CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
I never suggested that it was. Please read what I actually wrote.
Motorist Reports Self to Police
- Thread starter spen666
- Start date
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OP
OP
spen666
Legendary Member
Well, we are debating the use of a hi viz vest and your incorrect assertions that it is illegal to wear one as you try to claim to wear one is calculated to impersonate a police officer
Please support your contention by some evidence like the name of anyone convicted of an offence for wearing a hi viz vest
Profpointy
Legendary Member
Well wearing a high viz vest with police-like markings on it, with one letter changed is quite clearly intended to represent a police officer, whilst a standard road mender's high viz vest is clearly not so intended - I rather think you're being a bit mischievous in your argument.
glasgowcyclist
Charming but somewhat feckless
- Location
- Scotland
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
1. I have made no such assertion, as you well know
2. I have already stated that I think prosecution for the offence to be unlikely
Misrepresenting what others have said just makes you look foolish.
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/motorist-reports-self-to-police.164797/post-3276998
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
Accepted.
shouldbeinbed
Rollin' along
- Location
- Manchester way
Obsolete and erstwhile scrap police jackets used to be available if you had a pal in the job who was refreshing their kit, as long as you removed the Police patch or at least put a strip of duck tape over all of it.
A few years ago that was stopped from the very top level in my local force as it was enabling people to get closer and closer to impersonating a police officer whether by accident or design & the cops were getting grief over it.
As a kid, a guy on out road had an Austin Allegro, at the time the cops used them, he painted and liveried it exactly as a police car and had 'Be Polite' decals made up, the 'Be' was miniscule and 'Polite' exactly as per Police livery of the time, he was spoken to and given the opportunity to tone it down but wouldn't and eventiually was prosecuted and penalised quite heavily for it.
A few years ago that was stopped from the very top level in my local force as it was enabling people to get closer and closer to impersonating a police officer whether by accident or design & the cops were getting grief over it.
As a kid, a guy on out road had an Austin Allegro, at the time the cops used them, he painted and liveried it exactly as a police car and had 'Be Polite' decals made up, the 'Be' was miniscule and 'Polite' exactly as per Police livery of the time, he was spoken to and given the opportunity to tone it down but wouldn't and eventiually was prosecuted and penalised quite heavily for it.
CopperCyclist
Veteran
In my opinion, there are two reasons why we don't prosecute or act against "Polite" hi-vis tips, despite as Drago's correctly says there being, in all likelihood an offence.
1. It's a mens rea offence, so if you aren't daft enough to actually say "yes I was trying to look like a police officer" then we are never going to be able to prove what was actually your true intent, with the burden of proof required for a court.
And... (and to be honest this is the MAIN reason as far as I'm concerned)
2. There's a world of difference between someone pretending to be a police officer for nefarious gains, and someone who is simply hoping a motorist might see them and think twice about their driving standard.
So, is there an offence - in all honesty yes. Would I care if I saw someone wearing one? Not a jot.
1. It's a mens rea offence, so if you aren't daft enough to actually say "yes I was trying to look like a police officer" then we are never going to be able to prove what was actually your true intent, with the burden of proof required for a court.
And... (and to be honest this is the MAIN reason as far as I'm concerned)
2. There's a world of difference between someone pretending to be a police officer for nefarious gains, and someone who is simply hoping a motorist might see them and think twice about their driving standard.
So, is there an offence - in all honesty yes. Would I care if I saw someone wearing one? Not a jot.
Profpointy
Legendary Member
No, that doesn't follow . Police /CPS can't be arsed prosecuting a marginal looking-rather-like police jacket.
Why have police like markings, and the rather unlikely word "polite" on it if the intent is not to look somewhat like a police officer.
Anyhow, please yourself, I'm not particularly bothered by people looking like police officers, nor cyclists RLJ-ing, nor having the wrong sort of pedal reflectors - even I'm guilty of the latter heinous crime
Dayvo
just passin' through
- Location
- 59° 50′ 5.55″ N, 10° 47′ 41.89″ E
Many years ago my mate was stopped by the polce and warned that he would be in trouble if he continued impersonating an officer.
He was wearing a fishtail parka with a target on the back, dog tooth trousers, a white Fred Perry t shirt and bowling shoes
Maybe they thought he was impersonating someone from the MOD.
400bhp
Guru
Are you this nice in person?
CopperBrompton
Bicycle: a means of transport between cake-stops
- Location
- London
Those with an IQ above room temperature will be aware that everyone has an IQ, even those who seemingly don't understand what the term means, and that it does not demonstrate a great deal of intelligence to continue to (a) misrepresent the topic of a debate in a written forum where anyone can see for themselves what was actually said, and (b) argue with the law even after the exact wording has been posted and a police officer has explained that it is an offence.
