Pulled over for the sake of it?

[stuartbuckell]

Am I right in assuming the police have to have a reason to pull you over?

Driving at around 10.30pm, coming back from a friends place - we were followed by a Merc Estate police car. I saw him behind me - so kept to the 30 mph speed limit. He followed for a good mile or so.

I always make sure I miss the big drains/bumps/holes in the road - the suspension is a little hard, my car tends to tramline down holes and veer me off into either the curb, or the other side of the road. I wasn't swerving to miss them, simply positioning myself properly to avoid them.

Get pulled over.

Me - "is there a problem?"
Police officer - "You appeared to be driving erratically back there, have you had anything to drink?"

What's he playing at? Bored?

Haven't they got anything better to do? Like break up the big groups of youths who he was passing while following me?

These days, the Police make you feel like a bloody criminal - but they do bugger all to stop the street trash. (Don't even get me started, when I saw two kids run over one of my neighbours cars - I confronted them, called the Police. Note: A Police station is just round the corner, but some "community support officers" came from the town centre, a good 10minute drive away - and low and behold, they ran off after 5 minutes of me watching them.)

I know I'm generalising here - but I feel like some police officers attitudes are getting worse - is it frustration that their powers are being quashed by our s*it government?

Edited by stuartbuckell on Saturday 23 February 12:06

[jaik]

You said yourself you were positioning yourself to avoid the grids etc. If the officer was a little dim or hadn't had his Weetabix and didn't realise, it would probably look like you were drifting around in your lane?

Did you explain that you were avoiding the grids? What was his response?

Unless he was an arse about it I don't see that he did anything wrong; he's only trying to do his job.

[Fort Jefferson]

I don't know what car you were driving, but it might be that. Some cars do attract more attention than others.

[dxb335d]

Did they breathalise you? if they didnt then they are time wasting really.

Car does make an impact. I was always getting pulled over when i was 18 in my xr2i (modified). Now my friends ask me if i get pulled over alot in my E92 (Im a young lookin and in my low twenties) because i look young and in a new bmw, Ive not been pulled over once in it (touchwood).

Carlos

[Macman]

Police have the power to stop any vehicle being driven on a road. They can require the driver to state his name and date of birth, and to produce his (her) drivers license. Evidence of any offence which comes to light as a result of the stop can then be used as admissible evidence in a prosecution.

So the short answer is no, they don't have to have a 'reason' to stop a vehicle.

[dxb335d]

Macman said:

Police have the power to stop any vehicle being driven on a road. They can require the driver to state his name and date of birth, and to produce his (her) drivers license. Evidence of any offence which comes to light as a result of the stop can then be used as admissible evidence in a prosecution.

So the short answer is no, they don't have to have a 'reason' to stop a vehicle.

So what happens when a police force decide to pull over one person every other week. Thats victimisation of the individual. Thus Im very sure now the police need a valid reason to pull you over, e.g suspected drink driving/speeding etc.

[stuartbuckell]

My girlfriends a lawyer - who seems to think you do need a valid reason!

[jaik]

Surely what he thought was "erratic" driving is a valid reason?

[Munter]

dxb335d said:

Macman said:

Police have the power to stop any vehicle being driven on a road. They can require the driver to state his name and date of birth, and to produce his (her) drivers license. Evidence of any offence which comes to light as a result of the stop can then be used as admissible evidence in a prosecution.

So the short answer is no, they don't have to have a 'reason' to stop a vehicle.

So what happens when a police force decide to pull over one person every other week. Thats victimisation of the individual. Thus Im very sure now the police need a valid reason to pull you over, e.g suspected drink driving/speeding etc.

Nope. In a single instance they need no reason for pulling you over. If they are repeatedly pulling you over they are going to have to explain why if you complain.

The simple answer is still that nobody (even the police), does anyrhing without a reason. So if you were constantly being pulled over your doing something to attract their attention.

[richyb]

They can stop you if they are suspicious, they don't need a specific reason. They can just say as you were told 'you were drive erratically back there' and they are covered. Can't win that one.

[stuartbuckell]

richyb said:

They can stop you if they are suspicious, they don't need a specific reason. They can just say as you were told 'you were drive erratically back there' and they are covered. Can't win that one.

Yep - I gathered that.

To be honest I don't have a problem with it - I didn't get in an arse mood, just complied.

What did annoy me was the stern faced bh that was with him, giving me evils.

I was told that once upon a time Police used to have relationships with locals, actively talk to people - work out what's going on and go and talk to the "trouble makers", rather than "get down on the floor before I cave your face in while my mate controlling the CCTV moves it the other way".

Was in a local pub up in Petersfield a while ago - Police came in wearing all the riot gear, kept their hats on, looking very aggressive. We all thought it was a drugs raid or something. Turns out it was to check to see if anyone was smoking.

Laugh out loud.

[richyb]

I think this is the grounds for all those race discrimination cases that the police are involved with come from. Black and asian males are 10X times more likely to be routine stopped according to the media (not sure how true it is myself).

[splitter / judas]

S 163 of the RTA says a car can be stopped to check the drivers documents. No other reason is needed.

If your driving could be described as erratic then that alone is reason to stop you and have a chat.

I guessing you just got stopped and spoken to? If so, what is the problem?

[Yung Man]

Macman said:

Evidence of any offence which comes to light as a result of the stop can then be used as admissible evidence in a prosecution.

If they stop you and the search is illegal then the arrest becomes illegal, they have to have "reasonable grounds" to search you for, ie drugs, weapons or going equiped for various crimes.
They cannot search you without your permission for no reason ( if they ask you if you mind being searched, which they will,and you agree then they find something you are nicked), they don't want you to know that as it makes their job harder.

[FishFace]

stuartbuckell said:

My girlfriends a lawyer - who seems to think you do need a valid reason!

You are driving on a road. That's enough.

You were probably pulled and spoken to briefly so the officer could see if he could smell alcohol.

Sounds like proper Policing to me.

[stuartbuckell]

FishFace said:

stuartbuckell said:

My girlfriends a lawyer - who seems to think you do need a valid reason!

You are driving on a road. That's enough.

You were probably pulled and spoken to briefly so the officer could see if he could smell alcohol.

Sounds like proper Policing to me.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a rant about being pulled over and the Police trying to do their jobs. I know the dangers of drink driving/etc/etc/etc. What I don't like is the attitude of the Police. The woman was about as friendly as death.

The guy was cocky, arrogant and to be honest, needed a slap.

[FishFace]

In that case I agree. Decent people should be spoken to as such. I imagine they get used to speaking to 99% of the awful people and forget to change.

[splitter / judas]

You get good and bad BiB and they do have off days just like the rest of us. If all you had a a talking to without a ticket/being reported for anything then consider it a minor irritance and think no more of it.

[fluffnik]

The sooner the police are handed over to the control of Ratepayers Watch Committees the better.

[richyb]

splitter / judas said:

You get good and bad BiB and they do have off days just like the rest of us. If all you had a a talking to without a ticket/being reported for anything then consider it a minor irritance and think no more of it.

Definately the case. I was stopped once for speeding (50 in a 40) and got pulled, the copper was totally cool about it. Just said slow down and sent me on my way. Not patronising at all. Got pulled a second time (34 in a 30!!!) and the guy was a total prick. Spent 20 mins making out I was Kents' version of Tony Soprano and my 'extreme' speed was killing bunnies and fairies all round the world.