Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Just for a change...

Rode my bike into Soho, London the other day to see a client. Westminster Council has recently changed all the one way system there & its a nightmare. Anyway, I came off Shaftesbury Av at the normal place & turned left into Old Compton St as normal, ready to turn right up (recently changed) Dean St. I saw an on-coming Police van and as I got nearer, the driver stuck his arm out the window to stop me. I stopped (fearfully as I suddenly realised what I had done) and he kindly pointed out it was a one way street & I should turn round. I thanked him & he just drove on

Amazed! Not in 15 years of being a courier had something like that ever happened to me! Added to which I had a dark (very dark) visor & a loud race exhaust. Normally together with wrong way in one-way street means severe nicking.

Let me say that I am extremely grateful & appreciate a sensible approach to a minor offence and it made me feel a slight glow and friendship towards the police in general for that.

Happy Citizen

Blow Dog

PTMW,

Yeah...I have to say that Met police are usually cool guys, you will find that they have far more serious things to be getting on with in the West End.

Hoorah for the met!

Cem

Stuart H

See, we're not <I>all</I> complete bas*ards!!

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 01 October 2000).]

AWD

It's nice to see postings of 'good meetings' with the boys in blue, as opposed to the more frequent "they were out to get me although I was being totally reasonable and safe" type posts....

Maxwell Straker

Puff, as we can't have a go at the coppers for this one, I would like to know more about your 'client' meeting in Soho.

AWD

Soho...

Clients...

Police (or was that the 'vice')....

Diablo

Had some "interesting" encounters, as I've posted before (something to do with appearance at the time perhaps )

But, have to say I had a really nice chat with a traffic cop at a travel lodge at services nr Oxford a few weeks back having parked up. Had a chat about the car and he said he was patrolling the area that night and would drive past a few times to keep an eye on things!

Top bloke!

D

AWD

Diablo

So I take it that you returned that night to do some donuts?

Fosters

I've been stopped for a brake light and after the usual questions, "is this your car", "oh, who is the owner then?"...

Anyway, I was driving home drunk friends and I wasn't insured to drive his car - which I freely admitted. The policemen were very understanding and I was allowed to carry on and ferry all occupants home. I guess they'd rather I got everyone home rather than have a DD to deal with.

AWD

Fosters

I think that you were pretty lucky that they allowed you to proceed if you weren't insured on the car.

boomer

Happened to me n'all. Six blokes in a car (two in the front, four in the back, five somewhat merry) which "took a turn somewhat swiftly" and thus attracted their attention. Driver was SAAJ (i was a passenger), so they let us go, despite in their own words the car was overloaded and thus probably not insured, and there was no way that the back-seat passengers could have all been wearing a seatbelt.

It seemed as if they were only interested in getting a "drunk in charge" (do they get bonuses for this?), rather that actually enforcing the law.

S'posd it was nice of them not to force some of us to walk home (20 miles); but you wonder what other "offences" are being ignored.

mb

Sith

Puff,

Glad you had a pleasant encounter.

Stuart H,

Are you Traffic division or a Storm Trooper ? I have noticed a severe lack of BIB (Boys in Blue) at Liverpool Street when the skys are grey. During the summer I couldn't move for police everywhere. Where do you all go. Do you have Play Stations back at base.

Not intened as dig more an idle question.

Haven't got the guts to go up and ask an Officer of the Law.

If anyone from this board drives around this area during the day and some tall fat, blonde bloke waves at you - thats me!

P.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

On the subject of DDs...

When I was a young lad (15+ years ago), I went clubbing in London. I got faced & drove home (somehow). I stopped at a 7/11 round the corner from my flat to buy a pork pie (as you do). Whilst I was in the shop, a copper came in & asked me if that was my car outside (he had seen me park & I had seen him seeing me etc) so I said yes. He asked me to move it so another person could get out of the parking spot in front, so I did (what would you have done!). He then told me that I was pi$$ed, bollocked me & told me to leave the car & walk home. I did! His reasoning was that he was "out of area" (skiving?) & it would be too much paperwork to nick me.

Lesson learnt...

barge

DONT DRINK AND DRIVE.

No excuses.

13 years ago a drunk driver killed 2 of my mates and nearly managed to do it to me as well, only saving grace was he died in a lot pain at the sceen.

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Barge

Agreed. Story was for the purpose of the thread. Not proud of it. Lot older & wiser now.

BrewandBake

I had an encounter with a traffic cop about a year ago.
I was having a "spirited" drive down an empty A road & he pulled me over. "there goes my licence" I thought.
Anyway - he pointed out that although I was (well) over the speed limit I was in fact driving safe & in control & not endangering others - after a half hour chat (about Impreza's of course !) He sent me on my way with a ticking off which was by no means condesending.
My opinion of cops changed that day for the better.

Brew.

Stuart H

I'm a traffic man so we tend to go where the supply of Mr. Kiplings Fondant Fancies is largest!!

The number of occifers you see around all depends on whats goin' on, and whether its likely to rain or not!

Sith

Nice one Stuart. I will keep some Mr Kiplings in the glove box just in case!

I see you are from London. Do you patrol the A3 by anychance?

I know Traffic Division are fond of Mcdonalds. There was a Land - Range Rover parked up on aroundabout. One chap was out with his speed gun while the other was munching on said fast food

Better keep some Macs coupons as well then.

P.

SimonD

A few years ago I was stopped on the M1 for speeding. The bike I was riding was in good nick, the weather was fine + not much traffic about.
I broke my own rule of not speeding under bridges and found a traffic car on the other side accelerating down the ramp.
I pulled over immediately, took my helmet off and admitted when asked that I was doing "100 or so". The guy invited me to look at the speed on the equipment in the car. It had registered 128mph.
He then started chatting about the bike and gave some advice on speeding and handed out a £40, 3 point fixed penalty.

While I appreciate that I got off very lightly, it was nice to see that the officer recognised a bike that was up to the speed, a rider who was paying attention and wearing the right gear and that conditions and traffic meant that this speed was not quite as dangerous as it might have been.

Simon

RobA

as cops are the subject for today thought i should tell you about the incident i had last nite, at 3.45am 2 balaclava wearing scum smashed my front door in and took my scooby keys, fortunatly they were 2 thick 2 work out the alarm on it even though they had all the keys 2 turn it off, they still ran off with my keys and my face plate for my stereo, which is going to cost me a fortune, but hey at least the car is still here, the police were spot on, warning for anyone in the surrey/ west london area these scum are well known for stealing scoobys and tried others in my area last nite

Jerome

All the times I've been stopped by traffic cops, I've been treated very well (maybe I'm lucky). But, I'm always honest about the speeds I've been doing, the way I've been driving, and listened to what they have to say (and even taken it in). They are, by definition, good drivers and have an interest in driving and driving standards. However, once I know I'm getting a ticket, I may have a mild dig about certain types of drivers (like Dorset biddies who can't use roundabouts).

Sometimes I've deserved a ticket and have got away with just a lecture (which I listen to) and sometimes I feel hard done by. Obviously run out of Mr. Kiplings finest.

My brother on the other hand is a stroppy git at the best of times. He seems to accumulate points like a businessman does air miles. Frankly, he deseves all the hassle he gets. He may get pulled over because a brake light isn't working, and the copper was just going to give him a quick bit of advice to get it fixed. But no, my bro gets out of the car posturing, with a serious attitude and wonders why he gets his entire car scrutinised and and a fixed penalty and a producer. Coppers are human for christ sake!

At the end of the day, I'd rather be have an officer who has actually seen my driving, give me a ticket, than some indiscretionate machine issue one automatically, without regard to the prevailing circumstances.

In fact, my only serious gripes against the police have been against non traffic guys. Now don't get me started on the street plod...

Jerome.

PS: I also find the Met far more professional than the provincial guys. Like Blow Dog says, they probably have more serious things to worry about than minor traffic offences. Unlike Dorset police, where there is apparently no crime, and motorists are the only lawbreakers...

[This message has been edited by Jerome (edited 03 October 2000).]

jjones

having taken a wrong turn in London and being faced with a right turn accross the A40 in London to get myself back on track I was surpised to see no traffic lights to aid my flight. Luckily there was a copper stood on the junction. I unwound the window and asked if it was OK to turn right at the junction. His immediate response was
"yes sir, if you weren't driving the wrong way down a one way street" DOH. With a smile he said he thought it best if i were to reverse along the road until i could safely turn.

AWD

This mad Greek bloke at work was stopped once doing 90 in a 40 zone. He claims that the police told him that they were a pursuit car and couldn't do the paperwork on him so they just warned him and took off at speed.

adelasalle

The only problem I get, is being stopped or tailed one or more times a week, when I am blatantly heading in the direction of the house the car is registered at.. Other than that, in the two major accidents I have had due to ice/ponds on roads, the boys/girls in blue have been excellent..

cheers, Alex

PS. oh, except for the un-sporting individual with the mobile unit on a bridge on the M4 near Oxford, who just zapped me & posted me the court appearance for 92mph whilst the road was all but clear in dry, sunny conditions.. rant over.

AWD

The only time I was stopped by the police (touch wood) it was a dry evening and I was just returning from a friend's (where I'd declined a glass of wine). Nobody around so I went through the 3 lane A road roundabout at about 90mph taking the racing line. It is a light controlled roundabout so nobody would have been able to go onto it unless they were in my lane. The police followed me for a while (I noticed them at the next lights - by which time I'd slowed down anyway).

They followed me back home (about another 10 minutes) at which point they flashed me, checked my tyres (which were fine), breathalysed me and then proceeded to tell me a scare story about an Evo 6 with trashed tyres which had crashed earlier, told me to be careful and enjoy my high performance car, and let me go.

The Zohan

You are wrong - they are all Bast**ds - this one was either new or had not been on the course yet - I should know my brother in law was traffik plod - now he is armed response whatever that is...

scrappydoo

I tend to agree with the last comment. I know not all coppers are bad but most tend to get pi$$ed on their own power and treat everyone the same. I mean i am constantly treated bad on every single stop. For example, tonight i too travelled up a one way system (completely unaware of it and not from this particular town)anyway here comes plod in their van,
"this is a one way street mate" plod said, to which i replied "yes i just realised"
They then asked me to turn and head back down the way i had came. All very well, but the road was way to small to 3 point turn in.So i said that it was inpossible to turn and that they were blocking my way to turn, into a side street, they in turn said "turn your car now!!" to which i replied " i can't your van is blocking my way", any way this went on a further 3 times and finally they reversed two feet backwards so i could turn. Oh thanks alot mate. Anyway the point i am trying to make is that almost evey single incounter with plod i have bar one, turns sour in some way, and it is not my attitude towards them that starts it all either. I am the most reasonable and understanding person and yet they tend, i feel to take advantage of that and treat me like poo. They seriously need to sort their priorties out. For example i drove past an undercover car the night before last upon which i saw 2 coppers giving this poor boy a drilling. The boy was clearly upset as he stood on the side of the street chewing his fingers. Anyway i drove on and about 200 metres up the road a man was getting the inside of his head examined by 2 other men. They were literally grinding his head against the pavement and generally causing a mess. I mean come on. They were in walking distance of this whole incident but i suppose they had better things to do. What pi$$ed me off even more was when i turned round to see what was happening they had also turned and had someone else (young boy) on the other side of the road. And this is not just a one off incident either, it is always like this where i live. Police are alienating the youth of today and then they wonder why we oppose their authority and have bad attitudes towards them. If any of you are in law inforcement and are reading this, then take note. Please don't all treat us like criminals.
Ok rant over. sorry all, i just had to get that of my mind
Scrappy.