"The Count of Shonky Citro" thanks everyone for your support

[iFool]

. Some random guy walked up to me and made a comment about how she was a f*cking nazi. I gave him mouthful about the persecution of people on the grounds of race, religion, ethnicity and sexuality and how comparing traffic wardens to Nazis was disrespectful to both her and the victims of such persecution.

Riiiiiight .............. :-0

[iFool]

you get idiots in all walks of life.

. You sure do

[Cavcraft]

At this juncture I'd just like to point out that not everyone who has tattoos and shaves their head is a thug.

 

As you were...

 

Sorry, didn't really mean it like that I was just making the point that however strict entry requirements are, the fact that they're no longer enforced shows how desperate they are. Regardless of how un-thuggish and well-rounded the individual might be, I can't see that tattoos & shaved hair are a good look for front-line public servants - call me old-fashioned/a wanker but small details count imo.

 

 

No apologies needed me old teapot.

 

Anyone know who is this e-TOOL person is? Seems like some sort of keyboard warrior/advanced stage muppet, to be frank. Another one for the ignore list I reckon, he's brought f*ck all to the party so far and isn't ever likely to by the look of things.

[iFool]

No. I came here because I thought it might be a good forum for old cars. But I've been told to sod off so I will. Thanks a lot.

[messerschmitt owner]

No. I came here because I thought it might be a good forum for old cars. But I've been told to sod off so I will. Thanks a lot.

forums require give and take!

 

Tell us about your cars! What do you own now? What did you have last?

 

Go on go on go on!

[dollywobbler]

No. I came here because I thought it might be a good forum for old cars. But I've been told to sod off so I will. Thanks a lot.

 

Then talk cars. I don't want you to leave, but you do need to expect disagreements when not talking about a love of old shite motor cars.

[Magnificent Rustbucket]

Countries don't go bad overnight. It takes years of chip chip chipping away at hard fought freedoms...usually because it makes someone's life a bit easier...after a while it becomes the norm behaviour acceptable cos the computer says it is...the Nazis didn't start gassing Jews overnight...the erosion of their rights and worse the German people's acceptance of it as the norm started by police being given one statutory power after another. See 'Nazi Terror' by Eric Johnson, a ten year study based on first hand and eye witness evidence of the slow extension of the German police from public servants to genocidal criminals and you can see the pattern and why it is very important to nip this sort of thing in the bud. The old saying

 

Quid praetor ipso praetorium

 

(Who polices the police?)

 

Is as relevant today as it was when some Roman said it 2000 odd years ago.

 

Thanks for all your good wishes, family still very upset about it..the sort of thing a five year old remembers.

 

I agree with this; indeed feel quite strongly about it. Civil society and the rule of law is a precious, fragile thing sadly often only missed after it is gone. Its erosion is slow but relentless and all around us.

 

That’s why I believe it is not only right for you to make as much noise as you can, but that it is your duty to do so.

 

 

 

I've had a few brushes with the Dibble over the years, but even though I've met a few truly awful examples I've got to say I've met just as many excellent officers.

 

It can't be an easy job, and they are lumped with billions of rules about what they can and can't do when a bit of common sense would make more sense, but it's not something I'd want to do for a living. Not even if I got to chase folk in fast cars.

 

Nah, give 'em due. There are tossers in every walk of life, it's just that uniforms can make some tossers ten times worse. We do need the Police, they do do a lot of things we all take for granted and do them brilliantly.

 

I know there are a few 'bobbies' who read and post on here who've said nothing. That can't be easy with some of the stuff being said here, but it's a sign that the boys in blue are better than we think and take a lot of shit on a daily basis. Can't be easy.

 

 

Though I agree Scooters has been badly failed by the Justice system (not just the police), I also feel compelled to relate a more positive story.

 

A couple of years ago following a catastrophic series of NHS blunders over an extended period of time, my father died.

 

Since the hospital wanted to keep my dad in a cupboard in order that other patients could not hear him calling out (the doctor backed by nursing staff reasoned that “it doesn’t matter because he is vegetable now – he won’t know any differentâ€Â), he ended his life in St Rocco’s Hospice in Warrington – a marvellous place with incredible standards of nursing and a superb, genuinely caring palliative specialist.

 

Since my father never received a diagnosis, his was an unexplained death and he needed to be seen by the coroner and an autopsy needed to be conducted. Consequently, I needed to identify his body for the police.

 

In stark contrast to the majority of doctors and nurses in the NHS who were at best dismissive, the police conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism and genuine sensitivity. Identifying your father’s corpse isn’t an especially easy thing to do, but the professionalism of the officers attending that day minimised the pain.

[alf892]

I got the coppers round a bit sharp once. I found a nice Honda 550/4 dumped in a spinney near us........pretty obviously nicked so I rung it in. Panda car came and pulled up to spinney but no one got out. Panda car drove off. Gang of lads turned up and torched the bike. I was pretty pissed off as some poor bugger could have had their bike back if the cops had extracted fingers.

Later received 'customer care' type call from cops office about reponse. I told them I was extremely impressed by response time but that the reponse itself lacked substance. What exactly do you mean he asked. I responded by saying.........well you did fuck all but you started to do it as soon as I rung you..........and put phone down.

 

30 mins later had a sarg at the door to discuss about my 'atttitude'.....

[forddeliveryboy]

Countries don't go bad overnight. It takes years of chip chip chipping away at hard fought freedoms...usually because it makes someone's life a bit easier...after a while it becomes the norm behaviour acceptable cos the computer says it is...the Nazis didn't start gassing Jews overnight...the erosion of their rights and worse the German people's acceptance of it as the norm started by police being given one statutory power after another. See 'Nazi Terror' by Eric Johnson, a ten year study based on first hand and eye witness evidence of the slow extension of the German police from public servants to genocidal criminals and you can see the pattern and why it is very important to nip this sort of thing in the bud. The old saying

 

Quid praetor ipso praetorium

 

(Who polices the police?)

 

Is as relevant today as it was when some Roman said it 2000 odd years ago.

 

Thanks for all your good wishes, family still very upset about it..the sort of thing a five year old remembers.

 

Well said. The fact that an MP warned someone off complaining about poor treatment by the police because they'd be harrassed by them says it all.

[gtd2000]

I think there's a few points being brought up here that are really missing the point.

 

This whole scenario is not due to driving a shitter - it's (according to my understanding) due to a cop that's not been truthful about the database records for the car and you could have been driving anything for that to happen.

 

All this talk about "Nazis".

 

**Let be very honest here, the Nazis were not nearly as bad (I'm not suggesting they were good either!) as the "Communists" when it came to genocide and a range of other nasties. (I think part of the problem here is that many people of Jewish heritage don't want to let it drop but at the same time they conveniently ignore the fact that Carl Marx who was of Jewish orgin and caused more problems for the rest of the human race...). **

 

**Yes there is a bit of a dose of ironic humour in the above statement**

 

Back on track - having started my motoring life on the roads on two wheels - I've always held a fairly dim view of the Police.

 

It's true that now and again you meet a traffic cop that's a decent sort but more often than not you meet some twat in a uniform that's trying to impress his colleague by trying to be a bit of a smart arse.....and failing miserably when you know that everything is in order from your side.

[oman5]

People can only form a judgement based on their own personal experiences. Up until I was early -mid 20s, I had the utmost respect for the Police, and got extremely annoyed with people who called them "Pigs".

However...as the majority of people who have had anything to do with the Police in Newport, s.wales would tell you, that particular force are deserving of any derisory name you care to mention and bring it upon themselves. I've never come across such a bunch of arrogant, incompetant,pig ignorant liars in my life. This particular force is a case in point of everything thats wrong with modern policing in this country. quick as a flash to prosecute for doing 32mph while 100 yards away people are openly dealing drugs. If you dare to report something such as a burglary, the response you get is pretty much "so? what d'you expect us to do about it?"

I got pulled in the sherpa 2.0D, they claimed I was going that fast in a 30 limit they couldn't catch me. I was actually running a GPS whatsit to monitor my speed as I was dubious of the van's speedo (it was spot on)and that van was so bloody slow it only just got to 30 after pulling away from a green traffic light when they stopped me. Really nasty and obnoxious couple of oinkers, they would not let it go that I was speeding. so I asked them for evidence. "We both saw you" they replied.

"no, I mean admissable evidence. a speed gun/radar reading/photograph. "

at which point they got quite stroppy asking me if I was trying to be a smartarse, etc but having to have the last word, said "We'll just warn you this time, keep your speed down in future"

I can understand to a point, because Newport is a complete shithole of a place and there are only so many police officers, but their attitude is appalling.

In contrast, up in the welsh valleys where I live, I have only ever been met with courtesy. I got stopped on the way home at 2.30 AM in the same shitbox van which looked every inch the scrapyard refugee it was, (I was expecting to get pulled more often than I did in that thing) and the copper didn't even come up with "routine stop/you were weaving about" bullshit excuse. with the amount of metal thefts in the area (pikeys) they were wary of anyone in a dodgey looking van and he was very apologetic for stopping me once he realised I was just a blue collar on my way home from night shift. Politeness costs nothing but goes a long way.

[Albert Ross]

Many, many wonderful years ago, (1989) I was taking a friend home from a Dr.Feelgood gig in Buckley in North Wales. We were approaching his village (well, clump of dwellings) and the car behind got a touch brighter.... blueish, you might say. I hadn't been drinking, but my passenger had. I was in a 20 year old Land Rover, out of reg. area, and in the middle of the night. They went through documents, breathalysed me, and asked me what I had in the back... I wasn't certain to be honest. I found half a crate of STRONG lager and a bottle (unopened) of whisky under tarps, toolboxes, spares, etc, in a watertight Ex-MOD crate. I asked them if that was a problem. The "lead" plod dropped his hand on the lager, and said (verbatim) "I don't see a problem Brother...... Do you?" And winked at me. He lifted the lager, and waved us on our merry way. I NEVER had an issue in North Wales after that. MInd, that WAS a while ago. Times have changed I guess.

[M'coli]

Re: politeness going a long way - I believe that it has helped me in the past, notably on a Saturday night in early 1994 in Dumbarton in my beige X-reg Metro. Stopped by a Polis Sherpa van just after the pool, I got out and asked "How can I help you officer?", while one of the lads I was knocking about with that night got drinkenly out of the passenger door and "attempted" to help. He got back into the car after the third time of being told that he'd get arrested if he didn't...

Anyway, I was polite and courteous and explained that I'd just finished work, hadn't had a drink and picked up my "mates" - one was a colleague - but, yes officer, I would take them home before they could do themselves a mischief, and was sent on my way.

 

I had been expecting a tug however - 5 minutes previously my 2 "mates" had managed to squeeze both their heads out of the Metro's front window to shout " Dirty orange bastards!!!" at a panda car with the windows down at Dumbarton quayside!

[Negative Creep]

I always make sure I'm polite if dealing with the Police, since virtually every one I've spoken to outside the job mentions the "attitude test". In fact it may have saved me on a few occasions when pulled over in cars that "may" not have been road legal. I couldn't do their job; they deal with complete scum day in, day out, and the scum know more about their rights than the Officers do. The Police have rules to adhere to, criminals do not.

[eddyramrod]

^^WHS. Polite-and-willing is good in a traffic stop situation. May possibly not work all the time though...

[Cavcraft]

I always make sure I'm polite if dealing with the Police, since virtually every one I've spoken to outside the job mentions the "attitude test". In fact it may have saved me on a few occasions when pulled over in cars that "may" not have been road legal. I couldn't do their job; they deal with complete scum day in, day out, and the scum know more about their rights than the Officers do. The Police have rules to adhere to, criminals do not.

 

 

This. If I did their job (and I couldn't) I reckon my sense of humour would probably stretch to the 2nd car I'd pulled that day that was being piloted by some cock wad or other who got lippy.

I do think some coppers probably get a bad press for being a bit wanky, but what you don't always get is the full or honest side of the story. If I pulled someone over and they immediately started mouthing off I'd just keep them there for ages and do everything I could to find something to 'do' them for.

[catsinthewelder]

Don't give up on it mate, I really feel for you as I've been on both ends of the law in my time and despite the twats a good deal of them are sound people doing thier job as best as they can. Sounds like the court official deserves something shit in his life to happen and I hope a computer error results in somebody buldozing the DVLA

 

I always make sure I'm polite if dealing with the Police, since virtually every one I've spoken to outside the job mentions the "attitude test". In fact it may have saved me on a few occasions when pulled over in cars that "may" not have been road legal. I couldn't do their job; they deal with complete scum day in, day out, and the scum know more about their rights than the Officers do. The Police have rules to adhere to, criminals do not.

 

On that score I'll always remember stopping to see some boy racer 'mates' on the way home from work, late on a Friday night when young and stupid. My legit 125cc Honda was off the road with electrical gremlins so I was illegally using a 400cc Suzuki Bandit with no licence, T+T, insurance or tread on the back tyre. To add insult to injury it had a race exhaust and small plate. They were up palace green in Durham so I pulled up to see what was happening. Plod pulled up next to me and an older fella and youngish lass get out. The fella gives the lads hell, checks every tyre and gives them all producers while I get nattering to the lass about bikes in general, she had a 400 of some sort and I steered the conversation that way. After a bit they're radios buzzed up something and they shot off. The others were less than amused to find that I'd got away scot free

[scooters]

I always make sure I'm polite if dealing with the Police, since virtually every one I've spoken to outside the job mentions the "attitude test". In fact it may have saved me on a few occasions when pulled over in cars that "may" not have been road legal. I couldn't do their job; they deal with complete scum day in, day out, and the scum know more about their rights than the Officers do. The Police have rules to adhere to, criminals do not.

 

Speaking to a mate who is a cid about this. He said that there is a worrying trend amongst certain sections of the force to see the ideal outcome of engaging with the public as an arrest. This manifests itself as a o compromise, no common sense style..you are either compliant or you are resisting. ANY question however reasonable about their motivation results in being treated as non compliant.

 

He also mentioned that there is parliamentary concern about the standard uniforms they wear these days most of which look aggressive, intimidating and paramilitary and frequently result in the wearers behaving the same way.

 

He advised o follow this up both formally and informally. He also recommended writing down every subsequent encounter should it happen.

 

Whilst they have a tricky job alienating law abiding peaceful families is only going to make it more difficult.

[scooters]

Thanks to you all for your supportive comments over this unpleasantness. It was really the last straw on top of my ongoing health issues. I'm not going to give up being a shitter but will keep the fleet numbers manageable.

 

It's been a crap 2 years, on top if all the economic shit we are all going through in various degrees I've developed a nasty little fucker called Type 3 SOD which isn't a 3 series driver but nasty disorder where the mechanics of the various valves that let bile and pancreatic fluid in are out of sync and not working properly. This causes severe pain and mobility issues about 30-60% of the time. The risks of operating are huge so it's essentially a life long condition which I manage with diet, morphine, tramadol, nefopam, vicodin, a tens machine, rest and lidocaine patches....

 

The drugs affect my moods and despite not being in a wheelchair and looking ok I am effectively disabled.

 

This has had a huge effect my ability to make a living, most of the others I know who have this can no longer work. But I have a young family to support so we are kicking on with a slightly changed business model and am currently setting up a charity to help chronically sick folk secure a career.

 

All depressing but in could be worse, at least it isn't terminal and we could be living in the USA, as is a giffer spec motability vehicle may well be turning up soon and replacing el scoob....I'm the only one in the family who is pissed off it won't be an NHS spec Invalid 3 wheeler!

 

The most annoying thing is because it is invisible, everyone assumes you are ok...the other day a granny berated me because Mrs S had to carry her case up an escalator while I watched.." a strapping lad like yo, you ought to be ashamed!" she said. When Mrs S mentioned that I am weak as a kitten and I'll, she looked at me like I was a WW1 soldier lacking in moral fibre..I've started carrying a walking stick just to make others see there might be an issue....

 

A shonky rover 800, a tweed hat and a walking stick....now where is my pipe?

 

Seriously though Autoshite and the antics on here keep me sane, I might no longer have the budget I used to have and ack strength to do some stuff...you should see the size of my breaker bars! I will always be a shitter thanks to the support and encouragement on AS

[CYANIDE STEVE]

I can fully understand what you are going through scooter. Reading your last post was almost exactly how I feel. Although I have Wegners Granulomatosis which is quite a rare condition. I too look ok from the distance apart from being overweight but close up I sound like Darth Vader due to my Respiratory problems and cannot work as my health varies day by day but hey ho. No matter how down I feel this forum keeps me amused and make me laugh and I still enjoy cars and other shite.

So yes mate I know it's difficult alot of the time but keep your chin up and think happy thoughts

[dollywobbler]

The most annoying thing is because it is invisible, everyone assumes you are ok...the other day a granny berated me because Mrs S had to carry her case up an escalator while I watched.." a strapping lad like yo, you ought to be ashamed!" she said. When Mrs S mentioned that I am weak as a kitten and I'll, she looked at me like I was a WW1 soldier lacking in moral fibre..I've started carrying a walking stick just to make others see there might be an issue....

 

This sort of thing really pisses me off. Women bang on about equality but leave a woman carrying something heavy and you're seen as the spawn of satan. I often have back or knee issues, and my wife is stronger than I am (because she spends a lot of her time working in the garden where I spend mine working at a laptop!) so it's not unusual for my wife to lug stuff about. She's also very determined and very much for equality, so she actually WANTS to cart stuff about! Yet you get some despicable looks. Like you, I think a nice walking stick is in order.

 

However, I'd urge you not to give up the shite motors. Both yourself and Wuv are victims of idiots who borrowed cars. That could have happened with something newer too. Lesson is to actually sell cars to friends and ensure you're no longer responsible for the vehicle. That's what I did with the striped BX - I'm now buying it back. Much better than just lending it.

[CYANIDE STEVE]

The other thing that pisses me right off while we're on the subject (and this should probably go on the grumpy old man thread actually) and that is the fact that I have a blue badge. I park my car or sometimes to other peoples annoyance my Iveco camper in the disabled spots put my blue badge in the window and people are looking at you judging in thier own mind whether you qualify for a blue badge or whether you may be using someone elses!! Ok I don't have a wheel chair either and most of the time I can manage without a stick especially if I've got to carry a few bits out of the shop. It doesn't matter to them whether I'm practically blue in the face where I can't breath after the short walk into the shop or not!!!Grrrrrrrrrrr

[M'coli]

^^^ They'll probably think that you're very unfit and should do some exercise, rather than anything else. Judgemental bunch us humans, aren't we?

[e287yba]

The other thing that pisses me right off while we're on the subject (and this should probably go on the grumpy old man thread actually) and that is the fact that I have a blue badge. I park my car or sometimes to other peoples annoyance my Iveco camper in the disabled spots put my blue badge in the window and people are looking at you judging in thier own mind whether you qualify for a blue badge or whether you may be using someone elses!! Ok I don't have a wheel chair either and most of the time I can manage without a stick especially if I've got to carry a few bits out of the shop. It doesn't matter to them whether I'm practically blue in the face where I can't breath after the short walk into the shop or not!!!Grrrrrrrrrrr

 

If you fancy a 'laugh', use a Blue badge when able-bodied yourself but have just dropped off or are collecting the owner of the Blue Badge. Not good. Grannies are the usual ones mouthing off, but many narrow-minded-wide-mouthed people will make their own opinions of you immediately...

 

It really makes me glad I no longer have to use one. Seriously .

 

And walking slowly with someone who outwardly looks 'fine' but has advanced Myotonic Dystrophy and a benign brain tumour which is fairly widespread through the brain gets a bit wearing after the upteenth "P*ssed at this time of day! That's disgraceful!" remark - again, the oldies were the most vocal.

 

All referring to my late wife, who used a wheelchair towards the end but could hardly get in or out of the car nor speak very well (and the comments from the bitter and twisted didn't stop even then .

 

Just glad I no longer face the abuse that comes with using a Blue Badge legitimately even though I am physically fine .

[CYANIDE STEVE]

^^^ They'll probably think that you're very unfit and should do some exercise, rather than anything else. Judgemental bunch us humans, aren't we?

Yeah, you're probably right there!

[CYANIDE STEVE]

="e287yba]If you fancy a 'laugh', use a Blue badge when able-bodied yourself but have just dropped off or are collecting the owner of the Blue Badge. Not good. Grannies are the usual ones mouthing off, but many narrow-minded-wide-mouthed people will make their own opinions of you immediately...

 

 

It is usually the oldies that are the worst ones for looking at me then the car then me again and tutting and they are probably fitter than me!!

[scooters]

The most annoying thing is because it is invisible, everyone assumes you are ok...the other day a granny berated me because Mrs S had to carry her case up an escalator while I watched.." a strapping lad like yo, you ought to be ashamed!" she said. When Mrs S mentioned that I am weak as a kitten and I'll, she looked at me like I was a WW1 soldier lacking in moral fibre..I've started carrying a walking stick just to make others see there might be an issue....

 

This sort of thing really pisses me off. Women bang on about equality but leave a woman carrying something heavy and you're seen as the spawn of satan. I often have back or knee issues, and my wife is stronger than I am(because she spends a lot of her time working in the garden where I spend mine working at a laptop!) so it's not unusual for my wife to lug stuff about. She's also very determined and very much for equality, so she actually WANTS to cart stuff about! Yet you get some despicable looks. Like you, I think a nice walking stick is in order.

 

However, I'd urge you not to give up the shite motors. Both yourself and Wuv are victims of idiots who borrowed cars. That could have happened with something newer too. Lesson is to actually sell cars to friends and ensure you're no longer responsible for the vehicle. That's what I did with the striped BX - I'm now buying it back. Much better than just lending it.

 

Very pleased you are buying the safari back, when you sell it next I'll have it off you! Only justmissed out last time, by the time I decided to call you it had gone!.... Now the zebra striped bc in a disabled spot! Now you are talking! Imagine the granny centric abuse!

[jakebullet]

I find with blue badge old biddy moaners it helps to try and project an image that you are mentally unstable and likely to kill them at any minute with your rusty old death trap car.

 

Had it myself today. Went to the model engineering thing at Harrogate that was fairly underwater. So they make you park a gajillion miles away and walk in... unless you have the magic badge. Go right where those people are walking, and up to the entrance sir!

 

The biddy moaning eye rollers see you coming but play the game of keep walking up the middle of the road slowly. You can just sod off you old git, I'm in charge here. Drifted to the edge of the road where there was a handy large pond and accelerated. The fuckers soon shifted when they realised it was get soaked followed by being run over.

[Morgan84]

Why should a pensioner with a sore knee get a badge,and no one say a thing,yet a younger person with equal problems,maybe worse get called a fraud and judged by older people

[Cavcraft]

Probably because people feel sorry for them. Perhaps though they just assume that because they are old they must have been disabled in a freak knitting accident, or knackered their left knee over the years by revving their car to 11,000,000 rpm for six hours using the clutch as an aid to get out of a parking spot.