Board logo

It wouldn't happen in the UK
designer - 10/12/11 at 08:12 PM

Last week I went for a drive in my mates Dax and outside the local Police Station they had installed a speed hump. Well, this must have been the last job of the day so they used all the tarmac they had; it was big. The Dax nearly grounded as it went over and when we stopped to have a look a local Copper came out to join us.

Today he called around to inform me that because we had been in trouble, the hump will be made smaller this coming week!!

Can't say more.

T66 - 10/12/11 at 09:03 PM

UK Cops are busy Policing the same 10% of society , Thats why they dont have time to talk to or provide a service to the remaining 90% who never call the Police or ever have a need for them.


They are very busy disappearing up their own arses dealing with stuff that is nothing to do with Policing, why ? Because there is no mandate on Policing, at the moment if your cat is in danger from your neighbours dog, and you whinge enough an officer will come round. Thats just not right.



You could mention your cat to the French Police for me, and then post their reply .



Its a shame that a lot of the great public feel like they do about Cops, most are good people, like all walks of life the idiots get the company a bad name.



From the French cop, thats really good customer service, cost him nothing, and gave you a lot of faith in them, I doubt you will forget it when dealing with them again.

Moorron - 10/12/11 at 09:05 PM

Yep just sums up the UK. A friend from Switzerland was teling me about a fine he got last year for using his phone whilst driving. He was sure he never did and asked the local station for a copy of the photo and when he went to pick it up from them they all had a chuckle as it was clear at a closer look he was resting his head on his hand, no phone. They said sorry for wasting his time.

In the UK you wouldnt even be able to argue it, or even speak to the local station about it.

On a side note i have took wooden shims to help me with know speed bumps before, made some think i was mad.

T66 - 10/12/11 at 09:19 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Moorron
Yep just sums up the UK. A friend from Switzerland was teling me about a fine he got last year for using his phone whilst driving. He was sure he never did and asked the local station for a copy of the photo and when he went to pick it up from them they all had a chuckle as it was clear at a closer look he was resting his head on his hand, no phone. They said sorry for wasting his time.

In the UK you wouldnt even be able to argue it, or even speak to the local station about it.

On a side note i have took wooden shims to help me with know speed bumps before, made some think i was mad.




Thats very true - here you would have to go to court to prove you didnt have a phone in your hand, as nobody has the balls to make a decision anymore.


Just pass the decision further up the food chain - but as a member of the public, at what cost to get you to court for the ticket, which you subsequently get found not guilty with ?


Thats why the UK is broke.

PSpirine - 10/12/11 at 10:15 PM

quote:
Originally posted by T66
quote:
Originally posted by Moorron
Yep just sums up the UK. A friend from Switzerland was teling me about a fine he got last year for using his phone whilst driving. He was sure he never did and asked the local station for a copy of the photo and when he went to pick it up from them they all had a chuckle as it was clear at a closer look he was resting his head on his hand, no phone. They said sorry for wasting his time.

In the UK you wouldnt even be able to argue it, or even speak to the local station about it.

On a side note i have took wooden shims to help me with know speed bumps before, made some think i was mad.




Thats very true - here you would have to go to court to prove you didnt have a phone in your hand, as nobody has the balls to make a decision anymore.


Just pass the decision further up the food chain - but as a member of the public, at what cost to get you to court for the ticket, which you subsequently get found not guilty with ?


Thats why the UK is broke.



Having been in the EXACT same situation myself here in the UK (pulled over for "talking on the phone" whilst resting my head on my hand), I had a very friendly copper who just checked my phone to see whether there was a recent call or not, apologised and sent me on my way.

I've had very positive dealings with police in the UK, albeit them being rather useless at times. Still friendly and understanding though. Maybe I'm just lucky.

matt_gsxr - 10/12/11 at 10:21 PM

quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine

I've had very positive dealings with police in the UK, albeit them being rather useless at times. Still friendly and understanding though. Maybe I'm just lucky.


This probably also reflection on the crime rates in the cotswolds. Police are nice enough around here too.

scootz - 10/12/11 at 10:34 PM

I've had the pleasure of working with police officers from all over Europe and I'm afraid to say that most of the French cops (Gendarmerie and Police) were an embarrassment!

Ninehigh - 10/12/11 at 11:15 PM

Just as a thought if I were accused of driving while on the phone I would be hard pressed to not laugh and inform them that anyone who calls me is not the kind of person I'd like to talk to.

(No-one calls me)

RK - 11/12/11 at 12:11 AM

I always try not to deal with them at all if possible!

jollygreengiant - 11/12/11 at 12:16 AM

quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine

Having been in the EXACT same situation myself here in the UK (pulled over for "talking on the phone" whilst resting my head on my hand), I had a very friendly copper who just checked my phone to see whether there was a recent call or not, apologised and sent me on my way.



With the attitude of some police, you were lucky that they didn't then prosecute you for not having both hands on the steering wheel, if you had your head proped up on one hand. i.e. Not being 'in full control of the vehicle'.

TimC - 11/12/11 at 10:19 AM

quote:
Originally posted by jollygreengiant
quote:
Originally posted by PSpirine

Having been in the EXACT same situation myself here in the UK (pulled over for "talking on the phone" whilst resting my head on my hand), I had a very friendly copper who just checked my phone to see whether there was a recent call or not, apologised and sent me on my way.



With the attitude of some police, you were lucky that they didn't then prosecute you for not having both hands on the steering wheel, if you had your head proped up on one hand. i.e. Not being 'in full control of the vehicle'.


Did you hear the accident rates for one of the forces this week? Driving standards generally shizzle.

[Edited on 11/12/11 by TimC]

mistergrumpy - 11/12/11 at 01:18 PM

quote:

With the attitude of some police, you were lucky that they didn't then prosecute you for not having both hands on the steering wheel, if you had your head proped up on one hand. i.e. Not being 'in full control of the vehicle'.


With the attitudes of some taxi drivers, you're lucky you and your friends don't get beat up for stepping out without not yet paying when they press their "panic" button and all their taxi friends come out to cause havoc!

It happens across all industries to speak, not just the cops. The minority ruin the majority. See rogue traders programmes, daily newspapers etc. Negative attention sells well. I'm not having a pop at you Clive but we're not all the same.

For example I have seen me helping fixing peoples cars at the roadsie and on their drives when I can find time, I have given verbal advice only last night about using a phone whilst driving, I pulled a young girl and her friend in their car early Saturday morning after the driver was slurring which turned out to be a genuine medical problem. I apologised for potentially embarassing her and left her alone. Discretion is the key in an ever increasingly pressured environment from "departments" to take a zero tolerance approach and it's the stronger person who'll take this approach but who'll ultimately get an earbashing from the office types whom rule the world with hindsight!

Lets not turn this into yet another bobby bashing thread. This site is littered with them and there's more valuable stuff to talk about. It is good to hear the O/P's experience though.

coyoteboy - 12/12/11 at 10:41 AM

TBH though, this would have absolutely nothing to do with the police (in the UK at least) - this is a council matter, and there's regulations on the height and shape of speed bumps so if you had a complaint and it was not correct they'd fix it. However all this would happen at the expense of fixing the sodding potholes.


quote:

With the attitudes of some taxi drivers, you're lucky you and your friends don't get beat up for stepping out without not yet paying when they press their "panic" button and all their taxi friends come out to cause havoc!


I was once abducted by a taxi driver who had quoted us £36, then when all the rest of the bunch had got out revised his costs to £75 and didn't like me refusing. He shut his doors and started to drive me and my better half back to his mates. After a few minutes of me trying to get him to stop, while on the phone to the police I reached forward to pull on his handbrake so my other half could jump out. The handbrake came away in my hand but made a very nice bargaining tool as I saw a red mist and descended into madness. He pulled over to let us out, turned off his lights so I couldn't see his plates and sped off.