Idiotic copper

[finisterre]

rain and snow, sunshine and shade, hazards all. What real difference does it make if some elderly gent in a pork pie hat sticks to the middle lane for a few junctions?

one more hazard, deal with it.

 

[clk208]

I actively avoid the A406 North Circular wherever possible. Currently down in London for the month and happy to either crawl through the city or drive out to the M25 and add miles to my journey rather than take my chances on the '406.

Heading out from docklands at 9am this Sunday morning up to the M1 and took my chances on the A406, thinking it would be quiet and uneventful - witnessed a bloke in a 2008 BMW 5 series diesel doing a ton weaving in and out of all lanes, and another clueless driver sat at about 35mph in the outside lane for no reason. All spectrums of bad driving witnessed on this road for some reason.

Would be good if there was a permanent police presence (assuming a level headed and sensible officer on duty) on this road IMHO.

 

[alabbasi]

I'm pretty sure that the policeman could have knocked on the OP's window and told him to stick to the left lane, but seriously at 1am in the morning, who cares?

 

[219]

right wrong or indifferent he is the law

Tony.

Well , some may think , and act , as though they ARE the law - but actually they are merely officers employed to uphold the law , not to make it up as they go along .

 

[John]

I'm pretty sure that the policeman could have knocked on the OP's window and told him to stick to the left lane, but seriously at 1am in the morning, who cares?

I'm all for lane discipline but at that time of the morning - who really gives a... indeed.

 

[neilrr]

The law is the law. It's not the law when you feel like it, when you think it's OK to enforce the law or when you can be ****d to obey the law.

Honestly, what do people find so hard about keeping left unless overtaking?

 

[John]

I'm sure I could live with myself if I committed such a heinous crime at 01:00am in the morning. I might even break the speed limit too by 1 or 2 mph just to see how far I can push my luck.

 

[MrVix]

Another fabulous thread, been on holiday for a couple of weeks and I think this is the best that I have missed. I couldn't really care less about the OPs situation to be honest but am I not right in thinking the police in the UK cannot order you out of your car unless they have grounds for arrest? I could be wrong but was this not tried in the courts a few years ago.

 

[Paul/]

...but am I not right in thinking the police in the UK cannot order you out of your car unless they have grounds for arrest? I could be wrong but was this not tried in the courts a few years ago.

I'm not aware of any obligation to leave the vehicle on being stopped by Police- but I think the Highway Code requires occupants to leave stationary vehicles on the hard shoulder for their own safety. It also seems unreasonable for a police officer to have to conduct a conversation through the driver's window, while standing inches from the inside lane.

 

[219]

The only time I would think it not unreasonable would be if the person stopped was a disabled driver who had difficulty getting in and out of the vehicle and required to use a wheelchair or other mobility aid ; everyone else should get out .

 

[Simon_M]

Am I the only one who picked up on the 'officer tapped on my window' comment?

I see this as potential attitude and probably the catalyst for what transpired.

Who would sit in there car with the window up when the officer has approached the car and is stood by the door?

Unless it was the passenger side, but even so - you'd lower that.

S

 

[brucemillar]

I believe from my experience that the Police have guidelines that state they should not simply expect the public to presume that their size ten feet and pointy hats identify them as being genuine police officers. There is a practise to follow that that can be challenged in the courts. That practise does not include rudeness, shouting or being boorish just because you can.

Try the reverse action and see how you get on. Drive up behind a police car and start flashing your lights at it. When it stops start yelling at the occupants to get out the car. I suspect that they will not act as this officer expected the OP to act.

In my case the officer(s) were clearly attempting to provoke. Why? I have no idea. Bit it still is not correct no matter how trivial we view the incident for the police or anybody to use bullying as a tactic just because they can.

 

[WLeg]

You know, most mobile phones have the ability to record a conversation.....not sure on the legality of that, although I think it was mentioned here that so long as one party (you) agrees it is legal......

 

[martin_a]

Sounds liek a bit of grief on both sides. As someone said, Copper isn't want to going to stand in the road to chat, hence the need to get out. If the OP had done that, he may have found his question answered.

That doesn't mean people should have had a go at the OP for 'playing the religeon/race card' which is doesn't sound like he did.

I had the same baiting from a copper once, having got out of the car as politely as I could and done nothing wrong (as a young driver at the time I couldn't afford the points).

They stopped me "just to see who was driving" and his attitude was very aggressive. Likewise the cop swore he could smell drink on me and said quite clearly he believed i'd been drinking and asked me if I'd had a drink. I said I hadn't and he claimed he'd seen me coming from the pub. Which is true, I worked there and it was late. I'm dressed in a shirt and tie at this point and clearly don't look like someone on the soak. Plus I'd had a day on my feet so as the MOT, insurance etc were all in order and he'd checked the car over I just wanted to get away.

He seemed determined to do me for something though. Very strange attitude. At this point, knowing the car was fine and being a bit sarcastic in nature I agreed with him that I had had a drink when he asked again. He eyes almost lit up and he got the breathalyser out.

Unsurprisingly it registered zero. He complained I'd told him I'd had a drink. I said "yes, a diet coke. Does your machine not register those?"

At which point he turned into a vimto head, went bright purple and told me to eff off. Looking back I should have complained but he was such a pain in the backside I have no idea how he was still allowed to speak to the public.

Given my own experience, I think I'd have said the same thing if I was teetotal as the OP did.

Still, having been given a lot of grief it seems he's gone. Ho hum.

 

[E55BOF]

"At which point he turned into a vimto head"

LOVE it!!

 

[Sp!ke]

I have had a policeman so hell bent on finding something wrong that he could report me for or generally give me a lecture about that he actually reached into his pocket and produced a £1.99 pencil type tyre guage. He went on to check my tyre pressures and proceeded to ask me what I thought the pressures should read.

I casually asked him for a pen and paper and a little time to try and work out a reasonable estimate as the tyres were hot and pressures normally set when cold and he almost hit me. He stopped himself and chose instead to start prodding me in the face with his pencil telling me that *I* had an attitude problem.

I'm just glad that most coppers are generally an alright bunch and this type of bully boy on a power trip behaviour is now very rare.

 

[MrVix]

I have had a policeman so hell bent on finding something wrong that he could report me for or generally give me a lecture about that he actually reached into his pocket and produced a £1.99 pencil type tyre guage. He went on to check my tyre pressures and proceeded to ask me what I thought the pressures should read.

I casually asked him for a pen and paper and a little time to try and work out a reasonable estimate as the tyres were hot and pressures normally set when cold and he almost hit me. He stopped himself and chose instead to start prodding me in the face with his pencil telling me that *I* had an attitude problem.

I'm just glad that most coppers are generally an alright bunch and this type of bully boy on a power trip behaviour is now very rare.

He would only prod me in the face once copper or no copper!!

 

[big boss]

The original post reads like a chip on the shoulder wind up to me.

The O/p clearly says he was in the wrong on two occasions, then is deliberately evasive to the Policeman, claims the Policeman was threatening and abusive, (using language I doubt any modern Police would use), then pulls the religion card.

I take it it is April 1st today?

You seem to have misunderstood the OP. What do you mean by "pulling the religion card"? The OP said he's a Muslim because it's a well known fact that Muslims don't drink alcohol.

 

[big boss]

If it was 1am & no traffic, does it really matter if you're driving in the middle lane or the 1st lane? The new law is against "middle lane hoggers" meaning they're obstructing traffic.

 

[neilrr]

You seem to have misunderstood the OP. What do you mean by "pulling the religion card"? The OP said he's a Muslim because it's a well known fact that Muslims don't drink alcohol.

Actually, the OP said

"ive told you already that i dont drink you can tell by my name that i am a muslim

Can a persons surname definitively identify them as a Muslim? If yes (& I'm sceptical about that) has no Muslim ever consumed alcohol? I've met a couple who like bacon sarnies & a full English & I think pork is also proscribed. Is there such a thing as a lapsed Muslim?

Wouldn't it have been clearer & more straightforward for the OP to have stated 'I am teetotal'?

Perhaps bringing religion into the discussion was viewed as inappropriate by the cop & got up his nose, together with the lane hogging, the moving back into the wrong lane after being shepherded into the correct lane, not rolling down the window when he knew the cop was coming to talk to him & the refusal to get out of the car?