Police What?

[Jezston]

So I had a very dangerous near miss this morning (as did the lorry beside me) when a guy in a black bmw jumped the lights at a blind crossing well above the speed limit in Derby city center.

Didn't get the reg as he went across me, but thinking there would almost certainly be CCTV around there as it's a busy part of the town center, I thought i'd phone the local police and report it as if he'd been a second later I would almost certainly be dead. That kind of recklessness should not go unpunished.

However, police say without TWO independent statements, they won't proceed. They won't even check the CCTV.

WTF?

Fortunately there was a royal mail van behind me and our works minibus nearby, so hopefully I can get hold of someone willing to make a statement. But seriously is this true? What if he had hit me? Ah well it's your word against his - even with footage!?!

 

[thegrumpybiker]

Shocking. What's the point of all the effort and expense of being Big Brothered if dangerous driving/criminal actions won't even be looked into?

 

[thomas]

It's just laziness. My Dad got knocked off his motorbike by someone reversing out, without looking behind them. The guy had some disability, which is obviously not an excuse for hitting someone, but my Dad wanted the Police to check the CCTV and make sure the driver was actually fit to drive.

They wouldn't do anything. I think they did check the CCTV in the end after a couple of phone calls.

 

[Jezston]

Just spoke to a friend who works for the met. He says that's bollocks, they have a duty to look into it and checking CCTV is piss easy. I didn't mention when I spoke to them that I got a look at the driver which apparently is VERY useful as often they just say someone else was driving.

Still chasing up the potential witnesses so won't give up on this.

May seem petty as no one got hurt, but my thinking is if people just get away with that kind of stuff, then they'll keep doing it and one day they will kill someone.

 

[Tynan]

They frequently give the impresion of not being bothered

I was knocked off my scooter a few years ago by a speeding car, two very solid witnesses that both got model, colour, registration and one a description of the driver, police attended and were fine

I later got a letter asking me I wanted the matter pursued, I said yes

I later got a letter saying they'd written to the registered owner who hadn't replied so there was nothing more they could do and they were closing the incident

with that attitude it's a wonder they ever get anything done

 

[swee'pea99]

Disgraceful. Get names of plod and write to your MP, asking what we're paying them for.

 

[Jezston]

Well good and bad news.

Got a call back from a police officer who said they do take such things seriously, and do appreciate me reporting it ... but sadly the resolution of the CCTV in that area is too low to be able to pick up the reg details - if indeed it was even looking in the right direction at the time.

Fair enough thinks me. I'm glad they weren't as dismissive about such things as the lady I reported it to seemed to suggest, but a shame they can't really do anything about it. Ha, first time I've ever been unhappy about a lack of CCTV!

 

[Chrisz]

When reporting the incident say that you thought he looked 'a' bit foreign' and 'seemed to be waving a pistol'! Tenner say's they'll react super-quick then!!

 

[Jezston]

Ha, he did have a beard actually. Maybe I should have mentioned that

Bit of a shame I just had a call back from the driver of the works minibus that was behind me. He saw the whole thing and was more than willing to make a statement as he is a retired police officer! If only someone had caught the reg, could have made a decent case of it

 

[jonny jeez]

Just spoke to a friend who works for the met. He says that's bollocks, they have a duty to look into it and checking CCTV is piss easy. I didn't mention when I spoke to them that I got a look at the driver which apparently is VERY useful as often they just say someone else was driving.

Still chasing up the potential witnesses so won't give up on this.

May seem petty as no one got hurt, but my thinking is if people just get away with that kind of stuff, then they'll keep doing it and one day they will kill someone.

I am sure your mate is correct...by the letter of the law...but not in practice.

I reported a driver last year and was told a very similar story, the police will chase it down and find the guy on cctv someplace but without a witness to secure a prosecution, whats the point of applying the resource...what does it acheive.."yes Mr Jezston, you are correct there was a BMW in your vicinity that day"

The same copper told me that head-camera footage was admissable and with that evidence, they would happily find the reg number from CCTV and pay the chap a visit...after all they have video proof that he committed an offence.

Its why I bought a head cam

if you cant get two witnesses, then I'd put it down to experience and be glad you were not 2 seconds quicker away from the lights.

 

[classic33]

Change in the law last October means that the police now have to prove the incident reported never happenned.
Report it again & whilst your at it mention making a formal complaint. For this you'd need to speak to the duty inspector.