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.

There are always going to be exceptional circumstances. However this was a father driving down the motorway with his wife and two young children in the back. His children were not even wearing seat belts let alone in car seats.

Oh Cushioncover I had sympathy with you at first but now you've wound me up. Why is it the police's fault when they are just applying the law? Why not the the tosser in the wrong. Please don't cross my path in real life because I can see you coming in for unreasonable behaviour. Please spend time writing to your MP, instead of MN, they make the laws we just try and look after you.

They should have been escorted tothe nearest halfords.
As I said earlier,if the had had no insurance the car would have been confiscated. How is this a lesser offence?

yes because that would be a cost effective and appropriate use of police time.

so they get to Halfords. then what?

he is forced to buy a car seat? how do you know he had the £100 or so to get them?

Im sorry but you need to be a bit more realistic

So the law does not allow the police to escort them off the M'way????

No need to be vicious,I wasn't being personaltoyou. I happen to think it was dealt with badly.
And what are you talking about,unreasonable behaviour? This is a public forum.

Of course the police are at fault.

Not the tosser driving the car, or the other adult passenger who also allowed the children to be carried without seats/belts.

Goodnight I have to be up at 5am, to deal with unreasonable people and then of course its my fault!!! Must go now and find a comedy now to unwind before bed. Must remember not to waste time on MN.

I disagree. If you cannot afford a car seat you should not be allowed to drive. Carrying your 10mth old in the car without a car seat should give rise to a driving disqualification.

You can lead a horse to water, but it isn't the police job to lead the blardy horse

Of course they are at fault. He's a bloody idiot and the programme showed this quite clearly.
But, I also think the police should not have allowed him to continue driving on the motorway so irresponsibly.

cc do you usually get so het up when folk disagree with you?MN bit of divergent opinion to be expected.dont take it personally or get

it is only bunch of strangers with PC

small in comparison to economic meltdown. people i love have lost jobs this week
that gets me going not some dumbass tv

And if there was a news story were two children had been killed after the police had stopped their parents but let them carry on, everyone would be on here saying how irresponsible that had been.

Not angry at being disagrred with. Said as much earlier.
Angry at a police officer saying she'd see me coming and have mein for unreasonable behaviour.

Disagree all you like. I've been on here nearly 5years, know it's the MN way, esp on this board.

clearly you will argue your point to within an inch of its life.oh waht if what if.Yadda Yadda

i think the perceived outcome (eg we all say Oh CushionCover you are so right)is more important to you than a discussion

Not at all. More than happy todiscuss,be told you disagree with me etc.

Not discussion IMHO to say,'oh it's crap tv, she watches EE...

barnsleybelle, DH, a serving police officer, is greatly concerned with safety on the roads.

When you've dealt with as many RTCs as he has, most of them caused by "pilot error" and often stupidity, you get that way.

It's the government, not the police officers, who set the targets, and get the money from the fines.

DH is not in the habit of making the government money.

this is AIBU!did you expected deep measured thoughtful dialogue.reflection and chin stroking

Nope, just answering your earlier accusation that I was not up for reasoned discussion.

Well cushioncover, you do win Mentalist of the Week. What exactly did you expect the police to do in this situation? Execute the whole family? Confiscate the car ( so they are walking down the motorway)?
Oh, hang on, you said the police should have 'driven them to Halfords to buy a car seat'. Erm, there are no car seats fitted as standard in police cars, so should the police have shut the children in the boot?

CC you ues very emotive language "vicious attack" "accusation".you will argue this relentlessly

should have made my self clearer,been more candid - i dont care

oh dear god please don't come back with some righteous quip about "well at least someone cares about poor children unsecured in back seat and role of police...."

im offsky

How are the police at fault?
The money from fines doesn't go directly to them, why would that be their priority?
I am sure they care about ssafety, but child safety is the parents job

Ok,last time then to bed so DH can carry on lamenting about the economy;
escorted them off the motorway and forced them to buy seats, yes.
If you think IBU, fine. You're entitled to tell me so. I disagree but you're free toexpress your opinion. But don't spout the other crap at me.

Wasn't he the same driver who was later fined for having no liscense? Surely the police should have found that out when they checked his details. He shouldn't have been on the road anyway. Which makes it even more annoying that effectively he got away with driving with unrestrained passengers and no license.

It's vicious to say,'don't cross my path cause I'll see you coming'. An unnecessary personal attack IMO.