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Original poster

Police stopped us in car - random or mistake?

22 replies

AJC1995 · 31/08/2024 06:21

A couple of nights ago my partner and I were driving in our local town when we got pulled over by the police for allegedly going through a red light. We had been sat at a red and, as always, the lights had then turned green for left turns and straight across. We were going straight so my partner drove off. At that point the car behind us beeped and then put its lights on and followed us, indicating that we pull over. It was a plain clothed police car. The police officer explained to us that we had gone through a red light as it was only on green for left turns. He asked my partner if he had been drinking, which he hadn’t and he said as such, and the police officer simply took his word for it rather than test and let us off with a warning to pay closer attention. He actually said that they were on their way to another job so didn’t have time to do anything else with us!

We have a dash cam so I reviewed the footage and the light was 100% green and very obviously so. There’s no mistaking it - the two green arrows pointing left and straight are right next to each other. The arrow for right turns was red as always.

We didn’t really argue with the police at the time but I did say I was sure it was green as I had also been watching the lights to change. He dismissed this and said I was wrong and I should also pay closer attention.

Just wondering whether it was a simple case of the police officer getting confused (we’re all only human after all!) or whether there would have been something else going on? Like a random stop disguised as a driving offence? I’m minded to say the former given he didn’t do anything else when he stopped us but it’s just a bit confusing as there’s no mistaking the lights being green on the dash cam.

Any thoughts from anyone with experience?

OP posts:
Bromptotoo · 31/08/2024 06:53

Just one of those things I think.

QueenAnnesHat · 31/08/2024 07:01

Are you sure he was a police officer? Many years ago we were pulled over, late at night, by a man claiming to be a police officer - it turned out that he wasn't. Nothing bad happened. There are some odd folk who get a kick out of pretending to be police.

PortiasBiscuit · 31/08/2024 07:01

Maybe they were looking for someone in a certain type of car or something? Needed an excuse to check who you were?
Maybe it was a straight up mistake. I shouldn’t worry about it. No harm done.

MoreCardassianThanKardashian · 31/08/2024 07:04

I can see why you're a little nervous. There's a lot of what ifs in this situation but as nothing did happen, I'd try to stop thinking of it.

TheKneesOfTheBees · 31/08/2024 07:07

My DB (middle aged) was pulled over a couple of weeks ago, it was the middle of the night as DM was dying and he'd been driving to get there in time. They'd been following him for some time then told him there were sparks coming out of the back of his car, there almost certainly weren't, it had only just passed its MOT, then let him go. It seemed very odd. He was driving an old knackered Mazda 3 not any sort of performance car.

FrozenTodger · 31/08/2024 07:21

I'd probably report it to the local station then forget about it. Not expecting them to do anything as such. It was more than likely an officer, but just on the off chance it's some randomer playing silly buggers/eyeing up victims for some sort of crime. It would allow them to link similar reports.

Meadowfinch · 31/08/2024 07:26

Just sounds like a tired officer making a mistake. As you say, they are human too. If he'd taken it any further, you could have used your dashcam - or theirs - to prove you were in the right.

Spiderwmn · 31/08/2024 07:29

Do you have the number of the police car on your dashcam? I'd report it.

Could it be they have been given a description of a car connected with a crime and your car fitted it so checking out the driver.

Dobest · 31/08/2024 07:29

We didn’t really argue with the police at the time but I did say I was sure it was green as I had also been watching the lights to change. He dismissed this and said I was wrong and I should also pay closer attention.

Next time, as passenger, don't speak.

The cops may have made a mistake as we all do, but they more probably wanted to check for smell of drink or signs of drugs from the driver.

The story about where they were going is just something they told you.

BananaSpanner · 31/08/2024 07:30

Doesn’t sound more than a mistake by the officer. Is there a reason you think it might be something more sinister?

Mynewsofa · 31/08/2024 07:30

Just a mistake I think.

CitronellaDeVille · 31/08/2024 07:30

How do you know they were police?

anareen · 31/08/2024 07:35

That's very odd. Maybe he wasn't even a police officer. When he got to your vehicle and realized there was a male in the vehicle as well he left you alone? Maybe that's why the situation seemed to abruptly end 🤷🏻‍♀️

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 31/08/2024 08:27

Did the plain clothes police officer show you their ID?

PrincessofWells · 31/08/2024 08:35

Are you black? The instances of stoppages by the police are much higher for persons of colour. Sadly that would be enough for them to stop you.

If they were not in uniform I would have my doubts about whether they were police. In any case I certainly wouldn't stop for one. Driving to the nearest police station or dialling 999 is what I would do.

Original poster
AJC1995 · 31/08/2024 09:57

Thanks all for your responses. Not majorly concerned it was just really strange so was wondering if it was some sort of police tactic!

I imagine it was simply an error by them and fortunately nothing came from it other than leaving us a bit confused.

OP posts:
NotDavidTennant · 31/08/2024 10:05

When you say it was a 'plain clothed police car' do you mean an umarked car or a plain clothed officer or both? Did you see any proof that this was an actual police officer?

Original poster
AJC1995 · 31/08/2024 10:59

NotDavidTennant · 31/08/2024 10:05

When you say it was a 'plain clothed police car' do you mean an umarked car or a plain clothed officer or both? Did you see any proof that this was an actual police officer?

Sorry my early morning brain didn’t make that part very clear. It was an unmarked police car (big black 4 wheel drive type) and the officer was plain clothed but did have a badge he showed my partner.

OP posts:
LynetteScavo · 31/08/2024 12:34

I was once followed and then blocked into a cul-de-sac by in unmarked police car- the policeman jumped out and came running over, flashed his badge. When he saw two sleeping toddlers and Mozart playing he said "you over took on a white line, don't do it again" and ran off. I had overtaken on a solid white line (just), which, in my defence, is no longer there, and had accelerated quite quickly as he came up behind me. I was driving a boring family car, so still to this day wonder who he thought I was, or whether he made it his mission to dramatically tell people to follow the Highway Code.

imverynosey · 31/08/2024 20:29

I do doubt a police officer would make a mistake like that.

imverynosey · 31/08/2024 20:30

anareen · 31/08/2024 07:35

That's very odd. Maybe he wasn't even a police officer. When he got to your vehicle and realized there was a male in the vehicle as well he left you alone? Maybe that's why the situation seemed to abruptly end 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yes ! This ?

Spiderwmn · 01/09/2024 06:08

Did they have a blue flashing light because if someone without a blue flashing light tried to pull me over I'd ignore. Or stop and lock the doors and call the police.

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