"A POLICE officer is facing disciplinary action after parking in a parent and toddler bay while off duty."
"disciplinary action" sounds a bit harsh.
But I have a doubt; how come he's driving a marked police car if he's off duty? I mean, its not like they take them home when they've finished? Surely their duty/shift finishes when they return to the police station, or do I misunderstand.
Or does it just mean he's on a break?
Last edited by: No FM2R on Thu 4 Apr 13 at 12:32
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I reckon the reporter just got the wrong end of the stick at the beginning of the article.
The comments from the police seem to suggest that he was on duty, and could technically park where he liked, but is supposed to be considerate.
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I also notice that the concerned reader said...
"......... while people with children were waiting for spaces. There were other areas free elsewhere.”
So, not actually a big deal then? Certainly inconsiderate, but hardly important.
And, I would assume, rather dependent on what the copper was doing in the shop. If it was a matter of some urgency I wouldn't expect him to worry about where he parked.
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I always thought it a good indicator of anti-social attitude, and a higher probability of being known to the police, to park in disabled and in parent and child spaces. This geezer is double qualified.
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Parent and child spaces should be abolished.
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>>Parent and child spaces should be abolished.
Why? They're a marketing ploy, and it is the shops decision (and business and property).
If you don't like it, don't shop there. Or rebel and park in them yourself.
And "abolished" ? Another law banning something?
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>> >>Parent and child spaces should be abolished.
>>
>> Why? They're a marketing ploy, and it is the shops decision (and business and property).
>> If you don't like it, don't shop there. Or rebel and park in them yourself.
I do.
>>
>> And "abolished" ? Another law banning something?
Nope not a law, they have no legal basis anyway.
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>>Or rebel and park in them yourself.
>
>I do.
You d'man.
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>> how come he's driving a marked police car if he's off duty?
>> Surely their duty/shift finishes when they return to the police station
Abingdon police station is a stones throw from Tesco. I'm guessing he was just coming off duty and called in prior to going back to the station.
>> And, I would assume, rather dependent on what the copper was doing in the shop.
Quite often they're in Tesco shopping, still in uniform, car in the car park somewhere.
Still, no excuse for using the Parent/Child bays unless he misunderstood what PC bays stood for ;)
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maybe he just nipped in for some truncheon meat for his sandwiches ?
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Actually I still don't have a problem with it. Goodness knows they get a hard time of it over everything, and doesn't every job come with perks?
It is important that jobs remain attractive and that people continue to want to do them. Why should a policeman, who doesn't enforce parent/child bays at Tesco, be nationally vilified when a builder wouldn't be. Really, the noise they get over every little thing they do is getting ridiculous, and almost certainly comes from the same people who would be screaming from the roof tops if they had to wait more than 10 seconds for a copper to turn up when they needed it.
In fact, haven't I seen comments in here about people who park in P/C spaces because they disagree with them? Or was that the other place?
And whilst I realise that nobody in here would do the slightest non-work thing when on the work payroll, it is only ultimately going to cost us more money if we insist on them hunting for parking spaces etc. etc.
Either way, big fat hairy deal and good luck to the bloke.
Being a policeman should be in and of itself deserving of respect and deference. A bad copper should be dropped off a cliff, but a good copper should be privileged.
At least they would be in my world.
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>> Being a policeman should be in and of itself deserving of respect and deference. A
>> bad copper should be dropped off a cliff, but a good copper should be privileged.
They need the respect and trust of the public and, on the whole, they probably have it. They have a lot of power and a lot of faith is put in their integrity and their word therefore carries a lot of weight.
But, it is a respect for their authority, and not respect simply because of the job they do. Their job is not the hardest, or the most dangerous, or the most worthwhile, or the most altruistic.
The respect for their authority can't be separated from their integrity, so it's probably more important for them, than for any other profession, that they are seen to have a keen sense of integrity and fairness, rather than privilege.
So, yes, it's a trivial matter, but they did the right thing by taking the chance to reinforce that they understand the need for integrity, even in the small things.
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Thu 4 Apr 13 at 23:59
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The police may not all deserve privileges, but they have them.
One which doesn't bother me at all is the privilege of being able to park all over the place as untidily as they like, double parked, at bus stops, on the pavement, in the middle of the road at a bizarre angle. They have arrived and are looking into a reported incident as promptly as possible.
I'm envious of course - I like parking like that too - but it wouldn't occur to me to object or to resent it. I'd do it if I were them, so why shouldn't they?
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Should he have even been at Tescos shopping? :]]
See part (b) 'or refreshment'. Suppose some fags are ok.
178 Offences in relation to constables. If the holder of a justices’ licence—
(a)knowingly suffers to remain on the licensed premises any constable during any part of the time appointed for the constable’s being on duty, except for the purpose of the execution of the constable’s duty, or
(b)supplies any liquor or refreshment, whether by way of gift or sale, to any constable on duty except by authority of a superior officer of the constable, or
(c)bribes or attempts to bribe any constable,
he shall be liable, on a first conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1£25], and on a subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding [F1£50].
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>> I'm envious of course - I like parking like that too - but it wouldn't
>> occur to me to object or to resent it. I'd do it if I were
>> them, so why shouldn't they?
Yes, they can park wherever they want, of course.
But just because you have the power to do something, doesn't mean that you shouldn't be considerate where you can be.
If this had been a call involving a serious crime, or loss of life or limb, then it would have been quite appropriate for them to park wherever suited, even if it was diagonally across 3 disabled bays, in the trolley park, or blocking the entrance to the shop.
Given that, presumably, that wasn't the case, then taking a few seconds to pick a more convenient parking space, probably wouldn't have been a big hassle.
It would say, "look we all know that I'm in charge around here, but I don't need to flaunt it, and I'm considerate in how I use my privilege".
I agree, it wouldn't be something that would bother me personally, but I understand why they want to be seen to use their power with consideration.
Last edited by: SteelSpark on Fri 5 Apr 13 at 10:14
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Bit of a misrepresentation there, Vx. It was a vehicle being driven by Police, in which Gideon was a passenger. So, another copper at it, but not the politician in this case.
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>> Bit of a misrepresentation there, Vx. It was a vehicle being driven by Police, in
>> which Gideon was a passenger. So, another copper at it, but not the politician in
>> this case.
That's true but either he knew or should have known and instructed driver to park elsewhere.
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Busy man, B, probably got his ear to a mobile and an eye on a laptop in the car. Leave the driving to the copper, that's what he's there for. Same thing with that first class train nonsense - wasn't his job to get it right.
Can't believe I'm defending a politician, but hey ho. Right's right. Sick to death of the media trying to hang them for every little tiny thing, it distracts them from what they're supposed to be doing.
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>> Busy man, B, probably got his ear to a mobile and an eye on a
>> laptop in the car. Leave the driving to the copper, that's what he's there for.
>> Same thing with that first class train nonsense - wasn't his job to get it
>> right.
>>
>> Can't believe I'm defending a politician, but hey ho. Right's right. Sick to death of
>> the media trying to hang them for every little tiny thing, it distracts them from
>> what they're supposed to be doing.
Now in the serious papers too and Richard Hawkes of Scope is first of what will no doubt be several disabled charities to condemn his actions.
It may only be a tiny thing but like the First Class shebang it could easily be avoided.
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You really, really want the C of the E to be spending his time worrying about where his driver is turning the car round (yes, it wasn't even parked) in the services car park? He should be able to leave it up to the copper to work it out. It's nothing to do with him.
Jesus, what a waste of time trying to explain it to those who won't hear.
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>> Bit of a misrepresentation there, Vx.
I didn't say he was driving it. I said it was his 4x4. The news links also state this.
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"Someone else at it: - George Osborne's 4x4"
Your implication of where you believe the blame lies is clear. And the blame doesn't lie there. Mail tactics.
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>> Your implication of where you believe the blame lies is clear. And the blame doesn't lie there. Mail tactics.
More like you're interpreting it like a Mail reader would.
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You couldn't park here, even if you had a g-whiz.
Double yellow lines have been painted in an alleyway that is too narrow to drive down.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-22158829
Lines have been painted on both sides of the passageway, off Newhall Street in Swindon, leaving a gap of just 13in (33cm).
Last edited by: VxFan on Tue 16 Apr 13 at 13:27
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>>Lines have been painted on both sides of the passageway, off Newhall Street in Swindon, leaving a gap of just 13in (33cm).
>>
Until it got so narrow that one set of double lines are painted down the MIDDLE of the passageway.
Is this a first - double yellow lines in the middle ?
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The pointless lines would be invalid anyway as, in the TV report, one set did not have the legally required "closing bar" across the end of one set of the lines.
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>> The pointless lines would be invalid anyway as, in the TV report, one set did
>> not have the legally required "closing bar" across the end of one set of the
>> lines.
In case anybody thinks that is a 'get out of gaol free' card - don't.
The parking adjudicators line is that if the purpose of the yellow line is obvious then the infringement has occurred and penalty upheld.
I think, but am not sure, this has been endorsed in the courts.
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Appeal finding here, along the same lines as no end bar. Taken from Traffic Penalty Tribunal site
Obscured signs and lack of lines (MK301)
The appellant, issued with a PCN for parking in a restricted area on market day, appealed on the ground that the signs were not apparent and the lines were indistinct. The Adjudicator found that, while restrictions applied on market days, the sign indicating restrictions was obscured by a market trader's awning, a further sign was incorrectly coloured and there was no proper line at the end of a block of spaces to indicate the start of permit-only parking.
The appeal was allowed.
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Oi!! You can't park there - No FM2R
