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AIBU?

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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:
category12 · 26/12/2019 17:23

You do realise that minor offences often become major ones by simple misfortune of who's coming the other way at the wrong time etc.

It sounds petty but if you break a 30 mile limit by going 31 miles an hour, your stopping distance changes by about 8 metres. That could be the difference between hitting a child that runs out and being able to stop in time.

That's why minor offences need to be treated seriously.

Stopyourhavering64 · 26/12/2019 17:23

So now you're going to call in sick....when you're not actually sick...do rules not apply to you then!?

category12 · 26/12/2019 17:26

So now you're going to call in sick....when you're not actually sick...do rules not apply to you then!?

Apparently not - maybe she's been working there 15 years, so it doesn't really matter.

mencken · 26/12/2019 17:27

if your car fails an MoT on tyres then unless you ran over a nail on the way to the test, you aren't performing your basic safety checks. (Same with lights, wiper blades and so on.)

Be aware that a large tree will not sympathise with your entitled attitude. Much as this thread makes me wish there was one handy.

WorldsOnFire · 26/12/2019 17:27

Idk, every part of me wants to say ‘never jump a red’ but I’ve done it once myself so feel like a hypocrite.

However, the one I jumped was temp traffic lights, to control a road reduced to one lane. On our side was a also a bust zebra crossing and bus stop 👍🏻 Everyone was trying to get home from the city which meant the single lane available was constantly full of stand still traffic coming from the opposite way.
Our lights turned green- they were blocking the road because a bus stopped.
Our lights turned green again- they were blocking the road because pedestrians were crossing.

Our lights turned green ELEVEN times without a single car on our side getting through because the other side couldn’t be sensible enough not to block the single lane with traffic.

Eventually we just went the moment the lane cleared (we were on red) but honestly there was no other choice, couldn’t even turn around in the road.
Guy at the front of the queue on the other side was ‘annoyed’ we were coming through on red but the chap ahead of him rolled his window down and told him exactly what kept happening and that he could bloody wait now.

Cryingoverspilttea · 26/12/2019 17:28

No, they should write it up. Because otherwise every other shit driver would try and blag it that it was just a 'one off officer' Hmm

You ran a red light. That is dangerous. You are not above the law. Suck it up.

JemSynergy · 26/12/2019 17:29

There was a video posted recently on a community page I'm on where a driver jumped a red light a just missed a school child crossing at a green man, all caught a on another drivers dash cam - it was horrible to watch so I have no sympathy I'm afraid.

wherearemymarbles · 26/12/2019 17:30

Stop being a twat op and get on with it

The course will save you about £100 per year for 5 years in insurance premiums as you will still have a clean licence.

They could have just given you 3 points with no chance for a course.

WireBrushAndDettolMaam · 26/12/2019 17:32

consider what I did and the OP has done

What you did and what OP did are very different. You pulled a few feet forward to let an emergency service vehicle through and then back again. Op just got impatient and went straight on through the light.

OverByYer · 26/12/2019 17:37

An NIP isn’t necessary as the Officer was there at the time.

spingly · 26/12/2019 17:40

Are you having a laugh OP, you're cross because you e been pulled up for jumping a red light and they should

  1. Take into account you don't generally do this
  2. You seem to think they shouldn't of allowed this letter to arrive on Christmas fucking eve.
  3. You have to take time off to deal with the course you want to take

All the above are irrelevant so no you shouldn't be excused, you done the crime now do time and stop whinging about it. You can now longer say but I've never done anything like this before, so if and when it happens again that'll make it better.

SnorkMaiden81 · 26/12/2019 17:41

Actually my brother worked Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day on duty as a police officer. He has two young boys and was heartbroken to not be with them.
He attended a raft of dangerous domestic incidents, removed dangerous people, and had a knife pulled on him. He also spent some time parked up in a public place letting families who were out for walks on Xmas day have a look in his car and press the sirens and lights if they wanted.

The police are ok by me.

BellsAJingleTheRoastedChestnut · 26/12/2019 17:43

I think you have absolutely no reason to complain here.

AJPTaylor · 26/12/2019 17:46

If you have been driving 15 years just take the points. I had to do similar when I couldn't find time to do the course. I can't say it made much difference insurance wise.

spingly · 26/12/2019 17:51

@SnorkMaiden81 well said and the OP thinks a letter arriving on Christmas Eve is out of order. Thank god for the working emergency services!

justasking111 · 26/12/2019 17:52

The NIP should have been served within fourteen days. Something must have happened to delay this.

www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q557.htm

AbsinthedelaBonchance · 26/12/2019 17:53

A postal requisition (summons) for a summary Road Traffic offence has to be issued within 6 months of the date of the offence. The civilian police departments that deal with these type of offences have been massively cut (won't even mention the even bigger cuts to actual traffic cops) so two months to get out the offer of the course is pretty standard. You're given a limited time to accept and take the course, so that if you don't take it there is still time to issue a summons to Court - and you don't get away scot-free. The courses are offered because they work in preventing reoffending. They are always in the discretion of the police. Oh and I've seen death and really serious injury at very low speeds - and heard many drivers whinging that they'd checked and it was clear...

Sarahlou63 · 26/12/2019 17:53

I don't think I've seen so many excuses in one OP. And I bet the police have heard them all. Many, many times.

GreatWesternValkyrie · 26/12/2019 17:53

As your letter arrived on Christmas Eve NTHound, try to think of it as a surprise gift from Santa. Suck it up, do the course and be pragmatic - it could have been a big fine, points on your licence, a further penalty for an iffy tyre, increased insurance costs thanks to the points..but instead, you just have to do a course.

Apparently the courses can be interesting, so you may learn a couple of things you don’t know.

ProfessorSlocombe · 26/12/2019 17:53

So I've checked to make certain that I'm not going to endanger any one or thing and have indicated that I'm moving forward past the red light to let the ambulance pass then just reverse back to where I was i unless some idiot has moved in there.

So you have broken the law then ? And would be done for it, if there was a red-light camera there too.

A few years ago, there was a high profile Daily Mail type sadface story about a driver who did just that, and got the ticket. (In their defence they were nowhere near as dim as the OP). It turned out not only was there no way to appeal the penalty, but there was in fact no ground to appeal it on. There is no defence in law if you break the law - even to allow an emergency vehicle past.

A policeman in uniform can direct you to break the law, and that is a valid defence (you were instructed to). But the emergency sirens on an emergency vehicle do not constitute "an instruction" (case law).

The highway code specifically states you need to observe road traffic law and remain safe if you are able to move out of the way of an emergency vehicle. Moreover emergency driver training instructs driver to not use sirens behind cars to prompt them into moving. It's why emergency vehicles in traffic are so quiet these days.

Memory is dim now (not quite as dim as the OP though) and I think there was a debate in parliament when the laws were introduced for camera monitored red-lights, and it was held as a matter of public policy it would be unwise to introduce a defence for breaking a red light which is a series breach of road traffic law. In general it's felt better not to cause more accidents when attempting to attend an accident.

beautifulstranger101 · 26/12/2019 17:59

Sorry OP but you are at fault so suck it up.
I'm not blameless either- I got caught doing 38 mph in a 30 zone a few weeks ago and I have to do a speed awareness course in January.
I'm annoyed because it was only slightly over the limit but I have noone to blame but myself (and my new car which is a sporty model so it was too tempting!). But thats no excuse- the law is the law and speeding and going through a red light is dangerous- you could have injured someone, so could I. So, suck it up and do it. I am.

Lifeover · 26/12/2019 18:03

You acted illegally and dangerously in a machine which can kill. The police are massively understaffed. Grow up, take responsibility and learn your lesson. Either book the course and take time off or take the points.

This is not the polices fault it is yours. Own it

BellsAJingleTheRoastedChestnut · 26/12/2019 18:04

38 in a thirty is not "slightly over the limit". My friend had to do the course after being caught doing 33 in a 30! In a 30 they tend to be really strict as it is where there tend to be pedestrians, so they will consider 38 quite fast I would think.

Sforsh49 · 26/12/2019 18:05

The officer has technically NIP'd you when he stopped you at the time of the offence. He's told you that you may be prosecuted, that's the Notice of Intended Prosecution at that point. It doesn't have to be a formal piece of paper handed to you. They report you for consideration of the offence.

The officer doesn't decide what happens to you. He has no access to any information about previous diversionary courses issued to you and he can only give his thoughts and facts about the offence. As you admitted you'd seen him I would guess that they've taken the view you've totally disrespected and disregarded the law and authority of the Police and therefore you've got a course. Heavy traffic, low speed and visiting an elderly relative is mitigation not an excuse, the lights are there for a reason. If I was reviewing your case I would have put you on a course too.

They get 14 days if it's a camera that's got you to send the registered keeper the paperwork to identify the driver and provide the NIP. You've no where to go with that as you have been NIP'd at the time. Take the points or go on the course and suck it up and take responsibility for your actions, well intended, misguided or not.

beautifulstranger101 · 26/12/2019 18:06

@bellsajingletheroastedchestnut I said it was my fault, and I'm doing the course and I completely accept it being my fault. Considering the amount of drivers that were speeding past me when I got flashed, it did feel "slightly" over the limit as other people were going much faster.
But thats no excuse so off to the speed awareness course I will go, happily.