Increasingly disillusioned with the police.

[Sara_H]

Argggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Help and advice please.

Yesterday my son, three ohter small children and one woman had a very close shave when a transit van driver decided it was a good idea to reverse along a pavement just as the primary school was disgorging for the day.

I was a few hundred yards away, saw what happened and approached, as I was walking to the scene the woman involved approached the driver and he immediately started shouting at her.

As I approached, the woman was walking away - I approached the driver and recieved the same treatment. He was very abusive and threatening.

Long story, short - he said he had every right to reverse blindly along a pavement full of primary school age children, and children shouldn't be running about on pavements!

I came home and called the police, who made an appointment for me to go to my local station today to speak to someone.

I'm utterly gobsmacked. As far as they're concerned he hasn't done anything wrong (I think he's at least guilty of driving without due care and attention, threatening behaviour) and its my word against his - despite their being at least three witnesses who's names I gave him.

The icing on the cake is that he could understand why the driver reacted te way he did given that a gang of mothers pounced on him shouting- which is not what I'd described to him at all - I'd told him that we aproached seperatelty and were both instantly met by aggressive behaviour.

This is the second time in a year I've reported to the police a situation where I've been treatened by a man/men following some kind of incident involving dangerous driving.

I'm sick of being fobbed off.

Any advice?

 

[Dayvo]

Sorry to hear of your very unpleasant experience, Sara.

I don't really know what to suggest if the police seem incapable of taking any action. If there was a company name or tel. no. on the van, you could try and contact them directly, but that is unlikely to lead anywhere.

It might be an idea to contact the local paper and see if they would be willing to run a story, as this is often a 'popular' theme with some local rags.

I'm afraid there is no accounting for idiotic human (male, mostly) behaviour: try not to let it upset you too much, although I know I'd be seething in the same situation.

 

[diapason]

Formal complaint to the Chief Constable. Also approach the media - local radio and newspapers. Their involvement will put pressure on the Old Bill to take some action. Also involve the school, and ask them to contact the police.

 

[Sara_H]

What frustrates me most is that the police officer started embelishing my story in order to excuse the driver before he'd even spoken to him, and e ad no intention of taking the other witnesses details from me.

The police officer says he'll speak to the driver and "advise" him, but that if he shows remorse he wont take it any further - if he becomes agressive with the police he can issue some kind of order thats akin to a ASBO for drivers - he'd lost me at that point TBH.

Well of course he's going to be remorseful when the police show up!

 

[Silver Fox]

From what you describe the driver needs to be traced and dealt with albeit the evidence would have to come from those who witnessed the incident.

Was it a police officer you spoke with or a civilian employed by the police, experience levels can vary greatly. Either way if you feel you haven't been given a good level of service and wish to take the matter further you could always ask to see a Sergeant or Inspector.

 

[yello]

Also involve the school, and ask them to contact the police.

That'd be my suggestion too. If a board of governors (or whatever they're called) get involved then it can get political. The police would go into 'cover arse' mode and the driver might get spoken to. Lots of maybes there but that's what I'd do to stir it. As individuals, you're easy to ignore.

Shame to have to play that game but when needs must....

 

[Silver Fox]

Formal complaint to the Chief Constable. Also approach the media - local radio and newspapers. Their involvement will put pressure on the Old Bill to take some action. Also involve the school, and ask them to contact the police.

That is an option but as a last resort. No point in taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut, initially anyway.

If the OP speaks with local supervision the desired outcome could well be achieved without recourse to formal complaints.

 

[LosingFocus]

Sorry for playing devils advocate (as is my way on here), but you have approached the Police and they are, as you admit, going to go round and have a word with the driver about his driving and behaviour; plus they will issues him with a formal warning if he as abusive towards the Police as he was on the street.

Isnt that what you want to happen? Im a tad confused as to what other outcome you would want or expect.

 

[Noodley]

Sorry for playing devils advocate (as is my way on here), but you have approached the Police and they are, as you admit, going to go round and have a word with the driver about his driving and behaviour; plus they will issues him with a formal warning if he as abusive towards the Police as he was on the street.

Isnt that what you want to happen? Im a tad confused as to what other outcome you would want or expect.

I don't think you are playing devil's advocate at all, sounds as if it is a moan for moaning sake to me.

The issue was reported, the Police are taking action...end of.

Or was the OP expecting something else to happen?

 

[Sara_H]

Sorry for playing devils advocate (as is my way on here), but you have approached the Police and they are, as you admit, going to go round and have a word with the driver about his driving and behaviour; plus they will issues him with a formal warning if he as abusive towards the Police as he was on the street.

Isnt that what you want to happen? Im a tad confused as to what other outcome you would want or expect.

He said he'll do that if the driver becomes aggressive with him - which I find quite unlikely.

I want the police to stop making excuses on the behalf of drivers.

At no point did I mention a gang of women pouncing on the driver, it didn't happen - but the police officer is telling me that tis is probably why the driver reacted the way he did.

The police officer also told me that the driver has not committed any offence - I'm fairly certain that reversing blindly along a pavement full of people is driving without due care and attention.

In short I'm angry the police officer in question is downplaying te incident.

 

[Sara_H]

I don't think you are playing devil's advocate at all, sounds as if it is a moan for moaning sake to me.

The issue was reported, the Police are taking action...end of.

Or was the OP expecting something else to happen?

Have you read the OP?

They actually said the driver asn't done anything wrong at all.

 

[Noodley]

In short I'm angry the police officer in question is downplaying te incident.

Perhaps in your view he is, perhaps to him it is not an incident of note given that nothing actually happened.

What did you hope would happen?

 

[Noodley]

Have you read the OP?

They actually said the driver asn't done anything wrong at all.

Yes I did, and you forgot to mention the Police were 'having a word' in it.

 

[yello]

The police officer says he'll speak to the driver and "advise" him, but that if he shows remorse he wont take it any further - if he becomes agressive with the police he can issue some kind of order thats akin to a ASBO for drivers - he'd lost me at that point TBH.

Well of course he's going to be remorseful when the police show up!

Ah, well you've added an important piece of the story now. I don't think you can fairly say you were fobbed off. I originally took the implication that the police were going to do nothing at all.

I'm now inclined to agree with the latter posters. The police can do little more than 'have a word'. I don't think there's anything more you can realistically expect.

 

[BSRU]

He could be done for a public order offence as well, especially when done in front of such young children.

It does appear that the police are not concerned at all with minor offences and more worryingly that the list of "minor offences" is getting larger. I can only assume as police budgets get even smaller the list will get even longer.