Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Commuting, Day rides, Audax, Incidents, etc.
Valbrona
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Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Valbrona »

Couldn't believe my eyes ... the Police had actually pulled over a driver on my ride into Derbyshire today. The last time I saw a driver that had been stopped by the Plod was about two decades ago. Blimey, he must have been wanted for something serious to have been stopped. I mean, the only time they bother stopping road users for 'minor' transgressions is when they are filming that documentary, Police in Action, or whatever it is called.

Not like my rides in Italy. There I might see the Police on the side of the road with a driver they have stopped every other ride. And the Polizia are the business - not a wooly jumper, a fleece jacket or a fluorescent bib in sight. Not to mention the Caribinieri in their Alfa Romeo Giullietta's ... unlike the UK Police in their Vauxhall Zafira's.
I should coco.
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cycleruk
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by cycleruk »

Valbrona wrote:Couldn't believe my eyes ... the Police had actually pulled over a driver on my ride into Derbyshire today. The last time I saw a driver that had been stopped by the Plod was about two decades ago.


Just goes to show how good our drivers are. :roll: :mrgreen:
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DaveP
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by DaveP »

About three weeks ago I was cycling into work (about 5.30 on a Sat morning). I was, umm cycling on the pavement :oops: I know, I know - but I find I still don't have the confidence to ride round the Spaghetti Junction roundabout.
Any how, I was about to pass by two cars pulled up on the pavement when a very large constable got out of the second one. I was travelling at a very sedate speed, lights blazing. Even so, I expected to hear Hey You! or similar any second. What I actually heard was "I've stopped you Sir because you were doing 70 in a 40 zone"
I was never under the impression that he was speaking to me :D
Quite reassuring.
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eileithyia
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by eileithyia »

Clearly do not cycle / drive where i do, i often see cars being pulled by police very often in unmarked vehicles.... given the amount of phone usage i see they should pull far more.....

..And only the other night a couple of older cycling friends of mine, were pulled as they drove home from the airport at 3am, breathalysed and quizzed as to whether they were married or not (quite what that had to do with anything is anybody's guess).
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Flinders
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Flinders »

Seldom see anyone pulled over on the M6 with an unmarked police car and flashing red and blue lights stopped behind it (as opposed to a marked car that could have stopped to check a breakdown), but in the last week on just two return trips I reckon I've seen at least 5. Could be pure coincidence, and the drivers may simply have broken down, I suppose.

If there is a crackdown on speeding/phones/tailgating or whatever, it isn't before time, though. There are far too many 'accidents' on this stretch - there were three long holdups due to 'accidents' on just one of those return trips.
Flinders
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Flinders »

eileithyia wrote:Clearly do not cycle / drive where i do, i often see cars being pulled by police very often in unmarked vehicles.... given the amount of phone usage i see they should pull far more.....

..And only the other night a couple of older cycling friends of mine, were pulled as they drove home from the airport at 3am, breathalysed and quizzed as to whether they were married or not (quite what that had to do with anything is anybody's guess).


Whether they were married? That's bizarre. :shock: Was one of the officers looking for a date?
Flinders
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Flinders »

DaveP wrote:About three weeks ago I was cycling into work (about 5.30 on a Sat morning). I was, umm cycling on the pavement :oops: I know, I know - but I find I still don't have the confidence to ride round the Spaghetti Junction roundabout.
Any how, I was about to pass by two cars pulled up on the pavement when a very large constable got out of the second one. I was travelling at a very sedate speed, lights blazing. Even so, I expected to hear Hey You! or similar any second. What I actually heard was "I've stopped you Sir because you were doing 70 in a 40 zone"
I was never under the impression that he was speaking to me :D
Quite reassuring.



Possibly if the cars were partly on the pavement, s/he thought that you might have gone onto the pavement to avoid having to pull out too far into the road?
I love that polite way of official speaking, though. Written down it always looks rather quaint. But I suspect it does keep a situation calmer than it might otherwise be, which presumably is the object of the exercise.
Valbrona
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Valbrona »

DaveP wrote: What I actually heard was "I've stopped you Sir because you were doing 70 in a 40 zone.


Aren't the Police in this country sweet, eh?
I should coco.
Ben@Forest
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Ben@Forest »

I've been pulled over five times in this country in a 30 year driving/motorbike riding career and once in NZ. Twice I was breathalysed and both times it was in a 14-month period when I owned a rather shabby looking 'hot hatch' though it was always fully legally compliant. Neither time had I been drinking at all and was not speeding or contravening any other law.

On the second occasion (when breathalysed) I started to recite my details to the police officer in a rather bored fashion he said 'Has this happened before?' which I affirmed. He said ' Well it's the sort of car we pull over..' Since then I've been happy to believe that police officers will target certain groups, ages, ethnicities etc...
old_windbag
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by old_windbag »

Many years ago I owned an astra gte 16v, I was young and it was my pride and joy. One morning on route to work I approached one of those painted cement dome mini roundabouts and it was totally clear for me in terms of right of way. I entered the roundabout when the police car entering from the left decided to drive straight across my path.. I duly curved around the back of him and carried on, no chance of crash etc. I watched my mirror to see him do a full turn and get on my tail, unlike the sweeney I pulled over whereby he requested my license and stated I was approaching the roundabout too fast. I said I was within the 30mph limit with a clear view and you did drive straight across in front of me. He said I agree you weren't speeding but you approached the roundabout too fast, then asked if I had points to which I hadn't. He said if you want to keep it that way I suggest you approoach roundabouts slower. Next morning I was awoken at 7am with the constabulary at my door.... your cars been stolen sir its at the top of the back lane. So it was, all vandalised with finger smears all over the bonnet to remove any finger prints.... the policeman was interestingly wearing leather gloves.... coincidence or do we have bent policemen. I sadly think the latter, in cahoots with the felons, but I've met genuine ones as well, but the bad pennies stand out and do no one any favours except the crims.
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meic
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by meic »

The Police pulled over a driver locally, earlier this month and found lots of my belongings in the car. :D

I am now reunited with them. :D

There is a clear ratio about getting stopped, in my car and works vans I am invisible. On my BMW motorbike and combinations, I am stopped infrequently. On my smaller trials bike, I am stopped frequently. On my bikes and with a trailer I have been stopped four times in 55,000 miles which probably compares with the trials bike per mile.
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Si
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Si »

DaveP wrote:. I was, umm cycling on the pavement :oops: I know, I know - but I find I still don't have the confidence to ride round the Spaghetti Junction roundabout.


Diving OT. The underpass will be made into shared use next year so you will be able to do it legally. You also have the alternative of going from Park Rd to Deykin Ave via the cycle path. (or, indeed or using Salford Park)

Having said that, the Salford roundabout isn't half as bad as it looks, especially now the traffic lights are there. The real issue with it is coming along Lichfield Rd from the city in the evening rush hour - it's a pain to filter due to the lorries and buses.
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DaveP
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by DaveP »

Thanks for that Si. Good to hear that the underpass will be available 'cos I probably will still not have acquired the confidence to use the roundabout. Part of my problem is the amount of aggression and outright incompetence that I see there on a daily basis. My cycle journey involves approaching from the Lichfield road and continuing along the Tyburn Road, which leaves me needing to do a right turn that I sometimes struggle with in a car...
My preferred strategy with places like this is to develop alternatives, and TBH the towpath is probably close to a perfect solution, but you have reminded e that somewhere I have a B'ham cycling map...
Thanks!
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Si
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by Si »

TBH the towpath is probably close to a perfect solution


Make the most of the new tarmac now before they dump loads of gravel all over it!
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661-Pete
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Re: Police Had Pulled Over a Driver

Post by 661-Pete »

They certainly do it in France. Driving up the Autoroute yesterday, at my sedate 70mph (sedate for France that is, the limit is 130 Km/h ~ 81mph), I was puzzled to see a lot of approaching motorists on the other carriageway flashing their lights. But only for a moment, the reason soon became clear as I passed a pair of Gendarmes parked up on the hard shoulder on their powerful motorbikes. And sure enough, a few minutes later they came hareing up past me at top speed, blues flashing and weaving in and out of the cars with complete abandon. And a little further on, I saw they'd pulled someone over. And were presumably giving him the treatment - and this being France, I guess it wasn't of the "'ello 'ello 'ello!" variety! :shock: :lol:

I continued at my 'modest' 70mph... :wink:
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