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Original poster

Failed to stop for police - why am I such an idiot?!

284 replies

ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 15:52

Having an absolute melt down over here - hope someone can talk me down and/or make me feel better by telling me silly things you have done when driving ..... Basically, I was on a narrow road, one lane each way, fairly chunky verge. Blue lights behind, panicked and drove few 100 metres to next roundabout to get out of way. Totally, totally know now I should have just stopped on side but I panicked. So embarrassed. Police pointed to wind my window down when they got alongside me. They were understandably irrate. I have a lot of respect for our police force and am mortified that I have made their job even more difficult than it already is. Literally cannot stop sobbing!

OP posts:
Whitney168 · 21/02/2022 15:54

They can't have been in that much of a hurry if they stopped to berate you ...

ShallWeTalkAboutBruno · 21/02/2022 15:54

If they had time to stop and tell you off they can’t have been in that much of a rush to get past.

Original poster
ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 15:54

To add, they reminded me it was an offence but haven't charged me thank goodness. Also, 11 year old was in car so no secrets there!

OP posts:
cansu · 21/02/2022 15:56

FGS. It is sometimes difficult to pull over safely. Agreed that if it was a genuine emergency they would not have taken the time to pull you over and tell you off. Forget it.

EricScrantona · 21/02/2022 15:57

Sounds like they are actually bell ends. If you were on your phone or not paying attention then fine but doesn't sound like you were that wrong tbh. Would they have been able to get round you on a narrow lane? Could you suddenly stopping and pulling to the side caused an accident?

Original poster
ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 15:58

Good point - didn't think of it like that. I hate driving! Feels like I'm getting worse as I get older - only 45! 🙈

OP posts:
rattlehum · 21/02/2022 15:59

This is exactly the sort of thing I would feel bad about for days/forever but honestly as PP have said - they wouldn't have told you off if it was a real emergency. Honestly that was just so unnecessary of them. They're probably just having a bad day.
Don't give it another thought!

TronDeReplay · 21/02/2022 16:00

I think it can be really hard to anticipate how best to be helpful in these situations particularly if there is other traffic around and you're trying to be safe.

girlmom21 · 21/02/2022 16:02

It's your responsibility to move over as soon as you can do so safely. You carried on driving until you felt you could safely move out of their way. They sound like scaremongering idiots.

RandomQuest · 21/02/2022 16:02

You didn’t think you could stop safely so continued to where you could. Maybe not the right call as clearly the police didn’t agree but in the greater scheme of things it really isn’t a huge deal. As others have said they obviously weren’t in a rush anyway if they had the time to tell you off…

Original poster
ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 16:03

@cansu

FGS. It is sometimes difficult to pull over safely. Agreed that if it was a genuine emergency they would not have taken the time to pull you over and tell you off. Forget it.
I do tend to get a bit over emotional at things when I've messed up but agree that I need to forget about it - certainly won't do it again!!!!
OP posts:
SomethingSuss · 21/02/2022 16:04

It's an offence to not pull over as quickly as you can at a place YOU feel it is safe to do so. And you didn't so sod em. If you were to just stop anywhere then you could have even held the police up by not realising they were unable to pass you. And as others said, if they were in that much of a rush then they wouldn't have stopped to have a go at you.
Drivers for the emergency services aren't always automatically in the right. There has been more than one post just on here about police officers flashing, beeping horns and yelling at people to move forward through red lights in order to get past which is completely illegal unless specifically directed to by a police officer on foot. Don't worry about it. 100m isn't that far.

Comedycook · 21/02/2022 16:05

Just forget about it...you did what you thought was best at the time

Original poster
ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 16:07

@EricScrantona

Sounds like they are actually bell ends. If you were on your phone or not paying attention then fine but doesn't sound like you were that wrong tbh. Would they have been able to get round you on a narrow lane? Could you suddenly stopping and pulling to the side caused an accident?
Definitely paying attention, just had a brain freeze or something. I think they could tell (I was blinking back the tears!) that I hadn't done it intentionally. Not sure that they could have got round on my lane but I guess if the other side had stopped, it would be their call to go into that lane?
OP posts:
jpbee · 21/02/2022 16:09

I thought this post was going to be about 'you' being pulled over by police and not stopping - police chase type stuff! I would just forget about it, I bet it happens all the time, people panic when they hear the sirens and don't always know what to do for the best.

Jusmeee · 21/02/2022 16:10

I wouldnt worry about it

Georgeskitchen · 21/02/2022 16:10

It can be quite scary when you have an emergency vehicle up your arse with lights flashing. I have panicked sometimes and wondered how to get out of the way. The police sound like knobs tbh, as you said, if they pulled you to tell you off it can't have been a life threatening emergency!!

Jusmeee · 21/02/2022 16:10

just say you were trying to find a safe place to stop

Toomanyradishes · 21/02/2022 16:11

I think they would have had a hard time justifying charging you for driving an extra few 100m down a narrow lane to a point you felt it was safe for them to pass, its lovely you respect the police however unfortunately for some officers respect doesnt flow both ways

Partyatnumber10 · 21/02/2022 16:12

Oh gosh OP I've been on the receiving end of an irritated toot twice fro failing to get out of the way.
Both times there was physically now where to go, I was squelched as far into a thorny bush as I could go 🤷‍♂️
Even so, like you I felt awful... except I eventually realised that the police force, like any other career, has its share of prats.

If you can't safely stop/pull over what are you meant to do?

Agree with pp's too that they can't have been in that much of a rush if they stopped to talk.

ENoeuf · 21/02/2022 16:14

Well nothing will happen except you feel embarrassed/emotional and now you know they expect you to stop and trigger oncoming traffic to stop. So horrid (no one likes being told off) but maybe useful.

Original poster
ilovelamp2 · 21/02/2022 16:16

Thanks everyone - really appreciate your wise words. It's just knocked my confidence I think. Was planning on doing a bit of shopping but have just come home instead. Husband saying similar to you guys, and a hug, which has helped! There were no other cars behind me and the police car did seem to come out of nowhere even though I do check my mirrors (PC reminded me to do that too ....) I have noticed when husband is driving he notices emergency vehicles way before me, especially when sirens are on. Not that this is an excuse, but I wear hearing aids and don't usually hear the sirens at all in until the car is right next to me. I'm going to try not to let this knick my confidence too badly.

OP posts:
ilovesooty · 21/02/2022 16:17

Would you have been able to pull over safely?

ComDummings · 21/02/2022 16:17

They sound like dicks, if it wasn’t safe to stop you don’t stop. You waited until you thought it was safe which is correct.

userxx · 21/02/2022 16:17

@Whitney168

They can't have been in that much of a hurry if they stopped to berate you ...
Exactly! Don't give it any more hard space OP.