Police van vs dealer loan car

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Meldrew2

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Mine: BMW X4 2.0d M-Sport (Red) Hers: BMW X1 2.0d M-Sport (Black) Sorry about that...
At a certain junction in a town that shall remain nameless, two roads merge. One road becomes the left hand lane, the other becoming the right hand lane. The lane markings are a broken line throughout.

After crossing a bridge, the road has an "off slip" to the left, so lane changes are frequent, and often badly signalled, if signalled at all. I am returning a loan "B" class to the dealer, where my "C" class has been in for a service. I am in the left hand lane.

As I half expected, an Astra Van, directly alongside me, pulls across into my lane without indicating. I'm already covering the brake, so there is no exchange of paint. So far, so normal. White Van Man, driving as usual.

Except.......... this van is marked "POLICE - DOGS"

As it happens, we are both heading in the same direction. I ponder taking the registration number and having a "word in the shell-like" of the Traffic Sergeant, not being nasty, just to ensure that the driver concerned is made aware of the incident - to prevent a recurrence.

As we reach an open road, the dog van signals me to stop, which I do. Surely the driver isn't going to criticise my driving... or worse... I stop the engine (Police find this reassuring - it means you are not going to drive off), put on hazard flashers, and open my window. The PC approaches.

"I'm awfully sorry, I didn't see you" the PC says. "Are you ok?" I thank her for taking the time to apologise, assure her that there is no harm done, I'm not shaken, we all make mistakes, etc, and we go our separate ways.

Full marks to her for taking the responsibility of her actions. If every PC I come across was as honest, fair, polite and upright, we'd have a Police Service to be proud of.

I guess it's fortunate that I was in a "B" class, because the bonnet is a lot shorter!
 
Nice to hear rather than the usual "Police are all bad" type tales. As you say lucky you were in a smaller car.:thumb:
 
Maybe you should still have a word with the staff sergeant in praise.
 
yeah yeah... question is though... was she fit?

(took the words right out of everyone's mouths) :D
 
Hmmm, I give police dog handlers a very wide berth these days, after one of Gloucestershire's finest did this to my C43 in February. I recently found out that the officer involved has been ordered to attend a 'driver improvement course' before being allowed to drive police vehicles again - The CPS decided not to pursue a prosecution.

Blue lights, badges and uniform do not mean a competent and observant driver in some cases! In the OPs case, the fact that the officer decided to stop and admit the mistake is to her credit though. In my case the officer also held his hands up and admitted responsibility - eventually.
 

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just realised i'm using her ladyship's computer... :doh: time to delete this b4 I get clouted... :rolleyes:
 
Lucky you weren't ******.
 
I saw some police officers today on the A303 ....


Luckily , i saw them in time :devil:
 
Pi55ed?

I had a Dog van try and take out the side of my car a couple of months ago by pulling back on to a roundabout after having pulled off in the first place - and to which the only way was to pull back on using an exit the wrong way...

In a hurry? Emergency? No, just change of mind and tootling back to the local cop shop none the wiser.

:doh:
 
lol
have to say though... most of the cops have a hard job, often with one arm tied behind their back.
 
nice to hear a good police story, in all my dealings with the police (going to fast, no seatbelt, dodgy plates) ive never met a rude or even orquard one, cambs police are very nice

traffic wardens though ....
 
Perhaps best not to pass on any praise to her local nick/sergeant.

She may just get an internal "interview without coffee" for a PVC - and before you lot start. That is a Police Vehicle Collision. It might/will go down on her record.

But thanks for sharing it anyway, nice ending.
 
I was amazed to hear her reaction and honest approach! I thought that sort of honest, good policing, was a thing of the distant past in this country. You should have taken her details and recommended her to head up the police training organisation!
 
You haven't answered...was she fit? Some of the plastic bobbies round my way are looking mighty fine!
 

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