Leigh

No doubt you're getting rather sick of being asked so many questions, BUT, I really would like advice here.
A mate of mine was pulled by the police (not for an offence, just checking his scoob wasn't stolen as it was late at night)
The policeman told him that he was checking his car out as a lot of Imprezas were being stolen for ram-raids, etc. He went on to warn my mate to be wary of cars following him home, as this is what thieves were doing, and then breaking in to the houses for the keys. He was advised by the officer that if he was sure he was being followed, to quote: "take them up to the dual-carriageway, then put your foot down and lose them"
Now, this officer wasn't a traffic policeman AFAIK, he was driving a panda car, but I would have thought you'd be on very dodgy ground if you followed his advice and then got caught speeding, or worse still, had an accident?
So I was wondering what your advice would be if you did realise you were being followed? I would have thought that driving to your nearest police station would be a good idea, but to get to my local station you have to go through at least one set ot traffic lights (not good if you are being followed!)
Thanks for any advice.

Leigh

PS Please, people, don't turn this into another anti-police slanging match, this is a genuine question about a situation I may well (unfortunately) find myself in.

Neil Smalley

Strangely enough I thought of this same situation today.

I remember reading in a local paper the other week about a guy who thought the guys following him closely were after his 2000 quid mountain bike strapped on the back of his car. Apparently a few puffa's had taken an interest in the meet he had attended and he'd been told all kinds of stories about bikes being nicked. So he put his foot down and basically drove as fast as he could to get away from his pursuers.

Unfortunatley for him they turned out to be police in an unmarked car and it resulted in him being banned for 18 months and a 1000 quid fine.

In that situation I would dial 999, explain the situation and then try and get to the nearest police station ASAP. If they stopped me I would at least have some kind of fact, rather than heresay in my defense.

Difficult one.

As a point of interest this is what David Beckham pleaded when he was done for speeding last year. The Judge agreed with him, so there IS precedent set.

Stuart H

If you think you're being followed drive towards a well lit built up area, towards a police station if you know the way. Call the police via the 112 system and explain <B>exactly</B> what is going on, then leave the rest to them.

I have different routes home so if anyone should decide they are going to follow me they won't find me going the same way.

When you turn into your road, look for vehicles you don't recognise parked up, people hanging around etc. If you're not happy with anything contact your local police. However, PLEASE excercise discretion when using the 112 system!! Keep the switchboard number of your local station by the phone, unless there is danger to life/crime in progress <I>please</I> don't use 112.

Hope this answers your questions

Leigh

Cheers for that!

Fullonloon

Could you please explain 112 to me (and others probably) as I have never heard of that?

Neil Smalley

Yeah 112 is eventually going to replace the 999 system. Supposedly using 112 cuts down the number of accidental calls. Easier for a toddler to dial 999 than 112 by mistake, for example.

999 was developed in the old days of dial phones when 9 was the closest number to the actuator and therefore was faster to dial.

Nowadays it does'nt really matter as long as everyone knows what number to dial, wonder why we don't support the US 911 as well as the European one?

GaryC

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Neil Smalley:
<B>999 was developed in the old days of dial phones when 9 was the closest number to the actuator and therefore was faster to dial.
[/quote]

Was actually the furtherst away on the dial, to reduce number of accidental calls.

Is it just me who thinks it is convenient that the only components of british life that we are froced to become euro friendly with are those that don't benefit us at all, or more usually, make life more difficult??

What about bringing into line with europe on fuel duty, general taxation, car prices, interest rates....


And getting towards being back on topic, what do you do if it is a marked police car following you so close that you can't see his head lights? (had happened to me on three separate occaisions) Slam on brakes and get pulled? pull away and get pulled? ring police station and get pulled for using mobile?

Mike Tuckwood

Head for the nearest Police station (if you can find a manned one) as Stuart says.

As an asides, the original plan for the emergency services number was 111, This was scrapped though as at that time, 111 could be accidentally genereated on the 'Pulse' operated phone system.

Lines accidentally connecting with each other due to faults could continuously generate repeated 1's and screw everything up.

Mike.

fast bloke

A few years back I was riding my bike along a straight piece of road at approx 70-75 MPH when a car pulled up right behind me and started flashing headlights. As I was in a dodgy area for hijacking and joyriding my first thought was that I was going to be bike jacked. I accelerated up to 90+ and the car stuck with me. I decided that was enough and snapped open the throttle. Flat out all the way to the nearest police station (Calling 999 or 112 is a bit tricky on a moving bike) I got to the front gate and had just pressed the intercom when 4 panda cars came through the gates in a big hurry. I was in the security hut (you can't walk straight into a police station in Belfast) explaning what had happened when the 4 panda cards and the car which had been following me all came back through the gates. Turned out that the guys in the unmarked car had spotted me slightly exceeding the speed limit and decided to give me a talking to. When I disappeared over the horizon they thought that I must have a very good reason to do a runner (they actually thought I was a drug courier) and the other 4 cars had been called in on the chase. They gave me a major bollocking and admitted that under the circumstances thay would probably have done the same thing, so they let me off. They did however tell me that they had videod me travelling at 130 MPH before I disappeared, and that if I was ever spotted speeding again they would be no leniency. Now where is that thread about police lacking discretion

Mr.Cookie

Fullonloon

112 is the new 999. I think but dont quote me it's to put us in line with our euro buddies .

Si