BlackCabrio wrote:
Nice stories, makes me feel better about the times I've been pulled over - ever been chased by a DOG VAN? The sod pulled me over (blues and twos on, hammering up behind me!) for overtaking him on a dual carriageway (at 73mph according to my clock - and believe me I knew he was there and was VERY careful, but as he was doing 65 I was getting impatient). Claimed I was doing 78 and gave me a long lecture, etc., etc.
Moral: just tag along behind - except when they are speeding too - got pulled by an unmarked carful of cops who had been doing 90+ on a windey A road - I followed about 600yards back, then came round a corner to find the car in the middle of the road and all four standing around it waiting for me! Another lecture, saying they were 'training' (excuse for breaking law themselves) and that my driving had been 'ragged' (actually I was getting bored as they were pretty slow and I had been pratting around on the corners just to liven things up a bit).
As others have said here, best thing to do is get out of the car, be really nice, plead innocence (if its not too obvious you are at fault), apologise politely, and basically treat them like guys who are doing their job - EVEN IF THEY ARE BEING RIGHT PILLOCKS TO YOU. They need someone to take their frustration out on from time to time, and a bit of grovelling may save you a conviction.
yeah I've been chased by a dog van!!
It was in my pre BMW days. I was alot younger and had just received my marching orders from my parents to move out. Needless to say I was not happy.
I had to drive to Weymouth (from Yeovil), the road being nick named "Death Valley". It is a stupendously quick A road with little dual carriageway but lots of straights. Alot of people have lost their lives on it doing silly things!
At the time I owned a mint Audi 80 sport on an "A" plate. Very retro car, murdered Saxos and Boy racers with ease! It had the gold gti engine from the mk2 in it but transversely mounted. It just got the power down quicker than the golf too (which I'd previously owned)
Anyway, I was racing a mate in his astra to Weymouth and had left him miles behind. Overtaking huge lines of cars in my automotive rage. At one point I was stuck behind two grannies poodling along at 40 in a 60 (grrr!!). The road at this point opens up into two lanes up the hill and one coming down it, so I dropped down a gear and prepared to overtake the purple rinse posse!
Just as I started accelerating, the latter granny decided to pull out and slowly overtake (like a caravan going past a truck) which pi$$ed me off further. The road goes into a long sweeping left hander up a hill. I looked up and saw it was clear, shouthed "fcuk it" and went past the pair of them as the grannies were neck and neck.
A cyclist came shooting down the hill, I nipped in with plenty of time to spare but the cyclist may have had to change his underpants!!
That manouver calmed me down and I drove the rest of the distance sedately especially as a dog van had pulled out behind me.
I was watching him in the mirror and noticed he was checking my plates on his radio and told my mates as much.
My mate Dave said, "there's a short cut about a mile up the road, take it and see if he follows you". The orad went from a 30 to a 40, just as I passed the sign I dropped a gear and gunned it up to 40 as quick as possible, just to annoy the Dorset copper. (Dorset traffic coppers are renouned for being completely anal about everything). The juntion approached, I left it as late as possible to make the turn, indicated, changed lanes and shot down the short cut. Very unsuttle!!!
The dog van promptly followed, this time switching his blues and twos on.
After speaking with the muppet for 2 minutes ( I too had previously learned to be calm and polite to coppers) it was easy to see why this blokes partner was a dog!!!
Talk about a$$hole!! He asked where the white astra was that I was racing and I said "sorry, what white astra, theres hundreds on the road!"
We must have passed an off duty copper on the road to Weymouth and radioed the dog van that was waiting for us
He claimed we were seen overtaking numerous cars at high speed, opening doors and shouting abuse at people. I asked how that was all possible at such a "high speed" as to be recogniseable abusing people.
He turned on my mate and said, "you're quiet" and he replied, "well thats because I aint done nothing" The copper mocked him. A couple more coppers turned up. Another buddy in the back of my white audi was frantically texting his brother in the white astra telling him to turn around as the cops were on to him (his car was full of weed and other recreational substances!!).
A young lad came out of the new cop car that had arrived and told me he was going to take my details. He said "don't worry mate, it wont take a second" in a tome which inferred, sorry you had to put up with that wanchor!!!
I got a 7 day wonder for my trouble but the young lad was sound so it was no problem!!
We certainly had a giggle retelling that tale!!
Then there was this other time.....
