I have so far had a 50/50 good bad time whilst being stopped....
Ah, that'll be the old 'good cop, bad cop' routine :-)
|
I must say I am surprised reading some posters' experiences here - the number of 'dodgy' encounters that is. I was no angel in my earlier days & had my fair share of being stopped either by traffic police (both here & in France) & ordinairy police. Sometimes I've been 'guilty' or had transgressed, other times perhaps I warranted a 'pull' from the situation or my apparent behaviour. All of those ocassions passed without any of the incident described in some posts here - maybe I was lucky, or maybe my attitude helped.
My start point is: they don't know me, they're doing a job & it's not personal. With that in mind, my strategy is to minimise the stress factor both for me & them. They as much as me, want to go away without having a scene & usually not wanting to start a bureaucratic 'ball' rolling by having to issue a compliance notice of some kind or arrest me. I try to make that easy for them: no attitude, no smart alec responses, listen to what they 'need' from the encounter etc. Overall my view is if you've something obviously or really bad you'll be nicked, if it's marginal or discretionary in some way, the right attitude might get you off with a 'Be more careful next' or 'I won't report it this time,
|
Yes woodbines, quite. But there's less likelihood of 'discretionary' situations than there used to be.
'Computer says you're nicked.'
That apart, I usually get out of the car when pulled and walk round to the nearside. If you stay in the car the officer is likely to start establishing dominance by telling you to turn the engine/radio off. I would rather do those things myself to clear the decks for the dialogue.
In the past I have often asked, at the end of the conversation, what has led to the pull. The standard response is extremely evasive, accompanied by a far-away smile and a gaze into the distance. But I never allow this to annoy me, as it is so clearly meant to. Knockabout comedy really.
|
One of the things I'm finding interesting about this thread is phrases like "when I get stopped I usually..."
Fort heaven's sake, how often do you all get stopped?
For my part, I passed my test in 1979, and in 28 years have been stopped precisely once (which was "we think you were going too quickly in your Renault 5 GT Turbo but we didn't actually measure the speed so on your way son, be careful, that's a fast car you have there") many years back.
I do about 15k miles a year.
|
|
Where do you live Dipstick?
|
|
Cambridgeshire is where I live, Lud.
|
Cambridgeshire
It's quite difficult to drive for many years in London and never be pulled at all. However I don't doubt that a lot of drivers are better and more law-abiding than I am.
|
|
|
|
'how often do you all get stopped?'
i was 'spoken to' a couple of times last year ie 'time to put your headlights on Sir' and 'don't you know this unmarked piece of road is a bus-lane?' never had anything but courtesy and politeness.
only had the full blues and twos once - doing 45-50 on the A702 and blithely drove through their 40 mph speed trap; heard the sirens and pulled over to let them by only to have them pull up behind me. I was so shocked I sat in the car until being invited to 'please step into the back of our car sir whilst we show you a wee recording we just made...'
oops!
|
|
|
One of the things I'm finding interesting about this thread is phrases like "when I get stopped I usually..."
Thinking back to the times I have been stopped over 40 years of motoring:
1) Driving interesting old car - policeman probably just wanted to talk about it
2) Passed (innocently) a murder scene, and was asked if I had passed on such and such a day and had seen anything suspicious. (No)
3) Routine police traffic survey - where was I going etc etc
4) Routine check for secure load - it was. Wardrobe on roof rack
5) Routine check for tyres and documents - all fine
6) Collecting my small daughter from a friends late at night - asleep in back seat. Probably just wanted a chat about an interesting old car, but breathalysed me anyway. I passed. Quite interesting to see the procedure. Curiously he made no attempt to verify her identity and ensure that I wasn't a child abductor. But perhaps he knew Triumph 2000 drivers were always sound.
Where all cars were being stopped in a long row, I stayed in the car, because the policeman was walking along to each in turn. When it was just me, I got out full of good nature, willingness to help, engaged in the usual "you don't see many of these cars about now" kind of chat, and we parted amicably.
|
|
|
|
That apart, I usually get out of the car when pulled and walk round to the nearside. If you stay in the car the officer is likely to start establishing dominance by telling you to turn the engine/radio off. I would rather do those things myself to clear the decks for the dialogue.
Ah, but I want the PC to establish 'dominance' - I want him/her to have that victory. I would certainly turn off the engine & sounds, but wouldn't decamp - just lower the window & plant an expectant & helpful look on my face. If someone you were about to ask a question to (no matter how innocent or ordinairy) got out of their car to answer it - what does that make you think? It's the same for the Police - you might be preparing to attack or flee. In the car you can drive away, but that doesn't directly threaten them & they have the option then of asking you to exit the vehicle or not.
|
You're certainly right in principle woodbines. But I've only once seen a policeman look alarmed when the driver got out of the car when approached (in a back street on the edge of the Tyne canyon in the middle of Newcastle in the sixties: he started back and drew his truncheon), and a couple of words from the driver soon reassured him. Obviously if four guys clutching weapons pile out of the car a policeman might feel threatened, but a driver with peaceable body language, sober or pleasant facial expression and courteous discourse will be fairly promptly identified even by a young policeman.
I do agree though that acknowledging the policeman's authority, even ramping it up a bit, is a polite thing to do under the circumstances. After all they haven't stopped you for no reason at all, even if they won't tell you what it is.
This interface between the police and the public is slightly uncomfortable by definition.
Edited by Lud on 03/01/2008 at 15:44
|
|
It's all about what you want to get out of the encounter, and applying a bit of elementary psychology to achieve it, isn't it?
|
|
|
|
Speak to the Inspector when you take your documents in, the only way to stop the ordinary decent worker being easy pray to lazy cops, it to no longer be easy pray. This has been a successful strategy for other social groups.
|
"Speak to the Inspector when you take your documents in, the only way to stop the ordinary decent worker being easy pray to lazy cops, it to no longer be easy pray. This has been a successful strategy for other social groups."
Oh, I couldn't resist it. This just made me smile. Which 'ordinary' membrs of the public do you refer. The very nice chap I stopped for doing 135mph on the motorway the other day. Or the ordinary drink drivers, or the usually pleasant and 'ordinary' boy racers causing havoc on Maccy Ds carpark. Or the ordinary workers, in their thousands who are just left to get on with it.
I'm afraid you won't get to speak to an Inspector at a Police Station these days. You get the duty Sergeant. (Did I mention I'm the duty Sergeant :) )
|
|
|
|
do lazy cops really pray for ordinary decent workers and leave the low-lifes for the keen ones? :)
|
|
|
|
This interface between the police and the public is slightly uncomfortable by definition.
I'm sure you & I both look unthreatening Lud, and it would be perhaps a little overdone if we did the wimpering low ranking wolf to the 'pack leader' routine too fluently. Maybe my attitude is a bit of a hangover from my youth when I often looked more desperado than 'desperate dad' as I do now!
|
|
|
|
There's certainly a lot of testosterone flowing around here. Guess what, I'm not interested in 'dominance', nor are the majority of my colleagues. We do a job, that needs doing, that people moan we don't do (unless it's being done to them..in which case we're wrong anyway).
I'm afraid I was still in short pants in the seventies, so can't comment about those times. I passed on some advice about staying in the car. It's up to you if you choose to accept it. Frankly, I couldn't give a monkeys. :)
My (possibly) final comment is that I bet I've had to deal with more obnoxious, arrogant and unpleasant members of the public than you've had to deal with Police Officers of a similar vein. (And I'm a nice guy ;) )
|
One can well believe it mlc, and I am sure you're nice (as are a normal proportion of the policemen I have come across over the years). I note your advice about staying in the car, but I can't remember a policeman ever asking me to.
Thinking about it, I don't think testosterone has much to do with wanting to get out of the car, or a struggle for dominance. Anyone flashed by plod is going to feel some slight frisson of anxiety. And when you have promptly stopped, and the cruiser has pulled in behind you, there's this awful pause before anything happens. What are they doing back there? Waiting for me to go and ask them what they want, or planning their strategy ('I'll go to the driver's door with the cuffs and you slide up on the passenger side with the taser, right?'). I tend to lose patience first.
|
|
|
.... I bet I've had to deal with more obnoxious arrogant and unpleasant members of the public than you've had to deal with Police Officers
Maybe that's the crux of the matter. Most 'good' folk tend to associate with other similar 'good' folk in their day-to-day activities, establishing a particular code of interaction. The very nature of 'grass roots' policing makes frequent contact with 'less desireables' almost unavoidable. It's all well and good to opine equanimity to all, but I guess that's not so easy in the 'real world'.
|
|
|
|
|
Knockabout comedy really....
Though it might appear that the comedic element was missing from some previous posters' experiences..... :-(
|
www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqMjMPlXzdA
BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters
I know it's America, but some good tips against duff coppers.
|
Couldn't really be bothered to watch a 45 minute video.
I preferred this:-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOiHUyNyCNE&feature=related
Not that it's ever happened to me :)
|
|
Tee hee mlc... All that corner-cutting driver had to do to establish crushing psychological dominance was wait there patiently to be handed his ticket with a completely straight face.
|
I posted on this thread earlier today bemoaning a bad experience. Funny how cathartic it was getting that one off my chest after so long !
However, this afternoon I was reminded of the reality of police work and how diplomatic they seem to have to be nowadays. Maybe the pendulum has swung too far ?
I was in our local town centre shopping with my seven year old. The most appallingly violent family consisting of two parents and two children were engaged in physical combat with a shop keeper in some dispute about goods they wished to return. The situation was at the stage of being dealt with by police officers by the time we entered the shop but I have to say I was amazed at how they kept their cool given the language and physical conduct of these people. I don't think I would have the patience !
|
|
Bet they'll be on a website somewhere tonight posting about the uncouth, arrogant copper. :)
|
given the language and physical conduct of these people. I don't think I would have the patience !
maybe the police should have been less patient with these people and arrested them for something. leaving everybody in the shop with the impression that the police actually care about public safety and well-being.
|
|
In Felixstowe earlier last year,we saw and heard some person keep blowing his horn to attract someone's attention-not just one BEEP but went on for several minutes.Along the pavement came a uniformed police-sergeant who was obviously trying to ignore the situation but on being stared at by all the pedestrians,had to talk to the driver.
|
My experiences have, both times, been when I was a teen driver and were polite but straight to the point. I think that there will always be an element in any organisation with power over the ordinary man, who will abuse the position, but I dont think its the majority. Both times I was pulled, it was for a legit reason ( similar car to mine stolen/car similar to mine just done a hit and run in area ).
It would be nice if they did clamp down on officers with attitude problems though as they cause more problems than they solve.
The OP would do well to carry a copy of the regulations in their glovebox for future issues.
|
The OP would do well to carry a copy of the regulations in their glovebox for future issues.
Perhaps mlc would care to comment on how the average traffic officer would respond to a citizen with his own copy of the regulations getting out of his car with a fiendish grin and already licking his thumb to find the right page to begin on.... :o}
|
About 15 years ago I witnessed an event that showed me that some police can be incredibly arrogant. It was a real eye-opener for me because until that point I'd always held tremendous respect for all police men and women.
Some colleagues and I went out for lunch. and we were in an old fiesta. I was in the backseat. As we were driving along a high street the car started backfiring and kangarooing. Next thing we knew there was a police patrol car behind us, and we got pulled over.
The two young policemen got out and started to accuse my colleage of careless driving. Saying he was all over the road. We all tried to explain the car had started breaking down, but the were being incredibly arrogant and superior and had none of it. Even though we were in an old fiesta, all three of us in the car worked for an electronics firm, and were smartly dressed in shirt and tie. Ok, my colleague who was driving was reasonably young, but he wasn't a mad driver.
In the end they gave him a producer.
Contrast that with another incident around the same time, where my car stalled on a roundabout, and the starter motor seized. I was pushing it off the road when a police car turned up. They offered to tow me off the road, then one of them said 'you reckon we could bump start this?' So they gave it a tow, and succesfully bump started the car.
|
|
|
|
|
|
I used to be able to do good cop - bad cop all by myself. Like having your hair ruffled in a friendly manner whilst being kicked in the trossachs I would think.
|
|
|
|
|
