Police stopping vehicles on the motorway

Police stopping vehicles on the motorway

Author
Discussion

craig511

Original Poster:

430 posts

117 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Morning all.

I flew down to Birmingham on Thursday to pick up my new car (Orange Lambo Performente ). Handover went well and proceeded up the M6 to Scotland.

As I entered Cumbria, Waze was pinging police alerts and there did seem to be a lot of police presence in general so I was a good boy , as always, and was just cruising along.

It wasn’t long until a police car came down an onslip and then proceeded to follow me, then orbit the car before finally pulling me over onto the hard shoulder.

Officer got out, said my car wasn’t taxed and I explained I had just picked it up, taxed it that morning etc. He was sound, took my license to do a check back at his patrol car.

Then, all I hear is the sound of tyre squeal. I look in my driver side wing mirror and see a massive truck coming from lane 3 right towards my car , pushing a grey Porsche Mican almost sideways. Somehow, the Porsche got flicked back out into lane 4 and the truck corrected itself into lane one before I had the chance of hitting myself and the police car. Debris all over the road and the Porsche was totally screwed down the left hand side, total write off.

We always get told how dangerous the motorways are. Why do police, for non dangerous matters, such as road tax or MOT insist on stopping drivers on the motorway? Why not wait until near a junction to pull people over , or stick on a “follow me” sign and escort off at the next junction.

We all know people rubber neck, and sticking a police car and an orange Perf on the hard shoulder is going to result in a lot of distracted drivers. But the same is true for any car.

I’m tempted to write to the police and ask them
To review their policies on stopping people on motorways for “paperwork” offences. It seems a very high risk activity for very low risk offence. I’m not saying ignore the offence, I’m saying deal with it somewhere appropriate .

Thoughts? I’m I just being a nimby and telling a cool story bro?




Edited by craig511 on Saturday 14th September 08:06

Ian Geary

4,730 posts

199 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
First up, I have no idea what Perf means, other than from a surf advert. I assume it is a car of some sort, that was orange.

However, I agree that hard shoulders are incredibly dangerous places to be stationary on, and before smart motorways were dreamt up, the death stats already showed this.


Maybe some resident plod might illuminate why a tax pi g required a stop? Yes it might be a trigger or signal of some deeper crime, like the famous Moors murderer was caught on a routine traffic stop. But I thought DVLA automatically fine for no tax anyway, so on its own could easily fit into being decriminalised.


I suppose the fall back will be "but drivers should be concentrating anyway".

But the police know they don't, so choosing to make a car stop in a dangerous place would need a good reason.


I don't think a letter to chief plod would be amiss.


Also, I recall police motorway cars first got extra bright red wig wag lights because of their cars being plowed into when stationary.

the tribester

2,594 posts

93 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
We're told, mile for mile, motorways are the safest road.
What happens on Smart motorways?

BertBert

19,677 posts

218 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
the tribester said:
We're told, mile for mile, motorways are the safest road.
What happens on Smart motorways?
Indeed. But that doesn't contradict the fact that hard shoulders are dangerous places to be (for obvious reasons)

119

9,479 posts

43 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Damn police doing their job.

craig511

Original Poster:

430 posts

117 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
It’s more damn police doing their jobs in dangerous locations when other safe locations exist.

Veteran63

324 posts

3 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Worst 'I've got a Lambo' post ever!

LivLL

11,126 posts

204 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
craig511 said:
Morning all.

I flew down to Birmingham on Thursday to pick up my new car (Orange Lambo Performente ). Handover went well and proceeded up the M6 to Scotland.

As I entered Cumbria, Waze was pinging police alerts and there did seem to be a lot of police presence in general so I was a good boy , as always, and was just cruising along.

It wasn’t long until a police car came down an onslip and then proceeded to follow me, then orbit the car before finally pulling me over onto the hard shoulder.

Officer got out, said my car wasn’t taxed and I explained I had just picked it up, taxed it that morning etc. He was sound, took my license to do a check back at his patrol car.

Then, all I hear is the sound of tyre squeal. I look in my driver side wing mirror and see a massive truck coming from lane 3 right towards my car , pushing a grey Porsche Mican almost sideways. Somehow, the Porsche got flicked back out into lane 4 and the truck corrected itself into lane one before I had the chance of hitting myself and the police car. Debris all over the road and the Porsche was totally screwed down the left hand side, total write off.

We always get told how dangerous the motorways are. Why do police, for non dangerous matters, such as road tax or MOT insist on stopping drivers on the motorway? Why not wait until near a junction to pull people over , or stick on a “follow me” sign and escort off at the next junction.

We all know people rubber neck, and sticking a police car and an orange Perf on the hard shoulder is going to result in a lot of distracted drivers. But the same is true for any car.

I’m tempted to write to the police and ask them
To review their policies on stopping people on motorways for “paperwork” offences. It seems a very high risk activity for very low risk offence. I’m not saying ignore the offence, I’m saying deal with it somewhere appropriate .

Thoughts? I’m I just being a nimby and telling a cool story bro?
Edited by craig511 on Saturday 14th September 08:06
100% with you on this one, motorway hard shoulders are for emergencies. Suspecting someone may not have road tax is clearly not an emergency. Even the Police advise people not to stop on the hard shoulder unless there really is no other option.

Seems very reckless for them to operate this way and unusual.

CanAm

10,035 posts

279 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Ian Geary said:
First up, I have no idea what Perf means, other than from a surf advert. I assume it is a car of some sort, that was orange.

See para 1 of the OP.

Dingu

4,341 posts

37 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
craig511 said:
It’s more damn police doing their jobs in dangerous locations when other safe locations exist.
Doubtless people would whinge if they did what you suggest. “They made me go out of my way” etc.

Jimjimhim

1,502 posts

7 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
The next available slip road could be miles away, meaning the police wouldn't be able to get your issue quickly sorted and move on to the next, so it would reduce the amount of stops they can do.

LivLL

11,126 posts

204 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Jimjimhim said:
The next available slip road could be miles away, meaning the police wouldn't be able to get your issue quickly sorted and move on to the next, so it would reduce the amount of stops they can do.
Should be a reason to take such a risk IMO. They're public servants, risking damage or injury to check on Road tax seems a little.......stupid.

bunchofkeys

1,128 posts

75 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
CanAm said:
Ian Geary said:
First up, I have no idea what Perf means, other than from a surf advert. I assume it is a car of some sort, that was orange.

See para 1 of the OP.
OP edited the original post, after Ian posted his message.

Veteran63

324 posts

3 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
LivLL said:
Should be a reason to take such a risk IMO. They're public servants, risking damage or injury to check on Road tax seems a little.......stupid.
I think they're Crown servants rather than public.

Jimjimhim

1,502 posts

7 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
LivLL said:
Jimjimhim said:
The next available slip road could be miles away, meaning the police wouldn't be able to get your issue quickly sorted and move on to the next, so it would reduce the amount of stops they can do.
Should be a reason to take such a risk IMO. They're public servants, risking damage or injury to check on Road tax seems a little.......stupid.
I think you're getting yourself worked up over nothing.

I'd rather they had more time to stop people rather than muck about waiting for junctions.

E-bmw

9,964 posts

159 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
craig511 said:
Thoughts? I’m I just being a nimby and telling a cool story bro?
What on earth makes you think you are telling a cool story?

You really need to get out more.

Rough101

2,283 posts

82 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
I understand that for things like this, the follow would be until they have a safer place to stop you.

Blackpuddin

17,351 posts

212 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
E-bmw said:
craig511 said:
Thoughts? I’m I just being a nimby and telling a cool story bro?
What on earth makes you think you are telling a cool story?

You really need to get out more.
Where are the parrots.

omniflow

2,856 posts

158 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
Jimjimhim said:
LivLL said:
Jimjimhim said:
The next available slip road could be miles away, meaning the police wouldn't be able to get your issue quickly sorted and move on to the next, so it would reduce the amount of stops they can do.
Should be a reason to take such a risk IMO. They're public servants, risking damage or injury to check on Road tax seems a little.......stupid.
I think you're getting yourself worked up over nothing.

I'd rather they had more time to stop people rather than muck about waiting for junctions.
I don't agree with this at all. I think it's completely crazy that the police will stop you on the motorway hard shoulder for a perceived paperwork offence, and then make matters 10 times worse by sitting you in their car whilst going through the details. All of the road safety advice is don't stop on the hard shoulder unless it's an emergency, and if you do stop, get out of the car and get behind the crash barrier.


John D.

18,481 posts

216 months

Saturday 14th September
quotequote all
I think the OP has a fair point.