Got a visit from Plod

[kjay]

Hi folks.
This is not realy a rant, I just think it's so ridiculous and laughable.
Here's the story..

About 2 weeks ago, I was driving the Merc. Following a Rover, we approached a tight left hand bend which sometimes requires you to stop and give way to traffic coming the other way. The Rover stops and I pull up behind. Then, it starts reversing back. Blasted the horn, but no use. It keeps coming and hits my car!!
So, turns off ignition, and I'm getting out of my car when it drives off.
Back in the car and chase after her. Pip horn again, flash lights and point to her to pull over. after about 400 yards she pulls over. As I get out, she drives off again. (By this time I'd phoned the girlfreind with the Reg. number)
She drives about another 300 yards and finaly pulls into a layby.

She looked fairly embarresed. We checked the damage and thankfully it has just scuffed the paint. She said she'd prefere not to go through her insurance. Am not bothered as long as it gets repaired. She gives me here details and we agree I will get a couple of estimates and contact her.

I phoned her last week with two prices for respraying the bumper.
280-390 pounds.
Then says she thinks her insurance company is best dealing with it.
No probs, I give her all my info and pass on details of the accident to my insurers. including the fact that she drove off.

Right, Here's why I'm posting......

The next evening there's a knock at the door. PC Plod.

The conversation goes...

Jay: Hi, come in.

Plod: Were you involved in a traffic accident last thursday?

Jay: Yes, thats right.

Plod: There's been a complaint about harassment about you.

Jay: (looks gormless) Eh?

Plod: The woman involved in the accident says you've been harassing her, you keep phoning her up.

Jay: No, actualy, I've phoned her once because she wanted me to phone her with a price for the repair!!!!


Plod: Well, at this stage we're not going to take it any further as long as you stop phoning her.

Jay: Sorry mate, you didn't hear me - I phoned her once - to give her the price. Once!!

Plod: Well, she also said you were intimmidating when you were following her - flashing your lights and sounding you're horn.

Jay: Bloody right I did. She was trying to get away after reversing into me!!

Plod: I suggest you just leave it there. Don't phone her again and leave it to the insurers.

Jay: Well obviously. (shows him the door).



I don't think he listened to anything I said. He'd already made up his mind about me and what I'd done before he knocked on the door.

............................



I just think its laughable. I wonder if Plod went back to the woman and charged her with wasting police time (or even leaving the scene of an accident)or wether he returned to the station and logged it as a crime solved. I'd bet it was the latter.




Jay.

.

 

[V8mate]

I would say that is a pretty standard level of service.

Complaint received. Go round and tell the other party off. Doesn't matter if there's two sides to the story, especially if one party is a blubbing woman.

 

[janner]

She's obviously a fruit bat.
Wonder if she'll tell her insurance that you rear ended her?

 

[V8mate]

She's obviously a fruit bat.
Wonder if she'll tell her insurance that you rear ended her?

That's true; maybe you should have insisted the Plod take a statement from you?

 

[gt-83]

I would say that is a pretty standard level of service.

my lifetime of encounters im afraid

 

[reflexboy]

Why didn't you just t**t him with a baseball bat? That normally gets people to listen!

 

[kjay]

Had to laugh when the insurance asked me - did I get the names af any witnesses. No, sadly I was chasing someone.

 

[crockers]

In hindsight --- and it's always wise after the event --- you should have followed her and phoned the police as you did. Perhaps she had been drinking or on medications... but in todays PC society it's dangerous following a car trying to get them to stop....

What you actually did was give her the benefit of doubt and allowed her to sort it fairly --- she's obviously a bit of a ****...

 

[kjay]

In hindsight --- and it's always wise after the event --- you should have followed her and phoned the police as you did. Perhaps she had been drinking or on medications... but in todays PC society it's dangerous following a car trying to get them to stop....

What you actually did was give her the benefit of doubt and allowed her to sort it fairly --- she's obviously a bit of a ****...

Dead right. If it happened again, I'd phone 999 with the regestration.

 

[gt-83]

sorry kjay....slightly off the subject but im suddenly venting again about three years ago my front windows were shot out!!.....only an air rifle but still shot out.....MY KIDS BEDROOM WINDOWS.....steaming i call the police....only thing on offer was a crime number!!.....not even a visit.....much too busy i guess at the end of the road trying to get a few £60......................................oh and i do live in a nice area that i doubt has ever had another window shoot out!!!!..............ive racked my brains wondering if i upset anybody........never did find out

 

[Mudster]

I had a similar event, a lunatic drove into the back of a car I had years ago when I had to d an emergency stop, an Audi 200 Turbo......He was driving a fiesta..my car won...but this nutter gets out of the car and starts screaming it was my fault for stopping etc.....He was a real gorilla! At which point He thretens to throw me off the flyover.....

I thought...F**K this, and drove off to the police station which was almost within sight of the incident.....(I took the licence number and car details)

Walk up to the counter and expalin what happened and left my details to be passed on as required, duty officer not int he slightest bit interested in taking a report, just told me to deal with it through insurance despite my requests it was logges due to the threats of said gorilla...still not interested.

A day or so later I get a knock on the door and threats of prosecution for leaving the scene of an accident and threatening behaviour!...I had to go to the police station and find the officer who i spoke to to stop it all going any further....ridiculous situation...

 

[Spinal]

Might be worth popping by your local station and reporting the "lady" for failing to stop at the scene of an accident... if that's a crime that is!

 

[st4]

I am completely speechless after reading this, in the OPs case I am not in the slightest bit suprised by what happened but I am disappointed that the copper wasn't more sympathetic, but they'll have been told all sort of cr4p before they knocked on your door.

Lesson here, call the cops if in accident at the time.

 

[neilrr]

TBH the cops are in an impossible position. It's a case of 'he said, she said.'

You say she reversed into you, she'll say you rearended her. It'll end up knock for knock.

 

[Rory]

Plod: I suggest you just leave it there. Don't phone her again and leave it to the insurers.

I think it sounds like he probably believed you straight away, but, let's face it, he's never going to admit that in front of you.

I happen to think his advice is right too. Recently someone ran into the back of wifey's Jazz and the other driver kept phoning and wanted to sort it out privately, knew someone in the trade who could get it done etc.

I said "no thanks" and simply called my insurance company and left them to sort it out - that's why I pay for fully comp.

Her insurance company called too and wouln't speak to me, although the car and insurance are in my name, as I wasn't the driver. I told them to go away too.

It all worked just fine and my insurance company, Frizzell, even waived the excess, so I didn't have to pay it and recover later. They also confirmed they'd made full recovery and that the claim wouldn't affect future premiums.

 

[kjay]

........

You say she reversed into you, she'll say you rearended her. It'll end up knock for knock.

That's very possible. But, she shouldn't of drove off. And in doing so, didn't leave me any chance of getting witness details.

 

[Wunderpartz]

In trying to deal with a 'legal matter' in genuinely trying to sort it out, that is not harassment.
If you still need to contact her regarding this then do so. Sod all plod can do.
Really he should have returned to the female and told her that you are entitled to speak to her otherwise how else will it get sorted?

 

[Carrotchomper]

Yep, any old crap complaint like this is dealt with as "Harassment", basically if there was any substance whatsoever to the complaint then he would have issued you with a written warning under the Protection From Harassment Act (Desperately misused legislation, another story).

Essentially words of advice is the lowest course of action he could have taken, it had to be done. The muppet woman is clearly just slinging mud in a vain attempt to lose the claim.

 

[crockers]

My wife, a few years ago, got rear ended in London by an old banger with two coloured gentlemen in it. She had stopped at a zebra crossing and they hadnt. She got out of the car and behind the car of the the coloured guys was a policecar. She went back to them and asked them to be witnesses - they said they were going off duty and as no-one was hurt it wasn't their concern.

When the driver of the other car got out - suddenly the policemen took a different view and ensured that all details were exchanged in a polite manner.

Personally I was pleased that they were there for her - but wondered if it had been me driving whether they would have been so concerned..??

In the States I was in a car with my sister driving in Rhode Island. We were going through a green light when a car coming the other way did a left turn and took us out. The driver of that car got out and was very abusive towards us. Within 3 minutes ( well it seemed that way) 2 police cars were on the scene - told the other driver she was in the wrong go sit in her car and shut up. Took all details and took control of the situation. No-one was hurt but I think in that state police are involved in all traffic incidents.

I must say though I have never encountered such an aggressive manner as the cops in RI. When the other driver started shouting again the guy just turned to her and said - ma'am shut the F*** up or we arrest you....she shut up.

 

[W210 Fan]

Might be worth popping by your local station and reporting the "lady" for failing to stop at the scene of an accident... if that's a crime that is!

Yeah and dont I know that,