The Political Thread

[M.I.K.]

Funnily enough, I have performed first aid on a willy on two separate occasions. I was unfortunate enough to once work a production line where 25 people would grimly stand around assembling pizzas for the supermarket...

I was slightly worried about where this was going for a moment.

Horse meat's bad enough.

[The Legendary Shark]

Thought I'd share an interesting encounter I had with the Thin Blue Line the other morning.
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I was driving a little truck through a certain Northern city at silly o' clock in the morning, no other traffic, quiet as the grave - just made my first drop of the morning, making good time - when all of a suddenness this police car appears all lit up and flashing like the vanguard of an alien invasion with the word FOLLOW shining out of the back window. So, somewhat perplexed, I followed...
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Up the road I was led, around a roundabout and back and up a little dimly lit nook. I stopped at the mouth of the nook, the police car, still flashing importantly, parked further down and the driver jumped out, gesticulating at me to draw near, which I did. As I drew close I wound the window down and asked, "Is there a problem, Constable?"
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He then struck the most curious pose and, without answering me, looked down and towards the wheel of the lorry and pointed sternly towards a dark slab in the ground that transpired to be a weighbridge. I repeated my question. "Is there a problem, Constable?"
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"Yeah, you're getting weighed."
"Why?"
"Get on the weighbridge, Sir. It's the law."
"Law? What law?"
"Your vehicle is going to be weighed and then inspected by VOSA."
"I don't really have time for this - I have deliveries to make. What happens if I say no?"
"If you...? I'll impound your vehicle! Now get on the weighbridge!"
"Okay, okay - Jeez."
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So, the lorry was weighed (all fine - just pre-packaged salad, hardly any weight at all) and then I was ordered to follow the police car, now flashing rather angrily, to another side road lay-by where a flange of VOSA inspectors lay in wait. I pulled up behind the police car and the driver got out and stalked once again to my open window - obviously with things on his mind.
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"You know, Sir, nobody has ever asked me what would happen if they didn't follow me, and that's got me thinking that you must be a poor driver who..."
"How dare you. This is a large vehicle I am driving with a lot of weight and power in it - a vehicle like this could do a lot of damage and I take my responsibilities seriously."
"Nevertheless, Sir, I'm just doing my job and if you're going to get shirty..."
"I am not being shirty, I just asked questions."
"Get shirty with me, this'll just take longer."
"I agree. Let's just get on with it then, shall we?"
"Because if you're going to be awkward about..."
"I said I agree - now can we please get on with it? I have places to be." (Heart pounding, brain screaming SHUT UP!)
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"Right." He stalks off towards the VOSA guys. He comes back with his hand outstretched. "Keys." I hand them to him. He stalks off again. I've done it now, they're gonna' make me wait for hours. Jump through hoops. Don't let it get to you. There's no hurry to get to the next drop yet. Settle in. Feet on the dash, huddle into the seat, Classic FM. But he's back.
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"How many points on your license?"
"None."
"Got it with you?"
"No."
"Driver's card?"
"In the tachograph."
"I need to see it."
"Won't eject without the ignition being on. I need the keys."
"The inspectors have the keys."
"I suppose we wait, then."
"No. Name and address."
I tell him. He checks it. He grudgingly confirms the spotlessness of my license. Is he... is he actually thinking about the question I asked him?
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"I don't know what your problem is with me, Sir, but if you don't..."
"I have no problem with you or the police. I just worry that you don't know the difference between being a police officer and a police constable any more. The police are being asked to do a lot of questionable things, these days."
"Like what?"
"Like this very inspection - you'd expect the wholesale stopping and searching of innocent civilians in China or North Korea - but in Britain? Really?"
"Surely you realise that we must keep unsafe vehicles off the road?"
"That's not the issue. You ordered me to stop as if I had no choice in the matter - only a police officer can do that, a police constable cannot."
"You don't know what you're talking about - an officer and a constable are the same thing."
"No. It is the duty of a police constable to uphold the Common Law; to ensure loss, harm or damage comes to no-one on his or her patch. The role of the police officer to enforce Statute Law and raise revenue for the state..." (My God - he's nodding to himself, looking down again, hands resting in the arm holes of his stab vest. I press on...) "...My point is that you can't be both. You can be a constable or an officer - you see, the officer has forced me off the road..."
"I REQUESTED you to pull in, Sir."
"My point - a request backed by the threat of impound. In enforcing statute law by depriving me of my right to go about my lawful business you have failed in your duty as a constable to uphold my right to go about my lawful business uninterrupted, do you see?"
"No, Sir. I think you've got your definitions mixed up."
"Maybe so but I'd much rather be speaking to a constable than a mere officer. We need all the constables we can get."
"I really don't think you're right in your definitions."
"Well, I have given it a lot of thought, Constable, and I believe that I'm right."
"Then we'll just have to agree to disagree, Sir."
"Shame, but okay."
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The VOSA inspectors have arrived but stand back, waiting to begin. First, the policeman must give me a lecture.
"Do you know how many accidents I've seen through poorly maintained vehicles?"
"More than me, I'm sure."
"The lorry parked behind you is one and a half tons overweight. The driver thought..."
"Hold on, are you sure you're supposed to be sharing such private and sensitive legal information?"
"The point is, Sir..."
"I know the point constable, the officer in you is enforcing statute law and you are using that to keep me here for as long as you can - getting your revenge for me asking questions, yes?" (Brain to Shark: THAT'S IT, I'M OUTTA' HERE!) "That's Not how..." He splutters and spins on his heel, the VOSA inspectors stand and watch, waiting to continue. Am I going to jail now?
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The inspectors wait. I ask them what they're waiting for. "We need your permission to continue." The policeman and I look at each other. "You have it," I say, and the inspection begins.
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The policeman can't let it go. "I'm just doing my job - and, for your information, I've checked my Warrant Card and it says 'Constable,' so there you go. (Wait a minute - he checked???) I drive lorries too - 30 tonners. I know what I'm talking about but for you to want to not co-operate..."
"What, not co-operating by parking where you told me to park and allowing the inspection you ordered me to allow? Just how am I failing to co-operate?"
"You weren't TOLD to do anything, I requested you to stop and you got shirty with me."
"No, you flagged me down and I asked you if there was a problem."
"No I didn't."
"Yes you did - I asked you 'is there a problem?' twice and you told me to get on the weighbridge or you'd impound my vehicle."
"No, that's not what happened." (He's looking at the floor again, feet apart, arms akimbo - he's trying to get me to lose my rag, to start an argument.) "Well, as neither of us recorded the conversation we'll just have to agree to disagree, as you said earlier."
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Then, the most extraordinary thing. With not another word he stalks back to his vehicle and drives the police car away, its lights flashing uncertainly. The VOSA inspectors, and I was struck how very, very polite they were to me, finished their inspection (clean bill of health - no defects) in sharp time. Paperwork, handshake, on my way, a few minutes lost, trying to find my way back to the main road.
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No further incidents (so far).
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[Jim_Campbell]

Be VERY careful, Sharky. Doing nothing wrong (even when in possession of a video camera) is apparently no obstacle to a good kicking if the Long Arm decides you're a mouthy git who needs taking down a peg:

http://bambuser.com/v/4284486

(You'll get the idea in the first minute or so, then skip to about 7:30 for the inevitable.)

Cheers

Jim

[JamesC]

Be VERY careful, Sharky. Doing nothing wrong (even when in possession of a video camera) is apparently no obstacle to a good kicking if the Long Arm decides you're a mouthy git who needs taking down a peg:

http://bambuser.com/v/4284486

(You'll get the idea in the first minute or so, then skip to about 7:30 for the inevitable.)

Cheers

Jim

Wow. That's a pretty cut and dried account of Police operating beyond their legal powers.

Any idea if there have been repercussions?

[Jim_Campbell]

Any idea if there have been repercussions?

Apparently, that constitutes resisting arrest.

Cheers

Jim

[JamesC]

It'll be interesting to see what happens here. I suspect a police spokesperson will offer a backhanded apology to the media and it will be swept under the carpet.
Time will tell.

[Professor Bear]

Nonsense!  We'll see justice done just like we did for that Brizilian electrician.
Speaking of which, anyone notice how that inquiry into the wrongful death of an innocent man took years, but Plebgate - an inquiry into whether or not a cunt was as big a cunt as someone claimed - took mere months?  Odd that, given the latter was one person's word against another while the former was a widely-reported murder with hundreds of witnesses.  I wonder why one was prioritised, yet not the other?

[TordelBack]

That was a fascinating read, Sharky.  I'd say you were the talk of the station after that.

[Old Tankie]

All I can say, Sharky, is that you must have a photographic memory, I can't remember word for word what I said to my missus five minutes ago!!  Or do we allow for some poetic licence here?

[The Legendary Shark]

Of course there is some poetic license and the language has been tidied up and clarified a bit and made a little more entertaining but, in all the major aspects, it's a true and accurate account of the encounter.
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Can't watch that link on my 'phone but I'll have a look when I can get to a webbed-up pc.

[NapalmKev]

Not political as such but:


Yes It's your money, and if you can tell  us what you need it for we may let you have it!

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25861717

Cheers

[The Legendary Shark]

Interesting article, Kev, thanks for that.
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Firstly, not one penny of your money belongs to you, whether it's in your bank account or not. As all 'money' (really just promissory notes) begins its life created by the banks and then borrowed by governments, businesses and individuals, every ha'penny needs 'paying back' and so it ALL belongs to the banks and they can do what they want with it.
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Secondly, because of this assetless money creation, all the big banks are technically insolvent. The money creation process now being out of control, banks must do all they can to maintain healthy balance sheets in order to perpetuate the facade of solvency.
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Thirdly, where the Hell do these vampires get the idea that they're the only ones respectable enough to look after the money?  mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2013-07-02/hsbc-judge-approves-1-9b-drug-money-laundering-accord.html
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Fourthly, if you want money that belongs to you and you alone, try keeping your savings in silver and gold (and now is a good time to buy because the banking system is keeping g/s prices artificially low to mask the plummeting 'value' of paper currencies around the world (India and China are especially switched on to this fact - China, after a massive gold buying spree, now has more than any other country in the world)), and also have a look at Bitcoin, which is growing in popularity and acceptability almost daily.
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[The Legendary Shark]

Another nail in the coffin of the right to protest?
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www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jan/24/water-cannon-democratic-protest

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[CrazyFoxMachine]

....jaysus. I was looking through the Ukranian government's anti free-speech laws that have caused nationwide protest and they are not at all dissimilar to the kind of thing we are seeing pushed here.

In other political news: UKIP want gun laws to be relaxed

.....

[Hawkmumbler]

Nope. Not in my god damn life time it wont.