Appropriate words of advice ?

[reohn2]

They expect you to know, out of dozens of people, that it is you and you only they are trying to get the attention of.

When you're innocent - this is actually quite amusing and I have to wonder what the cop is doing or thinks is happening.

One pulled me over once, an unmarked car with blue lights in the grill, he said "Why didn't you pull over sooner?" and I said "I thought you were trying to get past me". I hadn't done anything wrong, is the reason I had no idea it was me being pulled.

Strange rules.

What alternative do you suggest?

When I see a car behind me with blue lights flashing an two tones,I normally pull over to the side ASAP, and let it get past.
It's the normal thing to do.

[Manc33]

I probably slowed to let it do that and it didn't go past me so I carried on. It hard to remember 15 years ago.

[reohn2]

I probably slowed to let it do that and it didn't go past me so I carried on. It hard to remember 15 years ago.

In that case I'd assume it's me they'd wish to talk too,even if I hadn't done anything wrong.

[Mick F]

Many many yonks ago, I would "commute" at weekends from Portsmouth to Lancashire. Mrs Mick F wasn't a Mrs then, just a Miss.
250miles each way in a Mini Van.

I would leave on a Sunday evening about 9pm and drive M6/M5 and across along the A roads ........... well before bypasses and dual carriageways. I would drive through the towns, and one night - in the wee small hours of Monday, I was passing through Cirencester. In those days, there were hardly any street lights.

As I turned right onto the road out, I saw a couple of people walking facing in my direction. One of them had a torch and it bobbed up and down as they walked.

I passed by, and as I did, I realised they were coppers and I saw them in my rear view mirror turning round and shining their torch directly at me.

I stopped. The coppers ran up to me and told me off for not stopping!
"Didn't you see me flashing my torch for you to stop?"
"I saw your torch well enough, but it's dark, you're wearing dark clothes, and all I saw was two men walking with a torch. I had no idea you were policemen or even wanted me to pull over."

They had no answer to that!
I was 19years old, and a cheeky confident sod.

Any road up, they checked me out, looked over my car, checked the tax disc, checked my tyres ........ and wanted to know why the tyres were very warm. I explained I'd just come down from Lancashire down the motorways having done over 100miles non-stop.

They made some notes, and then allowed me to go.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Typical mick..........I mean that's typical Mick....................I really mean Thats very typical..................Mick.........you know what I mean

Got pulled by a plain Granada........I was supposedly pulling away.................well a bike that will do 130 in less than 1/2 a mile I would do wouldn't I Slab Granada (Ford) uphill stuggling at 55.

Anyways................twenty minutes later on the side of the road after criticising my bike attire, he says "Didn't you know it was a cop car?"
"Its got square headlights" .....................Yeh right........all Capri Granada Escorts had square headlights in the eighties...................

P.S. 70 in second in less than 4 seconds

P.P.S. Anyone else note the copper's pinky ring

[Phil Fouracre]

Funny old world! How easy to misunderstand someone's intentions. Had an incident years ago with a local copper, in my hang gliding days. Rushing off to go flying, with said kit on the roof rack, said copper in front of me flicked his lights on, put his hand up, and pulled into the lay-by we were just passing. So, like a good boy I pulled in, only to be shouted at that, as I was one of those mad bar stewards, and, was obviously desperate to go flying, he was just letting me past, as he wasn't in a hurry!!!!! Oh how the world has changed

[Vantage]

I've only ever been pulled once and it was while walking home after going to the shops for some cigarettes.
It was dark and lashing down with hail and I was wearing a big puffy ski jacket and bobble hat. I was doing everything I could to hide my face from the weather.
The coppers were driving along the main road and turned across a busy lane to confront me. I asked why I was stopped. "You look suspicious."
"Suspicious?"
"You looked like you were trying to hide your identity from us. Are you known to us?"
"It's pi***** down with hail and freezing cold. I'm trying to keep warm. No I'm not bl**dy known to you." I was in my early twenties and even grumpier than I am now.
I was then asked to empty my pockets and was searched then sent on my way.
Bunch of power abusing monkeys they are.

[MikeF]

I don't understand what the cyclist was supposed to have done wrong. We can't see all the event, but it all looked fine to me. The police car driver didn't mention that he had to brake or swerve or anything other than be patient, which he said everyone else has to do. Also I don't see how someone driving a car can gesture to a cyclist to stop. Horn blaring - get out of my way/vaporise - is not the way a horn should be used, and as far as I know it doesn't mean pull over for a cyclist. Sensibly the cyclist remained calm - unlike the police officer.

Police used to ride bicycles when I was young - perhaps more need to do so now.

[Mark1978]

It's only practical to pull over when you can do so safely. From what I could see the cyclist was in a middle lane so not practical to stop. If there's no safe space then the best action is to continue until there is. In addition police are not meant to pull you over until they can see there is a safe place for you to stop.

And it's clear that despite what the officer said he pulled him over just because he was riding on the road, nothing more.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
And they don't do that very well
The elderly occupant of other car were OK but the police driver banged his head, maybe he should wear his seatbelt
http://www.torquayheraldexpress.co.uk/U ... story.html
"The driver and passenger of the Citroen have minor injuries and are currently being treated at the scene. One Police Officer has a minor head injury and has been taken to Torbay district hospital for further treatment."

[HoratioWondersocks]

Talking of sirens.
If you are of a nervous disposition (as I am )
An emergency service vehicle approaching from behind or unseen and then turning its siren on has almost had me of my bike .(and moreso when on a scooter on one occasion) made me jump and nearly lose control.
Obviously they have an important job to do ,and time is of essence, but it would be a good thing IMO if someone could invent a graduated siren ,one that took just a few seconds to get to full blast ,just to give two wheeled users (particularly) a chance to avoid possibly dangerous jumps out of the saddle and maybe even a crash.
This would help me (and others of course)not to become a user of there services due to cardiac arrest.

Andy
Full of nervous tremulation.

[Cyril Haearn]

I was driving in a London bus lane many years ago (not allowed) and a policeman on a motorbike pulled me over and spent four seconds "educating" me, the conversation went something like this:

Hey mate can't you read? That is a bus lane, you cannot [sic] drive there. Gat aahtavit!

He did not treat me with undeserved "respect" or offer therapy or spend a lot of time issuing a ticket for a pocket-money fine.

That is how the polce should act. I at least understood him, and this was a formative experience for me.

How would you respond to being talked to in this way? Would you complain to the Chief Constable that the cop was disrespectful?

[Mick F]

How would you respond to being talked to in this way? Would you complain to the Chief Constable that the cop was disrespectful?

I would've responded like you did. Accept I'd been caught and think myself lucky.

However, complain the the CC?
Possibly, yes, but I'd give a week or too and only complain in general terms and not specifically.

We pay their wages. They are not gods or put on this earth to rule us with rods of iron. They get grumpy like the rest of us, but you wouldn't accept that behaviour from a private company personnel. If they spoke to the public like that, the firm would be out of business PDQ.

[reohn2]

How would you respond to being talked to in this way? Would you complain to the Chief Constable that the cop was disrespectful?

I would've responded like you did. Accept I'd been caught and think myself lucky.

However, complain the the CC?
Possibly, yes, but I'd give a week or too and only complain in general terms and not specifically.

We pay their wages. They are not gods or put on this earth to rule us with rods of iron. They get grumpy like the rest of us, but you wouldn't accept that behaviour from a private company personnel. If they spoke to the public like that, the firm would be out of business PDQ.

But they're not a private company,if they were they'd be issuing tickets like confetti!
I'll take the rollocking any time and I'd accept it.
There's some very 'sensitive' souls about

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
In the past I have had a police man shake his fist at me.
Not in a million years would this happen today and get away with it.

I am with Mick F on this they work for us like MP's should also not for them selves, I have several police in the family so I know they are very normal and do what the rest of us do BUT they should not act this way when on duty in full view for sure.