Advised to drive dangerously (in writing) by the Police.
Discussion
As the title.
Has anyone else ever had a letter from the Police advising them to ignore the highway code and drive dangerously?
and, if so,
has anyone ever got a response from the powers that be as to why they have been advised to ignore the highway code?
If so who did you email/ask?
Has anyone else ever had a letter from the Police advising them to ignore the highway code and drive dangerously?
and, if so,
has anyone ever got a response from the powers that be as to why they have been advised to ignore the highway code?
If so who did you email/ask?
Haltamer said:
You what?
A bit of context? I don't imagine the police have contacted you out of the blue regarding behaviour at this specific junction / roundabout - I presume this is in relation to a PCN or similar?
Depending on the layout of the roundabout, I'd say it is probably acceptable to use the left lane to cross the roundabout, however, that is in contravention of the markings, so depending on how familiar I was with the road and the normal behaviour of others using the roundabout in question, I'd probably take lane 2 and follow the marked route.
Not out the blue, in response to me be followed down a dead end of the roundabout and thinking I was about to be on the end of a road rage event which upon stoppping and hearing someone yelling out the window "next time you cut someone up I want to make sure it's not a police officer" was not too far off the truth. I was then asked "what I would do if I'd caused an accident to which I'd pointed out they were in the wrong lane (they told me they could do that) and I was lucky to get away with it as they were on their way to training (politeness training I hope).A bit of context? I don't imagine the police have contacted you out of the blue regarding behaviour at this specific junction / roundabout - I presume this is in relation to a PCN or similar?
Depending on the layout of the roundabout, I'd say it is probably acceptable to use the left lane to cross the roundabout, however, that is in contravention of the markings, so depending on how familiar I was with the road and the normal behaviour of others using the roundabout in question, I'd probably take lane 2 and follow the marked route.
I should point out that to go straight ahead from the left turning lane would require moving over chevrons.
Regardless of the above I still have a letter advising me to ignore the highway code and drive dangerously.
Shuvi McTupya said:
Ah, so the cop took the left hand lane and then tried to go straight and accused you of cutting him up. And then you got a letter from the police as well?
That all sounds very strange, can you post a picture of this letter, with any personal info masked?
Yes, I got the letter for reporting the incident as I couldn't quite believe the attitude/threats of the officers that followed me down a dead end but decided, upon my questioning as to why they had ignored the highway code, to 'let me off' as they were on there way to training. That all sounds very strange, can you post a picture of this letter, with any personal info masked?
I have a letter that advises me (from a serving officer that in their own words finds the markings confusing) to ignore the highway code and drive dangerously. Strange but true.
Ninja59 said:
Technically they are guidance only (even with or without the road markings) unless there is a sign backing it up as well or it has mandatory markings like turn left only or ahead only etc.
I would say it would be worth checking the left hand mirror in case someone had decided to ignore or did not know as in most scenarios the L1 should be used to go straight ahead and this appears unusual.
Flipside it could be construed that yes it could be careless (I would not say "dangerous" driving) to be regularly using the left hand lane to go straight ahead.
But IMO it would be worth checking that mirror just in case in future.
There is a rather a large sign just before where the picture posted was taken. I will post a picture from above when I get home from work. As to checking my mirror I have to say I find that a bit difficult when, at busy times, traffic is quite heavy and approaching at about 40mph from the right across three lanes. The reason I suggest it is dangerous driving is due to the officers comments that they nearly had an accident due to ignoring the markings. I have since been informed by a friendly traffic officer that the right hand lane is the correct one to use and to ignore the letter advising me to turn right from the left lane. I would say it would be worth checking the left hand mirror in case someone had decided to ignore or did not know as in most scenarios the L1 should be used to go straight ahead and this appears unusual.
Flipside it could be construed that yes it could be careless (I would not say "dangerous" driving) to be regularly using the left hand lane to go straight ahead.
But IMO it would be worth checking that mirror just in case in future.
What a lot of questions!
I'll do my best...
Paintman - custard test request. I'm aware of this as have been asked over 10yrs back to prove my car on another site. I didn't then and feel no need now to prove I'm not a liar, sorry.
Johnny the boy- what does the number of exits have to do with the huge left arrow in the lane?
Davek - I was followed to a cafe down a dead end before i was yelled at out tthe window.
JNW1- surely advising me to ignore the markings and drive in the same manner of the officer that, according to them nearly caused an accident due to me following the arrows, equates to suggesting I ignore the highway code and drive dangerously?
48K - You keep your money
Funky squirrel- there is an exit to the left - the arrow points to it.
Others.. Biased view...angry.. other reasons for being pulled over... keeping quiet due to being embarrased that you're not all outraged etc .. some are quite frankly bizarre!
The long and short of it is I would like toknow why have i been advised to deliberately ignore the huge markings on the road and drive in a manner that is likely to cause an accident?
Also, the posters that suggest the lane is for anything other than left turns could you please offer me some guidance as to when it is acceptable to ignore highway markings and wing it? What other parts of the highway code can be ignored?
I'll do my best...
Paintman - custard test request. I'm aware of this as have been asked over 10yrs back to prove my car on another site. I didn't then and feel no need now to prove I'm not a liar, sorry.
Johnny the boy- what does the number of exits have to do with the huge left arrow in the lane?
Davek - I was followed to a cafe down a dead end before i was yelled at out tthe window.
JNW1- surely advising me to ignore the markings and drive in the same manner of the officer that, according to them nearly caused an accident due to me following the arrows, equates to suggesting I ignore the highway code and drive dangerously?
48K - You keep your money
Funky squirrel- there is an exit to the left - the arrow points to it.
Others.. Biased view...angry.. other reasons for being pulled over... keeping quiet due to being embarrased that you're not all outraged etc .. some are quite frankly bizarre!
The long and short of it is I would like toknow why have i been advised to deliberately ignore the huge markings on the road and drive in a manner that is likely to cause an accident?
Also, the posters that suggest the lane is for anything other than left turns could you please offer me some guidance as to when it is acceptable to ignore highway markings and wing it? What other parts of the highway code can be ignored?
davek_964 said:
Yes, but that doesn't really answer the question does it? Apparently, you were innocently driving in the correct lane around a roundabout when another car "dangerously" crossed chevrons because they were in the wrong lane for the exit they needed.
And yet - despite the fault apparently being with the other car - the occupiers felt the need to follow you and have a go at you for "cutting them up". I think it's rather likely you've left a few details out of why they felt the need to do that.
Hi davek, I was pulling onto a roundabout from a lane with a pretty big arrow pointing me onto it and apparently I cut up couple of police officers (causing them to nearly have an accident - their own words) attempting to turn right from the lane with the 10ft left arrow in it. I was the then followed down the dead end to the cafe to be accused of cutting them up, asked what I would do had I caused an accident (to which i responded I would fill in the accident form showing them in the wrong lane) and then been told I was lucky they would let me off as they were late to training.And yet - despite the fault apparently being with the other car - the occupiers felt the need to follow you and have a go at you for "cutting them up". I think it's rather likely you've left a few details out of why they felt the need to do that.
I have a letter advising me that the lane with the left arrow is for turning left, going straightish and entering the road to the cafe down a dead end or (the route the officers were taking) the third exit off the roundabout.
What details do you fee lI've left out?
JNW1 said:
I think part of the problem here is it's not entirely clear what's passed between you and the police. However, from your comment above one thing that is pretty clear is they haven't advised you to drive dangerously in writing, that's just an interpretation you've placed on whatever they said. Now I daresay in your mind that interpretation is entirely justified but in my book it's not the same thing as actually being advised to drive dangerously; the police would just never do that!
Is advising me to ignore road markings and drive in a manner that has no consideration to other road users and is likely to cause an accident not suggesting I should drive dangerously?
(sorry if I appear dim,until last night i thought the highway code was a law that should be followed, I thought following arrows was mandatory and enhanced the chance of completing a journey intact).
Seriously though, why would you deliberately ignore road markings? I would never have thought about turning right from a lane with a left arrow until some on here suggest it's ok!
ks.Google [bot] said:
A disguised picture of the letter would help but I sort of understand the reluctance to post that. I don’t understand the reluctance to post a streetview/map. The only reason for that is wanting to hear the response he’s looking for based on insufficient info.
OP you must have seen enough threads to know that feeding drips of information is not going to get you good responses? It makes folk think you’re hiding something, which you are.
Oooh, what am I hiding? OP you must have seen enough threads to know that feeding drips of information is not going to get you good responses? It makes folk think you’re hiding something, which you are.
Marcellus said:
Do we actually know where this incident is alleged to have taken place yet?
OP post up a google link to the junction and your version of what happened!
My guess from what you've cryptically said is;
- you were in right hand lane on approach and went straight ahead.
- another car was in the left hand lane and also went straight ahead.
- 2 into 1 doesn't go
- other car was possibly policeman.
- words were exchanged.
- other driver said that from left hand lane they could turn left, go straight ahead or turn right.
- you're say you have this in writing
- you said there's a left turn painted on road so no you can't and if you did it's dangerous driving.
If the above is a correct guess then I suspect the correct answer is that technically/legally from the left hand land of a roundabout you can use any exit, however in practice drivers use left lane for any exit before/including straight over, the right hand lane for those from straight over to back on yourself and that the left arrow does not mean "you can only take 1st exit".
So the left lane with the big left arrow doesn't mean turn left? I'm pleased I posted this thread as it's a learning curve. I used to think the highway code was pretty much the rules for the road.OP post up a google link to the junction and your version of what happened!
My guess from what you've cryptically said is;
- you were in right hand lane on approach and went straight ahead.
- another car was in the left hand lane and also went straight ahead.
- 2 into 1 doesn't go
- other car was possibly policeman.
- words were exchanged.
- other driver said that from left hand lane they could turn left, go straight ahead or turn right.
- you're say you have this in writing
- you said there's a left turn painted on road so no you can't and if you did it's dangerous driving.
If the above is a correct guess then I suspect the correct answer is that technically/legally from the left hand land of a roundabout you can use any exit, however in practice drivers use left lane for any exit before/including straight over, the right hand lane for those from straight over to back on yourself and that the left arrow does not mean "you can only take 1st exit".
LivingTheDream said:
Well put - my reading of it adds another element which may be relevant.
OP says he went straight on down a dead end to a cafe
So I think he was in right hand lane in order to go straight on. The other 2 exits (left and right) go on to normal roads (not dead end).
I suspect that people who use the junction frequently will use both left and right hand lanes to go right (especially if the right hand turn goes into a road with 2 lanes or filter lane) as its not common for people to go straight on unless they are going to the cafe.
Those that go to the cafe frequently would use the left hand lane to go straight on.
Make sense?
The people that use the junction frequently (including the local traffic cops) use the right hand lane to enter the roundabout, the left hand lane is used by peeps for generally turning...left!OP says he went straight on down a dead end to a cafe
So I think he was in right hand lane in order to go straight on. The other 2 exits (left and right) go on to normal roads (not dead end).
I suspect that people who use the junction frequently will use both left and right hand lanes to go right (especially if the right hand turn goes into a road with 2 lanes or filter lane) as its not common for people to go straight on unless they are going to the cafe.
Those that go to the cafe frequently would use the left hand lane to go straight on.
Make sense?
culpz said:
OP, regardless of what happened here, which is about as clear as mud (or at least explained as such), the Police can and will advise you something potentially unorthodox for certain scenarios. I'm not 100% clued up on the Law but i'm pretty sure that's the case. Either way, i'm not really sure what you're after doing with this information or where you're looking to take this next.
Ideally I would like to know why I have been advised to drive in a manner that is likely to cause an accident. (I took out the dangerous driving bit there as it appears i used the wrong terminology - should I use driving with scant reagard for road markings and other drivers?) Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff