Holy shit, a rational policeman

[denny]

Given my recent run-ins with overly officious police, I thought I'd mention a counter-example that I met last night on the way to Blockbusters (me and duranorak watched Aristocats - she seems to have a bit in common with Marie).

I came out of my estate on the bike, and did my usual exuberant burst of acceleration up to about 90mph, at which point I noticed a police car pulling up to a side turning on the right some way up the road. I did the usual 'approved' manouevre in these circumstances, i.e. I shut the throttle and used the back brake to slow down gently, so that as I passed him I was doing a needle's width over 60mph (the speed limit on that road). He'd obviously seen and heard me doing far more than that though, so I couldn't resist giving him an ironic little nod of respect as I went past being a Good Boy. So then he pulled out behind me and started to follow me.

Fair enough, I think, he was going that way anyway. Actually, I thought "Oh bollocks", but anyway. I turned left at the next roundabout. He followed. I turned right into the estate. He followed. I turned left into the first poxy little side turning, deviating from my intended route. He followed. I pulled up and took my crash helmet off, to save him having to blue light me.

He pulls up alongside and says "It's okay, I was just having a look at your numberplate - you know it's not quite right, don't you." (it's got slightly non-standard lettering and is slightly under-size, as is fairly common on motorbikes but still definitely illegal if the police take a dislike to you). "Um, yes," I said "but it's readable, isn't it?". He looked at it again, then said "Yeah, it's readable. I noticed you doing a good old pace up the road there..." *heart sinks* "then you slowed down when you saw me, and I thought 'good old boy'..." *hope rises* "then I noticed the plate and just wanted to have a double-check... but yeah, you're fine. Ride safe."

"Thanks!" I said. And then he drove off.

Almost regained my faith in the police for a few hours there. Nice bloke.

Comments

[nevla.livejournal.com]

What a rollercoaster...

It is really nice when a copper talks to you like a human being.

[azekeil.livejournal.com]

Narrow squeaks. Don't like 'em at all. If he'd not had his coffee in the morning it could have been a different story.. :(

.. must remember to try not to average 100-110 on the M5, despite how well I know where the police hang out on that stretch of road *sigh*.

Still, bike MOT tomorrow. Bring on the damage..

[sciamachy.livejournal.com]

You do 90 on an unfaired bike? I hate going that fast on mine - the windblast is literally a pain in the neck.

[robinbloke.livejournal.com]

Acting politely and apologetically worked for me, denying everything got me a fine. Live and learn.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

"You say 'tomayto', I say 'tomahto'"  ;)

I figured you wouldn't be quite as impressed as I was... but everything I did (other than having a slightly flaky numberplate) was in accordance with the way my advanced riding instructors (who were policemen themselves) taught me to ride. I was using speed where it was safe to do so (open road, good weather, no nearby junctions, pedestrians, or other road users), I spotted a potential 'hazard' (the police car) as soon as it came into sight, and in plenty of time to make a smooth controlled manouevre adjusting my speed to take that hazard into account. I continued to ride from then on with due consideration to the new conditions (i.e. being tailed by a police car).

The numberplate, as he checked for himself, is perfectly legible when following me at more than a good safe distance, despite the non-standard font.

I was surprised he didn't ask to check my paperwork, but I swear policemen can smell it when it's all in order, they never seem to ask then  :)

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I live in Milton Keynes, which is comprised entirely of short bits of national speed limit roads about a kilometre long, joined up with big roundabouts... so in a family car you've barely reached the speed limit before it's time to slow down for the next roundabout. Even on a bike you're not going really fast for long enough to strain anything.

90mph is about where I feel the headwind start to really kick in though... I wouldn't want to ride any quicker than that for a long period unless there was a tailwind to take the strain off.

[dennyd.livejournal.com]

I think to a large extent they just don't have the time any more to work to 'the spirit of the law', so they just have to enforce it to the letter. It's made them a lot less popular than they used to be...

Re:

[nevla.livejournal.com]

I remember a bunch of us (drunk) hanging around a park at night and a beat copper wandered up to us. We were all thinking "He's gonna bollock us for climbing the small fence into the cow field" or tell us to bugger off, but instead he chatted to us for 20 mins, saw we weren't doing any harm and wandered off.
You just don't get personal communication any more.
Mind you, with the gangs in Ely now you're lucky if you see a copper on his own, let alone any willing to talk to you.

[sartori666.livejournal.com]

They're not all bastards.

However I can't see why some folks insist on using the ilegal plates (cars and bikes), it just gives the bastardy coppers a reason to stitch em up!

Had I become a copper (tried once but failed) It would have been one of my missions to do all the folks who were tryin to score the lil victories. Woulda ruined their day but brightened mine hugely. How luck everyone is I failed (as I always do).

Ho Hum, I'll just dream of ruining peoples days.