I have to get this out of my system!

[Donbronski]

Today I was travelling as a passenger in one of our company vehicles. On our way home we were held up for some time in a roadworks traffic jam near Whitehaven. Eventually we were able to move as the temporary traffic lights were on green (the roadworks were on our side of the road). Whilst in the queue of slow moving traffic we reached the lights and pulled out to go past the roadworks. The lights changed to red but we were immediately behind the vehicle in front and had already pulled out so deeming it safer/better to continue rather than block the road trying to reverse back into position my colleague continued. The car behind us stopped but the Traffic cop behind him did not, he pulled out sharply and came through the red light behind us. He then proceeded to follow us for the next 10 minutes at a distance of about 100m. During this time the traffic was slowly gaining pace. We approached permanent traffic lights on a main road crossroads (A595) and proceeded through the lights at a steady pace. The lights changed to amber as we went through and in the rear view mirror we both watched in amazement as the copper came through on red without the use of sirens or lights! After a few hundred yards a layby appeared and he signalled from behind with his flashing blue lights and indicators for us to stop, which we did. My colleague was then invited into the traffic car to be read the riot act and shown a video of him going through the temporary red light. After this he was given a £60 fine and 3 points. I was not happy about the punishment given the circumstances and so went to speak with the constable concerned. I challenged him that although my colleague had driven through a red light at the roadworks that he (the copper) had driven through a red light on a junction on a main road without any sirens or lights and could have caused a serious accident and that our circumstances were considerably different to his. He lied and said that the lights were green so I asked him to play back the last bit of film on his in-car TV. He refused saying he ‘had better things to do’ I asked him again to play the film, he refused again so I accused him of lying and double standards I then asked how he could justify driving through a red light as he did because it certainly wasn’t justified or safe. I then took his name, number and the reg of his patrol car before he drove off. Should I lodge a complaint?.......Flame suit on!

I think you mean "serious collision" jumping a red light & colliding with another vehicle is no accident.

As frustrating as it is you & your friend should just take it on the chin, like many have already said. It's obvious the policeman didn't get laid the night before the day in question.

 

[ourkidone]

Yes

 

[mercedes lover]

To me Amber means if you can make it, put your foot flat and floor it across, but judging by London where I live that's most people idea of amber. The police jumping a red light, wrong or right they are the law and by challenging them you just totally get their back up.

I found from being stopped twice by the police for being on my mobile phone and speeding at the same time, that out of being very polite to the police they dropped the speeding and did me only for the mobile, and that was before they gave you points for the mobile. And part of it was the fact I said sorry and admitted I was wrong.

 

[andy_k]

To me Amber means if you can make it, put your foot flat and floor it across, but judging by London where I live that's most people idea of amber. The police jumping a red light, wrong or right they are the law and by challenging them you just totally get their back up.

I found from being stopped twice by the police for being on my mobile phone and speeding at the same time, that out of being very polite to the police they dropped the speeding and did me only for the mobile, and that was before they gave you points for the mobile. And part of it was the fact I said sorry and admitted I was wrong.

and you wonder why BMW drivers have such a bad reputation

 

[prprandall51]

I think you mean "serious collision" jumping a red light & colliding with another vehicle is no accident.

As frustrating as it is you & your friend should just take it on the chin, like many have already said. It's obvious the policeman didn't get laid the night before the day in question.

I love the way that, as soon as somebody has a brush with the law, the immediate assumption is that the transgressor is innocent and that it is the Police Office who has a problem.

No wonder this country's so screwed up.

 

[CrysAk]

if its worth complaining about on here report him

 

[mercedes lover]

and you wonder why BMW drivers have such a bad reputation

That was before the BMW when I drove a plain white Escort Van but now I have a Mercdedes again I am a sensible careful stick to the speed limit driver

 

[bones2008]

White van man is even worse than bmw drivers

 

[rf065]

I love the way that, as soon as somebody has a brush with the law, the immediate assumption is that the transgressor is innocent and that it is the Police Office who has a problem.

No wonder this country's so screwed up.

Maybe it's the police who are screwed up?

Russ

 

[andy_k]

Maybe it's the police who are screwed up?

Russ

yeah, going around pulling motorists for jumping red lights.

What next eh? Traffic wardens giving out tickets?

 

[rf065]

yeah, going around pulling motorists for jumping red lights.

What next eh? Traffic wardens giving out tickets?

I have personal experience of the police pulling me over & charging me with two separate offences many years ago. The statement/evidence from the police to back this up was totally fabricated to make it stick.

How many times have you read about traffic wardens hiding until someone parks & then giving them a ticket while they are at the pay & display machine to pay for parking.

Since it happened to me I would no longer believe anything a policeman put forward in court as evidence against anyone.

Russ

 

[prprandall51]

I have personal experience of the police pulling me over & charging me with two separate offences many years ago. The statement/evidence from the police to back this up was totally fabricated to make it stick.

How many times have you read about traffic wardens hiding until someone parks & then giving them a ticket while they are at the pay & display machine to pay for parking.

Since it happened to me I would no longer believe anything a policeman put forward in court as evidence against anyone.

Russ

I, too, have been a victim of this (and I am not joking here). The Police pretty much made up the evidence that I had been doing in excess of 100mph when there is no way they could have measured me over a quarter mile as they said they did.

The trouble is, I had been doing over 100mph - comfortably. I was guilty of the offence even though the cops hadn't the proof they claimed they had. At the time I was pretty riled but I now take the view that they were only doing their job and, having had many brushes with the law over the years, I have always found them honest and fair.

That doesn't mean I am stupid enough to not believe there are some bad coppers out there but to say that you won't believe any policeman at any time shows that you either have had many bad brushes with the law or you are tarring the whole police force on the basis of one incident.

Now, this incident of yours : Be honest, were you really completely innocent and "framed" or was there an element of guilt?

 

[rf065]

Now, this incident of yours : Be honest, were you really completely innocent and "framed" or was there an element of guilt?

I may or may not have been speeding, but as they had no proof, they decided to fabricate charges of dangerous & reckless driving.

Although it was early on a sunday morning & I was the only person on this stretch of road, their evidence started that I was on the wrong side of the road overtaking other cars causing oncoming traffic to take sudden evasive action. All lies.

Russ

 

[Donbronski]

I love the way that, as soon as somebody has a brush with the law, the immediate assumption is that the transgressor is innocent and that it is the Police Office who has a problem.

No wonder this country's so screwed up.

The Police followed for 10mins after the offence... he could of pulled him over much sooner, avoiding jumping these lights. The policeman is a doughnut

 

[davethemus]

the police are public servants. follow this up to the nth degree, they certainly would.

 

[coupe deville]

To me Amber means if you can make it, put your foot flat and floor it across,.

traffic light cameras are a quandry, if the lights change just as you get on top of them do you go thru and risk a ticket or do you slam on and risk a rear ender

 

[mercedes lover]

Don't get me started on traffic wardens they are the lowest of the low. Well in Westminster they are, one hid behind a wall writing a ticket but I saw him as I walked out from dropping off a package, I appealed and it was dropped. Tottenham court Rd I often see the same scummy parking warden wait for the lorries to drop of at shops, he runs out tickets them and then I have seen him walk up and say have a nice day.

Police are really good, lets do a motorist for £60 and 3 points and have a good go at him or her, oh but when someone complains a gang of hoodies just picked on them they are too scared to confront them in case they get set about. A bit like in south London the Police who got beaten up for asking a girl to pick litter up. Our police are wimps compared to other Police forces I’ve seen abroad. This all goes back to that no for good idiot Blair who decided that the Police should be friends of the community.

Another thing I love in this country, lets treat 4X4 drivers like they’re killing the whole world, oh but heaven for bid we should want a rapist to be treated like c**p, it might effect his human rights!

 

[Donbronski]

Camerafodder, tell your mate not to jump Red lights in the future.

 

[camerafodder]

Thankyou Guys
I've been working up in Scotland for a couple of days so please excuse my tardy response. There have been some very good points made in this debate but I'd like to point out a couple of very clear issues for those out there that are making assumptions:

1) Yes my driver ran a red light but there were circumstances that made his decision debateable and there was no danger to anyone in this action.

2) The red light offence at the roadworks is not the issue I'm raising here although I think a ticking off would have been more appropriate. I mention it because it precipitates the chain of events.

3) I doubt whether the amber timing on the roadworks was correct although please remember I wasn't driving and so not paying as much attention at that moment as I would have been if I was. I can say however that the stop sign was directly underneath the lights.

4) My driver did NOT 'run' a second amber light so will the people that keep assuming this please stop it. Please read the post properly. No offence meant to those who have!

5) The main point is that the policeman DID run a red light on a main road junction and this IS dangerous. There was no need for this as the original offence was already caught on camera by his carcam and his actions far outweighed the situation

Thankyou all for your contributions

 

[camerafodder]

The OP has already told us that he was in 'slow moving traffic' anyone lacking the response times or the ability to stop for an amber light (before the red one), the spacial awareness not to notice a traffic police car one vehicle behind or the common sense to realise that traffic lights do actually change so it's best to expect that (particularly in this case) really doesn't deserve to have a driving licence.

To then compound it further by going through a second 'stop' light with a police car actually following them.....well, I'm staggered

Thankyou for this very useful advice.