Motorist Reports Self to Police

[User269]

A bizarre incident on my commute. I had cause to speak to a motorist regarding his driving. Initially he was polite and chatty, until lights changed when he threatened me if I did not shut his door. He drove off. Incident over?

Next lights a 100 yards away I end up ahead of him as a result of advanced stop line. He drives behind me, sounding his horn and close passes me. When he passes he demands I pull over as he wanted a chat. I suggested we stop at police station nearby. He drove off.

I forgot about incident and carried on my way to work.

2 miles or so up the road I see on a slip road a police car with lights on and a vehicle stopped. Police are speaking to the driver. It is same driver from the incident before.

I decide if police have stopped him for something else, they should be made aware of the earlier incident. I speak to one of the police officers and as I do so, the man says to police "thats him".

At which point police arrest him. They take a statement from me and then tell me they had not stopped him, but he had approached them and confessed to a public order offence involving a cyclist!

He was later interviewed for allegations of dangerous driving (overtake and threats), careless driving, initial incident and the public order offence!

Bizarrely if he had not stopped, the incident would never have come to police attention and I would not have approached the police car!

Karma?

I know I should never have taken all those drugs back in the sixties...............oh well, I suppose the flashbacks can start anytime.

 

[spen666]

People don't wear Sillitoe tartan with the word 'Polite' on it because they're pretty fluorescents.

They wear them with INTENT to DECEIVE other road users that they are POLICE OFFICERS in the hope that those road users then behave better towards them. All the points to prove for the offences are met.

Westshire here is pretty rural and last year the lanes were heaving with horse riders wearing these and a lot of complaints from busy bodies soon followed. Our guidance comes from our Force solicitor via our DCC, himself a senior ACPO officer, and is to deal with the matter by way of words of advice where that advice is likely to be responded to positively.

If you can explain how an act of WORD or DEED with INTENT to DECEIVE ANOTHER into thinking that person is a POLICE OFFICER or SPECIAL CONSTABLE does not complete the offence then i'm sure our legal advisors would love to hear your reasoning, because the definition of the offence is perfectly met.

"(1)Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does ANY ACT CALCULTATED TO FALSELY SUGGEST that he is such a member or constable, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both."

I'll tell you what. Tell me which force area you are in. I will happily come there and ride in such a hi viz vest. Invite your officers to prosecute me.

I'm willing to bet that
a) No charges would be brought
or
b) the CPS would discontinued the case
or
c) the court would throw the case out

Why?

Because no offence has been committed


In fact, how many people have been convicted for wearing such a hi viz vest in the UK? I'll give you a clue, the answer is less than 1

There is no offence in wearing a hi viz vest with the word polite on it. The police do not have a monopoly on wearing hi viz

 

[upandover]

On their website they thank greater Manchester police for giving out the leaflets at the motorbike show. I'd say that's a good indication for me.

I had a old police jacket I used to wear ocassioanly when I started cycling, on awful days. It didn't say police, but did have all the reflectives etc, and did seem to help with hesitant respect. I was passed by police a few times, and worked with officers who were amused and had a 'good for you' attitude. . Especially the cyclists!

 

[Markymark]

I was once sat on my arse eating donuts and am now worried I'll be done.

 

[CopperBrompton]

How is it impersonating a police officer?
A high viz vest is not unique to a police officer unlike say the uniform.
The word polite does not suggest the wearer is a police constable.

C'mon, be real, there is only one reason that particular design is used!

 

[spen666]

C'mon, be real, there is only one reason that particular design is used!

Its the most dreadful impersonation to wear something that is not part of the police uniform and is an item of clothing that is worn by millions everyday and has the word polite on it.

Can't see how that is impersonating a police officer

 

[CopperBrompton]

Can't see how that is impersonating a police officer

As per my earlier quote of the law: "does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable"

 

[spen666]

is impersonating a police officer?

I'm closer to impersonating a police officer by wearing a white shirt and dark trousers and black shoes than I am wearing a high vizibility vest


No doubt, you think driving a car means all motorists are impersonating police officers as well, given that some police officers also drive motor cars



If you are correct, can you explain why there have been zero people convicted of impersonating a police officer for wearing such a vest


The evidence is very clear, wearing this hi viz vest is not an offence. Hence why there is no one who has been convicted of impersonating a police officer for wearing one. You may also care to think about why there are so many legitimate businesses that are openly selling such items with no action being taken against them

 

[w00hoo_kent]

You may also care to think about why there are so many legitimate businesses that are openly selling such items with no action being taken against them

I wouldn't go for that argument the differences between what you can stock, sell own and use are all over the place. You just have to look at the issues over 'legal highs' to see that.

As per my earlier quote of the law: "does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable"

I don't believe at any point he is intending to be given access to a police station, I don't think he would attempt to use any police powers or pass himself off, to anyone he was close to that he was a policeman. We're not talking a black and white rule here. People wear this clothing to get some of the perceived benefits from being visible and a bit official looking. If people mistake them for police officers then that says a lot more about the observation of the viewer than of the expectation of the wearer in my, and it would appear most officials, book. (That I might suggest my views are similar to those of members of ACPO in no way suggests I'm trying to impersonate them. :-) )

 

[CopperBrompton]

I don't believe at any point he is intending to be given access to a police station, I don't think he would attempt to use any police powers or pass himself off, to anyone he was close to that he was a policeman.

The offence, though, is complete when there is any act "calculated to suggest" that he is a police officer. None of your tests apply.

I don't, in practice, think it's likely to be prosecuted, but it does seem pretty clear the offence is committed when donning the item.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Clearly not clear, hence the lack of prosecutions.

That doesn't follow at all. We have a great many offences that are typically dealt with by words of advice rather than prosecution, and others where there is an understanding that a blind eye is turned.

 

[CopperBrompton]

Typically is not the same as universally.

There are other laws that are universally not enforced.

 

[ClichéGuevara]

This is not a law that is universally not enforced though. This is a situation to which a law is universally seen as not applicable.

I've never seen the law of gravity enforced, only applied.

 

[spen666]

The offence, though, is complete when there is any act "calculated to suggest" that he is a police officer. None of your tests apply.

I don't, in practice, think it's likely to be prosecuted, but it does seem pretty clear the offence is committed when donning the item.

the use of a hi viz vest is not impersonating a police officer. Please explain how wearing a hi viz vest is impersonating a police officer.
You seem to to be suggesting that wearing something that is not unique to a police officer (a hi viz vest - worn by millions, from school kids on trips, building site workers, and required by law to be carried by motorists in some countries!) and with a word on it (polite) that has no connection whatsoever with the police is impersonating a police officer.

 

[raleighnut]

I'd never wear one as when cut-up by a car or subjected to a close-pass I can be far from polite.