Stopped by unmarked police car...opinions please.

Post by **GTR34** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:58 pm

During a rather spirited drive to work last week at 7am, I got pulled over by a nice uniformed chappy in an unmarked police car..in fact he was far from nice to me but thats another story..

Anyway, the situation was that I nailed it onto and off a roundabout on a dual carridgeway, and I'm guessing that mr unmarked was coming from another direction because he definately was NOT behind me when I planted the go pedal.

Clearly he had seen me driving quickly, but when he spoke to me he said he had no idea how fast I was going but it would have been over 100mph and a ban would be coming my way...

He then wrote my licence card details on a scrap of paper, and told me that he would review his in-car video tape of what I had just done and a court summons would be in the post to me...I will get a ban. Now don't get me wrong, if you dip your hand in the till, you must be prerared to get found out.

However, this chap never cautioned me, read me my rights, asked my name, looked at the car or any of the stuff I would associate with being pulled over for this kind of driving.

Can it be the case that after reviewing a video tape, that someone can be prosecuted for speeding? To me it seems that he had no evidence of speeding and this is why he acted in the way he did...

Did I just get a telling off and a shake up, or could there be something more to this?

I guess I have to wait for 14days.

Post by **amanda1** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:06 pm

Try here for an answer

www.pepipoo.com

Post by **Daveperc** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:57 pm

I think for a court summons they have up to six months to deliver it.

I take it from what you say above that he never got to follow you tracking your speed, in which case he will be reviewing the video to identify known points that he can highlight on the video (eg passing under a bridge or a specific mark on the road, and will calculate the speed from the distance between marks and time taken.

Any idea how long you would have been on his video, and how fast you were really going??

Dave

Post by **Brooner** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 2:28 pm

Sound a bit fishy to me did he show you his id card was he in uniform? the scrap paper sound like he was a fake and that he did not show you the in car vid is also suspect ?

Post by **GTR34** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:10 pm

He was probably tracking me for a 1/4 mile but he was way back in the distance, I was between 90-100mph, so I think he probably did have enough footage of me at speed...not good!

Daveperc wrote:I think for a court summons they have up to six months to deliver it.

I take it from what you say above that he never got to follow you tracking your speed, in which case he will be reviewing the video to identify known points that he can highlight on the video (eg passing under a bridge or a specific mark on the road, and will calculate the speed from the distance between marks and time taken.

Any idea how long you would have been on his video, and how fast you were really going??

Dave

Post by **darrenswift** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:13 pm

I would have thought that he would have had to do a bit more than write down your number plate on a scrap of paper! When I was pulled, I was taken into the police car and shown some of the video to prove it was me. It sounds a little fishy to me!
Best of luck though.

Post by **GTR34** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:14 pm

Brooner wrote:Sound a bit fishy to me did he show you his id card was he in uniform? the scrap paper sound like he was a fake and that he did not show you the in car vid is also suspect ?

He was the real deal alright, uniform, car with all the blue lights behind the grill. No need to see his ID...it was clear who he was.

Post by **RS6Steve** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 3:44 pm

Speed will be difficult to prove by the sound of it, unless he managed to use VASCAR etc... I would imagine, if his video was recording he will review and go for Driving without due care.

Scrap of paper? did he not NIP on the spot (ie you will be reported for the consideration, bla, bla, bla)?

Post by **stumpyrs4** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:01 pm

GTR34 wrote:
Brooner wrote:Sound a bit fishy to me did he show you his id card was he in uniform? the scrap paper sound like he was a fake and that he did not show you the in car vid is also suspect ?
He was the real deal alright, uniform, car with all the blue lights behind the grill. No need to see his ID...it was clear who he was.

I believe the officer has to follow certain protocols to be able to make his case 'water-tight', like correctly identifying himself etc.

I don't think just saying he saw you driving fast is sufficient to prosecute. If he had you on video then he should have shown you it, as has been mentioned.

It's prolly more likely he saw you and wanted to tell you he saw you, i.e. put you on notice, because he couldn't do anything about it on that occasion?

Good luck!

Post by **GTR34** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 4:53 pm

I think you are right, it does make sense..

Oh sh1t!

stumpy67 wrote:
GTR34 wrote:
Brooner wrote:Sound a bit fishy to me did he show you his id card was he in uniform? the scrap paper sound like he was a fake and that he did not show you the in car vid is also suspect ?
He was the real deal alright, uniform, car with all the blue lights behind the grill. No need to see his ID...it was clear who he was.
I believe the officer has to follow certain protocols to be able to make his case 'water-tight', like correctly identifying himself etc.

I don't think just saying he saw you driving fast is sufficient to prosecute. If he had you on video then he should have shown you it, as has been mentioned.

It's prolly more likely he saw you and wanted to tell you he saw you, i.e. put you on notice, because he couldn't do anything about it on that occasion?

Good luck!

Post by **ecain63** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:01 pm

Did he ask you to sit in his car? If not then you have no proof he was a Police Officer. Which also means he has no proof that you were driving. They have passenger cameras in their cars and you have to sit in the car to be photographed. He only has to read your rights if you are being arrested, so no dramas there, but he does have to read the speel from the road traffic act, whichever one it was that you broke. So if he didnt do that the you should be ok. As for the whole 'distance vs speed' thing, there needs to be a clear view of features on the ground and also has to be in no doubt that he is following the same vehicle (number plates etc). Did he take your VIN number or Reg? What about a breath test? You should get a producer too, which instructs you to turn up at the local station with your license, insurance docs, tax and mot cert. All normal vehicle checks.

I'd be inclined to think this guy was a fraud. Seems he missed too many 'normal procedures' to be genuine. Either that or he was off duty and just likes the sound of his own voice. We have a fraudulant car knocking about round here. The driver pulls people over during rush hour and then just drives off again without any verbal. Its got blue lights hidden away in the grill and a siren to match. Plod cant seem to find him though.

Post by **Cornishmoocher** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:25 pm

I reckon he just wanted to put the frightners on you, couldn't get a cast iron pros, so just scare the <beep> out of ya...... Happened to me a while ago, doing a lot more than 100, and that was the clincher for me- at that speed or above, if they can do you they will- but only if they have got ALL the correct info and PROOF. They HAVE to show you the proof.
Told me that i was speeding, and i thought ah <beep>, but he couldn't or wouldn't tell me how fast, just said, you will be hearing from us. And I never did.

Post by **el_ringo** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 6:51 pm

I'd not worry one bit. Definitely just trying to put the wind up you.

Post by **MalcolmSu** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:55 pm

give these guys a try... http://www.roadtrafficlaw.com/

Post by **mattjet1** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 10:12 pm

Think you will find the following needs to have taken place.

If he stopped you he needs to have identified himself' he needs to caution you that any thing you say blah blah blah.

He should offer you an opportunity to see the equipment he intends to use the evidence from.

He should offer you information regarding the calibration requirements of the equipment and show you when it was last calibrated in order to meet those requirements.

If he intends to file a report in order for prosecution he should issue a NIP (notice of intended prosecution), this can be issued verbally.
They do have 14 days to issue this by post to you however.

Sounds to me like he was a frustrated cop who would love to have done all the above, but could not. He gave you a good dose of the worries instead.

If something does drop in the post pm me and I'll gladly send you in the right direction.

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Stopped by unmarked police car...opinions please.

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