Joy riders

[chesters1]

I blame his parents!

 

i blame society that puts the police above the law

[snakey1]

So does the pattern mean all these foreign made cars are unsafe

No but certain drivers appear to be, and perhaps "test" driving vehicles at high speed on the public highway isn't the safest of ideas either.

[Steve Walker]

Is joy riding even a problem anymore ?

I was under the impression that with so many cars being almost impossible to get into without the appropriate chipped key, joyriding was a thing of the past.

Of course, you could still steel a 1980's Morris Maestro but where's the "joy" in that ?

 

These days, the little bastards break into your house for the keys. Back in 2002, I bought a brand new Civic Type-R. After a couple of weeks, we drove up to Manchester to visit my folks. 2AM, we were woken up by a horrific banging - gang of teenagers kicking the front and back doors of the house in. Luckily, the keys were in my trouser pocket, not downstairs, and they scarpered when we came running down the stairs. Coppers spotted my car as soon as they arrived, knew what they were after. It's a shame that this was one of the very few times that my folks didn't have a bloody big German shepherd, I'd have liked to see their current wolf sized beast chasing them down the street ripping the bum out of their pants

[John S]

.... 1980's Morris Maestro but where's the "joy" in that ?

 

Pedantic mode on (serious petrolhead here ). It was an Austin Maestro until Austin-Rover became just Rover, at which point the Maestro, Montego and Metro became orphans (the latter until it was revamped into the Rover 100).

 

All crapper than a communal lavvy though

 

Still, it's good when I see one on the road, it's not only interesting cars that should be preserved....

[ColinW]

I think one or two people missed the point

I will try to be less subtle in future

 

I was walking the dog one day when I heard a car screaming down the road behind me. I didn't turn round because that is normal on my road. Luckily for them they managed to screech it down to 30mph just in time for the speed camera as I was walking past it. I looked up then to see that it was a Police car. No blue lights, no siren. Above the law indeed.

[Phone]

All,

 

Over here police have wide discretion, they just better be right when using it. One frequent myth that surrounds the police is that they have to follow the traffic rules in the same way as the public in each and every circumstance. NOT true.

For example when responding to domestic violence calls lights and siren often escalate the intensity of the situation (especially if it is the 14th time they've been to this house). Hurry, but don't make a mistake is an unspoken politically correct command.

 

Having said that, as a personality profile I suspect, police are more inclined to "take advantage" of certain privleges. (NO FACTS just my opinion on this last statement).

 

Phone

[Steve Walker]

In the UK, police are also allowed to disregard some traffic laws when required by their duties. That includes speed limits, and they don't need to be involved in a pursuit or using blue lights and sirens to do so. The question when they screw up is whether their duties required the risk they took.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Steve Walker

[Andrew]

In the UK, police are also allowed to disregard some traffic laws when required by their duties. That includes speed limits, and they don't need to be involved in a pursuit or using blue lights and sirens to do so. The question when they screw up is whether their duties required the risk they took.

 

One word and thats

 

YES.

 

Always has and always will. Look at the number of deaths caused by speeding police officers.

 

There was a crash near to where i ive, a built up area, full of shoppers and schoolkids getting lunch. A speeding police vehicle came down the road, doing well over the 30mph limit. WHOAAAAAAAA smashed into another vehicle's front end, flipping the police car over trapping the ONE POLICE officer inside the car.

Later it was reported the the driver of the vehicle hit by the police car was charged with careless driving, driving without due care and attention WTF, the police vehicle was the cause of the smash, speeding in a built up area, full of shoppers and schoolkids out to lunch. !!!

 

PS

 

A friend of the injured copper said the copper later put in for compensation, from both the police force and the other car driver !

 

No proof was presented, but i would believe it.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Andrew

[Steve Walker]

Trouble is, my opinion on whether their speed past my house is justified may change depending on whether the officer is running down my cat or arresting burglars on my property

 

Trouble with the police is that they close ranks like doctors when someone screws up.

[Phone]

Steve,

 

I agree, we'll probably never know "WHY".

 

Phone

(I still always wonder if coppers pay for donuts).