No checks on the roads

[BarryWhiteIsMyBrother]

I have been going out to take the dogs to the enclosed field we exercise them in, to take the car to be MOTd, to do the food shop. My OH has been going to work and back. We haven't seen a single police 'block' monitoring motorists in transit. Has anyone? Or was that just scare tactics?

Hmmm on what basis did they ask for ID? Sounds apocryphal to me, you don't have to carry ID in this country.

They fined numerous people
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-55409299

They were checking in the pubs in Harrogate a couple of weeks ago.

During the first lockdown nearly all of the fines and convictions given out were overturned at appeal. Because they weren't legal.

Just because the police are handing out fines, doesn't mean they should be.

@Bluntness100

Checks are Madness. You’d just lie and come up with a valid reason to make it essential. How the hell would the police then check what you were saying was true or not. What would they Have, thousands of motorists lined up as they radioed around trying to work out if you were lying or not..

Most people aren't very good liars. Most people chance it and fold as soon as their bluff is called. The few who could lie without giving themselves away are often the same ones who are driving without insurance and would be flagged up when their numberplate was checked. Some of them smell strongly of cannabis which leads to a search of the car and discovery of cocaine. North Wales Police and Dyfed Powys Police caught loads of dealers in the first lockdown. They also picked up a variety of sports cars and motorbikes "off for a spin", seizing several for lack of insurance. Even on Christmas day, NWP officers intercepted someone who travelled from a Tier 3 area of England to locked-down Wales to "see the sunrise over Snowdon".

Of course it is easier to do these checks when the roads are fairly empty.

@garlictwist

I haven't seen any and doubt they have the manpower. However my husbands friend was in a bar in York (tier 2). The police came in and asked for id and fined everyone who has travelled from surrounding tier 3. I was quite surprised they'd bothered to do that.

I wish that Cheshire police were so diligent. Loads of people were going from Rhyl and Flint to Chester to get pissed before Christmas.

Hmmm on what basis did they ask for ID? Sounds apocryphal to me, you don't have to carry ID in this country.
You do if you look under 30 and plan on drinking something other than orange juice.

I would advise anyone stopped by the police to say absolutely nothing.
They have no power to question people roadside.

We had a traffic accident me nearby, the couple were trying to sort out who was driving. 8 locals out directing traffic on an a road until the police arrived an hour later. The couple were awful, turns out they were not from our tier but had travelled from 4 to us, just out of tier 1.
We hope the police have gone for it and thrown every fine at them. They were so ungrateful and aggressive to my neighbour.

I would advise anyone stopped by the police to say absolutely nothing.
They have no power to question people roadside.

What a complete waste of Police time and resources though, if you have nothing to hide - why wouldn't you answer what they are asking you ?
I was watching one of those "watching the traffic police at work" programmes earlier in the year, where the officer pulled over a driver for not wearing a seatbelt. He was just going to have a word, remind him to be sensible and let him on his way, but the driver thought he'd make a bit of a name for himself by "being clever" like that.
Ended up being taken in, and, not only having his own time wasted, but tying up that officer, the custody officer and others for a whole shift.

Bet he'd be the first to complain if there weren't an officer available to come to his aid in an emergency.

I just got back from the post office - the roads are actually quite quiet around here. No idea what the motorways are like though because I haven't been on one for weeks. I have seen police cars around but no more than usual.

Backforgood having practiced criminal law and civil liberties for many years in my younger days, I firmly believe that the police should be called to account for any overreach of their powers.
And I would never advise anyone to actively help and encourage them to overreach.

@HelloMissus

Backforgood having practiced criminal law and civil liberties for many years in my younger days, I firmly believe that the police should be called to account for any overreach of their powers. And I would never advise anyone to actively help and encourage them to overreach.

It is practised-odd you didnt know that after all those years.

Oxford excuse my auto correct.
But your pettiness doesn’t change my view or my experience (and I’m going to get you won’t get any criminal lawyers who say differently).

Well, we're all entitled to our opinions, Oxford

I'm very much of the opinion winding someone up who is just going about their job, helps no-one. Very least the person doing the winding up.