RE: Police to clamp down on 'boy racers'?
Thursday 20th January 2005
Police to clamp down on 'boy racers'?
Don't target us, says meeting organiser
Police could be about to clamp down on drivers of fast and sports cars. According to the Shropshire Star, a man who organises meetings for motoring enthusiasts in the area has urged the police not to target young people driving sports cars. He said that they should not be lumped in with those who use the streets of small towns such as Ludlow "as racetracks".
Self-confessed cruiser Simon Jones said that police officers should "distinguish between law breakers and young men and women who just liked fast cars." They enjoy driving fast but that didn't mean they broke the law by breaking the speed limit, he said.
This follows Ludlow police threatening to take action against those allegedly driving dangerously in a local beauty spot.
Discussion
So we are suppossed to beleive that the BIB were not ALREADY targeting "boy racers"? Come on! Being middle aged I never get stopped when driving my C43AMG, but when I am on either of my Ducati's (an SP and a monster) and hidden behind a full face helmet and leathers, I do get stopped. Surely a case of the BIB pre judging like they always have and always will! But having said that I would rather have a lot more BIB with grey matter than more stupid Gatso's! - and if you are speeding in town you deserve everything you get. It is always nice to see the look of surprize from the BIB when the helmet comes off and they are presented with Grey Headed Old bloke - ha ha!
WildfireS3 said:
Wooohoo! Young Drivers in Fast Cars. So I can look forward to more stops from the old Bib then.
Mind you I was stopped more in my Mini than I have been in the TVR.
Same here I was stopped quite often in my Golfs/Ibiza but have not yet been pulled over in the Boxster in the 20 or so months of ownership! I feel I am a more sensible driver in the Boxster than I was in the other cars!
As a student in Leeds I got pulled over by the BiB in my 1986 Austin Metro. The guy had the cheek to ask if it was my car! Like I'd steal a Metro, I mean come on, surely I'd have more taste than that? I offered him the car if he wanted it, wasn't too keen mind. In the end it went to the scrappy.
Rick
Rick
Traffic police = taxman
I used to have a lot of respect for the police as an organisation (as individuals there are some good guys and girls), that sadly has diminished, in terms of my perception of what they are now tasked to do.
You loose respect, you loose credibility as an organisation.
I used to have a lot of respect for the police as an organisation (as individuals there are some good guys and girls), that sadly has diminished, in terms of my perception of what they are now tasked to do.
You loose respect, you loose credibility as an organisation.
Far too many overly aggressive overtones coming from BiB organisation headed toward the motorist.
Like in my local rag (thread elsewhere) 'only an idiot would get a speeding ticket with the camaras sighted in high visibility and published sites'. Side stepping the fact that 3 Chief Constables got nabbed, the terminology is inflamatory IMO, and has no place in statements made by public services to the public.
But we can call them idiots (BiB contributers here excluded)
Like in my local rag (thread elsewhere) 'only an idiot would get a speeding ticket with the camaras sighted in high visibility and published sites'. Side stepping the fact that 3 Chief Constables got nabbed, the terminology is inflamatory IMO, and has no place in statements made by public services to the public.
But we can call them idiots (BiB contributers here excluded)
I've always found it hard to respect traffic police since I was stopped on my fully insured, tax and mot'd motorcycle for doing 34mph in a 30mph zone.
He also tried to do me for my legal tyres (which were low but legal according to the belated motorcycle city), and my exhaust pipe which had a BS mark on it to prove it was road legal.
The same policeman then tried to do me again when we saw me again outside the police station handing in my documents for not having changed my tyre! It was still legal.
To top it all off, he was riding an un-marked police bike. Need I say anymore.....
He also tried to do me for my legal tyres (which were low but legal according to the belated motorcycle city), and my exhaust pipe which had a BS mark on it to prove it was road legal.
The same policeman then tried to do me again when we saw me again outside the police station handing in my documents for not having changed my tyre! It was still legal.
To top it all off, he was riding an un-marked police bike. Need I say anymore.....
bean. Good and bad amongst them i'm afraid. Ive had experiences with both. The good being stopped at a check point for clearly giving it large as I approached (I didn't see them and heard me). He was most pleasant and even empathised about the fact that keeping such cars at 30mph must be difficult but just to take it easy. Sent on me way! the otehr extreme is being told that if I was lieing about my personal details he would take me round back and thump me (I was a lot younger then and kinda believed him.
Hmm...this may change things, IF it's true.
I've been pulled over about 4 times. 3 times as a teenager/student in an OLD VW Polo. And once in my old Orion about 7 years ago, but I was speeding (doing 40-45 in a 30, but I genuinely thought it was a 40 - dual carriageway outside the town centre...so I got a caution.)
And nothing for 7 years, despite trading up to a hot hatch and now a rather blatent sports car.
I've been pulled over about 4 times. 3 times as a teenager/student in an OLD VW Polo. And once in my old Orion about 7 years ago, but I was speeding (doing 40-45 in a 30, but I genuinely thought it was a 40 - dual carriageway outside the town centre...so I got a caution.)
And nothing for 7 years, despite trading up to a hot hatch and now a rather blatent sports car.
I've no problem with them targeting young drivers who drive like twats. As far as I can tell, 9 times out of 10 its a young bloke in the obligatory lowered saxo, renault 5 turbo, or mk 1 scooby, whos racing through our town, and therefore they deserve to get stopped. There have been a number of serious nightime high-speed accidents where I live in the past month. All involving young blokes in maxed cars. Innocent people in other cars were killed. Its getting so bad that they're bringing in night time mobile scameras. Great!
I know what you mean, but far more often, IMHO, it's the reps and the occasional drivers like schoolmums and OAPs who actually drive more dangerously...in the first case because of speed and aggression - a feeling of being more important, I guess; while in the second case it's unpredictability and below par car control and observation.
"Targeting" any individual group, to me, sends out the wrong message - it suggests to everyone else that they don't need to worry. It's the same principle as the continued carping that speed is the main killer - it focuses everyone on speed, and they believe that (or realise they can get away with) tailgating / poor overall driving isn't a big deal. And as a result driving standards have dropped.
"Targeting" any individual group, to me, sends out the wrong message - it suggests to everyone else that they don't need to worry. It's the same principle as the continued carping that speed is the main killer - it focuses everyone on speed, and they believe that (or realise they can get away with) tailgating / poor overall driving isn't a big deal. And as a result driving standards have dropped.
RickH said:You may have more taste, but not necessarily the skill to break into, and start, something "better".
As a student in Leeds I got pulled over by the BiB in my 1986 Austin Metro. The guy had the cheek to ask if it was my car! Like I'd steal a Metro, I mean come on, surely I'd have more taste than that?
Older cars are much easier to get into, and to get going. Metros, Novas, Escorts and Astras are favourites of the car thief...
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