To be shocked and disgusted at what I've just watched on BBC1 'Motorway Cops'

[cushioncover]

Just watched a police car stop a family. They had two children in the back, a 10mth old and a 4yr old. Neither the children nor the adults had seat belt on. Neither child was in a child seat.

He was cautioned and told he would receive a summons BUT he was then allowed to carry on his journey on the M6 with the kids in the back without car seat probably without even being strapped in.

Surely this cannot be responsible policing? Imagine an accident at 70mph where nobody including a baby and toddler are strapped in.
I know it's TV but this isn't fiction and I trully am upset and angry at this.

this has clearly perturbed you.tbh i don't get that kinda self-explanatory title tv
eg Dog Judo
NumNuts oon motorway
fires at home
loons in a house fighting AKA BB

dont watch it if it gets you so perplexed

ooh have just taught myself how to do a link!

I meant to say - "[whispers back]"

lol link doesnt work

Well it's not especially disturbing telly. In fact I only had it on as background after EE.
I'm not actually shocked at the idiot driver. I know some parents are tossers. I'm upset and dismayed at the actions of the police.

ooh you Sherby (still feeling pleased with my accidental self taught lesson)

and cushioncover - yanbu. The laws should protect the innocent, not let eejits off

Ah, a car-seat hysteria thread. We haven't had one of those for a while. YEs, car seats improve a child's chances in an accident, but they are not a Magic Pentacle of Protection and will be no more use than anything else if the car gets squashed flat or turns into a fireball.

Message withdrawn

It is illegal for a child under 3 to travel without a car seat. The police chose to ignore this law and allowed this man to continue along the M'way with 2children neither of who were even wearing a seat belt.
Irresponsible and dangerous. Nothing hysterical about it.
UC, thank you!

well i suppose if you're going to get in a car pissed putting the seatbelt on is not really a priority now is it

barnsleybelle Thank you for bring this up as I had to double check the legal side of this for myself the other week. Police updates are not always that good. It takes time for some laws to be tested in court.
bythepowerofgreyskull Thanks for the link I have saved it on fav's. Some laws are rushed through and the police aren't after your maony the goverment are please remember that. Barnsleybelle Solution to this is a change of law (Like an old slip I used to give people to fix the problem at once and then have to getan MOT garage to stamp it within 14 days. This would mean that they would have to buy car seats at once and not spend the money on a fine. Would only be fined if they didn't get it done. Sorry don't watch cop programmes have too much paper work to do!

TBH, Cod, I don't care whether he was prosecuted or not. I'd rather they hadn't bothered issuing him with a summons and instead had not allowed him to continue to put his kids lives in danger.

what would you have liked the police to have done?
told them he could not continue with his journey in teh car as he had no seats? in which case he and his children would be walking along the M6.

Message withdrawn

No not the same night as floods,just same programme. They were Cheshire police. Programme also covered west midlands who were with the floods.

I'd be less worried if they were travelling the next 30miles at 2mph.

the OP outed herself as an Eastenders watcher! Nuff said!

Don't post if you can't contribute anything constructive.

Message withdrawn

It's Cushioncover not bansleybelle that started this thread!! See how the wrong person can be put in the frame. And I've typed too fast and my spelling has been shoot to pieces.

cc this thread has degenerated into your humphy indignation and silly yawn responses
oh-my-giddy-aunt it isnt that big a deal

me thinkey a disproportionate response to a dull provocative programme

Yes I agree.

The irony is that I wasn't annoyed with the intended provocative element ie the tosser in the car. I was annoyed by the actions of the police.
And we'll have toagree to disagree as to whether it was a big deal or not.

anyhoo, i haven't seen EE in yonks was it good?

I think the police were just applying common sense since it would have been daft to have to drive the family home and tow the car. Also I have to wonder if the police cars have child seats?. They'd have to have a selection of types in every police vehicle since they never know what combination of passengers they might be carrying.

The seatbelts thing is a good guideline, but there must be lots of cases where you have to make an exception. Suppose I see someone stranded with a child. Do I refuse to pick them up because I have no special child seats or do I apply common sense and drive carefully with them in the back?

Or imagine a conversation like this:

"My car has broken down and little susan will be standing at the school gates on her own. Can you pick her up?"

"Sorry I don't have any special seats in my car so she will just have to make her own way home"

Child seats are another of those good intentions spoiled by overdoing it.

No idea! I just switch the TV on automatically when I get the kids in bed.

Hmm, difficult one this but what was the policeman supposed to do on the M6, take his car off him and let them walk?

My husband is a traffic policeman and Barnsleybelle I would say his colleagues and him think the complete opposite, making money yeh right, they spend most of their shift stopping irresponsible parents who are either on their mobile phones or haven't put their children in car seats/seatbelts! He isn't interested in making money for the powers that be, he is just doing his job, but no offence taken your entitled to your opinion, just thought I would put his/mine across!

In fact he has just phoned tonight and is dealing with a horrific accident where a 2 year old has sadly been terribly injured, I'm not saying he/she wouldn't have been injured but a carseat/seatbelt might have made a difference.

So if this man was stopped from continuing his journey as he didn't have car seats for either of his kids - how where they going to get of the motorway?