Road Wars on Sky1

[Snow Patrol]

Good innit? LOL

[number 6]

Why are most coppers shaven headed little hitlers??or is that just how they come across in this show

[JonnyHungwell]

Most police officers are like that these days - it stops thugs grabbing them by the hair. Trouble is they're only prepared to be Little Hitlers with the decent folk they stop, as they're scared of real criminals --- or can't be hassled with the paperwork. It's easier to give out tickets for using a phone or not wearing a seat belt than stopping people being stabbed by out-of-control hooligans.

[Peter]

What really pisses me off about these programmes is the non-punishment the culprits get. On the street wars prog. people regularly fight in the street, take a swing a cops, resist arrest, smash windows, and the voice over says "released the next morning with a caution"

No wonder this country is in so much shit.

[one eyed jack]

No wonder this country is in so much shit.

Yeah but when an officer does bash someone to fuckery they'll be hauled over the coals for police brutality and risk losing their jobs so thy're damned if they do and damned if they dont really.

[Peter]

I'm not asking for summary justice on the street, just a proper punishment which serves to put people off doing it again, or others doing similar.

Late last year, near me, some scummer decided it would be a laugh to smash the big windows in four different shops on his way home from the pub. His 'punishment' was just a ?250 fine and bound over for 2 years. He should have at least had to foot the ?5000+ bill for the damage he caused, regardless of the personal hardship caused to him. If he had to sell his car, home or other possessions to pay for the problems he caused, then so be it.

[Mysteryman]

Peter, you've got it dead right.

Another thing about RW is how many times the cops try to stop a chase by having cars block the path of a fleeing car only to have the car avoid the block.

Then there is the mobile phone thing. Whilst most of the RW cars have two crew there are many other British cop progs out there where the cars are single manned yet they use hand held phones/radios.

The all knowing traffic police would tell you that they have received training. Whilst I think all mobile phones should only be used hands free, I just wonder how much the training of, say, a 33 year old traffic cop better equips him to use a hand held device in a high adrenalin situation compared to, say, me with 43 years driving experience in over 30 countries, over 1.5 million miles under the belt on all types of vehicles from cars to vans to trucks and small buses with advanced driver, skid pan and defensive driving training.

I'd put myself alongside any police driver for skill and experience yet they get dispensations to "allow them to carry out their work", which may be fair enough, except the average British traffic cop's attitude is so high and mighty, brooking no argument and full of self righteousness, that such dispensations only serve to enhance the high opinion they have of themselves - which comes across in RW and other such progs.

[Peter]

The phone thing is just taxation by fining, like you say, all drivers are automatically dangerous if they use a phone, whereas police officers and taxi drivers aren't when using radios.

(I always use bluetooth hands free)

[mrmcfister]

Must say traffic cops do come across as despising the public...I have seen similar progs since the 1980s and they do look down on the drivers.Suppose they do deal with idiots though and have little to do with normal law abiding folk.

[number 6]

Now they are nicking some poor sod who had the cheek to swear when he reported a crime...you have to love the police.