Plastic policemen

[PeterG]

I am totally gobsmacked at the introduction of these civillian traffic officers as I used to be a former police officer I know what training and selection is involved to become a Traffic officer.
Pete
http://www.policeoracle.com/?page=h...l&refresh=7C30BD9E-270C-443E-B1C32238599E3063

 

[Shude]

It begs the question as to why they're not just given full training and made into proper traffic bobbies.

Reminds me of the litter patrol officers that some cities have now, they can't actually do anything except talk to people, no powers at all.

 

[GrahamC230K]

If they know the law and enforce it sensibly, then whatever, will avoid like regular police!

If they don't know the law, makes it all the easier for solictors to use technicalities to get us off

 

[mark.t]

oh no

Give a man a stripe

 

[Plodd]

Cobblers! (sorry to be so blunt)

This lot will NOT be civillian Traffic Officers or anything remotely resembling one.

If you read the article it says exactly what they will be doing.

And anyways most of their employees will be ex traffic as almost all of the traffic bods I know who have recently retired have gone to work for them.

 

[mark.t]

Advertising in local press

10 posts at salmesbury...near preston... and milrow near rochdale

1 post at rob lane

4 posts at sprotborough?

they have powers to stop traffic ....enough said....the supervisors will be on £22.237+20% shift allowance...and you need 5 GCSE'S or equivalent and no more than 3 points thats just knocked out 3/4 of the applicants :bannana:

 

[uumode]

off topic slighty, but traffic control related

do I give way to police vehicles etc at red lights, i.e. cross a red light, enter junction boxes, mount pavements, traffic offences which normally attract penalty points and fines, just to clear a path for them?

I can't seem to find anything which suggests I should go through a red light to allow them to pass.

( I'm in paranoid mode after I couldn't squeeze my car fully onto a parking space, leaving half the car and rear wheels on zig zags while waiting - I've learnt the hard way and two wheels do count, I was thinking 4 wheels )

 

[peterchurch]

also off topic but who do you bill for damage to your vehicle caused by being forced up the payment by an emergency service vehicle ?

 

[lookskyward1]

There is no reason at all that you should drive onto footpaths or run red lights for emergency vehicles to pass. By all means make an effort to get out of their way but do NOT break the law in doing so. It is up to the driver of the emergency vehicle to get past traffic without causing damage!

If you damage your car by bouncing up kerbs etc, that is your fault and no one else can be responsible for the damage.

 

[peterchurch]

You have obviously never seen the A12 in essex or been anywhere near Bath or Bristol If we the motorist persued that line here then people would most certainly die

 

[glojo]

Cobblers! (sorry to be so blunt)

This lot will NOT be civillian Traffic Officers or anything remotely resembling one.

If you read the article it says exactly what they will be doing.

And anyways most of their employees will be ex traffic as almost all of the traffic bods I know who have recently retired have gone to work for them.

I am not sure how I feel over this 'cronyism'. It will clearly cut down on the need for training, but a retired Police Officer must surely receive a nice pension (which they havecontributed to with a high percentage of their salary) and then they will earn a inimum of £25,000 per annum on top of this. There is high unemployment in certain parts of the country and there might be more deserving people. Retired Police Officers are civilians and they are doing a Police Officers job?

It sounds like these people are empowered to stop motorists? I am not sure I agree with that either!
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This News Item
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Concern At Spread Of 'Plastic Police'
Monday, March 21, 2005



****Motoring organisations fear cutbacks in forces' traffic staff as a new generation of civilian officers take to the motorways.

They have flashing lights, fast cars, yellow jackets and they must be obeyed. But a new generation of law enforcers who can pull you over on the motorway are not police but controversial "civilian traffic officers".*****

Are we now saying that cars with flashing orange lights can pull over motorists?

This is not the beginning of a slippery slope, it is the slippery slope.

Regards,
John

 

[frog1520]

There is no reason at all that you should drive onto footpaths or run red lights for emergency vehicles to pass. By all means make an effort to get out of their way but do NOT break the law in doing so. It is up to the driver of the emergency vehicle to get past traffic without causing damage!

If you damage your car by bouncing up kerbs etc, that is your fault and no one else can be responsible for the damage.

And if sombody dies because the ambulance cant get past in time, lets just rejoice in the fact that our cars didnt get a little bump. I think not.....

 

[uumode]

And if sombody dies because the ambulance cant get past in time, lets just rejoice in the fact that our cars didnt get a little bump. I think not.....

I've seen one motorist at the front of red lights be honked by the motorists behind almost in animosity as he/she wasn't moving for other motorists behind to allow them to form a path for a police car.

The police vehicle also seemed to 'wail' it's sirens in increased urgency implying it wanted to get past this red light and expected a path to form.

what to do?

 

[glojo]

And if sombody dies because the ambulance cant get past in time, lets just rejoice in the fact that our cars didnt get a little bump. I think not.....

I think a little common sense needs to be applied in both the question and the answers.

To blindly go through a red light to give way to an emergency vehicle is crass stupidity.

To deliberately block the path of an emergency vehicle is crass stupidity.

To politely give way to an emergency vehicle is good manners and good driving. We can all put forward controversial examples both for and against doing what each of us feel is correct. My own interpretation is that these vehicles might possibly be going somewhere to save a life (maybe my own?) I personally will always give way to them and where safe to do so, pull over to allow them pass.

If 'I' deliberately damage my own vehicle in giving way, or damage property then I am responsible. If the emergency vehicle on the other hand forces me off the road by their 'dangerous' driving then in my opinion, they are responsible.

I am certainly NOT accusing any emergency service driver of any bad driving, they do a wonderful job and they seldom have those blue lights on, for there own benefit.

Just my personal thoughts,
John

 

[stwat]

Well said John. My feelings exactly. I actualy damaged a wheel on a car a few years ago when i had to mount quite a high curb to clear a way for an ambulance(no one else was willing to do this and it seemed the only way the ambulance would get through). It never even entered my mind to claim from the emergancy servicies!!!

Oh, and i was stuck on the high curb with my indicator on for a good 45 seconds cos no one would let me back onto the road It was only when the lights changed that i managed to get back down.

Stu

 

[fuzzer]

off topic slighty, but traffic control related

do I give way to police vehicles etc at red lights, i.e. cross a red light, enter junction boxes, mount pavements, traffic offences which normally attract penalty points and fines, just to clear a path for them?

I can't seem to find anything which suggests I should go through a red light to allow them to pass.

( I'm in paranoid mode after I couldn't squeeze my car fully onto a parking space, leaving half the car and rear wheels on zig zags while waiting - I've learnt the hard way and two wheels do count, I was thinking 4 wheels )

Well , now you come to mention it ....... depends. Red light camera. deffo not.

Can you imagine being stung with 3 points an 60 quid and trying to explain you were letting a car through... i think not!