In defence of the police I suppose but this incident made me realise that they couldn't pay me enough to do the job.
There was an accident on the A303 near Thruxton yesterday at about 5:30 am. A lorry crashed through the crash barriers, partially blocking both carraigeways. The "Police Accident" signs were out for about a mile before the scene on the eastbound. Most of us pulled to the inside lane and carried on slowly. There was so little traffic that it didn't make a lot of difference anyway.
The driver of a sliver BMW 3 series was obviously too important to slow down so he carried on in the outside line to within about 50 yards of the crash site, and then had to swerve to avoid a policeman who was trying to sort out the mess.
Hope they got his number, but would you risk life and limb to do that job?
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I am reminded of a story of WWI (can't quite think how).
A sniper shot at a fierce colonel who was looking for faults in the front line, and missed. Colonel retraces steps, was missed again (he was too stiffnecked to duck when advised!). Call for volunteer. Jock volunteers, goes over top when dark, returns some time later, asked if he had "got" the sniper.
"Would I no' get the ****** who missed oor colonel TWICE?"
Don't know offhand what a colonel would have had, less than a Ghost I think(unless his own). Vauxhall, Sunbeam, Crossley?
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I have every respect for front-line officers who risk their lives to defend the public and keep us all safe. Same goes for ambulance drivers and firefighters.
They deserve our total support.
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I was going to post this on the 'Motorway police' thread, but it could just as well go here:
I do most of my driving on the A3 between Petersfield and Guildford, which is subject to the national 60mph limit. I?ve frequently seen police cars driving at 60 in the inside lane being overtaken by a continuous stream of cars driving at 65-70. As long as this is being done safely(no tailgating,etc.) the police seem not to mind.
I think that the police patrols do a difficult and depressing job with understanding and forbearance.
I have never had to deal with the results of a serious car crash, and don?t know how I?d react, having perhaps recently helped remove a mangled victim from a pile-up, to a driver stopped for stupid and dangerous road behaviour.
I know that I couldn't cope with their job.
P.
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It is a god foraken Job and nobody ever thanks you. I spent three years in the Met and the most excitemnt I ever has was chasing an 8- year- old kid in a "hot" metro. Needless to say, as he was under 12 so we couldn't do anything about him! Happy motoring
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I play golf with a couple of lads fron local Traffic.
They tell me about some of the nonsense they have deal with -
(like a 'Blade in 2 pieces - for those that don't know, the Fireblade alloy chassis is immensely strong),
but other times they just say "Bad". Means "Don't ask".
And what support and thanks do they get?
Villified from every side because they are stopping "cowboys" from driving at speeds they think are "reasonable".
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Regulars here will not be surprised to know that I'm pleased to see the responses of those above who offer some acknowledgement of the less pleasant aspects of the job done by Police and other services.
It balances the view recently expressed that all Police are b999ards - this apparently provoked by a "non incident" in which the contributor *wasn't* stopped by a patrol having exceeded the limit.
I anticipated the response that if the Police/Ambulace crews etc. didn't want to do the job they shouldn't have joined. I hesitate to state the obvious regarding how regettable those individuals would find it if they got stuck somewhere unpleasant or needed the services of an ambulance, only to find that they'd all resigned, but it is the case that people having a heart attack, suffering stab wounds, or impaled on a fence post usually reserve their criticism of the emergency sevices for another day when they're feeling a bit better.
KB.
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Gives you a sort of warm glow ---- Gosh Thanks
90% of the Job is ok. Main problem is public expectation and delivery - never the twain shall meet !
Some of the public expect a robotic Police service, but coppers are human as well and have bad days.
Mr Blunkett has become aware of street level feelings amongst the Rank and File Officers, in fact he made a Government Policy that delivered; he promised more Coppers on the street - he had thousands of them, problem was they were all in the same street in Westminster at the same time !
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Indeed P U L, I happened to be in the Buck. Pal. / Birdcage walk area at around 11am on the day of the funeral. I was amazed to see how many police officers there were. To say that they were literally every where, is an understatement, presumably much overtime and rest day working being called for.
Knock the system if you will, but the organization and regimentation and apparent efficiency which I saw accompanying the funeral comings and goings was truly impressive. This applies not only to the armed services, police etc, but to the thousand and one other aspects of the occasion which get taken for granted, but all had to be laid on for such a massive undertaking.
KB.
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Just to clarify, these Officers were there on their day off or in betweeen shifts fir the Met and surrounding Forces (sorry can't call them that now - for Force read Service). Certainly not there at public expense. The Fed. paid for busing them in out of our monthly contribution.
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I had a friend who was working on traffic patrol on the M4. He was assisting an elderly motorist change a tyre on the hard shoulder, when a day dreaming lorry driver left lane one and took him off down the motorway.
He is out of the job now but alive, with serious disabilities.
It is sometimes worth mentioning the good work done.
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A Police Officer assisting at an accident on the A12 near Colchester in Essex was recently run over and killed by a "passing motorist"
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Same road, I had pulled over to help a lady whose car was stranded in lane 1, an officer also came to assist.
The driver of a cattle truck failed to see my van with 1metre light bar & the fully liveried, Blackpool illuminations on max, patrol car. He hit the front wing & wheel narrowly missing the officer who literally jumped out of the way.
The registration of the cattle truck turned out to be false too!!
All this on a summers afternoon!!
Mark
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vansboy wrote:
> The registration of the cattle truck turned out to be false
Making him one of the cowboys (not the same as being a maverick, or even a desperado!).
In, I think, Manchester, one untraceable car was "caught" speeding by scameras 17 times, if I recall correctly.
In one day.
One senior police officer is on record as saying his traffic cops caught more criminals (that's the real ones, not vicars and nurses (that's real ones) creeping over the number on a tin sign) than the CID did.
Even the government has published, though (surprise, surprise) not publicised, the fact that most real dangerous drivers are real criminals.
Well there's a surprise! Who would have thought it?
The guy who cut you up is more likely to be a mad axeman than a heart surgeon.
The guy who gave you a whack while on some funny baccy is more likely to be a drug dealer than a pharmacist.
The guy who rammed you is more likely to be on the run from a ram raid than in a rush to get to his Rotary meeting.
Yet SOME traffic cops prefer to take the p!ss.
And the "police" (generally lions, generally led by donkeys) are "institutionally anti-motorist".
Yet SOME(?) motorists won't hear a word said against them, regardless.
Others will savage anyone who says a word against them.
Whereas the lions would probably much prefer as much flak as possible to be aimed at the p!ss-takers and the donkeys.
Then they might actually be allowed to get on with the job most of them joined up to do.
See eg: this Police Letter
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There is ALWAYS one plonker.
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Growler
Can you not find another letter to read I'm getting sick of this one.!!!!!!
Andrew
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Perhaps he thinks someone is actually listening to his ranting?
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Andrew,
I think you've mis-interpretted that the "The" and "THe Growler" are one and the same.
Kevin...
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The word you're looking for, Trev, me old mate, is reading.
Try it some time.
The Highway Code would be a good start, considering the content of some of the posts of yours I've had the courtesy to read before commenting on.
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Absolutely bang on - the letter, I mean.
The Advanced Potter does not like it, because it has the authentic ring of truth about it.
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I've heard of another police letter doing the rounds, though I've not seen it, which claims that in their force's area in HALF of the speed trap sites the signing is illegal!
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BTW if anyone wants a chat with the police on traffic matters, or if you are in the police, but weren't aware of them, there's some links to relevant forums here: Government Links
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I REALLY do not understand - here we are saying "YOU are doing a VERY difficult job boys - and are not appreciated", and some clowns come along to try and divert the thread to their "weird"
anti-establishment rant.
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Hi Potty
The other clowns would love to reply, but you'll need to clarify which diversions, wierdness, and rants you are refering to to give us half a chance.
Or was this an after thought, and you've confused us by refering back to something prior to your earlier "contributions".
........8X....... Snip.............85%..................
PS Boys, received your letters and I'm sorry to hear that you're having such a hard time from the politicians, managers, and counter-productive self styled "safety" brigade of do-gooders.
I fully appreciate what you are doing and saying.
If only they'd let you do the job you signed up for, instead of forcing you to take on the role of tax collector and PC thought police enforcing whatever agenda they are trying to implement through their "safety" and "environmental" campaigns.
If it wasn't for them the few bad-uns that any body is bound to be lumbered with would be seen as the exception.
They're ensuring that it's become the rule.
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"More coppers on the street"
Plod-U-Like
For the avoidance of doubt, were you referring in your posts to the Police Federation's "visit" to Westminster, or to security/crowd control for HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's processions? Otherwise fully agree KB's point about the professionalism and efficiency of the latter, and also with Alwyn's very succint post.
Jack
PS Andrew - Stick around and you will quickly realise that there is no possible confusion between the shy and retiring "The" and "THe Growler" who "hides from no one (except one ex-wife and two ex-mistresses)". I'm keenly awaiting the latter's safe return from Geordieland and his report on life in the UK?), not to mention the Vectra .... I said not to mention the Vectra!"
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Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Is it actually Jack Union then?
My "fan club" can't have it all ways: not liking my name, choosing alternatives, complaining when I adopt them, and then complaining even more that I'm too shy and retiring and "hiding" when a leave a space for them to fill in their latest terms of endearment.
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