Roadside Census..

Street · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:37

There was one set up on dock road between Liverpool and Crosby this morning in rush hour traffic.. Caused a 6 mile traffic jam. It was there when I came back from work and there was a copper asking random people to pull over into the the other lane for a bunch of people to ask questions about where they've been and where they are going. Whats the deal with these if I was to say, ignore the copper and carry on going?

Ta,
Andy

West · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:42

No you cannot ignore a police officer, if he directs you to pull over you do so.. I think it's a legal thing to participate.. hence why they have Rozzers there.

RossG · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:43

Well, ignoring a copper's directions on the road is an offence if I'm right. They've been all around this area recently. Anyone know what they actually do with the info they collect?

Street · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:45

Meh.. Nevermind then, hope I don't get anything in the post!

Seems such a stupid idea doing them in rush hour though, absolutely no point!

loltim · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:48

When I was pulled over I was asked where I'd come from and where I was heading..

No idea why.

Vanilla · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:48

So 2 weeks ago they blocked off my entire road for one of these.

Two days ago they blocked off a lane of the A4 for one of these. What do they want to know?

Glaucus · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:49

Street said:
Seems such a stupid idea doing them in rush hour though, absolutely no point!

What's the point of collecting data in quite periods. Yes it is annoying, but essential. It is the only way to collect the data needed.

Street · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:51

AcidHell2 said:
What's the point of collecting data in quite periods. Yes it is annoying, but essential. It is the only way to collect the data needed.

But in rush hour traffic.. Causing a 6 mile solid 2 lane queue?! Its a joke.

They don't need to know where I've come from, where I'm going or where I'm going to park.

Dup · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:53

I heard if you can't mention that you're heading to a specific destination and that you're "Just out for a drive", they escort you into the back of a van where you come out with no memory and a sore bottom.

p4radox · 19 Mar 2009 at 23:56

I'm guessing you can politely decline to tell them your plans?

Glaucus · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:03

Street said:
But in rush hour traffic.. Causing a 6 mile solid 2 lane queue?! Its a joke.

They don't need to know where I've come from, where I'm going or where I'm going to park.

How else do they collect data for new public transport and/or road implementations.

Street · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:08

AcidHell2 said:
How else do they collect data for new public transport and/or road implementations.

I don't care as long as they don't make my hour long drive in the mornings an extra hour longer..

Glaucus · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:10

Street said:
I don't care as long as they don't make my hour long drive in the mornings an extra hour longer..

there isn't another way. Hence why they do this.

Street · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:15

There is, they don't have to do it in rush hour.. The road is still busy during the day. Its just stupid doing it during rush hour.

Glaucus · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:20

Street said:
There is, they don't have to do it in rush hour.. The road is still busy during the day. Its just stupid doing it during rush hour.

No they can't, the traffic is different at rush hour.

Street · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:23

But people heading down that road are all heading to the same destination, doesn't matter what time of day they do it, if they're only asking where people are going, everyone driving down there at rush hour is going into Liverpool.

Glaucus · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:26

Street said:
But people heading down that road are all heading to the same destination, doesn't matter what time of day they do it, if they're only asking where people are going, everyone driving down there at rush hour is going into Liverpool.

But where in Liverpool and where from. Does a new route need to be made. Can an existing road be re-organised to ease traffic flow. Or a million and one other things they can analyse the data for.

It's not as if it's an every day occurrence.

rypt · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:48

West said:
No you cannot ignore a police officer, if he directs you to pull over you do so.. I think it's a legal thing to participate.. hence why they have Rozzers there.

Surely a police officer needs a GOOD reason to pull you over and they cannot do it willy nilly?

Vigoro · 20 Mar 2009 at 00:51

rypt said:
Surely a police officer needs a GOOD reason to pull you over and they cannot do it willy nilly?

They would have had a reason to be doing the roadside census so they do have a good reason to pull you over

Dogbreath · 20 Mar 2009 at 01:44

You must stop if requested to do so by a police officer, but there is no legal obligation to answer any census questions put to you by a civilian. This means it perfectly legal to drive into the census area, tell the person with a clipboard you don't wish to answer any questions and leave.