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Tubes63

Member Since: 05 Aug 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 201

2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey

Can off duty police officers break the rules?

Now, I'm going to have to hold my hands up and say I'm being petty and immature here, but this has really ruffled my feathers...

I live in an apartment block about 300-400 meters long. There is a single yellow down about 200 meters of it restricting the parking to after 6:30pm, before 8:30 am, monday-saturday. This leaves a very small amount of space (space where there are also peoples' houses and drives to contend with) for the remainder of the building's population to fight for parking.

For at least the last 48 hours, there has been a car parked on the single yellow line area, but he hasn't gotten a ticket. Usually if any car parks there for only a matter of a few hours they are slapped with a nasty yellow parking fine. The only reason I can see for him not getting a ticket is that the car has fancy neon chevron stickers all over it, and some flashy blue lights on top. Other than that, as far as I can tell, it's a normal Astra Diesel car.

Now, I wouldn't care, and would in fact encourage, the police to park there if they were responding to an emergency - but this is quite clearly either a police officer who is living in the building and taking advantage of the free parking (I don't know what the rules over here about police taking their vehicles home with them are) or overspill from the police station. I have trouble believing the latter because the local police station is MASSIVE. It's only a five minute walk away, though so both cases would make sense.

Are the police allowed to shrug off the rules even if they aren't on duty and aren't responding to an emergency? I can see that they might make the argument that parking there frees up space for us "normals" at the other end of the street, but if it's the case that parking there doesn't actually cause any trouble and in fact FREES space, then why wouldn't I be allowed to park there as well?!?

I took some pictures, and thought about writing a gimmicky parking ticket and putting it under his windshield wipers, but with the UK being as fun-hating as it is I thought I might get slapped with a fine for tampering with police equipment or something like that. I also thought about writing to the council and asking them to either fine the car or take away the yellow lines, but I'm sure they wouldn't care.

Like I say, I know I'm being petty - but when I'm constantly fighting to try and squeeze my 90 into a crappy parking space opposite some poor old lady's house, and hundreds of yards from my door, and some punk in a crappy Astra diesel just ignores the parking rules and parks right next to the building, it really

me off.

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/rant

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

Geoff
2007 Defender 90

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20th Feb 2013 6:50pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20921

The law doesn't always apply to the police themselves. They have a power all of their own. Just like how in the correct situation in an emergency they can run a red light or do 100mph. They can't o that for the sake of it of course but for the correct reasons and situations they can and will. Also off duty or not the Police vehicle is still a Police vehicle so they will do more or less as they please. ____\We|Will|Win/___
____/🇬🇧🇺🇸\____
_//*⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰*\\_

20th Feb 2013 7:07pm

appaloosadude

Member Since: 17 Oct 2012
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 630

No. They can get tickets. And they should abide by all traffic laws and regulations unless on "immediate response". They may be performing welfare checks on a resident or similar. How long is the car parked there for? I'd suggest walking into the local nick and having a moan. Take the registration of the vehicle. Police cars are audited, so the driver will be traceable, and I imagine he will be dressed down. PM me if you need to know how I know this. Although you can probably guess.

20th Feb 2013 7:09pm

ken

Member Since: 18 Aug 2009
Location: Banging Birds with my bitches !!
Posts: 4328

Your in the Fire service

we all know the love hate relationship you guys have

20th Feb 2013 7:11pm

Tubes63

Member Since: 05 Aug 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 201

custom90steve wrote:
The law doesn't always apply to the police themselves. They have a power all of their own. Just like how in the correct situation in an emergency they can run a red light or do 100mph. They can't o that for the sake of it of course but for the correct reasons and situations they can and will. Also off duty or not the Police vehicle is still a Police vehicle so they will do more or less as they please.

I don't like that rule

perhaps I shall run for public office and change it

I understand the running a light in an emergency.. And like I say, if they were responding to an emergency or on duty I would encourage them to park there. The issue is (among other things) that if it's not actually a problem to have cars parked there during the day then why can't anyone else park there?

appaloosadude, I might just do that. It

me off every time I see it, it's like he's mocking me

it's been there for at least 48 hours, but I've seen him parked in other places as well, for instance, in the way of a gate that has a sign that says "emergency access only" on it. Geoff
2007 Defender 90

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20th Feb 2013 7:11pm

Tubes63

Member Since: 05 Aug 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 201

Sorted.

Went down to the police station, asked the nice lady at the desk why one of their cars was parked illegally on my road, she asked the "sergeant" who said it shouldn't be there and said it would be moved... By the time I had walked back home, it was gone!

I can now sleep easy

Geoff
2007 Defender 90

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20th Feb 2013 8:07pm

yorky

Member Since: 25 Aug 2012
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 119

Maybe Mr Plod had just forgotten where they left it, so well done for telling them where it was

90 XS
Volvo V70

20th Feb 2013 8:16pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20921

Tubes63 wrote:
By the time I had walked back home, it was gone!

____\We|Will|Win/___
____/🇬🇧🇺🇸\____
_//*⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰*\\_

20th Feb 2013 8:29pm

Glynparry25

Member Since: 16 Feb 2009
Location: Miserable Midlands
Posts: 3015

2009 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS DCPU Tonga Green

You could look at it two ways.

A. It is breaking the rules.

B. It will deter possible thieves away from the area when the see the car.

As mentioned- The police have to abide to every law and rule we do during normal times...... but can break/ bend a few when needed (Blue lights are flashing).

One good thing here is that the police have to stick to the rules ALL the time.... that includes the speed limit even when the blue lights are on. So if you are breaking the speed limit they can't chase

Glyn

20th Feb 2013 8:55pm

Tubes63

Member Since: 05 Aug 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 201

Glynparry25 wrote:
It will deter possible thieves away from the area when the see the car.

This did cross my mind briefly, but then I realised that they could well park legally and have the same effect.

Also, this is Stevenage... I wouldn't be surprised if the local scum have, in fact, nicked the police car, and it wasn't the police who moved it tonight after all

Geoff
2007 Defender 90

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20th Feb 2013 9:04pm

Happyoldgit

Member Since: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Norfolk
Posts: 3471

2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 USW Corris Grey

There's been a marked police car parked in my garage for about 12 years

Steve.
Owned numerous Land Rover vehicles of all shapes and sizes over the decades.
Current Defender: A non tarts hand-bagged Puma 110 XS USW.

[Insert something impressive here such as extensive list of previous Land Rovers or examples of your prestigeous and expensive items, trinkets, houses, bikes, vehicles etc]

http://forums.lr4x4.com

I used to be Miserable ...but now I'm ecstatic.

20th Feb 2013 9:14pm

Tubes63

Member Since: 05 Aug 2012
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 201

Geoff
2007 Defender 90

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20th Feb 2013 9:17pm

GUM97

Member Since: 05 Feb 2012
Location: Cheshire
Posts: 3555

1997 Defender 90 300 Tdi HT Stornoway Grey

custom90steve wrote:
run a red light or do 100mph.

But they can only do the speed limit + half again

IIRC An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"

20th Feb 2013 9:21pm

appaloosadude

Member Since: 17 Oct 2012
Location: Buckinghamshire
Posts: 630

I don't think it's +50%, more like +20mph.

IIRC...

20th Feb 2013 10:53pm

SiWhite

Member Since: 19 Jan 2010
Location: North Hampshire
Posts: 455

2013 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Stornoway Grey

GUM97 wrote:
custom90steve wrote:
run a red light or do 100mph.

But they can only do the speed limit + half again

IIRC

Not true - no limits listed in the Road Traffic Act. Some Forces will have guidelines - mine allows standard drivers to exceed the limit by 20mph, but no limit is placed on the Advanced Driver. My blog - www.anacreinhampshire.blogspot.co.uk

110 TD5 BuildHERE - sold!
110 Tdci Build HERE - sold!
Passat Alltrack - 4x4, auto, 45mpg, gloriously comfortable - but not a Defender!

20th Feb 2013 10:55pm

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