Phone call from the Police

[rob911]

Yesterday I deceided to take the car for one of its final runs prior to being locked up for the winter. Since Raith were playing Forfar, I thought the trip up to Forfar would be ideal.
On the way up to Forfar using the A92, I came up behind a group of 4 slow travelling cars with the leader being an old van.
I know this road very well and there's a couple of long straights ideal for overtaking. First long straight, I overtook the rear car, went to pull in only to find the gap closed. Since the road ahead (approx 1 mile) was clear, I then deceided just to overtake the further 3 cars, No excess speed was used and there was no case for concern except for the act carried out by the first car - but these things happen.
On arriving home, message left on phone - call Police officer on %^%^^ with reference to £$%$.
Someone had reported me saying I'd drove at very high speed and overtaken between 9 & 12 cars!!!!!!! WTF!!!!!
The Police officer mentioned it wouldn't go any further but I suppose af any case its a yellow card.
Thing is its been caused by some gealous git who was more than happy to sit in a queue at 35mph, and as soon as they see someone who isn't prepaired to do the same, their right on the phone. Its almost becoming a crime to overtake.

 

[ianreeves]

I have a story in another odd report.

Last night I went to a house warming party, no-one I know, just one of those events you get 'dragged' into.
Anyway was a nice trip so took the Porsche ( its nothing fancy, just a 968 CS )... Anyway one of the party member came and spoke saying he liked the car, etc etc... Then told me two of the places I had visited that day !?!? Odd me thinks so I ask what he does, and how did he know ... 'Me he says I'm a police Officer', we followed you in case you felt the need to drive quickly [] Also commenting the car is quite loud []

At that point I decided it was time to leave before I commented further !

 

[Jane Smart]

Have they got nothing better to do? []

Big brother is watching us []

 

[Mark Elder]

To be fair to them, there is nothing much exciting that happens when you are a traffic cop, so if you see a nice car you may as well follow it.

Interesting that they followed up with a call to your home. I'd be tempted to call them back and state your case (and have a friendly chat with them to make them realize what nice folk we all are - get them to spend time on the wild youngsters driving Corsas instead!)

 

[GreigM]

The first case seems very odd that the police would phone you. My main point to them would be to ask why they are wasting police resources phoning you - was there a crime committed and witnessed by a police officer? If not then there is no case to answer. Enquire if anything is being recorded about this and if so ask of the legality in doing so. Also make a counter claim that you were attempting to overtake someone who was very slow, the road was clear and you didn't break the speed limit, but instead of assisting in the overtake like the highway code asks, the person sped up to close the gap and you overtook 2 cars because of this - but of course you only did so because you could see the road was clear for you to perform the manoeuvre. Ask if the police officer will phone the original complainant and discuss their dangerous driving with them. See this, http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/15.htm#144 - number 144, ask the police to ensure the other party is aware of it.

Unfortunately a lot of these events arise out of jealousy, I once had a traffic cop tell me as much - people get unduly irate at someone in a more powerful car being able to overtake when they can't in their 1.1 micra.

 

[John H]

How did the caller verify he was a bona fide police person? Did you do 1471 to get their number?

Perhaps it was one of the irate motorists pretending to be a policeman, having obtained your number by dubious means. Like Greig, I am suspicious that the police would entertain this, unless of course they had nothing better to do, like catch real crims ... (who me ... cynical?)

JH

 

[rob911]

The number was correct - Fife Police Switchboard, I then had to ask for the Police Officer dealing with the complaint.
The Police Officer also mentioned Fife Police have a policy of following up all complaints.

 

[996_STEVO]

Hey Rob, I too had the same many years ago. They will not take any action it's just they have to follow up by way of a telephone call as someone has reported it.

It is frustrating but I wouldn't worry about it!

 

[Guest]

Truly amazing!

Where were they last Sat when I was returning from Falkirk to Dundee about 9pm. I'd just got on the M9 at Grangemouth and was passed by a guy in what looked like a *massively* converted BMW 2002 white Alpina.

Now, I know that at times there is a temptation to, well, give it some when the road is clear but my rough estimate of this guys speed was > 170mph. In the dark. If he got caught, a ban would just be the start of it. It would be straight to the pokey for him.

Makes you think...

cheers,

Iain

 

[Robin M]

I guess they have to follow up on complaints but you wonder how much time gets wasted with people moaning about nothing and the police irritating peoeple who ahve done nothing legally wrong. Still once Big Brother can track us all and our average speed by GPS we can all prove how good we are or we will get automatic speeding tickets.Won't stop accidents but hey it will increase government revenue!!! Wot me cynical!

 

[Jeff Forsyth]

I have lost count of the amount of times I had people stick their fingers up at me for having overtaken them rapidly and safely. They are usually bottom feeders and this is not a comment on what they drive (I'm not interested in such trivia) but a comment on their state of mind.