Traffic census

[highwayman]

Greetings - first post on this forum although I've been a reader for a while......

Are you obliged to answer questions "where are you going? Where have you been? Why?" etc. when stopped at a traffic census or can you say "So you're the reason that I've been queueing for an hour - stick your cencus up your arse?

[deltaf]

Dunno, but i would say just that. Cheeky buggers.

Just tell em youre off down to his house to bang his sister one...thatll shut em up.

[gh0st]

Interesting question.

Further to that, I go from one MoD site to another. Do I declare that? AFAIK police only have civilian clearance so I cannot disclose any information to them.

[rospa]

AIUI these need a police officer in attendance in order to actually stop the vehicles.

After that, I think it is then over to the numptie. I don't think it is an offence to refuse to answer questions - We don't live in a police state. Yet.

[outlaw]

no its not they need a plod to pull you
you have to stop if the plods in uniform

but you are well within youyr rigths to refuse too take part in census.

last time the plod that stoped me was well amused.
and said I was the first one that day that knew and admited he would have done the same his self.



>> Edited by outlaw on Wednesday 24th September 21:12

[streaky]

Originally posted in another thread:

I had a wonderful experience many years ago whilst engaged in some work for one of HM's departments that enabled me to carry an identity card that clearly stated I was permitted to enter premises construed as "Restricted Premises under the Official Secrets Act".

Whilst travelling between two such premises I was stopped (with others) in a traffic census. I refused to answer the questions asked of me (as I understood to be my right anyway) and the census taker called on duty policeman over as he was concerned at my refusal.

The policeman adopted a, "'ello, 'ello, what's going on 'ere then?" attitude and I told him I refused to answer the census taker's questions. The constable then began to get rather obnoxious and ordered me out of the car. I got out and asked him to step to the rear of the car. Looking rather surprised, he did. I then showed him my identity card and explained that Her Majesty might not approve of me answering the census taker's questions honestly and that lying would distort the census.

The constable held my car door open for me, gave me a half-hearted salute and stopped the traffic so I could pull out and away.

Streaky

[eliminator]

(a) You are obliged to stop - BiB has signalled you to do so
(b) You are not obliged to answer any questions
(c) You are not obliged to tell the truth if you do answer

I go for option (c) myself. Seems churlish not to answer the nice lady / gentleman. And it might make his / her day more interesting. And it might make their report more interesting

[dontlift]

streaky said:

Originally posted in another thread: I had a wonderful experience many years ago whilst engaged in some work for one of HM's departments that enabled me to carry an identity card that clearly stated I was permitted to enter premises construed as "Restricted Premises under the Official Secrets Act". Whilst travelling between two such premises I was stopped (with others) in a traffic census. I refused to answer the questions asked of me (as I understood to be my right anyway) and the census taker called on duty policeman over as he was concerned at my refusal. The policeman adopted a, "'ello, 'ello, what's going on 'ere then?" attitude and I told him I refused to answer the census taker's questions. The constable then began to get rather obnoxious and ordered me out of the car. I got out and asked him to step to the rear of the car. Looking rather surprised, he did. I then showed him my identity card and explained that Her Majesty might not approve of me answering the census taker's questions honestly and that lying would distort the census. The constable held my car door open for me, gave me a half-hearted salute and stopped the traffic so I could pull out and away. Streaky

[Mr E]

eliminator said:

I go for option (c) myself. Seems churlish not to answer the nice lady / gentleman. And it might make his / her day more interesting. And it might make their report more interesting

Excellent.......

That could get rather amusing.

"Must rush, off to take the Queen out to dinner"

[craigw]

Highwayman, have you noticed them everywhere in London over last few days too then?

[highwayman]

craigw said:

Highwayman, have you noticed them everywhere in London over last few days too then?

No, this was on A50 between M1 & Leicester. Rather than using a lay-by to pull the odd motorist from the carriageway they were stopping vehicles in both lanes causing massive queues.

[dontlift]

highwayman said:

craigw said: Highwayman, have you noticed them everywhere in London over last few days too then? No, this was on A50 between M1 & Leicester. Rather than using a lay-by to pull the odd motorist from the carriageway they were stopping vehicles in both lanes causing massive queues.

Must be a leicester thing at the minute they caused a massive queue into our village the other day with one, I very very nearly went piling into the back of the queue which had reach round to the high hedged blind bend in the NSL approching the village luckily i am used to problems on this corner and was only doing about 35 - as were the people beind me. - Didnt get stopped myself but got out and gave plod some grief anyway for causing a very dangerous situation on a narrow country road

[hornet]

Something going on in Watford today - unmarked yellow van with a 40ft telescopic camera sticking out of the top, coupled with a veritable army of people in flourescent jackets with "survey staff" on the back armed with clipboards. They weren't stopping anyone, but looked to be counting occupants or something like that.