For those that don't know, this is a notice from the Dibble to name who the driver was at a particular time and date and place. We didn't have these when I was a bobby.
It alleges that my Vitara was involved in a collision in Stone (S) St, Manchester on August 15th. It dropped through my door on Sept 21st ! It told me I could be up before the beak for due care and attention, fail to stop or fail to report.....nice. Anyway, I could remember well what I was doing at the time and place. Although in the area, I didn't go into S St...I was looking for a missing car and stopped at the end of the street in Bridgewater (B) Street across it's top and looked down to see if it was there. We have a van parked there. All parking in this very short back street is at right angles across the pavement in about 10 bays. The car wasn't there although the van was.
I was there a few minutes then did a u turn in the street I was in...B Street... and drove off. There was nothing to collide with, and anyway, I hadn't been into the street alleged.
I wrote a letter about all this and also said I had a witness anyway. Our staff valeter had been working in Duke (D)Street, just at the end of B st and had seen me arrive, walked down to have a chat and had been there when I drove off. I duly expected a visit from the police to have a look at my car...although it has plenty of scuffs and dings on the encircling plastic section...it's a city vehicle, after all ! My dashcam footage had been recorded over by then, sadly.
One thing I did mention to the police was that a local businessman seems to have a grudge against our vehicles. We have a 2 car bay in D st and this man has opened a shop next to it. As soon as he opened it he tried to get the council to close our bay without luck....we were there first...so there ! We had a brand new Peugeot Expert van in the bay and the next thing we knew, the van had been attacked with an axe causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. We swapped it with the car we had in S St later on after repair.
My own theory is that he had seen me drive out of B St into D St and assumed I'd come up S St. Then he's concocted some mythical collision. I really can't think of anything else.
Today's post brought a letter from the police saying their investigation was concluded and no further action would be taken by them. I'll ring them tomorrow and get a copy of their report.
It's been a bit of a worry, especially due to the length of time...nearly 3 months since the alleged collision. I found our missing car later in the afternoon after a bit of a search round..
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>> It's been a bit of a worry, especially due to the length of time...nearly 3
>> months since the alleged collision. I found our missing car later in the afternoon after
>> a bit of a search round..
>>
Is there a time limit on these things?
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I assumed these City Car type clubs would have trackers on all the vehicles?
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They do Bob. In this case it wasn't responding and the last user had given a very vague description of where she'd left it. Just " A car park off Deansgate ".
Often members know where we have other cars and leave theirs in the same place if they can't get it back to the proper bay. Hence me checking around the van....the nearest to the correct place....although half a mile away as it turned out !
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Ted I think that gives you evidence to say to your bosses that you need a helicopter, or even a drone, and that all your vehicles should have numbers painted on the roofs like the police.
Especially with the drone you could manage them all from your armchair!
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A drone would be good but they don't even run to a van for me...I'm just a grunt. My boss manages the fleet.
Suits me fine...no real responsibility...just go out, sort out the problem and go home. I don't do any work. On odd occasions I might change a wheel but I always pump it up and hightail it for National if I can.
Work is just so 20th century !
Right, coffee and then off down the garden to do more garage fettling.
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"Today's post brought a letter from the police saying their investigation was concluded and no further action would be taken by them. I'll ring them tomorrow and get a copy of their report."
Just out of interest Ted, but is anyone accused of a crime, motoring or not, entitled to a copy of the police report?
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That's something I don't know, Chris. Today's letter does say I can email or write for a copy...there may be a cost but I'm keen to see what's been going on. It does say you can ring, and gives the number but it's just a recording to tell you stuff, then it cuts you off. I sent an email earlier today.
Maybe our other cops and ex cops will know about the criminal side.
What have you been up to ? Go on...tell us :-)
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wan'us to go round 'is gaff and post an oversize brick packit frough his winder ted?
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My thoughts exactly Z. A small sliver of steel hammered into his door lock would be less messy. I have staff who can do that !
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I can see why you want to find out what's been going on. I would too. But I can't see the police letting you have a report that could say something like:
Mr X from the shop phoned to say Ted's car hit his car and just drove off. We contacted Ted and he told us Mr X has a grudge against his employer. We have investigated and be believe Ted. No further action.
I'd have thought any report the police would be willing to release would be so sanitised, it would be useless. Otherwise you would have sufficient proof to be selecting your sliver of silver.
And no I haven't been a naughty boy, but I know someone who was accused of doing something that they hadn't. They would love to know what story the accuser spun to get the police to investigate.
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I still fail to understand why these idiots start off on a road of aggravation. When they do, do they not think that it may be a two way street? Revenge is a dish best served cold.
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I hadn't mentioned our enemy's country of origin but they do tend to be a rather excitable race of people sometimes. The use of an axe on the van might be typical.
Most people would just let the tyres down. I'll report back on the investigation report when I get it. If I could have got through on the phone I might have been able to wheedle something out of them under the ' old boys act '
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I can't see that I will get details of the complainant. It would be interesting to see what ' incident ' was reported though. I can't imagine that if I had backed over a nice squishy toddler there wouldn't have been a patrol car hiding round the corner with a pair of derbies ready when I got home !
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>>
>> I hadn't mentioned our enemy's country of origin but they do tend to be a
>> rather excitable race of people sometimes. The use of an axe on the van might
>> be typical.
>>
Just as well we let whatever race that is to reside here then isn't it.
Teddy I notice that you are a tad more subtle than I when mentioning the unmentionable, but just as I have always thought, we 'Brits' tend to think the same whether we have the balls to say it or not.
All the best,
Mart.
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Ah well...we'll never know. EMail from the Accident Unit today saying a copy of the report will cost me £90.40 ! It should be your right to know when you've had an allegation made against you.
Pity !
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>> Teddy I notice that you are a tad more subtle than I when mentioning the unmentionable, but just as I have always thought, we 'Brits' tend to think the same whether we have the balls to say it or not.
Nah, he's just being coy. He knows Canadians are an excitable race, never fear.
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>> Nah, he's just being coy. He knows Canadians are an excitable race,
Isn't 'balls' verging on the unmentionable? I don't think HJ was too keen on it. Just for the sake of argument.
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>> I hadn't mentioned our enemy's country of origin but they do tend to be a rather excitable race of people sometimes. The use of an axe on the van might be typical.
Canadians?
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Drive in hats, Canadians.
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>> Drive in hats, Canadians.
Hard ones, with a searchlight mounted on the side.
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>> Drive in hats, Canadians.
>>
Drive in Cinemas, as well. ;-)
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excitable race...use of an axe...
Dwarves?
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Got meself a Sec 172 notice. - Duncan
