Why bother?

[Sandra6]

This morning I was followed over the shared use footbridge by a tool on a moped. He had to follow me as I refused to get out of the way on account of him having no business being there.
I was more than a little annoyed and decided to report him, but had to wait til I got home.
The phone call to the non emergency line went a little like this
- I'd like to report an incident this morning when somebody was riding a moped on the footbridge
PC couldn't give a stuff - and?
- well a guy was riding his moped on the pavement.I have his reg no
PC - OK
Long pause while I waited for him to ask for the details, then realisation he wasn't going to - are you at all interested?
PC - what do you think we should do?
- well I generally imagine the police find out where people like this live and go round to tell them not to.
PC really getting on my nerves - is that what you'd like me to do?
When I said it wasn't really my job to make that decision he told me there was no need for the attitude. :-0
Up shot was I asked if it was against the law, he said " well it will be" and I said " there you go then"
He reluctantly took the details , informed me I'd have to go to court if it came to it and asked where I'd be for the next few days.
It's no wonder people aren't reporting crimes!

 

[MontyVeda]

it's hardly a crime.

 

[TheDoctor]

Well, it rather is, you know.

 

[Sandra6]

it's hardly a crime.

Of course it is. If its against the law to cycle on a pavement I'm damn sure you can't ride a moped on one.
What about a car? Would that be OK?

 

[screenman]

it's hardly a crime.

It is either a crime or not, I am not sure you can do a bit of a crime.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

it's hardly a crime.

I bet if the moped rider had mowed down a child then there would be a 57 page thread in S, C&P

 

[MontyVeda]

I bet if the moped rider had mowed down a child then there would be a 57 page thread in S, C&P

well you could make up something that didn't actually happen. What did happen was someone on a moped followed a cyclist over a bridge. They didn't barge past, causing the cyclist any distress or danger... they just 'bent the rules' and caused the cyclist to become a little grumpy. I rode on the pavement recently.... am i a criminal?

 

[Hyslop]

What an experience,gives you lots of confidence eh ? Must be something to do with all that sitting in the" Battlestar" at Durranhill,that and a fear of doing anything at all.I must say, Im not surprised though.Last year I saw a seemingly new Fuji road bike being hurriedly flung in a van in Market St.I clearly caused confusion to the people involved and off they shot,in an identifiable vehicle.The satellite at the Civic Centre was closed,not a Bobby to be found,when I finally found a meek and feckless PCSO near Binns.I gave her an outline and the details(to find I was recorded as Mr Fuji!!!) and was told she would pass on the details tomorrow-"I dont really know what to do"-On being told, call it in,she replied that she couldnt act on the advice of the public!Now,in fairness, had that been the previous generation of Bobby,theyd have acted before Id finished speaking,they looked for work and I had confidence in them.Not now.

 

[Sandra6]

well you could make up something that didn't actually happen. What did happen was someone on a moped followed a cyclist over a bridge. They didn't barge past, causing the cyclist any distress or danger... they just 'bent the rules' and caused the cyclist to become a little grumpy. I rode on the pavement recently.... am i a criminal?

He caused me annoyance, but a lesser mortal may have found a helmet clad chav revving their engine a foot away from their wheel more than a little intimidating.
And the lady who was walking with her granddaughter was less than impressed too.
Close passes don't actually harm us either but we shouldn't just shut up and put up.

 

[Incontinentia Buttocks]

The other side of this is that depending on the size of the force they could be getting up to 4000 calls per day. The chances of the call handler being a PC are slim to none, and the chances of this going anywhere near a Court are absolutely zero. Doesn't make it right, but people need to understand that stuff like this is going to happen more and more often, less, far less Police, soon to be no PCSO's , no admin staff and no give left in the system.
Yes in a perfect world the call handler should have taken your details and someone should have popped round to speak to the registered keeper, but we now inhabit a world where there have been 25% cuts to the Policing budget in the last 5 years and there are another 25-40% cuts coming next.
The people of this Country voted for this Government and their plans so we have all got to live with the consequences.

As an aside I'm not making excuses for rude/lazy/inept Police Officer's, I'm just stating that peoples expectations may have to change.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Et voilà, crime's decreasing...!

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

well you could make up something that didn't actually happen. What did happen was someone on a moped followed a cyclist over a bridge. They didn't barge past, causing the cyclist any distress or danger... they just 'bent the rules' and caused the cyclist to become a little grumpy. I rode on the pavement recently.... am i a criminal?

Err, this bit:

PC couldn't give a stuff - and?
- well a guy was riding his moped on the pavement.I have his reg no
PC - OK

 

[ClichéGuevara]

When I had my garage burgled and bikes stolen, I found out a neighbour had reported people acting suspiciously near my garage at 5 am on a Sunday morning. It seems a sergeant had been in the area and spoken to them, bit saw nothing suspicious about three people with two bikes that didn't first any of them, plus an armful of power tools.

It seems the people who take reports, don't liase with bobby on the beat nor vice versa. When I asked if they were going to call round to these people's houses (as it seems he'd at least taken their details) they said, there's no point, they won't still have your stuff. The female I was talking to threatened to end the call and consider charging me because I comitted the heinous crime of referring to her as 'love'.

When what seemed to be the same people robbed me a second time, a pcso came, and she couldn't have been more helpful. She did say that the carpet grippers and other bits I'd placed to 'gather dna' could get me arrested if someone got hurt, she had to agree that the fine would be cheaper than any increase in insurance premiums.

 

[NorthernDave]

There does seem to be an unwritten rule about discouraging the reporting of crime.
When I reported a relatively minor crime, I was asked if I was making an insurance claim. When I said no, I was told that I didn't need a crime reference...the call handler seemed quite put out when I insisted on one.

 

[Sandra6]

Err, this bit:

Sorry, I didn't realise you needed a full transcript of the conversation.
Tbh I could've told him he shoved me off the bridge into the river and I doubt he'd have shown anymore interest.
You obviously don't think it was a big deal, I do, you have nothing more to contribute here.