Traffic police encounter

Booner!

Booner!

Booner!

Soldato
Joined
29 Sep 2005
Posts
9,128
I had my first encounter (pulled over) with the traffic police last night on the way back from the girlfriend's. I was cruising along and saw two guys standing in the road with high vis and torches.

They waved me down (being the only car on the road at 1am) and the one officer went around the car with a torch. I had a chat with the other officer who was very pleasant and we all had a laugh about my numberplate when he asked my full name. I answered a few questions and when I provided my driving license he said "ah, don't worry I trust you", which was nice considering I could have looked a bit suspect at that time of the night. No breathalyser and I didn't have to even get out of the car!

Two very nice chaps and I am glad they are making the roads a bit safer at this time of the year considering how many boy racers rice up that area late at night. It was nice being treated respectfully and not like a teenager or a criminal as I expected to be treated. :)

My question, is a breathalyser at the officer's discretion? or mandatory?
 
It was a random pull, why would they enforce a mandatory breath test? would be a waste of officers time :p

they pulled you, you talked sense, didnt stink of beer and acted appropriately, felt no need to test you.

Good to see them out though :]

One of the regular camera spots in Downend (Bristol) has recently been used as a pulling place from about 1pm-3pm, given there are 3 pubs close by and a few schools, I think this is great :]
 
been pulled once, had 2 mates in the car having a few cans (we were on the way to a party), got pulled over, taken out of the car and the guy just asked me to like blow out and he smelled my breath, said "i believe you", and let me go. they arent all total merchant bankers.
 
When I was pulled for the heinous crime of 45 in a 40 (they didn't clock my speed but it 'looked like' I was going fast) the woman was a real PMT fueled specimin. Remaining polite though seemed to do the trick. The bloke stepped out after he had finished running my plate and was much more pleasant to deal with so I just spoke to him from that point.

He asked if I'd had a drink I said I'd had 1/2 a pint at 8:00 (was now 00:30) and then been on coke all night... which in hindsight could have been phrased better :p Blew into the bag as requested (was xmas eve so they were probably targetting drink driving specifically) and was sent on my way and told to have a good christmas.

Ironically when I "looked like" I was driving fast I had just overtaken a car that was weaving all over the shop and randomly braking. I'd have put money on that guy being tanked yet I was the one who got pulled :(
 
Seem like a decent bunch. I used to get stopped regularly when I was 17 as I looked very young. Must have been pulled about a dozen times in a short space of time. Panda car pulled a handbrake turn once to chase me up the road :) All of them were decent once I spoke to them.
 
You should have given them major attitude.
Told them they should have been out catching real criminals.
Answered back....been rude....answered all of their questions with one word answers.

Then you could have come here and told us all how much the police suck and their attitude stinks!

I thought at this time of the year they tended to do the breath test on most people - random stop, random test.
Just because you're speaking sense and don't actually smell of beer doesn't mean you aren't drunk.
 
stoofa said:
I thought at this time of the year they tended to do the breath test on most people - random stop, random test.
Just because you're speaking sense and don't actually smell of beer doesn't mean you aren't drunk.
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It doesnt, you are right, but I would hope the police are sensible and can tell from a short conversation whether a test is needed or not.
 
stoofa said:
You should have given them major attitude.
Told them they should have been out catching real criminals.
Answered back....been rude....answered all of their questions with one word answers.

Then you could have come here and told us all how much the police suck and their attitude stinks!

I thought at this time of the year they tended to do the breath test on most people - random stop, random test.
Just because you're speaking sense and don't actually smell of beer doesn't mean you aren't drunk.
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theyll have an instinct for whos steaming and who isnt, for a start, if you knew you were over the limit you would be mega nervous and they would see that.
 
Nice to see some good feedback about the Police now and then, have had a few incidents with the local police over the years and it's pretty hit and miss what attitude you'll get, though it is very noticeable that the older officers tend to be the ones with more common sense.
 
I was pleasantly surprised that they didn't test me anyways. Maybe they were profiling people based on the first impressions....saying that I looked half cut as it was late and after seeing the girlfriend I probably would have walked the line a bit wobbly :D

My friend has recently passed all his training and now patrols my local city, so when we go out all the bouncers know him and he is a nice chap and once he gets into traffic police, will be a good friend to have!
 
Booner! said:
It was nice being treated respectfully and not like a teenager or a criminal as I expected to be treated. :)

My question, is a breathalyser at the officer's discretion? or mandatory?
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yeh, i got pulled the other day outside Colchester at 1am. Asking if i had a drink etc, had a small chat and sent on my way. I wanted the breath test tube thingy! grrrrr. They was hiding there Mondeo Squad car in a disued petrol garage, one sittin in the car and one standing oposite side of the road. Feel sorry for the guy out in the cold lol.

This Encounter was MUCH MUCH nicer than an Encounter i had in Rainham essex, where i had to have a reason to be out, i had to have a reason to have a "nice car" (3year old Fiesta...), because i was a young lad (i was 25!), and i had to have a reason to be out so late (11:30!!!).
 
I was pulled by a Copper the other day, He asked me for Flap jacks so I gave him directions & he went on his way, No breath test or owt.














I was in an Aisle at work :D
 
malc30 said:
I was pulled by a Copper the other day, He asked me for Flap jacks so I gave him directions & he went on his way, No breath test or owt.

I was in an Aisle at work :D
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Isn't there some obscure law stating that officers on duty cannot buy stuff?
 
whitecrook said:
I thought it was illegal to have an open alcohol container in a road vehicle?
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no idea, but ive been pulled a few times with mates drinking in the car and nothing was said, whether they just turn a blind eye because its not worth it or whether it actually is legal i dont know.
 
Dunno, The Old Bill are regulars of ours & drop in most nights around 2am, I figured they can do what they like on there breaks the same as us.
Cops round our manor are friendly chaps though & are not generally arses. Last time I was pulled it was around 2.30am & I was jumping the lights as I went through town, Cops came out behind me & roared up next to me, I stopped & opened the window, Cop says " What the **** do you think you are doing " :mad:
I says " Sorry mate I was taking the **** " :o
He looked at his mate who was driving & then looked back & said " Go on **** off & don't let me catch you again "
They then roared off & jumped the next set of lights without Blues & twos on. I was going to chase after tehm & ask them What the **** they thought they were doing but I thought better of it :D
Like I say the Cops round here are pretty decent chaps :cool:
 
Dano said:
Isn't there some obscure law stating that officers on duty cannot buy stuff?
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I seem to remember it was a very old law prohibiting the sale of refreshments or something to police officers, which one shop took seriously a year or two ago.
 
deko said:
no idea, but ive been pulled a few times with mates drinking in the car and nothing was said, whether they just turn a blind eye because its not worth it or whether it actually is legal i dont know.
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MMM my google-fu is failing me, but it seems in the states it is a federal law. I can't find anything related to the UK though..
 
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