Letter to Lothian and Borders police

[stinkwheel]

I'll leave it as what I've written which makes my standpoint abundantly clear. I'd be interested in other peoples oppinion on the subject:

24th May 2008


Dear Sir,

Today I was out for a trip to the borders with my girlfriend on my motorcycle. At around 1pm, I was signalled to stop by two motorcycle police officers (shoulder numbers **** and *****). One officer explained he had stopped me to discuss road safety in the Borders area. I indicated to him that I was not interested in such a discussion by stating “I'm not interested thanks.”. He went on to ask if I had heard of the Bikesafe initiative. I replied that I was aware of bikesafe and was not interested in that either.

The officer then asked what I was doing. I asked if this was a police stop, he replied in the affirmative. At this point I requested a chitty be issued in accordance with home office regulations on police stop and search powers. The officer informed me that he was not aware of such a requirement. He then went on to carry out a vehicle check.

While this was going on, the police officers stated that their aim for that day was to stop every motorcycle which went past to “Engage with them and discuss road safety.”. I enquired if they intended to stop any other class of road users for the same reasons, to which they replied in the negative.

I do not have a complaint about the officers involved in this police stop, they remained courteous throughout. I do however have some broader concerns salient to the stated reasons for the stop and the way it was conducted.

In short. I have little regard for the police and do not want or appreciate contact with them. This is my personal opinion to which I am entitled. I resent the fact that I was stopped while carrying out my legal business.

I made it very clear to the officers by both my words and my attitude that I had absolutely no desire to engage them in a conversation on road safety and requested that I be allowed to go on my way twice during the proceedings.

So. The stated aim was to engage motorcyclists. This failed at the first hurdle, I could not have made it clearer that I was not interested and did not wish to be detained any further. At this point I feel the officers should have thanked me for my time and allowed me to go on my way.

To then continue with a stop breeds both contempt and resentment on the behalf of the person being subjected to it.

The fact that this procedure was being carried out for every motorcyclist who rode past appears to me like the police targeting a whole section of the community in an inappropriately invasive and discriminatory manner. You have the choice of listening to a road safety lecture or submitting to a vehicle check. Both of which I consider to be unnecessary intrusions in the circumstances.

One can't help but wonder what the public reaction would be were the police to stop, for example, every red car that drove past and detain its driver for 15 minutes. There is just as much justification for such a move, red cars are statistically more likely to have an accident than average.

To sum up. I wish to register my concern at the police arbitrarily stopping and inconveniencing members of the public based on their choice of transportation.

I wish to register my annoyance at having been subjected to such an inconvenience myself. The road safety campaign notwithstanding, to decide to proceed with a stop when I declined to participate is bordering on vindictive.

I wish to register my concern that your officers are not up to date with home office regulations regarding police stop and search powers.

The chit I requested, recording that said police stop took place can be sent to me at the above address. To fill in this document you will also need to know that I consider my ethnic origin to be White European, a detail that was not recorded during the stop.

Should you wish to refresh your memory about what your responsabilities are in the case of a police stop where a member of the public is asked to account for them self, you can consult the following home office website:

https://www.stopandsearch.com



Yours faithfully,
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[veeeffarr]

I think you've typed it into the wrong box there fella

ahahaha, sorry =]

[Itchy]

Very good,

however expect to be put on the terrorist or harrass this person list which the police secretly keep.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[veeeffarr]

[map]

Seems ok. Couldn't you do your sum up points as bullet points as on first reading you appear to sum up then ramble on some more. That would include a point requesting the chit.

I mention this as IMO people would just scan to the end to find out what you wanted.

Might be an idea to copy to the local police authority (assuming they have them in Scotland, I get confused). After all, it's my understanding they're the ones who get to outline the police policy for a given area. Mention discrimination and the politicians should blink.

One last point, as for vehicle inspection did you ask or were you informed that is what they were doing. If so you could have asked for a deferred inspection, except you knew that from this thread

Just my thoughts
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
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[Kris]

I'd have responded as you did and I can see why you're annoyed. Listening to some plod lecturing you is bad enough when they've caught you being daft.

Kent police did a similar initiative regarding 'protective clothing'. They stopped my mate for a lecture even though he was wearing full leathers etc. Plain daft and a complete waste of resources IMO.
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[Kris]

[DidierD]

I thought it was green cars not red cars that were meant to have the most accidents?

Minor point, but good letter
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Bike - '98 Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat Pics

31st March 2008 - Fully converted from four wheels to 2 sets of two wheels

[McGee]

[tutton]

Ever considered becoming a solicitor or something as you write letters in that special way that gets across the point perfectly

and in work apparently silver is the most likely car to be involved in a RTA or thats what were told, similar to the most common car of the time is a Silver BMW.
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Past: '05 Peugeot XPS '99 Aprillia RS125 '94 FZR600R
Current: '02 ZX636 A1P '51 CCM R30

[Itchy]

[krebsy]

I would've probably added that it is the role of the police to ennforce the law, not to perform enforced advisory lectures on what is "better" if it is clear that you were meeting all legal requirements regarding "safety" (i.e. wearing the correct protective equipment as required by law, and not having been pulled over for a traffic offense in the first place).

K.
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What's my New Year's resolution?

1280 x 1024.

[horatio]

Having just read the letter to the Lothian and Borders Police, I see that the writer wanted a chitty for a stop and search, this is not done in Scotland. I believe that this only happens in England and may have something to do with P.A.C.E. So anyone who is stopped and searched in Scotland is done so either volunteering to be searched when asked or is searched under legislation, either way you do not get a copy of the search. Each stop and search should be recorded by the police in their notebooks.

[Stiffler]

way to go digging up a dead thread!
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Current Bikes - Kawasaki ZX-6R (636) | BMW G650GS

[Hetzer]

Admirably restrained. Personally I'd probably have taken the opportunity to hugely amuse myself at their expense, then made a formal complaint. Stazi cvnts.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[mentali-juan]

Totally agree with what you are saying but think it will probably fall on deaf ears.

Did you have half an oz on you?
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