Should they get in the car?

[thirdcrank]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... ictim.html

Earlier in this thread I mentioned Keith Bennett. When I did so I was unaware that there would be a memorial service for him today.

[Cyril Haearn]

I agree that this would be a very confusing situation for a child.

I would not expect a child to know what a warrant card is never mind what it looks like.

I would expect a police officer to realise both of these facts.

As an adult I would not know whether WC warrant card was real, would the police-shaped person hand it to me for examination?

[Pastychomper]

This thread got me thinking of the reasons children do things. I can remember situations as a child when I knew the "correct" way to behave but couldn't bring myself to do it in the face of perceived pressure from nearby adults. It takes a certain amount of confidence to say "no" in the moment and while some children seem to be born with that confidence, most take time to develop it and some have it knocked by ill-thought-out decisions in school or wherever. Then there's the related problem of being flustered by an unexpected situation and "having" to make a quick decision. I'm not saying that is what happened in meic's son's case, but I wonder if it was a factor.

When it comes to getting in a car I was probably atypical. At 12 I loved walking in any environment and didn't like cars or making conversation, so probably the only way a stranger could have persuaded me into a car would be to convince me that (s)he had some kind of authority, such as being a police officer. Then I'd probably have accepted a lift to avoid annoying them.

[NUKe]

OH I see the thread Necromancer has been at it again

[Cunobelin]

Slightly OT, but relevant

A few years ago my Mother was a keen Line Dancer and as she did not drink would end up as designated driver, and drop her friends off in various villages after the evening had finished.

One night on a back road in the Fens, she had an unmarked car in her rear mirror that put on their blue lights

She ignored them and carried on... sound of sirens

She continued to ignore and drove to a local town, into the Police Station where she sounder her horn until someone came out. The unmarked car was behind her

She was then given a telling off for not stopping, until she explained to the Sergeant that she was a female alone with an unidentified vehicle and according to the local press a bogus police car operating a short distance away (issuing "spot fines"... payable in cash!!!).

She had refused to stop, but had driven to the nearest Police Station where she knew it would be safe.

The Sergeant saw her argument as being sensible, and whilst the PC in the car was still wanting to press "failing to stop", it was overridden by teh Sergeant, who ascertained that it was not a stop for alcohol, speeding or dangerous driving, my Mother was sent on her way, with no further repercussions

[Pastychomper]

OH I see the thread Necromancer has been at it again

I suspect he heard the thread turning in its grave after being mentioned in the Interfering Stranger thread.

[[XAP]Bob]

Slightly OT, but relevant

A few years ago my Mother was a keen Line Dancer and as she did not drink would end up as designated driver, and drop her friends off in various villages after the evening had finished.

One night on a back road in the Fens, she had an unmarked car in her rear mirror that put on their blue lights

She ignored them and carried on... sound of sirens

She continued to ignore and drove to a local town, into the Police Station where she sounder her horn until someone came out. The unmarked car was behind her

She was then given a telling off for not stopping, until she explained to the Sergeant that she was a female alone with an unidentified vehicle and according to the local press a bogus police car operating a short distance away (issuing "spot fines"... payable in cash!!!).

She had refused to stop, but had driven to the nearest Police Station where she knew it would be safe.

The Sergeant saw her argument as being sensible, and whilst the PC in the car was still wanting to press "failing to stop", it was overridden by teh Sergeant, who ascertained that it was not a stop for alcohol, speeding or dangerous driving, my Mother was sent on her way, with no further repercussions

Given that her actions were to drive straight to the nearest (known) station I'd have hoped it would be thrown out by anyone with half a brain.

The problem nowadays is that all the local stations are closed. I suppose it's a 999 call asking them to confirm that it is actually an officer in the car behind.

[Cyril Haearn]

OH I see the thread Necromancer has been at it again

I suspect he heard the thread turning in its grave after being mentioned in the Interfering Stranger thread.

Right again pc*
Meic mentioned that he had forgotten this one, has called it up from his memory again, good that he recorded it back then

* haha, pc: Police Constable?