Attitude towards the police

[waynedear]

Passed with flying colours this evening.
Finished a zoom thingy around 21.00, as this afternoon I had finally got my latest Alfa on the road I said to herself when I came down ‘shall we go for a spin in the gt’ ?
Quite surprised when she said yes, so both in bedtime attire we went for a spin, maybe a mile from the house we are lit up by an unmarked car.
I parked safely and got out saying ‘hi, good evening, are you ok’ ( freaks them out in central Liverpool when you are pleasant) his reply was positive and he asked how I was.
We met on the footpath, I was told my car was showing as no insurance, I smiled and explained that the car was insured from 00.01 this morning, mot’d at 15.00 today and taxed at 15.20.
He asked a few questions which I answered without hesitation, I said I had not brought my phone with me that I could show them saved screenshots and if they wanted they could follow me home and I would give them proof, couple more questions and I was told to go home and next time I’m out have the proof with me, seems they believed my true story, thought I would get a 7 day producer.
Guess what, when I got home I went straight online to check everything, yup my story is true.
Then I noticed it, a letter U in my registration is down as a Y... now I know why it is showing as not insured, simple error, I genuinely do not check when the policy is emailed, I check times and dates not reg number or car.
It goes to show though that a pleasant and honest attitude goes a long way.

[sweendog]

Came to a similar conclusion from a very different perspective when I was a ballsy young scamp! If you're a cheeky imp they'll take pleasure in booking you for something.

Sure there will be some rozzers on these hallowed pages that can attest, but same goes for all circumstances, nice to be nice etc

[georgeb]

Aye, I think it was ever thus.

As a callow youth, I walked from many a motoring situation with a "Don't let me catch you doing that again, sonny" rather than a ticket and prosecution.

Even had it here when I was pulled over for driving on a Monday afternoon (my plate ends in 1, so Monday's are a no-no). When I was asked for my license, I only had my UK one and an expired Malaysian one. You're supposed to change to a Philippine license within 90 days and it was kinda obvious I'd been here just a little longer!

I stayed calm and polite as usual, but was was expecting all sorts, at the very least a demand for 'tea money' of White Guy proportions, but no. "You change license straight away so you can show me next time I pull you, and I will. If not, we confiscate your car." Hmmm.

The very next day, I did so and sure enough, he pulled me over again a week later. Showed new license, all smiles and now he waves every time I pass him. Nice guy, but manners went a long way, I think.

[pseudonymous]

Back in the hazy 90s, as a teenage driver, I owned a series of hot hatches, including an XR3i and a Golf GTI, as well as a few motorbikes. I spent a lot of time sat at the side of the road chatting to policemen but never really minded, I was pleased there was someone out doing the job and made sure to tell them so. I didn't have anything to hide, was always fully legal so giving up a few minutes of my time was, generally, not too much bother.

Some of them were nice lads, but there was always the exception to the rule and I never took any flak from those ones either. Most were just doing their job and part of that job was stopping young lads in puffa jackets driving fast cars.

I was stopped by panda cars, area cars, armed response vehicles (including one occasion at gunpoint, another story entirely) and bobbies on foot. No bother, I get annoyed at people who complain about being stopped these days as the thin blue line was already thin enough in the 90s and now it's virtually non-existent.

[waynedear]

Insurance now has the correct registration number and I will take my phone out with me. 😁

[igor]

I got pulled by the patrol recently quite some distance from home and the cop turned out to be the cousin of the guy we bought land from. Their grandfather built the house next door to us. Had a good old friendly yarn about people and things then he wrote me up for speeding anyway. Was only doing 120 in a 100 zone.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

More often than not I've had a good experience with Police during times that I've come into contact with them...

2001ish - smart - Stopped by police to ask where i'd got mods from as they had a smart too.

2001ish - smart - Advised at motorway services with a smile that he could charge me for making my L10KLE reg look like LICKLE if he'd caught me on the road

2002ish - smart - Gave details to Police of guy who smashed my passenger window with his fist whilst I was in car following a near miss at traffic lights

2003 - smart roadster - Reg plate had fallen off the day before a holiday so I put piece of paper in the window. It went missing during the holiday but I was stopped on the way back a week later and they asked why I no longer had the paper one in the window - they'd rememebered it from the week earlier - there were only 200 on the road in the UK that summer though.

2003 - smart roadster - Stopped for speeding with a mobile speed gun unit

2004ish - smart roadster - Stopped because I had a "strictly" road legal reg whereby the background plate traced around each character edge with a 10mm border - the police chatted to me for a bit and i explained the law states that the edge of the plate must be at least 10mm wide from edge of characters - strictly speaking it was - they went back to the station and phoned me back to say that yes it is legal but advised me to change it as it probably would result in being stopped numerous times for the same reason.

2007 - smart roadster - Helped me push the car to a safe place after breaking down at the junction to an island

2007 - smart roadster - Stopped for dodgy screws in number plate N11 NTT made to look like M1NTY

2009 - Nissan cube - Stopped for using my phone - They asked me if I knew why they'd stopped me and i said "I guess it's because I'm driving without a front bumper and front number plate" - Luckily they didn't charge me for that and just the £60 fine for phone usage.

2018 - Nissan Elgrand - Helped me try to fit spare wheel when i'd had a puncture, gave lift to Mrs Minty and Mini Minty to nearest services. Really helpful and in theory could have charged me for overloading car



.. It doesn't stop me feeling paranoid every time I share the same stretch of road with them!!

[b3nson]

I got pulled in my imported Legacy for no insurance - unfortunately i’d forgot to update the policy with the reg number after MOT as it was insured on the VIN.
Had a nice sensible conversation about it and was given the benefit of the doubt. All in all, they could have made life a lot awkward for me but didn’t.

[pseudonymous]

Oct 2, 2020 10:13:56 GMT fr€$h&m1nt¥ said:

It doesn't stop me feeling paranoid every time I share the same stretch of road with them!!

I never felt paranoid, I just knew/accepted that I was going to get stopped, especially in my XR3i and I factored that into my travels, particularly if I was out at night. I don't recall when they stopped giving me a tug, probably when I bought my E36 Touring, it was a proper grown up car and the puffa jacket had long since gone in the bin.

I don't even notice police cars now when I'm out and about, though in fairness, there aren't that many about to notice in the first place these days. Even when one does shoot up behind me with his blues on I just assume he's in a hurry to get to someone else and move aside.

How times change

[shielsy68]

i got stopped going on to the ferry in liverpool ,asked about my reg was yold it was ilegal and couldn t be read by cameras , so i pulled out my ticket from car park at john lennon airport showing clearly my reg from carpark camera , he was talking curse word , then asked my name and address i told him in was on my act of terrorism card that i had filled in , go and read it ,even thou you know who i am ,
asked why i was in liverpool i said i was taxiing my parents around, ah he said your a taxi ,wheres your licence for taxiing. i don t have one its an irish expression for driving someone around , just like you can t speak right , got hotted

[duggers]

You'll find there is no official 'attitude test' more that the principle of Batari's box applies.
The worst thing you can do is argue, question in a pleasant way by all means, but think about this. In your occupation if dealing with what appears to be an ar$ehole how would you be with them?
I am not saying there aren't some nobs with attitude in the police but remember they are employed from the same society you inhabit.
If you don't agree with a ticket you can challenge it, look at the back of it, if reported for summons (rare these days) you can challenge it in court.
If your vehicle complies with all the relevant legislation and you are driving within limits you have nothing to worry about, and for those that think they need a reason to stop you, a police officer in uniform (which includes the use of emergency lights whether the vehicle is plain or marked) can stop any motor vehicle on a road , no specific reason required.
Now council or private parking, that's a whole other world.

[melle]

Not sure why you would behave differently towards police officers than towards anyone else, they're just people like all of us.

[mrbounce]

Thing is, traffic Police are there to sort out accidents and people who break the law - that's their job. Usually there's a good reason for them to pull you over, and if you decide you're going to act like a total flange towards them then it would be no surprise if you get given a ticket or producer. I spent many years of my working life in customer service-based jobs, and it always makes your day when people are nice to you.*

I've had a few times where the police have either stopped me or helped me and they've been nothing but awesome.

Got pulled just round the corner from my work in my first car (battered Mini) for turning right without signalling. Held my hands up to the offence and agreed with him that "it was a bit stupid". I obviously have one of these faces where I look really guilty anyway so he basically told me with a grin not to do it again.

Was once pulled for driving through town slowly looking for a friend at 2am. I explained what I was up to and was given a producer. This was about 25 years ago, so the local Police Station was open 24 hours. I popped home and got my docs and had sorted my producer within 7 minutes of it being issued. The guy on the desk could not believe it.

I had a headlight bulb blow on the way home from my then girlfriend's and was followed for a couple of miles on the dual carriageway before being pulled over. It was 11.30pm on a Sunday night. I said it had gone on my way home and I would arrange a replacement. The guy was brilliant - it was one of those moments where he was genuinely surprised and happy that a youngster wasn't giving him lip and aggro. He said if he saw me again with the light out he would have to deal with it, but he did it with a smile. Best bit was the next day I mentioned it to the parts guy in the Vauxhall dealer across the road, he went to the parts store, got me a replacement and didn't charge me. So I bought them cakes as a thank-you.

The final one was my fault entirely - coming up to the A14/A12 roundabout, I came off the 14 to go South. The approach to this is now 4 lanes, but it used to be 2. I undertook a lorry on approach to the roundabout and then turned right. Right in front of the traffic car sitting on the roundabout. I got pulled and the WPC made me feel exactly like the idiot I was. The worst bit was that it was my wife's birthday and she was in the car. She didn't talk to me until we reached Colchester. I got a producer again.

And finally, not involving cars, I'd been having a few beers round my mate's house and was walking home at 2 in the morning. I was carrying the Technics turntable I had lent to my friend. A Police Car comes towards me and they immediately pull up and one of the officers says: "You've go to admit it mate - you're open to question!" I happily explained the situation and also that my mate was a former Special so they can check up on him if they wanted. Turns out the officer knew him anyway. When I was stopped I was about 10 yards from my front door! 

As penance here's a 1985 Ford Sierra in Police stripes - this car was written off by Essex Police in a high speed pursuit within a few months of them getting it - made the front page of the local news!! 



* A customer in a shop once asked how I was and I replied in jest "Nothing a cream cake wouldn't cure - it's been a busy morning!" About twenty minutes after I'd finished serving her, she came back in with a couple of boxes of M&S cream cakes for the staff because she'd been so impressed with the service. Made my month! 

[bmcnut]

When I had my second car, a Mini Estate, I was leaving the local highstreet, going uphill and clearly forgot/didnt realise I was still in a 30 zone. As I reached the crest of the hill the police were doing speedchecks and pulled me over. It was long enough ago that I cant remember exactly what was said but he wasnt impressed, I had guilty written all over my face and could only apologize. He went all round my car checking the tyres and just looking all over it and then said he was just going to do a quick vehicle check.







This is when he dropped the bombshell



"You know this car hasnt got an MOT Sir?

"Eh?" would have been the sort of reply given TBH

Turns out the car was out of MOT by a week, I thought it was due in 3 weeks, I was a month out. With a smile on his face he said he could see it was a well cared for car and gave me a producer to get the car MOT'd asap. That was it. Nothing about the speeding bit. In situations like that a bit of everything helps, if id been driving a rusty pile of turd with an attitude to match I can imagine the outcome would have been quite abit different. The car wouldve looked something like this at the time.

[pseudonymous]

Oct 2, 2020 14:01:15 GMT mrbounce said:

Was once pulled for driving through town slowly looking for a friend at 2am. I explained what I was up to and was given a producer. This was about 25 years ago, so the local Police Station was open 24 hours. I popped home and got my docs and had sorted my producer within 7 minutes of it being issued. The guy on the desk could not believe it.

Ah, the good old HORT1.

I got a fair few of those just for being out at 2am as well, about 25 years ago as well! Usually dealt with the following morning at the local station, though I did drop in late at night once or twice.

A bit like not seeing bobbies on the beat or police cars out on the street much, police stations are getting to be rare too, never mind being able to visit one late at night.

[davethepieman]

I've only ever been pulled over once, and I was speeding so it was justified (running late for a job in Birmingham) - was humble and apologetic that I'd messed up, and the two cops manning the speed check were pleasant enough as I accepted my ticket and went on my way.

[sarkie83]

Oct 1, 2020 21:30:58 GMT waynedear said:

Passed with flying colours this evening.
Finished a zoom thingy around 21.00, as this afternoon I had finally got my latest Alfa on the road I said to herself when I came down ‘shall we go for a spin in the gt’ ?
Quite surprised when she said yes, so both in bedtime attire we went for a spin, maybe a mile from the house we are lit up by an unmarked car.
I parked safely and got out saying ‘hi, good evening, are you ok’ ( freaks them out in central Liverpool when you are pleasant) his reply was positive and he asked how I was.
We met on the footpath, I was told my car was showing as no insurance, I smiled and explained that the car was insured from 00.01 this morning, mot’d at 15.00 today and taxed at 15.20.
He asked a few questions which I answered without hesitation, I said I had not brought my phone with me that I could show them saved screenshots and if they wanted they could follow me home and I would give them proof, couple more questions and I was told to go home and next time I’m out have the proof with me, seems they believed my true story, thought I would get a 7 day producer.
Guess what, when I got home I went straight online to check everything, yup my story is true.
Then I noticed it, a letter U in my registration is down as a Y... now I know why it is showing as not insured, simple error, I genuinely do not check when the policy is emailed, I check times and dates not reg number or car.
It goes to show though that a pleasant and honest attitude goes a long way.

Almost exactly the same thing happened to me about 8 years ago. I had just insured by e30 and took it out to get some fuel at about 1 in the morning.. Got pulled over by the police as it flagged as no insurance and they said I 'looked like I was trying to get away from something'!
Just stayed pleasent, offered to show them the email if they wanted to follow me home (1 mile away). One was looking all over the car (state of the tyres, etc..), but in the end said 'That sounds believable enough' and they drove off.

[droopsnoot]

I've very rarely been stopped, and try to be as pleasant as possible because it's got to shape the response - you only have to watch these "Traffic Cops" programmes to see that, although they weren't on when I was last stopped.

In contrast, I've been stopped with a couple of mates separately, and they've gone out of their way to be unpleasant for no apparent reason. One resulted in a 7-day notice that probably wouldn't have happened if he hadn't been the way he was (bringing in stuff like "I'd be able to afford to get it fixed if I was paid as much as you are for sitting around picking on people", that sort of rubbish), and the other was a mate who was a bit drunk (and not driving - I was driving) but couldn't stop himself from mouthing off about phoning the chief constable, catching proper criminals, all that rubbish. Maybe that worked in my favour as I explained he'd had a bit to drink, so was told to get him home ASAP.

[stealthstylz]

Errrr let's just say I'm always pleasant even when they're wrong, and I get stopped a lot.

[penski]

Can confirm, I've only ever been stopped once and stealthstylz was in the passenger seat.