy but he seems ok. Then he pipes up. "No I would do her for using the phone. Its a typical example of bad driving that can be seen every day. He says he would gladly ticket all the bad drivers as he sees it as doing his job and protecting the public. I was then given a reminder that more people are killed on the roads than there are murders and this is the reason why traffic enforcement is vital.
Oh thinks me....Eh no I can't agree. Not all minot RT violations are examples of bad driving. Not all fatals are caused by bad driving. Also if a town centre has a problem with violence and theft and the local troops are thin on the ground why are traf pol on the outskirts near the speed limit change catching speeders when the could be in the town centre preventing crime and disorder.
Does this guy have a point or have I been in CID too long?
Today I was being asked by a support officer if it was worth his while reporting a persistant bad driver he sees every day on his way to work.
I'm told the traffic is heavy and he sees the same driver in the morning on the mobile (no hands free) with a laptop on the passenger seat which is turned on. The traffic is at a crawl and she is talking on the phone and using the lap top.
I said "well if you think you have witnessed an offence and want to report it lead on and it will be investigated" I also advised that with the details and corroboration possibly some friendly advice from a traf plod would be the best way in dealing with the matter.
Enter traf plod. Now I don't know this guy but he seems ok. Then he pipes up. "No I would do her for using the phone. Its a typical example of bad driving that can be seen every day. He says he would gladly ticket all the bad drivers as he sees it as doing his job and protecting the public. I was then given a reminder that more people are killed on the roads than there are murders and this is the reason why traffic enforcement is vital.
Oh thinks me....Eh no I can't agree. Not all minot RT violations are examples of bad driving. Not all fatals are caused by bad driving. Also if a town centre has a problem with violence and theft and the local troops are thin on the ground why are traf pol on the outskirts near the speed limit change catching speeders when the could be in the town centre preventing crime and disorder.
Does this guy have a point or have I been in CID too long?
vonhosen said:
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Sorry Von, but this reminded me of the statistics - pirates thread from a while ago
Will dig out the link in a mo
I cant square the murders / driving deaths comment I am afraid, totally different things by manner of death
vonhosen said:
There is a strong correlation between more serious crime & traffic offences.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Hmmmm but do those that commit road traffic offences also commit more serious crimes?
Depends on your defination of a road traffic offence I suppose
May I ask how does he know that she isn't continuing to do this later when in more free flowing traffic?
I guess he doesn't.
In which case to me this is a clear case of driving falling well below the standard expected etc etc.
I think she needs reporting and then the action at the time left to the traffic unit which deals with the issue.
Clearly it is consistent behaviour which makes it all far worse. I'd also support vonhosen that this is indicative of a lack of respect for the law in general. A discussion needs to be held. Depending upon the record and the famous attitude test then it might end up being a one way discussion.
Book her Danno.
I guess he doesn't.
In which case to me this is a clear case of driving falling well below the standard expected etc etc.
I think she needs reporting and then the action at the time left to the traffic unit which deals with the issue.
Clearly it is consistent behaviour which makes it all far worse. I'd also support vonhosen that this is indicative of a lack of respect for the law in general. A discussion needs to be held. Depending upon the record and the famous attitude test then it might end up being a one way discussion.
Book her Danno.
Wise words Gently. CID officers often have a greater sense of, shall we say, proportion than a few officers who've been on RPU maybe a little too long. Although I agree, criminals tend to commit offences in cars.
You can't learn discretion on a course, comes with a bit of experience.
Christ I'm sounding like an old git these days. Since I've started taking the train to work I've developed a hatred of iPods as well!
You can't learn discretion on a course, comes with a bit of experience.
Christ I'm sounding like an old git these days. Since I've started taking the train to work I've developed a hatred of iPods as well!
vonhosen said:
There is a strong correlation between more serious crime & traffic offences.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
And?
Is that a rationale for purely ticketing all traffic offences VH? Will that help you catch the serious crime offenders?
Graham
gridgway said:
vonhosen said:
There is a strong correlation between more serious crime & traffic offences.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
And?
Is that a rationale for purely ticketing all traffic offences VH? Will that help you catch the serious crime offenders?
Graham
How did you come up with that, from my statement ?
vonhosen said:
Actually, this seems to say that people who commit SERIOUS traffic offences (like DUI or driving while disqualified) will also commit serious crimes. People using their mobile or drifting a knife into a pregnant mother don't seem to be in that category.
In other words, people who commit one type of serious crime will have little compunction about committing another.
Wow. More great value for the British taxpayer!
spokey said:
vonhosen said:
Actually, this seems to say that people who commit SERIOUS traffic offences (like DUI or driving while disqualified) will also commit serious crimes. People using their mobile or drifting a knife into a pregnant mother don't seem to be in that category.
In other words, people who commit one type of serious crime will have little compunction about committing another.
Wow. More great value for the British taxpayer!
It also shows that those who commit serious offences also commit more non serious traffic offences.
vonhosen said:
There is a strong correlation between more serious crime & traffic offences.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Those who commit more serious crimes, commit road traffic offences as well.
Sounds like an argument for more Trafpol to stop and scrutinise serious traffic-law offenders, whilst dispensing with the incredibly wasteful placebo of speed cameras which achieve little but deceive many people with the misconception that they are beneficial.
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