Has anybody else noticed this on the roads lately?

[pleasant]

Drivers for some years now are pretty much free to do as they like due to the lack of a regular police presence, and even if there is they are reluctant to pull people over for what they now consider 'minor' infractions as the paperwork is very time consuming- but invariably if they were to pull someone over for a blown tail light, then this could and normally can lead to other infractions- blown bulbs always used to be a good excuse for the police to pull you over. Nowadays even more serious driving offences they turn a blind eye.

 

When was the last time you were stopped for a random police check? 20 years ago I came across those a couple of times a year- now never. Followed a police car yesterday whilst I was driving to work......I spotted 19 fineable offences they could have pulled people over for but they didn't. 8 driving whilst using a phone 2 no seat belt, 1 drinking whilst driving (coffee) 1 putting make up on, 3 faulty rear lamps, 1 no number plate on the front, 3 motorised scooters being used on a public footpath/road. This was on just a 5 mile journey.

 

The problem with this is,  the longer people 'get away with it' the more normal and legal they will believe it to be, and so they move on to the next illegal thing.

Edited September 15, 2022 by pleasant

[Stubby]

8 hours ago, pleasant said:

Drivers for some years now are pretty much free to do as they like due to the lack of a regular police presence, and even if there is they are reluctant to pull people over for what they now consider 'minor' infractions as the paperwork is very time consuming- but invariably if they were to pull someone over for a blown tail light, then this could and normally can lead to other infractions- blown bulbs always used to be a good excuse for the police to pull you over. Nowadays even more serious driving offences they turn a blind eye.

 

When was the last time you were stopped for a random police check? 20 years ago I came across those a couple of times a year- now never. Followed a police car yesterday whilst I was driving to work......I spotted 19 fineable offences they could have pulled people over for but they didn't. 8 driving whilst using a phone 2 no seat belt, 1 drinking whilst driving (coffee) 1 putting make up on, 3 faulty rear lamps, 1 no number plate on the front, 3 motorised scooters being used on a public footpath/road. This was on just a 5 mile journey.

 

The problem with this is,  the longer people 'get away with it' the more normal and legal they will believe it to be, and so they move on to the next illegal thing.

No body likes a grass 😁

[Guest Gimlet]

Plenty of youngsters round here who'll go through a 30 limit in a village at about 60 mph in their hot hatches trailing the stink of weed behind them.

 

I was behind an elderly couple a couple of weeks ago. I don't think the driver was drunk but he drove several miles down a winding country road and went round every blind bend with his off-side wheels at least two feet over the centre line. I do see a lot of that.  

 

I ride motorbikes and I see a lot of bad riding too. Stacks of bucket list Pennine roads round here and on a sunny weekend it's like the TT. Many, many times when I've been riding mine I've encountered oncoming riders exiting bends on the wrong side of the centre line. I've also seen four bike smashes this year that required the air ambulance. 

[woodlover2]

Just the other week I saw a driver sucking on a balloon whilst driving...I guess it was that laughing gas they do nowadays.  I have smelt weed twice from family cars that have young children in that go by when walking my dog, smoking weed with kids in the car just shows that some people do not give a sht for anyone or thing.

[pleasant]

45 minutes ago, woodlover2 said:

Just the other week I saw a driver sucking on a balloon whilst driving...I guess it was that laughing gas they do nowadays.  I have smelt weed twice from family cars that have young children in that go by when walking my dog, smoking weed with kids in the car just shows that some people do not give a sht for anyone or thing.

..actually smoking even a cigarette in a car when anyone under the age of 18 are present is a criminal offence since 2015. A lot of people have forgotten than piece of legislation....including the police I may add.

[spudulike]

21 hours ago, Gimlet said:

I ride motorbikes and I see a lot of bad riding too. Stacks of bucket list Pennine roads round here and on a sunny weekend it's like the TT. Many, many times when I've been riding mine I've encountered oncoming riders exiting bends on the wrong side of the centre line. I've also seen four bike smashes this year that required the air ambulance. 

I think you have hit the nail on the head, I started on bikes albeit 40 years ago and it stays with you even after years of just driving cars.....the "whats round the corner", "hitting the apex", the..."driver is lost and is likely to", the..."life saver looking over the right shoulder".....basically seeing what is going to happen rather than reacting to it happening. 

A dodgy driver when on two wheels can be death rather than a bent wing or panel so you have a sixth sense and see these things. 

Oh....my wife's hairdresser had a client who had a BMW crashing through a garden wall, ending up in her front garden....copper drove past looking and just carried on...the bloke got out of his car, said he had been off the booze for 8 months, said he had a blow out, got back in the car and drove off.....he did get in touch later...I guess when he was sober! You couldn't make it up....what exactly do the local constabulary do now 

[Sutton]

29 minutes ago, spudulike said:

...what exactly do the local constabulary do now 

The one passingby probably thought "That's one for traffic"

 

Remember when coppers were feared?

 

"Walk on your tip toes, don’t tie no bows
Better stay away from those that carry around a fire hose
Keep a clean nose, watch the plainclothes
You don't need a weather man to know which way the wind blows"

 

Subterranean Homesick Blues

Bob Dylan