Mrs Dipstick breaks down twenty miles from home. She calls the AA and then me. I go out to wait with her.
It's very dark, chucking it too, as in so hard nobody is going to stand out in it when there's a car to sit in. I park in front of her. She has just hazards on. We're on a main street through town but no streetlights in the immediate vicinity.
Police car pulls up. "Don't do that, it's dangerous. Put your car BEHIND hers with hazards on and sit in hers. If someone hits yours you have a buffer."
I move mine behind hers under police instruction.
We wait a while. Another police car pulls up (What are the odds, eh?)
"You've parked on a double yellow line."
"I know, but it's safer, one of your colleagues.."
"Rubbish, you can never park on a double yellow line."
"Yes, but one of your..."
"I can't sit here all night arguing with you. MOVE it."
I put my car in front again, and we sit with the lorries just whizzing past. The first police car appears in the distance...
Well, in fact they were in a hurry and went the other way quickly, more important things to worry about. But if she HAD stopped, what the heck was I going to say?
All very well saying "get names and numbers" but in those circumstances one just doesn't! Well, this one didn't anyway.
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As an ex sqaddie I know the answer. Always obey the last order and make sure you know the name of the one who gave it.
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. I park in front of her. >> Police car pulls up. "Don't do that, it's dangerous. Put your car BEHIND hers with hazards on and sit in hers. If someone hits yours you have a buffer."
Why didn't you just sit in the front car? (Yours)
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We did. Police thought mine was larger and more visible (big silver saloon as opposed to little dark green sports car)
So mine goes to back. We sit in hers again at the front until police tell us to swap. #
We were always in the front car, the issue was simply that we were swapping mine back and forth like charlies.
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Push her car forwards 10 yards so yours could be behind it and not on the double yellows?
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Suggest you contact the local constabulary and raise this with them.
The police officers should have made notes of this in their pocket books. So assuming they did it should be fairly easy for a senior officer to investigate.
I know some will say "wast of time etc, but unless we provide feedback then similar instances will continue to happen.
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Agree with Chedder, would certainly have tried to push the vehicle away from the double yellows.
They would have been road markings, for a reason, you mentioned the passing traffic, so it would have been safer.
I'd also have asked the first officers, to help!!
Plus of course, you must feel lucky, having such a strong & enquiring Police prsence, interested in what was going on!!
VBc
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Double standards .... What a suprise!
-aul
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why didnt you push the broken down vehicle onto the pavement?i think we are all agreed its the safest place;)
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=37...5
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If there had been somewhere close by where you could have parked your car and waited in safety, but still able to see when the AA van arrived that might have worked, but perhaps that wasn't an option.
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Pushing it wasn't an option I fear, simply cos of the position (and weather!). No pavement there either - big kerb onto very muddy grass.
Oh well, not worked up about it, just left slightly baffled as to how to react to contradictory orders from Authority.
You can tell I've not had much to do with the police, can't you!
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They didn't offer to tow your wifes car out of harms way then?.A few years ago,my car broke down on the motorway.The police who stopped weren't interested in helping,and drove off.Fortunately another motorist stopped and gave assistance.
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