Police target illegal number plates - Page 7

MangoMan · 24th July 2012, 09:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpio stu

Right, I'm off to do something positive rather than listening to you lot moan about the police...I'm going to clean the car

I could swear you said that about 20 posts ago......lol.

rich17865 · 24th July 2012, 11:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by philjudo

I would also like to stick up for our under resourced over stretched police service, they do their best with what they have got.-----------------------

If they as under resourced as they say then their priority must be to raise revenue by easy targets. Catching muggers or drug dealers brings nothing to the coffers in fact it costs the public purse many thousands in court cases.Then they give out meaningless sentences or fines which are never paid which ends up costing more money to persue the none payment.
The motorist on the other hand is a stone blind bet. Catch a motorist and its odds on the fine will be paid.
The Police year on year are loosing the respect of the people they serve, The crime rate is falling, "Or so we hear" to keep the masses happy, What that really means is, It's a waste of time reporting crime because nothing is done.The Police offer a crime number over the phone to pass on to your insurance company and tell you they will be in touch. Yea right. I witnessed a crime and the Police said they would come and take a statement, It was a burglary where I saw the guy clearly and even got the Reg No of his car, That was 8yrs ago and no Police have been despite me ringing to ask and also speaking to a beat officer who assured me that an officer would come. I know they are busy but 8yrs.
Business as usual for Muggers,Thieves or Drug dealers but you mis-space a letter by a fingers width and you are a really bad person.

The officer on the beat does what he is told, my old man did his 30 years service, when he joined it was about nicking criminals and keeping order. Towards the end of his career it was all about box ticking, brown nosing and keeping paperwork done. He said he hated the job in the end, but simply stayed for the pension. He also said they don't have the manpower to fight real crime anymore.

One person arrested makes about 4 hours of paperwork, not including court visits if they end up there too. One fine is fed into a machine and issued automatically. Which one makes the numbers up so the news report more criminals caught?

Go figure.

wraymond · 24th July 2012, 11:50

Problems arise when the politicos work out the odds against anything they do having a bad effect on them. Govs. rarely go more than four years and even if the country votes for a change the number of MP’s that lose their seat is tiny. So in reality very few are ever faced with losing their livelihood. So their incomes remain, except ministerial, and they can go on making the same blatant self-serving catastrophic decisions that their upbringing and connections seem to let them think they are entitled to. Yes, alright, I admit to slight bias.

Insofar as implementation of existing laws is concerned, they aren’t. At least rarely, when the crime is committed by the people on the people. It don’t matter see? The more attention is paid to horny-handed offending against the horny-handed, the more it costs the state (see Kaiser earlier).

The police used to be proactive in that local coppers had a deep knowledge of what was going on and could more easily get to a result. No, that’s not a naïve rose-tinted nostalgic view, it’s a fact. Part of my family were CID Liverpool many years ago and others Essex police. With the outsourcing that goes on now, witness G4, the police have, with government help, not been required to vigorously pursue what was once thought of as important. That’s not the fault of the police, but being the ’thin blue line’ they take the flack. With pro-activity gone, reactivity expands (with the help of IT). But of course that also means they only have to do something about it if they want to. Or have to, as a result of embarrassing publicity. So loads and loads go by the board. Priorities see.

Hence ANPR. In America, the ’real’ plates are called vanity plates. Fair enough I suppose. The adulterated ones with incorrect spacing and various splatterings of pseudo punctuation rivets are pathetic reminders to everyone else that ’I’d love one of those but I really haven’t got the money so I’ll make do. Do you think anyone will notice?’ But altered plates are only one, although important, aspect. They also throw up Untaxed, Uninsured, Un-MOT’d, Stolen, Noted as being involved in crime,
terrorism, and a whole host of other categories. Would anybody say nay to that?

rich17865 · 24th July 2012, 11:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

That is just not logical.

If set at the correct level, all it would do is make those who make more use of their vehicles, pay more for that use. Thinking now with the present system, could be I have pre-paid to be able to use my vehicle on the road, so I may as well make use of it.

All that would happen is that people would be stealing fuel left right and centre, your car would be targeted as soon as you leave the petrol station, you would make a massive crime overnight from fuel theft alone. People who couldn't afford to use their cars because of tax costs now would, crime would be up, traffic increased, sounds a bit pants to me.

At least with a tax disc, you can prove you have paid and for which vehicle, that way nobody has any point in nicking it for their car, seems logical to me.

rover54 · 24th July 2012, 12:13

The problem is by and large not down to police who have to go face-to-face with the public, the problem is further up the tree as they set the rules whereby those on the street can exercise good judgment. They in turn are under pressure from government to generate revenue to fund not only the police, but other public services. The equation is motorist breaks our rules, motorist pays; instead it should be motorist, was offence serious, if no, let them off with a warning as our role is not only to punish, by educate as well. Investment in education will pay dividend in the long run as motorists will respect the police and again start to help them. These petty fines aimed at the motorist are driving a wedge between the populous and the police.

Reebs · 24th July 2012, 12:16

It's a polarising topic, and one that many of us, myself included, have had first hand experience of (regarding the opening post that is).

As is inevitable in these sorts of discussions, the focus quickly moves to the whys and wherefores of policing in general, opening up a much wider core of debate. Please be mindful and respect others points of view, even if they do not sit well with your own. This is not aimed at any one individual but a friendly reminder to all here.

Thread moved to the social section to reflect the direction of the debate.

scorpio stu · 24th July 2012, 12:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by MangoMan

I could swear you said that about 20 posts ago......lol.

I did lol and it's now clean again. Your MR2 on the other hand is probably filthy as it's in the south of France on holiday !

MangoMan · 24th July 2012, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by scorpio stu

I did lol and it's now clean again. ...... lol....

....Your MR2 on the other hand is probably filthy as it's in the south of France on holiday !...... Would still love to see some pics......

..Thanks........ Love the colour of your car by the way!

HarryM1BYT · 24th July 2012, 16:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by rover54

The equation is motorist breaks our rules, motorist pays; instead it should be motorist, was offence serious, if no, let them off with a warning as our role is not only to punish, by educate as well. Investment in education will pay dividend in the long run as motorists will respect the police and again start to help them. These petty fines aimed at the motorist are driving a wedge between the populous and the police.

There is a perfectly good reason why the number plate should be clear to be read, therefore the law should enforce it. There is a perfectly good reason why you are not allowed to use front fog lights just because you have them, therefore the law should be enforced.

Whats to educate? Most people know, or should know, why these things are against the law, so no need for any leniency. Leniency deserves to be shown only when there is room for some doubt - there is no doubt that illegal number plates have deliberately been fitted, or fog lights have been deliberately turned on.

24th July 2012, 12:16	#66
Reebs Owners Club Director Rover 75 Conn SE V6 / MG ZT 260 SE V8 / MG ZT 180 SE V6 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Southampton Posts: 20,941 Thanks: 645 Thanked 6,851 Times in 2,537 Posts	It's a polarising topic, and one that many of us, myself included, have had first hand experience of (regarding the opening post that is). As is inevitable in these sorts of discussions, the focus quickly moves to the whys and wherefores of policing in general, opening up a much wider core of debate. Please be mindful and respect others points of view, even if they do not sit well with your own. This is not aimed at any one individual but a friendly reminder to all here. Thread moved to the social section to reflect the direction of the debate. __________________ Check your trim here . Check your spec here Check your colour here . Check Project Drive here Check your original price here

24th July 2012, 11:50	#63
wraymond This is my second home 75 Auto 2.5 SE Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Westcliff on Sea Posts: 5,195 Thanks: 423 Thanked 1,680 Times in 1,014 Posts	Problems arise when the politicos work out the odds against anything they do having a bad effect on them. Govs. rarely go more than four years and even if the country votes for a change the number of MP’s that lose their seat is tiny. So in reality very few are ever faced with losing their livelihood. So their incomes remain, except ministerial, and they can go on making the same blatant self-serving catastrophic decisions that their upbringing and connections seem to let them think they are entitled to. Yes, alright, I admit to slight bias. Insofar as implementation of existing laws is concerned, they aren’t. At least rarely, when the crime is committed by the people on the people. It don’t matter see? The more attention is paid to horny-handed offending against the horny-handed, the more it costs the state (see Kaiser earlier). The police used to be proactive in that local coppers had a deep knowledge of what was going on and could more easily get to a result. No, that’s not a naïve rose-tinted nostalgic view, it’s a fact. Part of my family were CID Liverpool many years ago and others Essex police. With the outsourcing that goes on now, witness G4, the police have, with government help, not been required to vigorously pursue what was once thought of as important. That’s not the fault of the police, but being the ’thin blue line’ they take the flack. With pro-activity gone, reactivity expands (with the help of IT). But of course that also means they only have to do something about it if they want to. Or have to, as a result of embarrassing publicity. So loads and loads go by the board. Priorities see. Hence ANPR. In America, the ’real’ plates are called vanity plates. Fair enough I suppose. The adulterated ones with incorrect spacing and various splatterings of pseudo punctuation rivets are pathetic reminders to everyone else that ’I’d love one of those but I really haven’t got the money so I’ll make do. Do you think anyone will notice?’ But altered plates are only one, although important, aspect. They also throw up Untaxed, Uninsured, Un-MOT’d, Stolen, Noted as being involved in crime, terrorism, and a whole host of other categories. Would anybody say nay to that?

24th July 2012, 12:13	#65
rover54 Retired rover 75 v6 Auto Conn. SE 54 plate LPG and 2006 Rover 75 v6 Auto LPG , 1.8 r75 Manual Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: London Posts: 3,379 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 6 Posts	The problem is by and large not down to police who have to go face-to-face with the public, the problem is further up the tree as they set the rules whereby those on the street can exercise good judgment. They in turn are under pressure from government to generate revenue to fund not only the police, but other public services. The equation is motorist breaks our rules, motorist pays; instead it should be motorist, was offence serious, if no, let them off with a warning as our role is not only to punish, by educate as well. Investment in education will pay dividend in the long run as motorists will respect the police and again start to help them. These petty fines aimed at the motorist are driving a wedge between the populous and the police.