Given the recent rise in car hijacks, many of which are initiated when a perp bumps into the rear of the target car in order to entice the driver out, police are now telling us not to get out if we are suspicious, but to drive to the nearest police station.
Several problems with this.
First of all, is it not the law that in an accident situation, we are legally obliged to give our names, addresses and insurance details to third parties. If we leave the scene, we commit an offence.
Secondly, how are we to know where the nearest police station is, in a strange area?
Thirdly, if police stations elsewhere are like the ones here in North Wales, it is very likely they will be locked and the door will not be opened. Even the telephone outside the door is often ignored.
I called at our local station some time ago to collect a set of keys my wife had lost - some kind soul had handed them in. The door was locked ( Saturday afternoon) no-one answered the intercom or the phone outside the door.
I happened to have the internal telephone number for this station and when I called, an officer answered.
"Let me in" I cried. She came to open the door and when I asked why she had ignored the intercom, she replied, Oh, we take no notice of that"
What are we to do?
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Alwyn. yes I have had the same thoughts and I think probably the answer is to be careful where you stop and the location you are in at the time.
Previously I think we would look for a quite spot out of the way of other traffic where we could hopefully have a civilised conversation.
I think now it would be more prudent to halt in the middle of and holding up all the other traffic which may make it more difficult for the perps to carry out the process of whatever they intend.
I think it would also depend on who you saw in your rear view mirror in the car behind. If you saw some old lady or similar to myself you would be OK.
(Unless they were disguised of course).
If you saw a Chris Watson type (sorry Chris just using you as an example) with baseball cap on back to front with a similar type mate alongside alarm bells would ring and you would have then to make the decision of what to do.
Thats about the best I can do but someone else may have the better way including stun and tayser guns which are legal I think.
ALvin
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Car hi-jacking is now becoming more common in the UK due to the sophisticated alarms etc, that are fitted to modern vehicles. As the car cannot be stolen from your drive, the thief will either burgle your house for the keys, or, steal your car from you while your are driving it.
It is not strictly true that you have to stop to exchange details, the road traffic act allows for you to report an accident as soon as is practicable within 24hrs. This however, must be in person at a Police station. It is not sufficient to phone the details in.
Things to consider from a common sense point of view is the type of car you are driving etc. It is mainly the sought after premier brands that are taken in this manner.
Providing that a person acts reasonably, the Police should view the circumstances accordingly.
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If you have a mobile, why not call the police on that and get them to attend the accident. Do not get out of the car until they arrive.
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Sid,
do you keep sandwiches, drinks and maybe a blanket in the car ?
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In Hexham, Northumberland, they rent the upstairs rooms in the police station out for stag parties. So in a real emergency I suppose you could always get into the police station by pretending you were the stripper.
HJ
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HJ,
A stripper? With my beer-tum? Private shows only.
Hear a story from a fire-woman lady friend a few years ago.
The local fire station (Blue Watch) used to lock it's external doors at night and entertain some wives of local steel-workers who were also on nights.
Party hearty.
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Alwyn,
um - who were on nights? the steel workers or their wives?
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Alwyn.......
Next time you need to use the police station door intercom, ask them what the suspicious package on the doorstep is...........
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..... along with the spare side window and the portapotty?
Ronnie
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