Zero tolerance................
Discussion
There is a train of thought that suggests the increase in poor driving standards is due to the lack of dedicated traffic officers on the roads...
I agree with this and thankfully, this trend seems to not only have stopped but is reversing...safely, checking over it's shoulder for pedestrians
What about the other laws that are infringed that nobody seems to get done for? The things that wind up the rest of us...
Parking on double yellows
Contravening bus lanes
Failing to give way on roundabouts
etc etc etc
Do you think Trafpol should clamp down on all aspects of road safety or simply concentrate on the more serious offences?
Remember. Clamping down might mean fixed penalty tickets, not just verbal warnings.
Street
I agree with this and thankfully, this trend seems to not only have stopped but is reversing...safely, checking over it's shoulder for pedestrians
What about the other laws that are infringed that nobody seems to get done for? The things that wind up the rest of us...
Parking on double yellows
Contravening bus lanes
Failing to give way on roundabouts
etc etc etc
Do you think Trafpol should clamp down on all aspects of road safety or simply concentrate on the more serious offences?
Remember. Clamping down might mean fixed penalty tickets, not just verbal warnings.
Street
I think plod should use the Pareto analysis approach and concentrate on the behaviour that causes the most damage, for example:
Drink/drug driving
Driving whilst tired
Poor driving (lane hogging, going too slowly, inappropriate speed, failing to signal, failing to give way, tailgating, roadrage driving)
Offences such as driving while disqualified and driving without insurance should be punished much more harshly than they are currently.
Regarding contravening double yellow lines or bus lanes ten as a general rule fine away. If I was a copper I would like to think that if it was 2am, the roads were empty, the driver had clearly just nipped to a cash machine say and the parked car was not causing a danger/obstruction, that I would use my discretion.
Drink/drug driving
Driving whilst tired
Poor driving (lane hogging, going too slowly, inappropriate speed, failing to signal, failing to give way, tailgating, roadrage driving)
Offences such as driving while disqualified and driving without insurance should be punished much more harshly than they are currently.
Regarding contravening double yellow lines or bus lanes ten as a general rule fine away. If I was a copper I would like to think that if it was 2am, the roads were empty, the driver had clearly just nipped to a cash machine say and the parked car was not causing a danger/obstruction, that I would use my discretion.
I agree Roadsweeper...
The general road user, driver, pedestrian or cyclist will look towards a passing police officer to enforce parking rules.
I remember when I was a beat bobby, complaints from motorists used to run along the lines of "I looked for 15 minutes for a safe place to park. When I found one and was walking to the shops, I saw a number of cars on double yellow lines as a police car passed by and did nothing. I thought to myself, Why Bother in future?"
Anyway..back on topic
Street
The general road user, driver, pedestrian or cyclist will look towards a passing police officer to enforce parking rules.
I remember when I was a beat bobby, complaints from motorists used to run along the lines of "I looked for 15 minutes for a safe place to park. When I found one and was walking to the shops, I saw a number of cars on double yellow lines as a police car passed by and did nothing. I thought to myself, Why Bother in future?"
Anyway..back on topic
Street
Streetcop said:
but is reversing...safely, checking over it's shoulder for pedestrians
Street
Oh how I laughed - driver training!
On a serious note
Remember plain clothes cops reversing in Harrogate - after shoplifter -= didnt look over shoulder and ran over a pink rinser - Only when mean banged on his window did he look
ok, so its not a trafpol matter...Alex said:
Please clamp down on idiots who drive around with their front foglights permanently on.
Fret not Alex...I do
all the time....they are always relieved of £30..
It does seem to be working in a town that I cover...I struggled to find more that 5 offenders last weekend...when in the past there have been dozens...sometimes too many for me to deal with in one shift..
Street
Streetcop said:
The general road user, driver, pedestrian or cyclist will look towards a passing police officer to enforce parking rules.
Indeed. In fact, you remind me of an embarassing incident involving me in such a scenario. It was about 10pm and I parked outside my local pizza place on double yellow lines to collect my (surprisingly) pizza. It's not something I often do but there were few cars around and I knew I'd be 30s or so. I was aware of people standing in the doorway of the pizza place but avoided looking at them as I pulled up because I'm used to people staring at the car and looking at them just makes it look as though you're posing! Anyway, I get out of the car and get to the door, still not paying attention, when my way is blocked by the two police officers who were the people I'd deliberately not looked at and had been watching me pull up outside!
It was a great example of good policing and what you said above. As I looked up and was clearly mortified because I hadn't seen them, one of them said something very similar to, "I know you're only going to be there for a second but could you move the car as people will expect us to do something about it." I apologised (I certainly wouldn't deliberately have put them in that position) and moved the car - I don't think I've parked on a double yellow since then (18 months ago).
Streetcop said:
I remember when I was a beat bobby, complaints from motorists used to run along the lines of "I looked for 15 minutes for a safe place to park. When I found one and was walking to the shops, I saw a number of cars on double yellow lines as a police car passed by and did nothing. I thought to myself, Why Bother in future?"
Fair point.
plotloss said:
Was driving home last night at about 7pm
Driving rain, pitch black along the M4.
Chap behind me.
Sidelights and foglights.
What is it with these people?
I stopped a no seat belter on the motorway yesterday in heavy rain. I might have just gesticulated at him to put the belt on and saved him £30. However, he didn't have any lights on, whatsoever, so I stopped him.
Totally oblivious to the dangers stating "I can see ok"...I pointed out the reason was so that others saw him...and you could see the
light up in his otherwise dim eyes... £30 for the trouble of being told...
Street
Streetcop said:
I stopped a no seat belter on the motorway yesterday in heavy rain. I might have just gesticulated at him to put the belt on and saved him £30. However, he didn't have any lights on, whatsoever, so I stopped him.
Totally oblivious to the dangers stating "I can see ok"...I pointed out the reason was so that others saw him...and you could see the
£30 for the trouble of being told...
Street
Quality.
Streetcop said:
Parking on double yellows - Plenty of double yellows are questionable, yet on main roads where there are none and cars park causing traffic to move out onto the oncoming lane effectively closing one lane down, that irritates me.
Contravening bus lanes - Waste of time, get rid of them, most buses just butt into the normal lane anyway
Failing to give way on roundabouts
Do you think Trafpol should clamp down on all aspects of road safety or simply concentrate on the more serious offences?
I think cops should concentrate primarily on driving safety and road craft secondly i.e. lane hogging.
swilly said:
Contravening bus lanes - Waste of time, get rid of them, most buses just butt into the normal lane anyway
Buses use bus lanes....why would they queue with everyone else when the bus lane is free...No..they use bus lanes..that's not an issue..
As for enforcement. I personally don't agree with bus lanes as I think we pay enough road tax, we should have the two lanes and why should the peasants on the bus get home quicker?
HOWEVER, as they are here, they have to be obeyed and enforced. One of the main reasons I enjoy enforcing them is for the 99% of drivers who obey the law and stay in the correct lane, despite being in a hurry, only to see some chav shoot up the bus lane.
I point out to offending drivers the law, the fact that it's dangerous as pedestrians walking in between waiting cars are looking for buses in the bus lane and not cars and finally, their rush isn't more important than those people's in the correct lane.
It's always nice to hear to toots of approval and see the smiles of appreciation from those in the correct lane that see these offences every day and get justifiably pissed off...
Street
>> Edited by Streetcop on Thursday 21st October 14:49
fish said:
I've just had a hire car Toyota Corrola and driving back in poor weather I looked at the lights and was concerned I could only turn the rear fogs on if I first had the front fogs on....what if I only at a point wanted to use rear fogs...I couldn't...
If the visibility is less than 100yards...front and rear fog lights would be good..
roadsweeper said:
I stopped a no seat belter on the motorway yesterday in heavy rain. I might have just gesticulated at him to put the belt on and saved him £30. However, he didn't have any lights on, whatsoever, so I stopped him.
Totally oblivious to the dangers stating "I can see ok"...I pointed out the reason was so that others saw him...and you could see the
£30 for the trouble of being told...
Street
Street
We need more like you !
fish said:
I've just had a hire car Toyota Corrola and driving back in poor weather I looked at the lights and was concerned I could only turn the rear fogs on if I first had the front fogs on....what if I only at a point wanted to use rear fogs...I couldn't...
Exactly the same on my Peugeot.
You can turn the front ones on in isolation, but not the rears.
Seems preposterous to me, should be the other way around.
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