In 2009, of course, even doing something legal can get you stopped and threatened by police officers with no knowledge of the law and too much time on their hands:
However, Sam was stopped by the police while riding through Gravesend town centre on June 3.That’s, assuming only one officer in the police car, four police for one teenager harmlessly riding his mobility scooter?
He says two officers on foot, one on a bicycle and a police car swooped on him outside Debenhams as he rolled alongside his friends.
It’s only a wonder they didn’t call in an ARV and a helicopter…
“They threatened to arrest me for dangerous driving, add three points to my provisional driving licence, tow away the scooter and fine me £110”, he says.What..?!?
However, after a lengthy discussion the officers let Sam go with a warning and he drove home.
He said: “I was shocked by the police reaction because I was not doing anything wrong.So, Sam can expect an apology from the police for this attempt to intimidate a young man by threatening him with a non-crime, and some retraining for the police who don’t seem to know what the law is, or what their powers entitle them to do?
“I wasn’t driving dangerously, I was driving around people and stopping to let them pass, and the fastest I can go is walking pace.
“And there’s nothing illegal about me driving the scooter - I checked and its not against the law to drive one if you’re not disabled.”
He added: “The amount of police officers who came, it was as though they thought I was going to try to escape in it, even though it only does 4mph."
Yeah, right:
Chief Inspector Pete Ayling, of Kent police, says the officers response was “proportionate” because Sam was “thought to be acting in an anti-social manner” .So, when it became apparent that he wasn’t acting in an anti-social manner, was it still ‘appropriate’ for your officers to threaten him with something that wasn’t even an offence, and issue a warning about….well, what, exactly?
He added: “The number of officers involved is a consequence of the incident happening in a busy town centre.”
Probably this:
He is aware some people may think it is inappropriate for an able-bodied 17-year-old to ride a mobility scooter, but says: “I don’t think it’s offensive as I’m not hurting anyone, I’m just having fun.Obviously, that can’t be allowed…
Oh, and Mr Ayling? While those officers were harassing a young lad while trying desperately to find something to add to their targets, they weren’t patrolling your ‘busy town centre’, were they?
6 comments:
"it was as though they thought I was going to try to escape in it, even though it only does 4mph."
Reminds me of that scene in the Simpsons where Bart and Homer make their escape from an angry crowd. In a carnival float. Veerrry slowly.
4mph sounds pretty dangerous to me - you could easily bruise someone's foot if you rode over it at that speed.
Gosh, coppers trying it on against an easy target. One would never have guessed.
I don't know Gravesend, but if it is anything like neighbouring towns then it has a serious problem with anti-social behaviour far, far worse than this chap's 'alleged' crimes. Police are doing f-all about that.
Surely not a Blitzkrieg response to the mere suspicion of anti social behaviour? This teenager must be assured of proportionate policing in the UK. We have no instances when such suspects are thrown to the ground, sat upon by several burly policemen, repeatedly tasered and punched before being hurled into the back of a police van.
Unless, of course, contrary evidence exists......
It is Gravesend. The gene pool is very shallow. Why is this otherwise fit young cherub riding around on a moby scoot? More to this story I'm sure. As Rob said Gravesend and the Medway Towns have enough to keep plod busy.
"Reminds me of that scene in the Simpsons where Bart and Homer make their escape from an angry crowd. In a carnival float. Veerrry slowly."
Heh! Indeed...
"Gosh, coppers trying it on against an easy target. "
And yet, when they tackle a less-than-easy target there's mass hysteria in the media. I'm beginning to think they can't win...
"It is Gravesend. The gene pool is very shallow."
I know Gravesend quite well, and you're not wrong. It's a gene pool that could do with a hell of a lot of chlorine...
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