Drivers are facing severe delays this morning with reports of tailbacks up to six miles long on the A47 at Postwick. A spokesman for Norfolk Constabulary said the rush-hour highway disruption was due to people being stopped for a traffic census.When will people learn not to give the government this information?
They cannot compel you to do this or answer their questions (though you do have to stop for the police) and if enough people refused, they’d soon get the message.
Certainly, complaining about it on Twitter isn't going to achieve a thing!
This morning people were taking to social media site twiitter (sic) to register their frustration.
@dyblew said: “Stuck on the A47 and running late because of a census. Not a happy bunny”
@alexandrapow87 said: “Avoid the a47 to norwich like the plague this morning tweeps #traffic #standstill”
@staceymac16 said: “The stupid census they r doin in norwich has made me late again. 5 times now. Avoid a47 east bound between trowse & Broadland business park”The police won’t care that they've held up motorists. Why should they? They can legitimately claim ‘Just doing my job!’…
dave123 Do what I would do and give them completely untrue information or throw the card away. There must be better ways of doing these things nowadays!!!Well, quite. But I suppose they wouldn't give the Department of Transport staff the warm glow they must feel at holding up everyone so they can ask their pointless questions…
Not a new thing, this 'traffic census'.
ReplyDeleteI was stopped on a road in north London back in 2002 for the same reason. "Am I legally obliged to answer your questions?" I asked the stroppily gurning idiot.
"No," said she, "But..."
I cut her off, "Then please step away from my vehicle and good day."
I wound up the window and stonily refused to even look at the official.
Last time I was asked [long time ago]
ReplyDeleteI refused to answer anything
and drove orf.
As ever, it's not about the 'X', it's about showing us who's boss.
ReplyDeleteNever provide plod with a 'legitimate' excuse for the day's wild car chase. You know, the one culminating with a uniformed jade-brain jumping on your bonnet to smash the windscreen.
ReplyDeleteJust make the best of such stops by politely volunteering complete fiction.
Nice one Melvin,I expected my name to get mentioned on here soon.
ReplyDeleteVolunteer complete fiction? Like qualifications you do not have?
Stonyground says:
ReplyDeleteI've never been pulled over and invited to take part in a census but I have encountered the Police camped out in a lay-by pulling random, innocent, motorists over and examining their vehicles for defects. I was out on my perfectly maintained Triumph Daytona 900 when I was pulled over. They tried to tell me that my chain was too slack. I explained that my chain was adjusted exactly in line with the instructions in the owners' manual and, since I was only a mile and a half from home, I would be happy to go and get said manual and refer them to the relevant passage. At this point they allowed me to go on my way.
The problem is, that in every day life, we have to strike a balance between putting up with this kind of thing, and kicking off and saying that we won't. Kicking off on your own is pretty ineffective. How to get the rest of the oppressed masses to join in is the problem.
Jaded,
ReplyDeleteJust base your fictions on the usual tissue of inaccuracies, half truths and downright lies the average post-shooting Police press conference contains and you won't go far wrong.
Always remember to implicate everybody else and NEVER admit to being wrong.
I don't need to tell you, you're very well versed in these matters.
Jaded,
ReplyDeleteJust base your fictions on the usual tissue of inaccuracies, half truths and downright lies the average post-shooting Police press conference contains and you won't go far wrong.
Always remember to implicate everybody else and NEVER admit to being wrong.
I don't need to tell you, you're very well versed in these matters.
@ Jaded
ReplyDelete"Volunteer complete fiction? Like qualifications you do not have?"
That I hold many qualifications is true. However a real police officer would bolster smearing with convincing specificity.
Avoid any accusation of reticence and obligate yourself with a definitive declaration, by return.
I'm very well versed in these matters? How many press conferences have I appeared in? Well none actually.Oh I get it,all police are the same ,there are no individuals and we all tow the party line without any thought.
ReplyDeleteSurely this is precisely the nonsense that having an elected "PCC" should be able to sort out. People moan, PCC goes to Chief Officer and says "WTF ARE YOU DOING YOU BONKERS FOOL?".
ReplyDeleteWhat no one has actually said, and it would do some harm to Julia's 'message' and the witterings of Melv and Noggy if it was made more public is that the Police have no option, by law, but to assist in these traffic surveys. Far from being upset at people refusing to answer questions, most Police officers are happy to see drivers move off and keep the road traffic flowing. Of course, this does not lie easily with Julia's 'impartial' views or Melv and Noggy's insults. Rather than blame the poor bloke on the ground, why not complain to the cretins who sent him (or her) out there in the first place? County Councillors, Secretary of State (or Minister) for Transport, Chief Constable of the relevant force are all primary targets. But rather than do this, the high and mighty would rather blog how stupid it all is. Considering that very few Ministers, Sectetaries of State, County Councillors or Chief Constables read blogs like this, then the whingers are simply p*ssing into the wind or (preferably), all over Melv and Noggy.
ReplyDeletePenseivat
I was in a taxi that was pulled over for such a census a while back. The driver refused to answer any of their questins on the grounds of customer confidentiality and, pointing at his computerised despatch thingey, Data Protection.
ReplyDeleteThe Censor turned to the accompanying policeman but he was looking the other way trying to stiffle a smile.
Bunny,
ReplyDeleteWhat is the cost of one of these operations, not just in police and census takers time? Such as people on shift work who have been delayed? Fuel costs due to inefficient running of cars, delayed deliveries etc. At a time economic uncertainty this is just whats needed to keep things running smoothly.
""No," said she, "But..."
ReplyDeleteI cut her off, "Then please step away from my vehicle and good day.""
Oh, if only more would do that!
"As ever, it's not about the 'X', it's about showing us who's boss."
Spot on.
"Never provide plod with a 'legitimate' excuse for the day's wild car chase. "
No need to take off with a dramatic flourish, Melvin. Just refuse to answer and drive away.
" Kicking off on your own is pretty ineffective."
Indeed. Not kicking off, meekly complying, and whinging on Twitter is doubly so!
"Surely this is precisely the nonsense that having an elected "PCC" should be able to sort out. People moan, PCC goes to Chief Officer and says "WTF ARE YOU DOING YOU BONKERS FOOL?"."
ReplyDeleteOne would hope.
But then one would hope when the request came in from the DoT in the first instance, the chief would say 'What, with these government cutbacks? Sorry, can't spare the time. Run a YouGov poll instead, sunshine'.
Wouldn't you?
"... the Police have no option, by law, but to assist in these traffic surveys."
I keep hearing that the police 'have no option' to do this or that.
Then I read something the next day that indicates a different force has either been totally unaware of this supposed law, or has decided not to apply it.
Which is it?
"The Censor turned to the accompanying policeman but he was looking the other way trying to stiffle a smile."
One of Penseivat's 'most officers' then?
But...how do you know you haven't had the bad luck to encounter one of the few who isn't?
"What is the cost of one of these operations, not just in police and census takers time? "
In trhis day and age of 'austerity' and so many more options for seeking the public view, I'd say it was a cost we couldn't bear.
And if enough people start to realise and tell the census-taker to bog off, we might get it through to them.
Despite the sniping between myself and MTG and NTN,I agree with the theme of this post.I have done a census posting just once in my central London days.When I pulled over the drivers I told them they were under no obligation to speak to the drones asking the questions.But being British most drivers did co-operate as we are a generally polite nation.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is that you'd think that with all the ANPR cameras the Police now have installed on the road network they'd be able to work out almost every single destination without having to leave the office.
ReplyDeleteA road census is basically a charade to continue the convince the motorist that they aren't already being tagged and monitored on the major road network.
"When I pulled over the drivers I told them they were under no obligation to speak to the drones asking the questions.But being British most drivers did co-operate as we are a generally polite nation."
ReplyDeleteBut getting less and less so, don't you find?
"A road census is basically a charade to continue the convince the motorist that they aren't already being tagged and monitored on the major road network."
I think a major part of the questioning is to determine WHY people are travelling, not just where they go...