Police checking 'commuting' insurance entitlement...

Kris · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

Have you ever heard anything so ridiculous?

In London this morning there were MET police pulling and checking bikes and double checking that 'commuting' was on your insurance.

WTF Question

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P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

LOL...just say you aren't going to work. If you are wearing your general clothes underneath... just lol.

I know its an option on the insurance n all, but still... that sounds way too OTT. Soon you'll have to have the manufacturer stated tyres and hand grips Laughing

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

Does adding commuting even cost any extra?

Do they ask the same if it is a car that you're insuring?

I always add commuting, I might have to see if there is any difference is cost if I don't add it.

It does seem a waste of police time.
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P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

Kris · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

leonski · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Jul 2011 Karma :

I don't have commuting, on my insurance as it put 50 notes extra to my premium, but as always I do use it once a week to go to work because i need to go some where far after work.
Is there some kind of financial benefit for the police to do this or are they just that bloody bored they love to just waste time. Rolling Eyes

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blurredman · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Sep 2010 Karma :

Just say it is a one off.
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Conon · Scooby Slapper Joined: 05 Apr 2011 Karma :

Commuting added £10 to my £75 fully comp policy. Its not much, but with 1 million bikes on the road, its a nice little earner!

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Could you please send some Police up to Yorkshire?
They really don't seem to be able to deal with much around here, while yours seem to be having a good time, playing with piffling matters for the fun of it!

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

Could you please send some Police up to Yorkshire?
They really don't seem to be able to deal with much around here, while yours seem to be having a good time, playing with piffling matters for the fun of it!

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

stigger · Crazy Courier Joined: 06 Mar 2008 Karma :

How long's that existed? I used to regret emigrating but then I read a thread like this and I'm glad I did...

blurredman · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Sep 2010 Karma :

multijoy · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Oct 2008 Karma :

blurredman · World Chat Champion Joined: 18 Sep 2010 Karma :

Kris · World Chat Champion Joined: 03 Feb 2002 Karma :

G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

P. · Red Rocket Joined: 14 Feb 2008 Karma :

To throw a spanner in there...

Say you are on a friends bike... riding TPO with your other bikes entitlement.. is it your policy that has to cover commuting.

Rogerborg · nimbA Joined: 26 Oct 2010 Karma :

There's no public benefit to this, and they'll never get a conviction out of it, unless people are daft enough to hold their hands up and admit guilt.

You cannot void your 3rd party insurance. The insurer must pay out to 3rd parties. They'd have to pay out even if the bike was stolen and being ridden by Pikey McChavscum.

Any condition on the policy is a civil matter between the insurer and the policy holder - they can sue the policy holder to recover their losses. Unless Plod and the CPS are intending to prosecute for insurance fraud, which I very much doubt.

Just a reminder: if stopped, you do not have to answer any questions. Produce your license, insurance and MOT certificates if you have them, and that's it. Refusing to either incriminate or exculpate yourself can not be grounds for Plod forming a "reasonable belief" that the vehicle is being used unlawfully. If it were, then the right to silence would be meaningless, and Plod could punish you for asserting it.

Which he will, by the way, if he's behind on his quotas, or is just having a bad ~~hair~~ slaphead day. Plod, the CPS and some Magistrates may collude to allow such punishment, but eventually you'll get to a grown up judge who will apply the letter of the law.
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Nick__C · World Chat Champion Joined: 06 Oct 2008 Karma :

What absolute bullshit that is..

I dunno about this but if you didn't have insurance for 'commuting' surely you could just make a 'social call' or 'purchase' something from the shop closest to your work.. conveniently being parked at a location where you're able to 'walk' to your job..

Pedantic and unnecessary I know but is there anything actually preventing you from doing that lmao?
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doggone · World Chat Champion Joined: 20 May 2004 Karma :

It sounds similar to the no pillions clause - does not affect your third party therefore you are covered so no offence has been committed.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

Rogerborg has it right.

Don't talk to the police.

No good will come of it. The police have not stopped you to find out what a good upstanding citizen you are. They are trying to find out some law you have broken.

Statute requires you to show them your driving licence and proof of insurance if requested. It does not require you to answer impudent questions about where you are going, what you are doing or your current guess as to why they may have stopped you.

So either say nothing, be totally non-committal or tell them you find their question to be impertinant and are you free to go.

I am planning the first stop I get on the Enfield. I'm bound to get stopped sooner or later. When they say "Do you know why we've stopped you?" I'm going to reply "Is it because I was doing 90mph in a 60 limit?".

My first thought was to say "Dunno. Quiet day at the office?" but I think admitting to a crime which it is impossible for me to have committed would have a better comedic effect.

Pays to be prepared. You always think of what you should have said after the event so I'm making sure I'm ready.

TL;DR: Don't talk to the police, the more information you give them, the more chance they'll find something to do you with. You do not have to answer any questions about your personal business to the police (including where you are going and what you are doing).
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G · The Voice of Reason Joined: 02 Feb 2002 Karma :

There are cases where it CAN help.
I still reckon admitting to doing (a bit under) the speed I was doing was one of the reasons they let me ride on. I also didn't want them to see I didn't actually have a working speedo (no needle.)

However, yes in random stops, agree it's probably best to say nowt.