Safe Speed Forums

Now let me start off by declaring that I know I'm technically in the wrong in this case, but my point is about the ludicrous waste of resource when in fact I was endeavouring to avoid it.

Let me paint the picture…………(Sorry it's a bit of a yarn.)

While driving home from work last Tuesday night, I had a slight altercation with an artic' whose driver thought my car would look better without a drivers side mirror.

Whilst I thought it unnecessary, the lorry driver insisted on Police attendance. Once they arrived I was invited into his 'office' to have my particulars taken. Whilst I was in the car I notice he had one of those ANPR systems on board, (You know the ones that check with the DVLA for tax disk evasion and in particular in this case, valid insurance.). Now, while I suppose I really should, I'm not in the habit of carrying my insurance certificate with me, so the Policeman issued me with a HO/RT 1 'producer' form and told me to produce my insurance certificate within seven days at a Police station of my choice. When I asked him why he didn't just check his gadget, he spouted something about data protection which I took with a pinch of salt, but I was in no position to argue. Once my 'interview was complete, I went on my merry way resisting the urge to gesticulate offensively to the driver of the lorry.

Fast forward to this Tuesday morning and it dawned on me that my seven days were up!! (Oooops!!). So as I didn't have to be at work until lunchtime today I reckoned I could nip up to the local Cop Shop with my document(s). Sadly I couldn't find my insurance certificate so I ordered a copy from my insurance company then called the Central Scotland Traffic Police HQ to explain the situation and hopefully gain a couple of days extension. To cut a long story short, they said I had to report to my local nick which I duly did.

So I explained my case to the PO behind the desk to which she said that they'd have to officially charge me with 'failure to produce required documentation'.

Once I'd managed to pick my jaw up from the floor I'm ushered into a little interview room where I sat with two Sergeants for a frickin' hour while they took a statement from me and read me my rights!! A report is being sent to the Procurator Fiscal! (Scottish CPS.)

It took all the willpower I had not to kill myself laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all, ask them if they were joking and/or look for the Candid Cameras!

To give them their due, the officers I spoke with agreed that it was a pointless exercise.

What a waste of three peoples time and tax payers money!!

So I guess I'm now a bona fide criminal!!!

I'm just glad I didn't get chucked in the cells with a big bloke called Bubba who was looking for new fiancé.

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If I have to explain you won't understand.