A new low.....

[campbell]

Ah, ok, now I understand you better...

They must ask themselves very, very honestly...did anything else happen in advance of being "pulled" that might have attracted attention from the police? If not...then I would be making a complaint. If yes...then I'd try to be grown up about it, take my medicine, and learn.

The implication being that if they did something questionable earlier, somehow they should be content with being charged with this nonsense instead.

Didn't mean to imply quite that, I wouldn't expect them to be "content" by any means - but what I struggle to understand is why the police would prey upon one of what must be many many cars all with dirty screens. Total and utter speculation on my part because I don't have any further facts, wasn't there etc etc. As with my follow-on point here, I'm just trying to say "don't attract attention", I suppose.

After all, whether they like it or not, "young lads" will automatically come in for extra scrutiny from the police, any slightest opportunity will be used to "have a word", and as a result you do just have to be squeaky clean (sorry) until you look as old as me then they will stop bothering you

Why? This is just a broken concept. Traffic officers should pull over drivers that are behaving badly on the roads, young, old or otherwise, have a word and, when appropriate, charge them.

Why, you ask? Because "that's just the way it is". If any young driver(s) want to mount a campaign to alter this attitude, I would support them wholeheartedly. But it's no secret that authorities focus on them (whether this is justified or not needs more stats and evidence than we can hope to amass here) so why take the chance? Probably a classic case of the minority spoiling it for the majority.

I have simply tried to relate to how Euan and Ian will have found themselves in this scenario, and how they will have felt / reacted, etc, by casting my own 40-something mind back to the things I did in my teens and early twenties.

I agree that any driver of any age deserves to be tugged if they aren't following the rules...we have a few exuberant friends on here who can probably testify to that!...but it's not me implementing the rules, is it.

All in all, the guys are lucky to have Tut and the connections this offers (David jnr in the Met, knowledgeable professionals from SE membership, etc etc) and let's hope this brings a commen sense outcome which demonstrates that victimisation will not succeed

I say again...Merry Christmas!

Campbell

[tut]

Not sure if Robin is replying to your post Campbell, as I think you both have the same view. The normal charges that we receive on here are speeding fines which 90% of the time we just accept. I should know, I had three adding up 11 points.

If Ian is telling the truth, and he has no reason not to as he was not driving, then how the hell could the police come out with that Euan was trying to hide from them? He had no idea that he was going to be pulled for a dirty windscreen
any more than any one of us would have. They were going to collect their skis before they got to to top.

Probably should put this to bed now. One reason that I posted was to let others know what they could be up against, the other was for god sake let them get back to the job that they used to do.

tut

[robin]

Had to pull over on the motorway twice this morning - even though I am using neat screen wash mixed with meths, the washer pipes still iced up with the wind chill when we hit the M8/M74 junction. Then we hit some sleet and this froze solid on the screen instantly despite the heater being on skin-removing heat, full blast up against the windscreen.

I was lucky not to receive a ticket

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

Where were you off to Robin, conscience hit you so buying last minute Xmas presents?

[robin]

No, we left Edinburgh this morning and headed down to the inlaws near Croydon. Easy run down apart from the freezing/wet conditions at the top of the M74. Was a comfortable 7:30 door to door, which isn't bad for the old bus fully laden with Katie, the boys and the dog, plus all the stuff required for a couple of weeks down here

Cheers,
Robin

[tut]

Enjoy, keep in touch.

tut

[jen]

My folks friends stay in Purley, near Croydon. Are you anywhere near there Robin?

Jen

[robin]

Yes, Purley just round the corner and where we used to hang out as kids - there were three pubs in a triangle, the Jolly Farmers (happy to serve underage), the Railway (full of proper bikers/hells angels types) and one other that we never went in - was for old people I think

Purley also famous for being the home of Terry and June

Cheers,
Robin

[H8OAG]

Is your wife from Purley?
Say no more............Say no more
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT3_UCm1A5I

[jen]

Ah ok, they used to stay in Hartleyhill in Purley (practically right at the top!) then they moved to Appledown Rise in Coulsdon, but that house is for sale as they've bought a house in Wales.

Hope you're having a nice trip!!

[Modena Scotland]

I used to live in Croydon for about 10 years, on & off.