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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be annoyed at the police

71 replies

ellerman · 28/10/2013 20:30

driving home from swimming class - 5 year old in back, 5:30pm, pitch black, in our village main street, blue lights flashing behind me, pulled over, and they pulled in behind me. Seems one of my brake lights was not working, fair enough, they then checked all my lights, tyre tread, tax disc, insurance and MOT. All fine of course - I told them that we often get stopped when driving our (second) 14 year old car, often for no actual offence. My husband is a social worker, and is often stopped on "routine" checks in dodgy neighbourhoods, old car = must be trouble. I politely explained we were 2 professionals who kept our car serviced ( bar brake light which lets face it hard to know!) ....then police officer told me that there was no compulsion for me to get it repaired and show evidence at police station. So I was stopped for something that's actually not an offence, but an excuse to check over an older car in the hope of finding something else to pin on me. Is this where we are at in the UK today?

OP posts:
Boardingblues · 29/10/2013 01:23

Terrible isn't it? How did we get to this situation? I just don't understand it. When did the police start applying the rules to professionals and not just the hoi polloi?

ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmmmmmmmmm · 29/10/2013 01:24

" You can't stop me, I'm a social worker"

GrinGrinGrin

No-one as entitled as the "professional" classes............

ThingsThatMakeYouGoHmmmmmmmmm · 29/10/2013 01:27

PS "Pin something on me" Hmm

Are you one of the Krays, OP?

WholeNutt · 29/10/2013 02:50

YABU

Mutley77 · 29/10/2013 03:31

YABVU. I once took my car for an MOT where they discovered that NEITHER of my brake lights were working. I was horrified and actually remembered being stopped in traffic on the way there with a police car behind me, I was annoyed that they didn't stop me as surely it is mostly in my interest to know that (but then I am probably BU!). As someone else said it is against the law to have a brake light out anyway.

GuillotineLibertine73 · 29/10/2013 04:13

Grin tireddog

Op what exactly has pissed you off? He let you off!

CarlaBrooni · 29/10/2013 04:33

I think the police officer was BU by not giving you a ticket. Having any defective light on a car is an offence.

Playing the " we are professionals " is offensive.

LovesBeingHereAgain · 29/10/2013 05:46

14 yr old car in dodgy neighbour us not an old car, anyway it's tge brand new car in said neighbourhood they'd be more interested in. Yabu, professional people don't brake tge law?

VivaLeBeaver · 29/10/2013 07:10

OP, if the police had stopped a different car under similar circumstances and not checked the rest of the car over. Then ten miles down the road this car ran you over due to been in generally crap condition and had no insurance or mot I think you'd be pissed off with the police then. Copper would probably get in trouble as well.

Shesparkles · 29/10/2013 07:22

You're very lucky he didn't decide you'd failed the attitude test and give you a ticket after your little speech

moldingsunbeams · 29/10/2013 07:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Alexandrite · 29/10/2013 07:41

What you said was the equivalent of saying "Do you know who I am? "

Katnisscupcake · 29/10/2013 07:47

YABU in the sense that there was actually something wrong with your car.

However it is very annoying than being constantly pulled over (as you are suggesting) because you have an old car. I'm not sure how it works but I would imagine when the Police pull someone over it is logged and not only that but don't they have to call in the details of the car before they do so? So they will know that the same car has been pulled over on a number of occasions with no issues (until now).

I can imagine that this sort of thing can put someone off buying a 'boy racer' type of car. My DH was pulled over every weekend when he had a Fiesta.

But then he was a boy racer at the time with go-faster stripes along the car! Wink

Jinsei · 29/10/2013 07:47

My car is 14 years old, and I've never once been stopped by the police. Hmm Probably because I drive safely and keep everything in working order.

YABU

letsgomaths · 29/10/2013 07:48

"Routine stops" often do catch uninsured, unlicensed, drugged, drunk drivers. Police are often damned if they do, damned if they don't.

ithaka · 29/10/2013 07:53

YABVU. I do know a social worker who is just like you - strident, entitled, would definately use the 'I am a professional' line. Maybe you are her - waves

Purple2012 · 29/10/2013 08:03

When the police stop a car they ask for a PNC check and get given the registered keeper details and if insured. There is nothing on PNC about how many times the car has been pulled over so the officer won't know. On the local systems there could be information about the car if it is involved in drug dealing or bad driving. There isn't a list of all the stop checks if they are just routine minor traffic offences.

Oh and yabu.

Groovee · 29/10/2013 08:12

Hmm I can't see what your issue is with regards to the police apart from you sounding like you were a pompous so and so and probably gave the Police a good laugh at your "professional" rant.

Tweasels · 29/10/2013 08:21

Damn those pesky Police Officers doing their jobs effectively and professionally. The shit bags Hmm

pianodoodle · 29/10/2013 08:28

You need one of those "baby and professional on board" stickers for your window.

GhostsInSnow · 29/10/2013 09:26

Lmao piano "social worker on board".

This is surely a wind up though isn't it? If not and op really said that I can imagine the laughter back at the station later when the story was shared.

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