Notable lack of Trafpol

[cptsideways]

Has anyone else noticed that there is a total lack of policing on our roads in the evenings?


Friend & I went to a conecert last night, 180 mile round trip, got back 1am. It used to be the case that at night you would meet or see a trafpol car out or parked up somewhere. You knew that at somepoint on your trip at night you'd meet one soemwhere.

Last night nothing, not a single plod anywhere except & I have'nt seen one for ages.


Of course we drove according to the conditions

[ca092003]

In th elast 5/6 months, I've done a much higher mileage than normal, mainly on the M1, M25, M11, M42, etc.

It is very very rare for me to see a Trafpol car just out on what I would consider general patrol. They are either dealing with accidents or rushing around presumably to/from one.

The crims must be rubbing their hands together with coverage like this.

A very sad state of affairs.....

[^Slider^]

Yeah there is a marked decrease in officers recently on traffic. Alot seem to be returning to normal shift duties. And are not being replaced.

[forever_driving]

I travel from Brighton to London each weekend, using the A23, M23, M25, M3, and then the A316. On average, I only see one trafpol for every 6 or so journies I make. Quite franky, that's shocking.

[jacobyte]

It's understandable, as the bosses think the cameras are doing their job for them, so the humans don't need to be out and about. Instead they can be back at base scanning their signatures.

</cynical>

[medicineman]

My mate used to run on the philosophy that you saw on average 3 traffic cars per journey, so after he saw the 3rd, foot down. He been done once in 12 years. Good point me thinks and starts counting them a while back, luckily if I see one every 4 journeys.

[jacobyte]

That reminds me of the "useful" idea for overtaking. I there are cars coming towards you around 3 successive corners, then the next one will be clear, so it's safe to overtake.

[tw99]

I've just got back from the USA again (fifth trip this year).

There's no shortage of traffic police (state troopers) on the freeways around Boston or San Francisco, in fact you'll see a marked police bike or car pretty much every time you're on the freeway for more than 10-15 minutes, and they pull a lot of people over too.

So are we really asking to get that level of enforcement here ? Not sure I'd welcome it...

[ca092003]

tw99 said:

I've just got back from the USA again (fifth trip this year). There's no shortage of traffic police (state troopers) on the freeways around Boston or San Francisco, in fact you'll see a marked police bike or car pretty much every time you're on the freeway for more than 10-15 minutes, and they pull a lot of people over too. So are we really asking to get that level of enforcement here ? Not sure I'd welcome it...

It depends. Do we want to get drunk / drugged / careless / dangerous / untaxed / unlicensed / uninsured drivers off the road?

Or do we want them to continue getting away with it? I know what I'd rather see. What about you?

[gh0st :)]

I would welcome it if they were doing drivers for only excessivly dangerous speeds and were actually on the road pulling people for bad driving.

I feel that if the government suddenly did promise lots more active police they would probably arm them with laser guns in todays cash climate...

[gopher]

On my last visit to the States I spent quite a bit of time on the road and did see quite a few state troopers on the interstates but only saw one of them pulling a driver.

All three lanes were doing over the 70 limit, including the trucks, but the guy that was pulled passed us very quickly and we were doing 80-85, I reckon he was around the ton or more and traffic was not light. IMO he was the one that deserved to get pulled and he was the only one I saw getting pulled, I would be happy with this rather than robots.

[towman]

Come to Sussex! Wall to wall Trafpol this weekend (no ANPR). they are back to their normal perches on the A23 waiting for the unsuspecting visitors. I think they finally sussed that the average traffic speed is around the 85 mark

[Dibble]

I spent ALL day today trying to trace a driver for a minor injury RTA that's about to go "out of time".

I suspect I shall spend all day tomorrow looking for her/trying to contact her on a phone number I have for her.

Becasue it's a "minor" matter, I can't get a subscriber check done on the number.

I was (as usual) the only traffic officer for the Division (with about 550 Police officers in total...)

God only knows how many insurance clerks have breached data protection trying to help me get hold of her...

[ca092003]

Dibble said:

I spent ALL day today trying to trace a driver for a minor injury RTA that's about to go "out of time". I suspect I shall spend all day tomorrow looking for her/trying to contact her on a phone number I have for her. Becasue it's a "minor" matter, I can't get a subscriber check done on the number. I was (as usual) the only traffic officer for the Division (with about 550 Police officers in total...) God only knows how many insurance clerks have breached data protection trying to help me get hold of her...

Dibble

By "out of time" do you mean 6 months for serving a summons? Is it just down to sheer workload on your part that this is so close to the wire? Presumably she got a producer at the time of the incident? Did she submit her docs?

It strikes me as crazy that you have to waste so much time sorting this out.

[Dibble]

ca

Yes, 6 months since RTA. Driver has been "away", and has missed a number of appointments to come and see me at the nick about it (5 or 6, I forget now).

She no longer lives at the address on PNC, and all my other enquiries have drawn a blank, so a file without her being interviewed isn't worth the paper it's written on.

Same as any other job, I keep at it until I get a result, one way or the other. Why should she avoid a prosecution by taking the proverbial?

[ca092003]

Dibble said:

ca Yes, 6 months since RTA. Driver has been "away", and has missed a number of appointments to come and see me at the nick about it (5 or 6, I forget now). She no longer lives at the address on PNC, and all my other enquiries have drawn a blank, so a file without her being interviewed isn't worth the paper it's written on. Same as any other job, I keep at it until I get a result, one way or the other. Why should she avoid a prosecution by taking the proverbial?

She shouldn't. Is it appropriate to ask a JP for a warrant?

[bobbins]

I live in Cheshire and there's no shortage of Traf Pol here! I drive to Oxford quite a lot and it's noticeable that I'll typically see 3 or 4 marked Volvo's/Range Rover on Cheshire motorways and then none for the rest of the journey.
However I've frequently seen unmarked cars elsewhere, especially on the M40 (M42 to Oxford section).
There used to be a lot in Cheshire too but they either don't use them so much now or they're better disguised.

[Dibble]

ca092003 said:

Is it appropriate to ask a JP for a warrant?

I've slightly more chance of Claudia Schiffer taking out a paternity suit for her next child.

[FunkyNige]

In Norfolk the coverage is great (or terrible, depending on what way you look at it) - once you get out of Norwich and the towns there simply aren't any cop cars. The one exception to this is at night; if you see a car keep a big distance behind you for a few miles, then sit right up your arse you can pretty much guarantee it's a cop.