Random police stop

[redsturgeon]

Today I was randomly stopped by the police in my car for the first time I can remember in over 40 years.

They pulled me over and asked how long I had owned the car...about three years I told them and in fact it was my daughters car.

They said they the number plate had triggered some sort of issue, they were very vague.

They phoned in the details and got a response back giving my daughter as the owner and confirming me as a named driver on the insurance.

They were very polite, telling me that there was nothing to worry about and blamed the whole thing on a possible glitch with their system.

They did not ask to see my license or any other documents.

I was unconvinced and think they stopped me because of potentially suspicious behaviour and a hunch rather than any computer glitch.

Here's what happened:

I had pulled out in front of them from a bus stop where I has just dropped off my daughter. I indicated my intention to pull out and was waiting for them to pass me, they however flashed me to signal they were letting me out in front of them (although I know the technically this is not a thing). I pulled out in front of them and joined the traffic queuing for the traffic lights ahead, they pulled up behind me. When the lights changed, I indicated and turned right down a very little used narrow alleyway (perfectly legal for car use). I was surprised to see them follow me, since this is such a little use short cut. I immediately assumed they were following me because of this and sure enough, after about ten seconds, the blue lights and siren came on and I pulled over and stopped. I think that my behaviour suggested to them that I was not happy to be followed by them and was taking a detour to lose them.

I have no issue with being stopped in this way and was only too happy to help the police with their issue. In fact I was rather reassured that the police were actually looking for possible crime rather than just cruising around in their BMW. All quite strange though, do you think my analysis was correct or do you believe the computer glitch story?

Perhaps I have been watching too many police crime TV programmes.

John

[JMN2]

Looks like you were not randomly stopped then if the registration plate triggered a red flag.

[redsturgeon]

Looks like you were not randomly stopped then if the registration plate triggered a red flag.

"IF" being the operative word.

There was no reason for any red flag on the reg number and the police, as I said were very vague about why and what had been flagged.

If there was a problem they could easily have continued to follow me for about another 20 seconds while they radio'd the information to their HQ and received the all clear just as they did while I stood there and listened.

I am not bothered about the stop...just curious.

John

[Watis]

Wouldn't stopping in a bus stop be an offence - even though they did not mention it as a reason for stopping you?

Watis

[Slarti]

Looks like you were not randomly stopped then if the registration plate triggered a red flag.

"IF" being the operative word.

There was no reason for any red flag on the reg number and the police, as I said were very vague about why and what had been flagged.

If there was a problem they could easily have continued to follow me for about another 20 seconds while they radio'd the information to their HQ and received the all clear just as they did while I stood there and listened.

I am not bothered about the stop...just curious.

John

Possibly the fact that you'd been in a bus stop, which I don't think you're supposed to do, together with only starting to indicate after the lights changed, which is not normal?

Slarti

[redsturgeon]

Looks like you were not randomly stopped then if the registration plate triggered a red flag.

"IF" being the operative word.

There was no reason for any red flag on the reg number and the police, as I said were very vague about why and what had been flagged.

If there was a problem they could easily have continued to follow me for about another 20 seconds while they radio'd the information to their HQ and received the all clear just as they did while I stood there and listened.

I am not bothered about the stop...just curious.

John

Possibly the fact that you'd been in a bus stop, which I don't think you're supposed to do, together with only starting to indicate after the lights changed, which is not normal?

Slarti

Maybe...but if that was the issue then you'd think they would mention it.

John

[redsturgeon]

Wouldn't stopping in a bus stop be an offence - even though they did not mention it as a reason for stopping you?

Watis

It's kind of a combined lay by/ bus stop.

John

[Itsallaguess]

Possibly the fact that you'd been in a bus stop, which I don't think you're supposed to do, together with only starting to indicate after the lights changed, which is not normal?

Maybe...but if that was the issue then you'd think they would mention it.

I agree with Slarti - I think they thought they saw a 'change in behaviour' due to them now being present, and wanted to investigate that. I think the bus-stop is a bit of a red-herring, and the real issue that gave them the prompt was what they thought looked like a late-change-of-plan at the lights. As they said on Spitting Image all those years ago...- 'It's the filth, Maam...'....

I'm not sure what you think they'd have to gain by explaining this to you though, and can completely understand giving a more generic 'just a glitch, Sir...' response.

As you say, all very reassuring to be honest, in that they might routinely pick up on these things, and I'm sure it's a fruitful exercise for them on the whole.

I've read lots of similar stories in the papers that actually led to proper arrests for something or other, and I often wonder what led to the initial questioning, so your particular example here does seem to square that circle.

Cheers,

Itsallaguess

[bungeejumper]

My son-in-law is a chief inspector. I've heard him mention all of these:

1) Boredom/game playing. Plod gets bored too, you know.

2) Hunch behaviour ("using your initiative", "going around with your eyes open", etc)

3) Training exercise for a rookie PC, showing him the right way to stop a car. (LOL, I once walked into a live street training exercise for an armed response unit, and I can confirm that it gets much more interesting when they're doing the full Sweeney, boxing in cars and waving their shooters around. )

BJ

[Sobraon]

This is no way a criticism of the OP but I noticed attention was drawn to the police driving a BMW. I know that my local police decided to stick with Vauxhall Astras and pay more rather than the public see them driving cheaper leased BMWs.Only in England!

[redsturgeon]

This is no way a criticism of the OP but I noticed attention was drawn to the police driving a BMW. I know that my local police decided to stick with Vauxhall Astras and pay more rather than the public see them driving cheaper leased BMWs.Only in England!

I am more than happy to see the police driving in whatever vehicle does the job most effectively and efficiently for the money. I can't imagine myself choosing an Astra over a BMW if the BMW was cheaper!

John

[bungeejumper]

I am more than happy to see the police driving in whatever vehicle does the job most effectively and efficiently for the money. I can't imagine myself choosing an Astra over a BMW if the BMW was cheaper!

So where are these super-pricey Astras, then? Is somebody having a laugh? I do hope so.

I do remember how the UK police forces settled into the habit of buying BMW motorbikes, though. It was back in the 1970s, when the Norton Commandos first came out. The West Midlands force lost no time in proudly kitting out the whole brigade with Meriden's finest new bikes, and within three months they were sending them all back to the factory because the gearboxes couldn't stand the amount of gear-changing that a plod needs to do in the pursuit of his daily work. The BMWs had a gearchange like a 1930s tractor (ker-thunk clack), but at least they didn't fall apart under the weight of a size 13 police boot.

The West Midlands panda cars (Morris Marinas IIRC) didn't have too many problems with blending into the scenery. They bore as many dents as every other car in Brum. At one point the accident rate got so bad that part of the force was reduced to using the bus.

BJ

[tango2082]

I'm a Traffic Cop and think you're spot on with your guess they've stopped you for suspicious behaviour!

I'd often stop someone who looked like they were trying to avoid me - not pulling out when it would otherwise be appropriate to do so, or disappearing down seemingly unusual roads at the first opportunity would raise a flag, the law allows me to stop any vehicle to check driver document,s however you often tell people something different because 'I was stopping you because you were acting sus' often leads to arguments - people often want that qualified when you're just acting on gut. Car is clearly registered to someone other than the person driving is a common reason used - I tell people I just want to check the documents to make sure all is in order and you usually know within the first 5 seconds of talking to someone whether they're legit or not! People tend to accept this.

We drive BMW's because they are higher powered cars for specialist units - traffic, firearms etc, other high powered vehicles are also used and Officers need a higher level of training to use them. It's probably not news we don't pay 'list price'. The Astra's etc are panda cars, lower powered and I'd once heard that although we can actually get the BMW's at a similar price, the public perception would be too poor and so they just don't bother. Couldn't say how close the prices were, but I can believe the General Public would be outraged that we all drove BMW's lol. Things like warranties etc are also taken into consideration because they're driven quite 'assertively' lets say, so robustness is important!

Regards
Tango

[redsturgeon]

I'm a Traffic Cop and think you're spot on with your guess they've stopped you for suspicious behaviour!

Regards
Tango

Thanks Tango...you weren't driving a BMW in Winchester today were you

John

[tango2082]

No....But don't you be coming up to the Home Counties with your suspicious but perfectly legal driving as I'll be out and about tonight!!

Tango

[UncleEbenezer]

I'm a Traffic Cop

Hmmm. Then I guess you can confirm or deny the conclusion to which I jumped when folks started talking up the significance of the bus stop?

Technically a driver shouldn't stop in a bus stop. But usually - city centre busy stops perhaps excepted - it's far too trivial to concern yourselves with. The cops in question didn't mention it because they definitely didn't want to get involved in the paperwork of documenting a trivial infraction - quite apart from not wanting to inflict unnecessary pain on the OP. But if things had been different, and they found they'd stopped a bona-fide villain, it could've been helpful in countering a sharp lawyer claiming the police had acted unlawfully.

[chas49]

I'm a Traffic Cop

Hmmm. Then I guess you can confirm or deny the conclusion to which I jumped when folks started talking up the significance of the bus stop?

Technically a driver shouldn't stop in a bus stop. ....... But if things had been different, and they found they'd stopped a bona-fide villain, it could've been helpful in countering a sharp lawyer claiming the police had acted unlawfully.

The police don't need "probable cause" or "suspicion that an offence has been committed" - s163 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 gives a constable the power to stop a vehicle in order to check the details of the owner / driver. So they wouldn't need the "you stopped in a bus stop and you're nicked" argument.

[tango2082]

Hi,

Yep, the law allows us to stop any vehicle simply to check the driver has licence and insurance. The vehicle may show it is insured, but until you find out who's behind the wheel you don't know they're covered. There are a number of tricks people use to try and fool the ANPR system which are ultimately fraudulent and we'll have their cars away - we don't know that until we have the conversation tho.

I can only speak from my own view, yes - a car should not be in a bus stop, however unless it's causing actual disruption then it really wouldn't be on my radar. It'd really fall into the remit of a traffic Warden and I'd happily leave it to them. In the County I patrol they've just cut Roads Policing numbers - there will be two (yes, TWO) traffic cars patrolling an area of about 1000sqm. We also provide cover for a neighbouring county from my team, this county will have one car for about 80% of it's geographical area. When not dealing with collisions etc You really have to pick your battles and try and focus on things that have potential to cause harm, have significant impact on others, or disrupt criminal networks. Mrs Miggins in the bus stop doesn't tick any of those boxes. I'm not saying ignoring low level offending is right, but I doubt the vast majority of the public realise just how few of us there are, and when they do I'd hope they realise we have to make choices because we can't do it all?

Regards
Tango

[midnightcatprowl]

the law allows us to stop any vehicle simply to check the driver has licence and insurance

I've always understood this to be the case. When I was driving a van for my retail business I was quite frequently driving through urban areas in the small hours and very occasionally I would be stopped. I don't suppose that anyone really likes to be stopped but realistically like many small businesses my own business was from time to time the victim of crime - twice burglaries in the small hours for example so that we lost not only stock but there was expensive damage to the premises - so I could think of some good reasons why police officers with the time to do so might just randomly check out the odd van!

[redsturgeon]

One thought just occurred to me about this. At no stage did the police ask me to identify myself let alone prove my identity. Is that odd?

I actually could have been anyone.

John