Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 13 14

Original poster

Bloody police - merry sodding Christmas

345 replies

NThound · 26/12/2019 14:44

More than 2 months ago I made a bloody stupid error and just slipped through a red light in queuing traffic though I had actually noticed that a police car was a few cars behind - I don't make a habit of breaking the law, but it does make it even more stupid. He pulled me over a bit up the road (which was horrible - never happened to me before in 15 years of driving) and I admitted my error of judgement and apologised. In my defense (I didn't say this to him as I didn't want to make excuses) it was awful traffic - we had been stuck there for ages and I was visiting an elderly relative who I rarely see and had to nip out for something and felt guilty and stressed at how long it was taking). It was my fault though I know.

Police man said he had written it up and would send it off but 'hopefully' I would hear nothing back in the light of my apology and clean license. He also checked my tyres as he said they were currently focussing on them but he then made no comment on them.

I had my MOT done two weeks later and it failed on one of the tyres, which I thought was odd but never mind. Weeks went by and I heard nothing then on Christmas fucking Eve came the letter. FFS. I have just logged on to try and book a course and I have less than two months to book it because this has taken more than two months to come through. In order to get it done in time I have a choice of two courses that are within 30 miles of me - I live in a central location between two biggish cities. It's ridiculous - I'm going to have to try and get time off but don't want to risk a refusal as then I'd be stuffed so may decide to call in sick, which is not something 'I want to do.

AIBU to think this is shit? If police think you have made an honest fuck-up they shouldn't 'write it up' and if they do it shouldn't be near enough impossible to book a course you have been offered because they have sat on it for more than 2 months?

OP posts:

SpoonAndString · 26/12/2019 15:14

I think you need to take unpaid leave instead of committing fraud against your employer by falsely taking sick leave. On top of committing a traffic offence. You sound completely irresponsible and lacking in self awareness by posting what you have here.

Hingeandbracket · 26/12/2019 15:14

but I think it's surprising that he didn't either book me for that too if it was already gone my then, or mention that it was getting close - not to save me from failing the MOT (which makes no difference to anything anyway as you just have to fix things that need fixing) but because of safety.
You are the driver - it is up to you to ensure your tyres are legal.
Perhaps the Policeman didn't spot how bad your tyre was - but it's not up to him to safety check your vehicle - it's up to you.

As for whataboutery of other drivers, I share your hope that they are getting tickets too.

CooCooCoo · 26/12/2019 15:14

It was my fault though I know

Repeat this again and again until you stop blaming everyone else but yourself

Original poster

NThound · 26/12/2019 15:14

Assume from your use of US spellings this all took place in the USA?

Is that supposed to me some cutting put down? It's pretty obvious I'm not in the US or I would have mentioned it when people were talking about NIP etc, but whatever. The only US spelling I can see is 'defense', which was auto-corrected, but I'm ready to be educated on the rest if you like .

OP posts:

MoreToEatMoreToDrink · 26/12/2019 15:15

I don’t really get why you would call in sick. Book leave and if it’s difficult then explain what it’s for. At the end of the day this is a consequence of your actions whether they were an accident or not.

However, I absolutely agree that it shouldn’t take 2 months to come through, especially if there’s a time limit on booking a course. You could have had it over and done with by now if it had been more timely.

Equally, you could just take the points. I wouldn’t want to either. And I would probably try and have a conversation with someone about the timeliness of issuing the fine/points etc.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 26/12/2019 15:15

So you deliberately broke the law, and yes you wont be the first or last. The difference is most people tend to accept that they have done it, been caught and accept the punishment. You appear to have decided you are above punishment as it is an inconvenience to you so instead of accepting it you have decided to go down the route of trying to get out of it. You don't need to do the course because you could take the points but you dont want that either. Thats what is pissing people off with you.

Sickandtired1 · 26/12/2019 15:15

Right so basically you committed a road traffic offence. Broke the law and wanted it brushed aside.

The police have little to no discretion on road offences.

If you don’t like it - take the points.

Grow up and take responsibility.

tigger1001 · 26/12/2019 15:16

You drove through a red light, and had a tyre that made the car fail it's mot 2 weeks later. Tell me how these mean there was no chance of an accident happening?

Either do the course or take the points. This is entirely your own doing, stop trying to blame the police.

LadyTiredWinterBottom2 · 26/12/2019 15:18

What l get from this is you thought you had got away with it and you think it's unreasonable that you didn't. Be grateful you weren't the victim if a crime that had to wait two months for a response. And suck it up.

Namestranger · 26/12/2019 15:19

Diddums

Reallybadidea · 26/12/2019 15:19

OP, if I were you, I would contact them and see whether it is possible to extend the time for taking the course as it's taken a while to get the notice through. Literally no harm in asking, the worst that can happen is that they say no.

Janleverton · 26/12/2019 15:20

I took the course (speeding, speed gunned so NIP irrelevant as chatted on scene with the policeman). Fair cop, plain stupid of me as wasn’t paying attention. Found the course incredibly helpful and glad I had the chance to take it rather than points.

Dh recently had 3 points (speed camera). Again, his fault, hands up and paid the fine and got the points.

Insurance renewal was not long after and actually it hasn’t gone up even with declaring both the speed awareness course and Dh’s points.

toddytoff · 26/12/2019 15:20

I’m SO glad you’ve been caught out OP.

People who make constant excuses for their behaviour and even when getting their comeuppance, still deny that they were in the wrong....love it when people like you actually have to face consequences merry Christmas

Hingeandbracket · 26/12/2019 15:21

which was auto-corrected
I think I see a pattern here.

KaptainKaveman · 26/12/2019 15:21

In your OP you say 'there was awful traffic', yet in a later post you maintain 'the road was clear'.

Those statements are unlikely to both be true.

user1471533725 · 26/12/2019 15:22

Honestly OP it's not that bad. You admit you drove through the light so you take the consequences.

I got caught doing 45 in a 40. Was pissed off about it for ages before accepting that no matter how mad you are it's your own fault and you deal with the consequences.

You could perhaps call to try to extend the window of time you have to book your course but if you phone and try blaming them for you having to do this then they will be unlikely to be sympathetic. Ultimately if they wont let you extend then it will have to be a day's unpaid leave. You don't need to tell your boss why if they're difficult.

The sooner you accept it and stop fighting the sooner it will all be over.

Oh and I found the course really really interesting so please dont look on it as a wasted day.

GetOffTheTableMabel · 26/12/2019 15:22

It is a deliberate feature of the course arrangements and timings that they are not fixed to be convenient for participants,
You are offered the course as an alternative to a punishment of points and the timings of the courses are designed for o mean that they’ll so require some sacrifice from the ‘criminal’. They are not supposed to be an easy option. They are a punishment. Because you did something wrong.

trappedsincesundaymorn · 26/12/2019 15:22

You jumped a red light and got caught suck it up buttercup. Personally I think it should be at the very least points on your licence not having to "take a course" for basic rules of the road . Maybe next time you'll pay attention and not risk someone elses's life.

Beautiful3 · 26/12/2019 15:23

You went through a red light because you were sitting in traffic for a long time and grew impatient?! You could have caused an accident. If course if the police see it, they ought to reprimand you. Would you rather do the course or receive the points?! Yabu.

beela · 26/12/2019 15:24

I think if you phone the police and explain to them that actually you are a very good driver and that you were in a hurry and you checked, and also you have no annual leave to spare, they will realise that they were totally in the wrong and the law doesn't apply to you. Simple.

Nancydrawn · 26/12/2019 15:24

OP, I'm with everyone on the offense, and I think, at heart, you are too. You know you fucked up and you're willing to take the penalty.

That said, I agree that the state of the bureaucratic lag is seriously frustrating. If there is a time limit on one's penance, it should be given to a person as soon as possible.

Billben · 26/12/2019 15:25

Sorry but you’ve lost me at “Bloody” police 🙄

Original poster

NThound · 26/12/2019 15:27

Thank you to those who have clarified the timing of the NIP - saves me looking it up so I'm grateful for that.

You appear to have decided you are above punishment as it is an inconvenience to you so instead of accepting it you have decided to go down the route of trying to get out of it.

How have I tried to get out of it? I've booked the bloody course and have said I wouldn't even be posting had the letter come in a timely fashion. I was going to look into the timing of the NIP thing, but it's since been pointed out that there's no point, so i won't and will do the course. It's my business whether I phone in sick - people here don't know my boss or circumstances so i won't be losing any sleep over that.

Perhaps the Policeman didn't spot how bad your tyre was - but it's not up to him to safety check your vehicle - it's up to you. So he made a mistake then? Well, we all do... apart from the perfect --people on here of course

All this saying I could have killed someone is tedious though - the policeman who witnessed it didn't say that. He said hopefully nothing would come of it. At no point dd he launch into a rant about how I could have caused an accident - and presumably he's seen a fair few. No one should go through red lights, including me, but if the road is visibly clear (which it was) it won't magically cause a crash with a non-existent car or pedestrian just because the light was red.

OP posts:

Rachelfromfriends1 · 26/12/2019 15:27

You’re not above the law. You sound like a shit driver. What makes you think that you’re deserving of being let off for driving through a red light compared to the rest of us? You knew the officers were behind you, yet you were so entitled to think they would turn a blind eye as you ran through a red light. Nice reality check? The police purposely check for drivers running through red lights.

It’s ridiculous that you are trying to insinuate it was an emergency situation as you were late getting home 🙄 the world does not revolve around you or your relatives.

Sn0tnose · 26/12/2019 15:28

though I was in the wrong here, there was no risk of accident.
Isn’t that more by luck than judgement? Suppose another driver had done the same thing? Or had been distracted for a moment? You might consider yourself an excellent driver, but if your car is somewhere it shouldn’t have been, you’re relying on other drivers also being excellent.

My point is, it's a shit way it has been dealt with. Come on now. You might not like it, it might be inconvenient and a bloody pain, but the actual point is that you ballsed up and you have to deal with the consequences of that. You know it would be wrong if the police decided to ignore driving offences because nobody got injured or the driver has never done it before. How would that work?

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 ··· 13 14

Swipe left for the next trending thread