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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
Toooldtobearsed2 · 26/12/2019 16:02

I can understand how you feel , but you need to just suck it up and crack on.
I was done for doing 58 in a 50. I had pulled into the outside lane whilst doing 50to allow cars in from the slip road. They then did 53/55 (on my clock), and as I needed to be off at next junction, I speeded up for just long enough for the camera in the layby to snap me.
I took it on the chin, paid for and attended the driver awareness course and accepted I had cocked up.

I DO have sympathy, my language was choice when I got my notice, but we both done wrong ,😛

dontgobaconmyheart · 26/12/2019 16:02

Eh? Confused OP you essentially went through a red light on purpose because you were stressed and didnt want to wait any longer because you had somewhere to be.

Maybe if the police didnt have to spend so much time pulling over for that kind of idiocy then theyd be a bit quicker doing our the letters. Perhaps if there were ample funding they might divert the courses to an easy commute just for you rather than attempt to solve other crimes/keep people safe.

You're being utterly ridiculous. Moaning about the punishment options for a crime you wilfully committed because you feel entitled not to be inconvenienced. Good drivers don't run a red light. Driving without event in however many years doesn't make you a good driver, you got pulled over because you drove poorly, dangerous and illegally- you're no better than anyone else who has done the same.

LuluBellaBlue · 26/12/2019 16:02

Someone didn’t think jumping the red lights at a hamburger roundabouts wouldn’t effect anyone.... until they drove into the side of me and gave me severe whiplash and
Triggered severe PTSD from a previous severe car accident.
OP - you come across as sooo self absorbed it’s unreal! You COULD of caused an accident. Red lights are there for a reason, not just for the fun of it!

HaudYerWheeshtYaWeeBellend · 26/12/2019 16:03

15 years driving experience is not a justifiable reason for you breaking the law Hmm actions could have killed someone with your idiotic behaviour, what makes you think your above everyone else to wait in the traffic and break the law.

Accept the points or do the driving course, don’t make excuses for your law breaking behaviour!!

VivaLeBeaver · 26/12/2019 16:05

You know what sometimes I go through a red light. There’s a junction near me which for 20 years hasn’t had lights on it and then they put them on....to make it easier for people turning right at the T junction.

I turn left, I’m there at 7am it’s dead. The lights take ages to change and I can see a mile down the road in either direction. Sometimes if there’s no cars coming I go through the light. I figure it’s no more dangerous than it is in the last 20 years that I’ve done it.

So I get your point that it’s possible to do such a thing and it not be a risk to others. However if I did it and got caught by the police I’d accept the consequences rather than whinging about it.

LocksMyth · 26/12/2019 16:06

Glad to hear you learned something from the statistics re speed and a child dying.
Add to that, if you will, the chances of someone's child being killed by a car jumping a red light.

wombat1a · 26/12/2019 16:07

Isn't the point of the course etc etc that it is supposed to be an inconvenience? If fulfilling the course was easy then where what would the deterrence value be?

Parkermumma07 · 26/12/2019 16:08

Sounds like you were issued with a TOR so the decision of the penalty you received I.e the course or points was not the decision on the officer who stopped you. The ticket goes off to the Central processing unit and they make the decision on the punishment you receive which is why the officer will have said hopefully nothing will come off it as you previously had a clean licence. Maybe not the best choice of words from the officer to be honest

GladAllOver · 26/12/2019 16:08

Bloody police - merry sodding Christmas

Enko · 26/12/2019 16:09

OP it took about 2 months for my letter to arrive when I got caught speeding (35 in a 30 zone) I was pissed off and annoyed...

at ME...

Because it was MY fault. "I" had chosen to speed "I" knew it was a 30 route and no there was no one around who this could have been dangerous for... It was still illegal.

So no you didn't make a " honest mistake " You DECIDED to break the law. This is what everyone is reacting to. You are not taking responsibility for YOUR actions. You are making excuses. Comments like " I see much worse drivers than me" Yes so do I. However "I" got caught they didn't. and YOU got caught... so now your choice is to take the course or the points. I see you have booked the course and I am pleased I suspect you will take a lot from it.

GladAllOver · 26/12/2019 16:09

Pressed Post too soon.
Wanted to say that I haven't read the thread. The title was enough for me to say YABU.

CombyourhairNow · 26/12/2019 16:09

You jumped a red light, were caught and are pisses off with the police?!

Take ownership and think yourself lucky that you didn’t crash in to someone and cause an accident, because you’d have more to worry about than having to pull a sickie at work!!!

NoncePieforSanta · 26/12/2019 16:09

You were "Driving Without Due Care and Attention" and you are bitching about only having two months to book a course to avoid having points on your licence - and this is the fault of the police? Just when you think you've heard it all...

category12 · 26/12/2019 16:09

You broke the law.

And of course there's a time limit on taking the course otherwise people would take the piss.
And of course it's inconvenient and going to mean you have to take a day off work.
It's not supposed to be a pleasant thing, it's supposed to make you think about what you did and not want to repeat doing it.

You should count yourself lucky you get the opportunity to do a course, instead of the penalty.

LittleTinselTown · 26/12/2019 16:10

The courses aren't going to cater to your timetable. It's not their problem you fucked up.

Yetanotherwinter · 26/12/2019 16:15

So you break the law and it’s Police who are to blame. Think yourself lucky that in slipping through a red light you didn’t kill someone. You are accountable for your actions. No one else. How about having a bit of humility and facing up to the consequences. Instead of a driver improvement course you could be standing in court for death by careless driving and having to face up to the fact that your crap driving has ruined a family’s life. Ps your excuses of elderly relatives etc etc are pathetic.

newbingepisodes · 26/12/2019 16:16

I might be wrong but I thought they had to issue the notice within a certain period of time maybe like 7 or 14 days?

Hingeandbracket · 26/12/2019 16:18

I might be wrong but I thought they had to issue the notice within a certain period of time maybe like 7 or 14 days?
That's if issued by camera - OP got to talk to the Police so she had the NIP in person.

newbingepisodes · 26/12/2019 16:22

@hinge ah ok yes that makes sense.

I did the speed awareness course a few years ago for doing 35 in a 30 zone completely unintentional just wasn't concentrating. The course was really good and I learned loads and found it really useful.

Gazelda · 26/12/2019 16:23

Your thread title makes it perfectly clear that you feel aggrieved by the way this has been handled.

And your posts read as though you feel unfairly inconvenienced by the punishment.

I think you owe 'the police' an apology for your slur and you need to go to the course with some humility. I don't think either of these will happen.

Honeyroar · 26/12/2019 16:24

I thought that too, but some pp said that’s only for a camera incident - because the op was actually stopped and told about it and told it counts as a notification.

DowntownAbby · 26/12/2019 16:24

You are supposed to check your own tyres regularly. You don't rely on the annual MOT to tell you they're bald, or a policeman for that matter!

There's no time limit for a NIP when you've been stopped by the police because you had the NIP verbally at the roadside. They have 6 months to let you know they're pursuing the case after that.

The 2-month thing for the course is not from the date of the offence. You've still got to reply accepting or declining the course, or have you already done that bit?

The American spelling thing is probably because you also used 'license' and mentioned them 'writing you up' which as an American term not used by British police.

Hingeandbracket · 26/12/2019 16:24

I've done a speed awareness course. I was astounded how few people knew anything at all about speed limits.

debwong · 26/12/2019 16:28

@NThound
Which other US spellings have I used?

You wrote defense and license.

Remember to check your tires the next time you drive your Chevy on the interstate Wink

TheWinterCaillech · 26/12/2019 16:32

I love the fact that in these uncertain times, with everything in constant flux, AIBU remains a predictable constant.
AIBU?
YES!
BUT YOU ARE ALL WRONG AND MEEEEEEEANNNNN......