^Qwerty^

Driving over Crown Point Bridge yesterday towards the Vauxhall garage (I think its CP Bridge anyway), I noticed a police van parked on the central reservation inbetween the North and South bound traffic. Said van has some wires going into it... alarm bells (you can do 50+mph down this bit of road, when its a 30). SPEED TRAP?

Anyway, at three points further down the road towards the Vauxhall garage, there were traffic cars parked up, just watching the traffic go by.

Seemed a bit OTT for a speed trap, so anyone know what they were upto? I'd have a guess and say they would pull ppl for doing 35mph etc. and then give you a breath test?

[Edited by ^Qwerty^ - 12/29/2002 9:19:48 PM]

RichiW

I know a couple of months ago they had new flash van checking car tax, you drive past it and it records your reg plate and if you aint taxed then consider yourself done.Could have been one and the same?

You'll probably get a better repsonse posting on the 'Northern' board t.b.h.

Rich

BuRR

I'd say it was a DVLA tax camera..... the traffic cars are usually because the main offenders either don't register their vehicle, or there are other offences tied in with the no-tax (ie insurance / mot etc) and experience tells that tracing these drivers after the offence is easier said than done!

medders

Had the van broken down ? Maybe the farmer was taking them to market to sell or something and he'd broken down. And with it being winter he had run a really long extension lead from a nearby house so that he could run a small heater in order to keep his animals warm ?

WISHING

yep that would be it !!!

Pauleds

Qwerty,
Firstly i don't like the term "pig" van.What's all that about?
If you really want to know what was happening then only the police will be able to tell you.I was in one of the traffic cars and it wasn't DVLA for a fact.
It is a scheme called ANPR. and if you start to have some respect for the law then i might let on as to what it is but as you seem to hold the Police with utter contempt then.FU+C YOU.

Mark Kwiatkowski

Does ANPR stand for Automated Number Plate Recognition?

Pauleds

10 out of 10 mark.

Mark Kwiatkowski

Thought so, i've heard of this system, although i thought it is only used for the prevention and detection of serious crimes (i.e. terrorism), so i wouldn't have thought that the police would be using this system for catching tax dodgers or uninsured drivers.

I'm quite keen to find out why the police were out using the system.

jimbrit

Pauleds



[Edited by jimbrit - 12/29/2002 12:05:24 AM]

GaryC

Paul, perhaps if the police start earning some respect you may start seeing a bit in return?

GaryC

Oh and Mark - ANPR has a wide spread of uses, this one sounds like it was looking for 'tagged' vehicles (i.e. vehicles with a marker attached to their reg plate). Vehicles can be tagged for a variety of reasons from no tax (hence the 'DVLA' connection/misnomer) to suspected/known criminals to suspected terrorists.

The system is also behind the SPECS speed detection system (needs two units at a known distance apart - 0.3miles IIRC, calculates the time taken to go between the two and thus the vehicles speed) and the Trafficmaster system.

Developed by a Philips Jv in the early/mid 90s, the product (software) was divested from the main Philips and floated on AIM c1999/2000 and is one of the only technology stocks to have increased in the past 2 years. It has done so by 6000%. Philips are still the major stockholder. Given it's potential (especially in speed detection) in this country, it is not difficult to see why this is a business that will not fail

BuRR

Unfortunately, Paul, as I've found out to my cost in the past, you're better keeping the information to yourself and let people come to you for it. Better biting your lip, but be satisfied knowing that you are aware of what the kit is, and they have to only guess as to what was happening on the day.

There are plenty of people on this board who are genuine enough for us to help out and offer advice, but as with any crowd there are others that will ultimately have to find their own way.

<flame suit on>

[Edited by BuRR - 12/29/2002 10:13:51 AM]

^Qwerty^

If you are what you say you are, then why do you think I don't have any respect for the police? You need to ask yourself why a person who spends 12 hours a day at work, who doesn't have any criminal convictions, a person who has a wife and kid at home, a person who doesn't go around robbing people, breaking into houses, steeling cars, mugging old ladies; has such a low opinion of the police?

I'm sure you have heard it all before, if indeed you are what you say you are, but quite why you find "pig" so offensive is beyond me. Its a well known name for the police, and one which you must have known about when you signed up.

geoff_clio172

I think the police have earned their nickname. Let put it this way on Christmas Eve my mates house was broken into and had the usual stuff stolen (TV, Video, Stereo, Computer). So when he got home he phoned the police...4 hours later they decided to turn up.

Same day different mate was driving through a 40mph at 46mph...not a built up area. Out jumps a cooper and does him for speeding...breathalised him, came up clean. So now he has £60 fine and 3 points on his licence as a Christmas present.

Thats why the police have such a low respect level with many people here.

Mossman

I'm afraid I would have to agree with the last comment. I am SICK to death of the attitude of this country, not specifically the Police but the law in general. If you are a hard working, honest person you get SHAFTED in EVERY respect, be at being slightly over the speed limit, tax, price of petrol etc etc.

If you are dishonest, break the law and commit a crime, it seems IMHO that we go out of our way to help the scum.

We need a system which recognises hard work, rewards people who achieve and above all, need to throw the f*cking ******* and low life who make life such hard work, behind bars (and when they are there don't ask them if they want a TV and a duvet - f*ucking ridiculous.
Mossman

DocJock

Eerm, I think you'll find the police _do_ "throw the f*cking ******* and low life....... behind bars".
It is the courts/politicians who let them out to re-offend.

The Police don't make the rules either, just upold them as best they can. They'd be able to do it better as well, with more co-operation rather than abuse/ridicule

medders

here here docjock.

QWERTY mate, police are people. You need to chill out. If you are a respectable father as you say, using the word "pig" to insult a great number of hard working and in the whole caring people doing a job you probably wouldn't or couldn't do is out of order. If you don't like the way things are going, you need to look to the government. They make the rules after all.

There are a quite a few coppers on here, and you are insulting their dedication by calling them pig. Do it to them in the street mate and see what hapens

And yes I am one (copper not a pig ), and yes I am insulted by the phrase if you were wondering

Someones obviously upset you, unless you're trying to be "cool" but I'm quite sure it wasn't me or burr or Paul.

cheers

Paul

jjones

prefer the term "filth" myself.

JGRIFF

If we are going to get picky then the term "filth" relates only to the CID, and was originally used by some of the London gangs (Krays, Richardsons, etc) in the early sixties.

Yes I'm a police officer too, we rely on the vast majority of the public helping us, we don't all have thick skins and do get upset with ill thought, and ill considered name calling and prejudice.

Take as you find, please, and don't start with an inbuilt prejudice please.

jimbrit

Bah


Coppers always know it all

And have to have the last word on everything

[Edited by jimbrit - 12/29/2002 7:27:30 PM]

Mossman

DocJock,

Could not agree more, I did state the system itself and "not the Police specifically", I have many good friends who are in the Police and they are just as fed up as we are.

Mossman

jjones

"the term "filth" relates only to the CID"

sorry pal, 'round here the term filth is used to refer to your average pig, er i mean policeman. may have started as a CID only but now you guys get the benefit as well.

DocJock

Yep, the system sucks.

RaZe-=Buzz=-

I have met both Pauleds and Qwerty.

They are both tossers


j/k Love you both really :P

Paul, will we see you at Buckles on the 6th? I'll give you the story of my ECU

^Qwerty^

It maybe is the system that sucks, but its the police and JP's that enforce it?

So if said people are as pi55ed off with things are the sections of society that I know, why don't they do something about it?

I know the police are not supposed to go on stike etc, but if enough of them/you made a noise about things, or even refused to enforce certain things, saying that it is alienating the general public, would the government of the time not have to sit up and listen?

I dunno..

I've had one very bad/poor experience with the police a few years ago (where I was trying to help), and the result was that I had to avoid going out in an area where I live for 2-3 years, and one of the persons involved in the incident is currently inside for stabbing somebody else I know.

Sorry if I've offended any genuine police, I know your not all bad, but as in any profession, one bad egg.......

Happy to chat offline, as some topics are not for this board, or any public forum for that matter.