>> "Another new thing that they do is on traffic stops is reach in to your
>> car and take your keys which again they have no legal power to do unless
>> you look like you are going to make off."
>>
>> I was stopped lat at night earlier in the year on the M11 for exceeding
>> the speed limit. After the usual enquiries "what do you think I am stopping your
>> for?" and a check of my licence I was waved on my way with a
>> "take care"" and the comment "I wouldn't want to spoil a nice clean licence like
>> that"
>>
Most of my many stops have been harmless, often with good humoured police officers and at one time I used to get stopped a few times a every week - mainly because I was driving very late at night. I know how to behave and have been "let off" speeding offences with similar comments to yours.
I would say 90% of stops have been really pleasant, even the breath-tests (smell of aniseed taken for spirit) have been fine. 7% have been OK, sort of matter of fact and don't do it again sort of things. 1% the police officer had to go because he was about to burst out laughing. 2% of traffic stops were conducted in a way that was downright rude and condescending.
Once, on being politely but insistently grilled about why I had so many keys on my keyring (my keys, my parents keys, girlfriend's flat's keys, office x 2, shed, bike lock and others - load of them). It was getting late and I said, I totally understand why you are asking, let me show you some ID. I fished for my work ID from my Belstaff jacket and handed it to the lead officer. There was a "sea change" in attitude and I was even offered an escort to where I was going! It was an impressive ID.
On a very different occasion, I was driving down the A1, quite some time ago now, and was getting sleepy, so I pulled off the A1 found a quiet road and parked up for a while for a rest. I got a rap on the windscreen and asked what I was doing. I told the officers I was driving from Newcastle to the South Coast, got sleepy so pulled over for about an hour to rest and eat my sandwiches.
One of the policemen then said he could smell cannabis and searched my car. There was no cannabis, he knew there was no cannabis and there was certainly no smell of cannabis. I hate the smell of the stuff - if I could have smelt it I wouldn't have stayed there. The officer was basically abusing his powers.
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