Has a (traffic) cop ever let you off?
Discussion
Can't say it's ever really happened to me. When I've been stopped for whatever I have normally had to face up to the consequences. Only occasionally due to lack of evidence - i.e. "how fast were you going" - me: "I'm so sorry I'm not sure" - "well be on your way then and keep the speed down"
Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
Twice.
I've thought about this and if I were a traffic cop, I'd hate all the bull that members of the would give me, when the reason is plainly obvious. I would get offended if anyone played dumb. So here's my 2 let offs:
(1) Cruising at 85mph in L1 on the motorway - 2am no cars around. Lights come on to pull over.
Copper - Do you know why we stopped you?
Me - Yes. I was speeding. I'm sorry.
Copper - Oh OK. Err. well just some advice then to keep your speed down. We don't mind you going over the limit slightly.
Me - Thanks.
(2) 18 years old. Approaching Brighton to go clubbing on the A23 and in L1 at some lights. A panda car pulls alongside in L2. My miscreant friend's egg me to burn off the panda car from the lights.
f
k knows why I did it, but I floor it when the lights change. Lights come on and a WPC is soon bking me by the side of the road. 
A called crackles over her radio about a fight somewhere and she runs back to her car shouting: "I'm letting you off because I've got more important things to deal with. Slow down!"
I've thought about this and if I were a traffic cop, I'd hate all the bull that members of the would give me, when the reason is plainly obvious. I would get offended if anyone played dumb. So here's my 2 let offs:
(1) Cruising at 85mph in L1 on the motorway - 2am no cars around. Lights come on to pull over.
Copper - Do you know why we stopped you?
Me - Yes. I was speeding. I'm sorry.
Copper - Oh OK. Err. well just some advice then to keep your speed down. We don't mind you going over the limit slightly.
Me - Thanks.
(2) 18 years old. Approaching Brighton to go clubbing on the A23 and in L1 at some lights. A panda car pulls alongside in L2. My miscreant friend's egg me to burn off the panda car from the lights.
fk knows why I did it, but I floor it when the lights change. Lights come on and a WPC is soon bking me by the side of the road. A called crackles over her radio about a fight somewhere and she runs back to her car shouting: "I'm letting you off because I've got more important things to deal with. Slow down!" ingenieur said:
Can't say it's ever really happened to me. When I've been stopped for whatever I have normally had to face up to the consequences. Only occasionally due to lack of evidence - i.e. "how fast were you going" - me: "I'm so sorry I'm not sure" - "well be on your way then and keep the speed down"
Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
I was once followed for about 6 miles in rural Wales late at night by what proved to be a fully marked police car (couldn't really tell, in the dark, but did I feel silly when he stopped me!).Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
He said, truthfully: " you we driving at 75mph in a 60mph limit", but it soon became clear that he had no intention of anything beyond a telling off provided I passed the attitude test.
He had mainly stopped me because he guessed I was on my way back from a local pub (it was about 11.15pm) whereas I was actually nearing the end of a 5 hour drive from London and completely sober.
I think I was lucky also because:
(1) I suspect he was end of shift and keen to be home (a mile from police station)
(2) I was driving a by then classic MGB, and he wanted to talk about it! Probably also a case of your car says something about you.
A couple of times when I was a young lad back in the 90's.
Once overtook what I thought was a taxi on the beach boulevard in Aberdeen where the speed limit was 15mph, I was doing something well in excess of 30mph. I realised as I drew alongside them and saw the writing on the car spelt POLICE, not the name of a taxi firm as I'd assumed in the dark! Hit the brakes, pulled back in front of them, they followed for about 30 secs, then the blues came on! Had to stand there looking contrite and playing dumb for about 5 minutes and then let of with a warning.
Second time was doing a u-turn across the central reservation just up from the boulevard across a grass strip becuase the roundabout ahead was stood still. Timed my move just right that I ended up actually doing it right in front of a copper who had to brake whilst I finished it off. Again, followed for a few minutes and then 5 minutes of looking contrite and playing dumb before being let off with a warning.
Oh, and the time I received a phone call one saturday morning from a police inspector who first of all asked me if I was the owner of my car, then went on to describe how he kept clocking me steaming down the boulevard most nights at speeds well in excess of 50mph (30 was the limit) , and that if I didn't modify my behaviour he would "..set the dogs..." on me. Verbal contrition this time, let off with the warning.
Ahh.. those were the days, that boulevard was like a little law free zone back then, last time I was up there it had been 'civilised' quite a bit!
ETA: I've just remembered three more stops (2 for speeding, 1 for crossing a white line), but they are pretty much repetitions of the first two above except for the crossing white line one where I politely argued back that what I had done had been justified.
Once overtook what I thought was a taxi on the beach boulevard in Aberdeen where the speed limit was 15mph, I was doing something well in excess of 30mph. I realised as I drew alongside them and saw the writing on the car spelt POLICE, not the name of a taxi firm as I'd assumed in the dark!
Hit the brakes, pulled back in front of them, they followed for about 30 secs, then the blues came on! Had to stand there looking contrite and playing dumb for about 5 minutes and then let of with a warning.Second time was doing a u-turn across the central reservation just up from the boulevard across a grass strip becuase the roundabout ahead was stood still. Timed my move just right that I ended up actually doing it right in front of a copper who had to brake whilst I finished it off. Again, followed for a few minutes and then 5 minutes of looking contrite and playing dumb before being let off with a warning.
Oh, and the time I received a phone call one saturday morning from a police inspector who first of all asked me if I was the owner of my car, then went on to describe how he kept clocking me steaming down the boulevard most nights at speeds well in excess of 50mph (30 was the limit) , and that if I didn't modify my behaviour he would "..set the dogs..." on me. Verbal contrition this time, let off with the warning.
Ahh.. those were the days, that boulevard was like a little law free zone back then, last time I was up there it had been 'civilised' quite a bit!
ETA: I've just remembered three more stops (2 for speeding, 1 for crossing a white line), but they are pretty much repetitions of the first two above except for the crossing white line one where I politely argued back that what I had done had been justified.
Edited by Piersman2 on Wednesday 19th October 10:51
I’ve been ‘spoken to’ a few times in my youth.
And though it may seem a waste of time to some, I think these sort of interventions are very valuable.
It, of course, has a ‘watch it’ element but the fact that you are let off leaves the impression that they are actually trying to do the right thing for everyone rather than to just catch you out.
It certainly helped my attitude towards the traffic police which lasts to this day.
It’s just a shame that they don’t seem to have the resources to do this sort of soft diplomacy any more.
And though it may seem a waste of time to some, I think these sort of interventions are very valuable.
It, of course, has a ‘watch it’ element but the fact that you are let off leaves the impression that they are actually trying to do the right thing for everyone rather than to just catch you out.
It certainly helped my attitude towards the traffic police which lasts to this day.
It’s just a shame that they don’t seem to have the resources to do this sort of soft diplomacy any more.
It's happened to me. Twice (ish)
First time I was pulled over after turning into a one way street through a no entry sign. Proper international villain stuff. I'd had my license a month, and all of a sudden my mirrors were full of flashing blue lights, which I'd been lead to believe was a very bad thing. I pulled over, no idea what i'd done. I twigged while answering his "do you have any idea why I've pulled you over?" question - all the cars are parked facing the other way and while I've been stopped the only cars that have come through have been going the other way....
I told him i'd just figured it out, he told me to get myself turned round (not easy in a narrow street, lack of experience, nerves and a watching police audience) while went off back to his car with my shiny new license to do his "checks". Checks done, he handed my license, told me to be more careful, standards warnings about inexperience leading to accidents and sent me on my way. Must have worked, never driven the wrong way down a one way street again..
The second time was more of a near miss. In my shiny and new (to me) M3. Joining a motorway at very much over the national speed limit, when i noticed a police car in lane 2, slowed and preyed. He followed me off at the next junction, and after asking me to fess up to my speed (70, of course), told me he knew it was faster but didn't have the proof. A pleasent chat about my new pride and joy, along with stern words of warning about being more careful as losing it, or the rights to drive it would be awful, and he let me on my way.
First time I was pulled over after turning into a one way street through a no entry sign. Proper international villain stuff. I'd had my license a month, and all of a sudden my mirrors were full of flashing blue lights, which I'd been lead to believe was a very bad thing. I pulled over, no idea what i'd done. I twigged while answering his "do you have any idea why I've pulled you over?" question - all the cars are parked facing the other way and while I've been stopped the only cars that have come through have been going the other way....
I told him i'd just figured it out, he told me to get myself turned round (not easy in a narrow street, lack of experience, nerves and a watching police audience) while went off back to his car with my shiny new license to do his "checks". Checks done, he handed my license, told me to be more careful, standards warnings about inexperience leading to accidents and sent me on my way. Must have worked, never driven the wrong way down a one way street again..
The second time was more of a near miss. In my shiny and new (to me) M3. Joining a motorway at very much over the national speed limit, when i noticed a police car in lane 2, slowed and preyed. He followed me off at the next junction, and after asking me to fess up to my speed (70, of course), told me he knew it was faster but didn't have the proof. A pleasent chat about my new pride and joy, along with stern words of warning about being more careful as losing it, or the rights to drive it would be awful, and he let me on my way.
Many moons ago, I was on my way back home with a friend (who had persuaded me to take him to procure some herbal enhancements, not my thing) and as I was haring round the roundabout the lights changed to amber, then red, and a police car slid into view on the opposite side. I came to an abrupt stop and the coppers drove past both staring at me. They were stopped just round the roundabout and pulled me over as i went past down the dual carriageway.
It was so long ago that I forget exactly what they said, but the gist was "you'd have gunned that amber if we hadn't been there" to which they got a sheepish shrug. Had to do a breathaliser (only one ever) and they gave me a producer for my documents, which I did as soon as I got home. They let me go with a warning to slow down, and a comment about "at least you've got good brakes". Little did they know how crap they were at the time - I recall sorting them the next day too!
It was so long ago that I forget exactly what they said, but the gist was "you'd have gunned that amber if we hadn't been there" to which they got a sheepish shrug. Had to do a breathaliser (only one ever) and they gave me a producer for my documents, which I did as soon as I got home. They let me go with a warning to slow down, and a comment about "at least you've got good brakes". Little did they know how crap they were at the time - I recall sorting them the next day too!
mac96 said:
ingenieur said:
Can't say it's ever really happened to me. When I've been stopped for whatever I have normally had to face up to the consequences. Only occasionally due to lack of evidence - i.e. "how fast were you going" - me: "I'm so sorry I'm not sure" - "well be on your way then and keep the speed down"
Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
I was once followed for about 6 miles in rural Wales late at night by what proved to be a fully marked police car (couldn't really tell, in the dark, but did I feel silly when he stopped me!).Probably far less common these days but has anyone been genuinely lucky to have been let off some kind of minor offence when really they should have had a fixed penalty etc.
He said, truthfully: " you we driving at 75mph in a 60mph limit", but it soon became clear that he had no intention of anything beyond a telling off provided I passed the attitude test.
He had mainly stopped me because he guessed I was on my way back from a local pub (it was about 11.15pm) whereas I was actually nearing the end of a 5 hour drive from London and completely sober.
I think I was lucky also because:
(1) I suspect he was end of shift and keen to be home (a mile from police station)
(2) I was driving a by then classic MGB, and he wanted to talk about it! Probably also a case of your car says something about you.
It does happen! I stopped someone recently for dodgy number plates. Let them off. Admittedly they didn’t have a licence so dealt with that instead!
But back to the OP. Been pulled over a few times. All for speeding. 110+ on a duel carriageway. Told if it was traffic I’d be going to court. Told to slow down. Still to this day I have no idea what department it was.
81 in a 50 by traffic. Again told to slow it down.
I was in the job both times but not a PC and didn’t know those who stopped me and they wouldn’t have known me and didn’t mention what I did (I hate those types!). Lucky on both times.
Also been stopped because my car looked like a shed. Which to be fair it did. Not helped that I had just brought it. Previous keeper details, showing as not insured etc. Also not helped that I was in the process of changing my surname so insurance documents were in my new name, driving licence record still in my old name as DVLA hadn’t updated it yet.
This time my car pass was seen as they started searching the car (not really a search just looking through the window and saw it in the centre console). Did actually help as I’m sure it became more believable what I was saying ha.
But back to the OP. Been pulled over a few times. All for speeding. 110+ on a duel carriageway. Told if it was traffic I’d be going to court. Told to slow down. Still to this day I have no idea what department it was.
81 in a 50 by traffic. Again told to slow it down.
I was in the job both times but not a PC and didn’t know those who stopped me and they wouldn’t have known me and didn’t mention what I did (I hate those types!). Lucky on both times.
Also been stopped because my car looked like a shed. Which to be fair it did. Not helped that I had just brought it. Previous keeper details, showing as not insured etc. Also not helped that I was in the process of changing my surname so insurance documents were in my new name, driving licence record still in my old name as DVLA hadn’t updated it yet.
This time my car pass was seen as they started searching the car (not really a search just looking through the window and saw it in the centre console). Did actually help as I’m sure it became more believable what I was saying ha.
Been let off a few times when I was younger.
Last time I was pulled over it was for doing around ~110 on an empty single carriageway by an unmarked car (should've realised, it was a black BMW driving just under the speed limit). Got written up at a lower speed - presumably because I didn't play the "why aren't you out catching rapists???" card and the fact that I pulled over quickly - and ultimately only got 3 points. I count that as being let off.
Last time I was pulled over it was for doing around ~110 on an empty single carriageway by an unmarked car (should've realised, it was a black BMW driving just under the speed limit). Got written up at a lower speed - presumably because I didn't play the "why aren't you out catching rapists???" card and the fact that I pulled over quickly - and ultimately only got 3 points. I count that as being let off.
I've been let off a few times, some vague details
Went past an unmarked white transit custom at ban speeds. Early hours and was traffic cops behind the wheel, they just picked it up for covid transfers I believe.
Had an unmarked traffic car follow me for 3-4 mins of making progress, could have probably been seen as dangerous driving let alone the speed. Lights on and stopped straight away. First thing he said was "well done, bye bye licence." Just before starting a new job I was bricking it. I passed the attitude test and was let off with a section 59. That was a big wake up call and I genuinely think it had a positive impact on my driving. If I ever see him again I want to say thanks, not been pulled since.
All I can stress is just pass the attitude test.
Went past an unmarked white transit custom at ban speeds. Early hours and was traffic cops behind the wheel, they just picked it up for covid transfers I believe.
Had an unmarked traffic car follow me for 3-4 mins of making progress, could have probably been seen as dangerous driving let alone the speed. Lights on and stopped straight away. First thing he said was "well done, bye bye licence." Just before starting a new job I was bricking it. I passed the attitude test and was let off with a section 59. That was a big wake up call and I genuinely think it had a positive impact on my driving. If I ever see him again I want to say thanks, not been pulled since.
All I can stress is just pass the attitude test.
ingenieur said:
Can't say it's ever really happened to me. When I've been stopped for whatever I have normally had to face up to the consequences. Only occasionally due to lack of evidence - i.e. "how fast were you going" - me: "I'm so sorry I'm not sure" - "well be on your way then and keep the speed down"
Similar story to above, I clocked him coming down the slip way, and hoofing up to me. (I was doing I suspect 65 on a 50 dual carriageway). I used gears and handbrake to shed speed versus the brake lights.He nigh on rammed me off the road to get behind me.
Clearly didn't have a logged speed on me and was seething. And so started being a dick.
He asked me to apologies for speeding (that he couldn't prove and I didnt admit)
not cool.
Plenty of times. The last time was three years ago last summer. Wheelspinned out of a junction, driving down the road, notice police car three cars behind me after a couple of miles, the cars between us have turned off, he flashes his headlights and motions for me to pull over.He asked if I knew why he'd stopped me and I mumbled something about overtaking a (parked) bus. He told me it was for wheelspin and said it was not maintaing proper control. He asked who I was showing off in front of, I said no-one, there was nobody about. He looked at my license (clean), did a background check (clean) told me to take it easy in future, and went.
As a cop myself I can tell you that the attitude test is very much a thing. If you don’t fill me with a pack of lies and I genuinely feel some suitable words of advice will change your behaviour then that’s the best outcome for everyone involved.
It depends on the offence and the circumstances but we have a lot of scope for discretion.
We don’t really want to be giving Mrs Miggins 3 points and a £100 fine for having a brake light out when we know she will get it sorted after being stopped by us however if you’re
A) a well recorded criminal
Or
B) say “have you not got anything better to do”
Then the ticket book is coming out
It depends on the offence and the circumstances but we have a lot of scope for discretion.
We don’t really want to be giving Mrs Miggins 3 points and a £100 fine for having a brake light out when we know she will get it sorted after being stopped by us however if you’re
A) a well recorded criminal
Or
B) say “have you not got anything better to do”
Then the ticket book is coming out
I've been pulled over three times and let off on all three occasions.
I suspect that being polite, respectful and apologetic on every occasion has something to do with it, although I was very surprised to be let off on the last occasion as, when he checked my details, I'm pretty sure he could see that I'd been on a speed awareness course barely three weeks earlier!
I suspect that being polite, respectful and apologetic on every occasion has something to do with it, although I was very surprised to be let off on the last occasion as, when he checked my details, I'm pretty sure he could see that I'd been on a speed awareness course barely three weeks earlier!
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