Sensible plod

[BliarOut]

Just to try and keep a balanced perspective...

I was out on the bike yesterday and I thought I would pop along to the conker championships at Ashton. Tootled up quite steadily and whoops, there's a :cop: on point duty.

I'm thinking 'irridium visor', 'non-BSI' teensy indicators, 'non-BSI' teensy rear lights and taking pride of place, my credit card sized number plate.... Well, it doesn't take pride of place actually, it's positioned so it disappears if you're more than five metres away, but you know what I mean ;)

'Merde' thinks I. Plod smiles and waves me by after a short while. Phew, he didn't notice I think. Coming back the same way (I like to live dangerously) he stops me again. I lift my irridium visor as I'm waiting and he smiles and nods.

I know it's illegal, he probably knows it's illegal, but the sun was low and my eyes need protection.

:thumbup: Discretion, it's all about good PR :D

[Flat in Fifth]

BliarOut said:

Just to try and keep a balanced perspective... I was out on the bike yesterday and I thought I would pop along to the conker championships at Ashton. Tootled up quite steadily and whoops, there's a on point duty. I'm thinking 'irridium visor', 'non-BSI' teensy indicators, 'non-BSI' teensy rear lights and taking pride of place, my credit card sized number plate.... Well, it doesn't take pride of place actually, it's positioned so it disappears if you're more than five metres away, but you know what I mean 'Merde' thinks I. Plod smiles and waves me by after a short while. Phew, he didn't notice I think. Coming back the same way (I like to live dangerously) he stops me again. I lift my irridium visor as I'm waiting and he smiles and nods. I know it's illegal, he probably knows it's illegal, but the sun was low and my eyes need protection. Discretion, it's all about good PR

Bliarout, have I read something like this before? or am having deja vu? or just a senior moment?

Now what did I turn this computer on for?

Nurse! Nurse!

[BliarOut]

You might well have done.... My memory is not all it should be. Seems to be a regular thing me breathing a sigh of relief when I don't get nicked....

And yes, I know I could change them for legal items, but where would the fun be in that

[bluejj]

MMMMM, I wonder how this post would be titled if the cop stopped you and gave you a ticket. I do not look for an argument or a flaming but it seems that if you get a warning the cops are cool, but get a ticket or even spoken to then the same police are something that crawled from under your shoe.

Anyone else.

[BliarOut]

Precisely why I posted in the first place, to keep a sense of balance for the that take the time and trouble to post here. In my opinion they are a real asset to PH and it would be a shame to alienate them.

The post FiF was on about earlier in the thread was when a similar thing happened with a traf a while back. He followed me into a petrol station and just passed me by. I posted about that too.

Sure, at some point I will probably be ranting if I get pinged by a scamera, but it must be disheartening to post here if you're a and all you hear are the rants.

That is if the scamera boys can actually read my plate, which I seriously doubt they can

[WildCat]

BliarOut said:

Precisely why I posted in the first place, to keep a sense of balance for the that take the time and trouble to post here. In my opinion they are a real asset to PH and it would be a shame to alienate them. The post FiF was on about earlier in the thread was when a similar thing happened with a traf a while back. He followed me into a petrol station and just passed me by. I posted about that too. Sure, at some point I will probably be ranting if I get pinged by a scamera, but it must be disheartening to post here if you're a and all you hear are the rants. That is if the scamera boys can actually read my plate, which I seriously doubt they can

I remember you had a really good rant
when you thought a talivan had zapped you on A14 a bit back ... but 14 day you shaved right amount off in time But then they may have not been able to read your plate

But then - we hate the ones who hide in bushes und applaud the ones who at least use their brains - nicht? Most on here do - apart from? But he did leave to join the Darkest Side in a huffy! I suspect he lurk though Und if he ist lurking I hope all ist well with him all same.

>> Edited by WildCat on Monday 10th October 14:24

[T5-R]

BliarOut said:

I'm thinking 'irridium visor', 'non-BSI' teensy indicators, 'non-BSI' teensy rear lights and taking pride of place, my credit card sized number plate.... Well, it doesn't take pride of place actually, it's positioned so it disappears if you're more than five metres away, but you know what I mean 'Merde' thinks I. Plod smiles and waves me by after a short while. Phew, he didn't notice I think. Coming back the same way (I like to live dangerously) he stops me again. I lift my irridium visor as I'm waiting and he smiles and nods. I know it's illegal, he probably knows it's illegal, but the sun was low and my eyes need protection. Discretion, it's all about good PR

I usually find plod turn a relative blind eye to these sorts of things (dark visors, non standard plates, etc...) as long as they see you riding sensibly and not excessively speeding.

If they catch you riding like a complete ck on the other hand, they'll probably do you for every one of those things, in addition to why they pulled you over in the first instance.

[IaHa]

We still have to guard against what I see as 'reverse legislative creep', where toleration and discretion is exercised to such a degree that people start to take the p*ss, with con and use. Over time, something which was seen as a bit naughty becomes the normal, accepted by Bib, so a few take the next step and get the next sexy add-on, which is a little more illegal, in the hope they get away with it.

They then get a huge pet lip when they are ticketed for it, because "another copper let them off", or "any number of my friends have got these and they haven't been touched." For these offences there have to be lines over which discretion is not shown, or else some national cautioning policy for those who would benefit from that.

I'm afraid a 'credit card' size or ridiculously italic number plate would always earn a £30 ticket from me, based on the fact that I want to be able to read it from a safe distance. I always like to know the reg before I pull a vehicle. I'd like to think that if a MoP wanted to take a note of your number as you drove past, for whatever reason, he could. I think these reg plates also encourage a feeling of impunity in some (not all), which is not a good characteristic for road safety.

Sorry, Bliarout, I'm sure you'll probably feel differently, and I don't want to spoil a Bib praising thread, but that's my pitch on these issues.

[BliarOut]

You raise a very interesting point there, re: the £30 fine. I am well aware that at some point I'll possibly get an FPN and a rectification notice, however this is still preferrable to a £60 fine and 3 points for speeding. To me it's a considered decision to run a plate that doesn't comply with the law.

My plate is carefully designed to be illegible from the side and at any distance. Due to the angle, it can't be photographically enhanced, but when you stand near it, that's not apparent.

What it does is allow me to ride my bike correctly, without worrying about scammers. I'm still vigilant for battenbergs, but it means my eyes are where they should be, ie. concentrating on the traffic.

Traffpol still seem to sit in similar locations to days of old and don't hide in quite the same way as the scammers. To spot them, you need to concentrate on the road, not bridges and laybys.

If I haven't seen a brightly marked up traffic car, then please feel free to pull me over. The fact that I'm not able to spot a target like that would probably be enough to convince me to sell my bike, as my observation wouldn't be up to the standard I think it should be on a bike.

[Flat in Fifth]

WildCat said:

I remember you had a really good rant

Oh yes I remember THAT rant, seem to recall we set up a virtual swear box...

[up-the-dubs]

I had a run in with a about a month and a half after getting the new Golf. Coming accross the checkpoint I was cursing the fact that my office still hadn't organised the tax disc for the car. Got up to Mr.Plod and he came straight to me...
"It's brand new officer, I'm just waiting on the disc in the post. Company car, it's been paid."
"How many kms on the odo sir?",
"ummmmm 6 and a half thousand "
He roared laughing, we had a mess arguement/joke and he let me go! Top Bloke.

[BliarOut]

Flat in Fifth said:

WildCat said: I remember you had a really good rant Oh yes I remember THAT rant, seem to recall we set up a virtual swear box...

Ah, that rant.. Yes, I was somewhat miffed