Megane Sport Forum banner

a tale of prejudice

4K views 15 replies 14 participants last post by  Norvern Rob 
#1 ·
evening chaps, THIS is going to be a long one, if you get bored im sorry.
thought Id share a interesting recent episode of a encounter with west yorkshire police/ get some s**t off my chest.

on sunday gone, I spent most of the day bored at Alton towers due to power failure, but made up for it getting as soaking wet as possible, it was raining anyway.
I drove to bradford later on around 8pm and dropped a colleague off, myself and a remaining colleague then got food and drove to wakefield to eat before departing to Penrith aiming to arrive at midnight.
On exiting Bradford (wakefield road?) a dual laned road 30mph turning 40mph with roundabouts it had been raining for sometime, I should note i was travelling in my daily 1litre engined old polo.
I braked for a oncoming roadabout knowing the canal boat of a polo cant tolerate speed in a straight line not to mention a corner, i entered the dual lane roundabout at 25mph, the exit lane was not straight over more 1oclock. mid corner the car violently oversteer aquaplaned across both lanes, i corrected the drift only to find a volvo cop car on the exit.
next thing Im pulled over, takeaway sauce spilt on my carpet and my colleague scared of what had happened, after checking she was ok, the police man came to the window asked me to step out the vehicle, which i did.
I was then introduced to his colleague, whom asked me one question 'What has just happened?' I began to answer stating the vehicle lost grip and for no known obvious reason I can explain other than poor weather... I got about three words in before the officer whom asked the question decided he had heard enough.
the interupted response was:
''I have been a police emergancy traffic scene Investigator for 24years, your vehicle is front wheel drive, there is only one thing that has happened here, you have come into the roundabout and pulled the handbrake''
I tried to wait for a pause to explain my innocence but I was again interrupted by the officer whom decided to lecture me on momentum and physics and the difference between his volvo my polo, front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive and how I am a young male whom is out to have some fun....
at no point was I allowed to speak, I am a healthcare Professional and therefore cant accept cautions for my proffesional ability to practice in community. I was told I would face a court hearing, loose my licence and career for dangerous driving, wreckless behaviour and other offences he added to the bill.
I have always learnt to keep quiet and understand situations where you can defend yourself can make them worse so I rejected the caution, to which I was told I was a prat, young and foolish. when i turned to his colleague he had nothing to say, I made one comment that I had don nothing wrong and wasnt sure what had happened to which I was confronted and told how again I was young and had entered the roundabout with the sole intention of handbrake turnng a 1litre polo in wet conditions and other traffic on the road around me. He re itterated the judge will hear his evidence and take my licence and further charges affecting my career and livelyhood.
I was so shocked i had nothing to say, I got back in my car after being dissmissed and noticed a P zone ahead 100yards, i pulled off and then immediately pulled in.
5mins later the cop car returned and asked me to get out the vehicle, I got out and then the 'main officer' invited me into his car saying 'Get in!' in a nasty tone not looking at me.
he then told me he and his colleague had decided to go on a trip round the roundabout at 40mph and they hadnt skidded... again I said nothing, he then told me he had changed his mind and dropped the charge this time but would hold me on file.

In one turn of a roundabout where I had done nothing to cause what had occurred but resulted in a slide led to me almost loosing my career and livelyhood, without even being able to speak.
I have since not driven my .R
the tyres where new on the car (<100miles all four maxxis)
the fact: I had braked suitably, being over cautious due to my colleague passenger, Im still at a loss as to what caused the slide, Im aware its a terrible handling car but i use it daily and drive it well within safe limits, theres no point doing any faster driving as i chase economy to save for hooning in the .R

all in all im furious and it spoilt my holiday in the lake district.

sorry for boring you, had to get it off my chest somewhere.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
Surely you can complain about the officers involved ? This is what REEEEEALLY pees me off about the majority of traffic cops (there are some decent ones out there before anyone rips me to shreds) in that most of them are amongst the most patronising people on the planet, there was absolutely no need for the way they've talked to you and their tone.

As for them trying the same manoeuvre on the roundabout, well, of course a 4WD Volvo isn't going to react the same as a skinny wheeled FWD Polo - surely they're sharp enough to realise that.

I wouldn't let it put you off for one minute though from driving the .R, it's there to enjoy, just use it on some quiter roads Hugh ;)
 
#3 ·
Sometimes it feels like the police are just out to get someone.

I remember years ago (in a polo) a copper on a motorbike overtook me and then slowed down. I stuck to the speed limit and passed him on the approach to a round about.

He then pulled me over for speeding! Even though he could not prove it. After arguing my case with him, he said by the way you have a break light out and walked off!
 
#5 ·
I'll look after the R for you Hugh until you feel the time is right to enjoy it again!;) Seriously though, It sounds to me like you had some bad luck, first the slide then the misfortune to come across a copper with an attitude problem. This doesn't however excuse the guys behaviour and I would be considering taking the matter furthur.
 
#7 ·
Back when I'd just started driving I oversteered and span (3 times) my old 1litre Swift on a really wet roundabout.
I managed to drift it back off the exit I wanted anyway but I learned a valuable lesson that night about how small, light cars with skinny tyres react in the wet, with lift off oversteer.
I wish I had a video of mine, it would have looked amazing! Haha.

At the end of the day the reason he dropped it is because he knew he had nothing, the CPS won't accept a motoring offence unless they have evidence; 2 officers opinions are enough but if the first wasn't willing to swear in court that there was no doubt in his mind you pulled the handbrake he had nothing. He was doing what most try to and that is scare you into accepting the caution then and there. You did the right thing. He must have felt a right prat to his mate :)
 
#9 ·
At the end of the day the reason he dropped it is because he knew he had nothing, the CPS won't accept a motoring offence unless they have evidence; 2 officers opinions are enough but if the first wasn't willing to swear in court that there was no doubt in his mind you pulled the handbrake he had nothing. He was doing what most try to and that is scare you into accepting the caution then and there. You did the right thing. He must have felt a right prat to his mate :)
Wrong. The CPS will run with anything that they believe has a realistic chance of prosecution and is 'in the public interest'. I see both sides of the coin. I see the CPS not running with stuff when by rights they should after I've collected a shed load of verifiable evidence, but I have also been in court where it was one (very arsey) single crewed traffic officer who didn't like it when I questioned him on his driving after he'd given me the patronising bull, trying to stitch me up for 95mph in a 60mph (ban and loss of job). His statement was full of holes that I picked apart, but CPS STILL decided it was worth a punt in court. In the end I accepted 3 points and a fine for 70mph in a 60mph because there was a chance it could have gone against me in court.

To the OP - it sounds like he was trying to scare you in to 'correcting' your driving behaviour, albeit it's a really crappy way of doing it. As for him saying you will go 'on file' - rubbish, and not worth worrying about. No one goes 'on file' unless he submits an intel report (you weren't arrested so you won't be on the custody system or PNC), but as there really is nothing from what you've said to put on an IMS submission then I wouldn't worry about it. Bear in mind that his colleagues will have to work with him and that he is probably like that with everyone. I work with people who love winding people up to get a reaction - believe me, I don't like crewing up with these people, and neither do a lot of other colleagues, as they drag us in to situations we don't need to be in.
 
#8 ·
There's a roundabout at the Trafford centre that in the wet even at about 10/15 mph you will understeer, the oil on the road over time has just made it unbearable.

Unfortunate really, did you get his number? Should have gone toe to toe with him other than keep quiet really,viewing you stand there all quiet probably made him feel all powerful and feel like he was educating you if that makes sense.
 
#10 ·
Going toe to toe even when you're in the right doesn't always work out.
A good traffic officer can find things wrong with even a well maintained car, let alone even a 'good' driver's driving (washer fluid not filled to the brim, just one bulb out, missed an indication one time, cut a painted mini roundabout slightly etc.)
 
#11 ·
I agree with Naith with going toe to toe. If you're 100% legal, no drink or drugs consumed then the copper has naff all to report you for. I see where mustdash is coming from but if you've not done anything wrong, no court in the world will prosecute you. Did he see you pull the handbrake? Is the slide on the in-car video? No to both so no case to answer.
Take a look at Traffic Cop's / Police Camera Action - there's uninsured, no licence, drug carrying drivers on there that more often than not, get away with a slap on the wrist and sometimes, the case kicked out all together. That's what winds up the Cop's, because of this, innocent joe blogs like you will get the brunt of that aggression.
I have no time for Police, sorry to those on here that are 'good' coppers, most I've come across love the uniform and the fear that it can instill on others.
 
#12 ·
this is exactly how i was left feeling.
I didnt take numbers, this would have surely excalated the situation further and had i not pulled over Id have been really on edge till I heard in the post what the next step was.
As someone who I would say is a honest person, goes out of my way at work to make a difference for others and change peoples lives, I feel this is an absolute outrage.
I know some people Ive met on forums and meets are police officers, but after this I have no respect at all. I fear a complaint would only make things worse from here and possibly lead to further victimisation.
 
#14 ·
Some would say don't stereotype all cops because of a bad few, like this idiot who's badge has made him perfect!

But hasn't the OP been unfairly stereotyped, because of age, by a copper who should be someone showing an unbiased judgement?

Coppers are the worst of all for using stereotypes, this is a perfect example, so I'm not going to feel bad about how I view the Police Constabulary.
 
#15 ·
This is West Yorkshires finest filth down to a tea.

They pulled you a second time as they know they wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Shame you didn't get you day in court to make them look like the mongs they are.

Could have had compo off them too for stress etc with today's where there's a blame culture.
 
#16 ·
A few years ago I was driving to work one morning, it was fairly foggy and I was on a dead straight dual carriageway doing on and just under the 50mph limit. A car came up behind me and proceeded to tailgate me for a couple of miles, I tried slowing down to get him to pass and he didn't, so tried speeding up to open a bit of a gap and he just stuck behind me.

As we came to a stop at a roundabout I saw it was a police car, and as I exited he roundabout he pulled me over. He said I'd been speeding, the only time I went over he limit was when the knobhead was tailgating me, he then let me go with a telling off.

When I got to work one of my workmates had been behind us the whole time and said the police car was so close to me he kept having to brake. I've never worked out why he 1) tailgated me, as 2) If he was being a knob then why not do me for speeding instead of letting me off?

I also got done for a miss spaced number plate on the M1 (different car to above). Fair enough it was, but I'd done over 20k miles in the car without ever being stopped before, and the copper that stopped me was the most patronising person I've ever met and gave me a ticket straight away.

I'm sure some are great guys, unfortunately for me the two times I've been stopped in 13 years of driving weren't by those!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top