[Travel] Operation Crackdown - anyone else?

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Thought I'd share this because it's a curious one that's been bugging me, just wondered if anyone else has had similar and what they did if so? A few weeks ago I got a letter from Operation Crackdown, which is the Sussex Police initiative that allows members of the public to report other members of the public for dangerous driving. The letter says I've been reported for doing something that I categorically didn't do, but it doesn't look like there's any meaningful right of reply. For context, I'm a law-abiding driver to the point of paranoia about being sure of not doing anything wrong (I blame my Catholic upbringing for an over-enhanced sense of guilt) - never had an accident, no points ever, no fines ever, never been stopped etc. While the letter says it's not a record of an offence and there is no penalty, it also goes into detail about the risks and penalties for dangerous driving and carries the strong implication that they are taking the word of whoever reported it, even though there is no evidence provided and none is needed to make the accusation. It also says that the report will be held on file for 12 months and could be referred to if there are other reports. So someone can report someone else, give no evidence, it gets held on file for reference, and it can't be refuted - seems an odd situation and open to all kinds of abuse. No hard feelings from me particularly, people make mistakes, but I'd like to be able to at least respond and be heard just as much as whoever made the accusation in the first place. Anyone had similar and what did you do if so?

What are you like with your Neighbours?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stat Brother]

What are you like with your Neighbours?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Everybody needs good neighbours.

 

[GT49er]

My biggest issue is the age of the people doing this, I've seen some genuinely in their 80's out there. Asking them to correctly use quite a technical piece of equipment and jot down a registration number of an allegedly speeding car doesn't seem ideal practice. I'm sure they think they're doing something useful but it just seems like something thrown together by those high up in the police force, handing speed guns and a pen and paper to pensioners to get them to do something they can't really bothered with or have the resources to do.

While I quite agree that this is a case of lazy or under-funded (depending on which way your prejudices lie) policing, getting volunteers to do their work for them for free. However, despite youtr derision, I think you'll find that a huge number of 80 year olds are more than capable of using a speed camera and pen and paper completely competently.

In fact, as far as using pen and paper is concerned, they can probably handle that far better than many twenty somethings!

 

[The Oldman]

I had one of the speeding letters warning me. Happened as a result of driving down from the Crossbush junction towards Littlehampton where it drops to a 30 limit. As it happened I saw the yellow OAP brigade and looked at my speedo as the speed gun was raised. Speedo says 31 mph letter says 35 mph. I wrote back to the nice Inspector and asked if he would like to send someone to check my speedo was accurate for as my registration showed it was in a car less than a year old.

Never got a reply.

 

[Seasider78]

A few instances of this, I passed some speed wombles in Storrington one day, they were just getting to the corner where they were going to stand. They clearly didn't have their little gun out yet but sure enough I had a letter a few days later.

A couple of months ago I passed one doing just over 40 in a 30, fair enough if I got a letter but nothing despite them clearly pointing a gun at me and telling his little mate to get my number down.

Father in law had one from Wakefield despite never having been to Wakefield in his life, he followed it up and took it up with the police (he's a retired inspector and took it personally), he pestered them for so long eventually they told him don't worry about as it not's worth the paper it's written on.

My biggest issue is the age of the people doing this, I've seen some genuinely in their 80's out there. Asking them to correctly use quite a technical piece of equipment and jot down a registration number of an allegedly speeding car doesn't seem ideal practice. I'm sure they think they're doing something useful but it just seems like something thrown together by those high up in the police force, handing speed guns and a pen and paper to pensioners to get them to do something they can't really bothered with or have the resources to do.

I have had two, one from the speed wombles at storrington who I could see taking down my reg even though I was definitely doing the limit as I saw their high vis jackets a mile off. The irony of this one was they were all huddled together outside during a time when the Covid rules did not permit them to do so.

The second was when had to pick little one up from a school visit in mid morning as injured herself so stopped outside gates to pick her up and some abusive **** starting swearing at us all about parking in front of the school. Explained why and he carried on swearing and being abusive (whilst his teenage daughter was in car next to him) then proceeded to take a photo of our car on his phone and drive off. We got a letter for that as well

I just put the letter straight in the bin but my personal view is traffic enforcement should be the job of the police and these clowns should not be given the opportunity to continue their inaccurate reporting of individuals

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

We have nothing like this in North Kent.

Faversham is entirely 20 mph limited now, but cars still wizz and wazz about doing 40. I followed a car across town yesterday that had to make three left or right turns at junctions and didn't signal once. That is standard here.

It is very important to fight against global warming and every little bit of electricity saved is boon. Despite the untrammeled speeding, we are a shining beacon of ecological light, illuminating the path to glory, with our indicator non-use. Fact.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I have had two, one from the speed wombles at storrington who I could see taking down my reg even though I was definitely doing the limit as I saw their high vis jackets a mile off. The irony of this one was they were all huddled together outside during a time when the Covid rules did not permit them to do so.

The second was when had to pick little one up from a school visit in mid morning as injured herself so stopped outside gates to pick her up and some abusive **** starting swearing at us all about parking in front of the school. Explained why and he carried on swearing and being abusive (whilst his teenage daughter was in car next to him) then proceeded to take a photo of our car on his phone and drive off. We got a letter for that as well

I just put the letter straight in the bin but my personal view is traffic enforcement should be the job of the police and these clowns should not be given the opportunity to continue their inaccurate reporting of individuals

Wow. Sussex seems to have been overrun but utter melts.

You should move to Kent. We do what we want, here.

Edit, not entirely true. I have a Speed Awareness training course to attend this week. Whoops!

 

[studio150]

I followed a car across town yesterday that had to make three left or right turns at junctions and didn't signal once.

It's amazing how many vehicles have faulty indicators which fail to work completely or are so slow coming on that they only start flashing when the turn has virtually been completed.

 

[Weststander]

We have nothing like this in North Kent.

Faversham is entirely 20 mph limited now, but cars still wizz and wazz about doing 40. I followed a car across town yesterday that had to make three left or right turns at junctions and didn't signal once. That is standard here.

It is very important to fight against global warming and every little bit of electricity saved is boon. Despite the untrammeled speeding, we are a shining beacon of ecological light, illuminating the path to glory, with our indicator non-use. Fact.

I'm used to that here in Brighton, all the taxis had their indicators removed many years ago.

 

[vegster]

A couple of years back I witnessed some absolutely awful dangerous driving and i thought I would use the Operation Crackdown reporting scheme. It's all very well but you have to put your name and address to it and also sign it and a copy would be sent to the offender and maybe used in court. The guy i saw was such a nutjob, overtaking and undertaking cars down a dual carriageway at speed there was no way I would sign my name to it and live ! It may have changed now but at the time there was no anonymity when you report.

 

[Sirnormangall]

I pretty much agree with all the posts on here, but it’s certainly the case that there are a lot of aholes speeding well over the limit who deserve all they get - including the Cupid stunt I saw on an electric scooter overtaking 2 lorries last week.

 

[portlock seagull]

Great Initiative, we’ll done Sussex Police and all members of public trying to fight anti social behaviour. As with all these things, you’ve nothing to worry about if you’re doing no wrong.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

I haven't dealt with anything like this in years, but you used to be able (and I suspect still can) request that they send all information they hold on you under the Data Protection Act (or whatever it is now) including any reports that have been filed on you including details, date and time filed and by whom. There maybe some get out for Government institutions and agencies, but there didn't used to be.

If you can be arsed to be an awkward *******

*edit* but what if he was actually born out of wedlock ? Censorship gone mad

More info here on how to request copies of data ANY organisation holds against your name.
You have to write to request it and some may charge for it, although this is capped at a tenner
You then have a right to challenge incorrect data and have it removed [bit like your credit reference]

 

[Eeyore]

A few instances of this, I passed some speed wombles in Storrington one day, they were just getting to the corner where they were going to stand. They clearly didn't have their little gun out yet but sure enough I had a letter a few days later.

A couple of months ago I passed one doing just over 40 in a 30, fair enough if I got a letter but nothing despite them clearly pointing a gun at me and telling his little mate to get my number down.

Father in law had one from Wakefield despite never having been to Wakefield in his life, he followed it up and took it up with the police (he's a retired inspector and took it personally), he pestered them for so long eventually they told him don't worry about as it not's worth the paper it's written on.

My biggest issue is the age of the people doing this, I've seen some genuinely in their 80's out there. Asking them to correctly use quite a technical piece of equipment and jot down a registration number of an allegedly speeding car doesn't seem ideal practice. I'm sure they think they're doing something useful but it just seems like something thrown together by those high up in the police force, handing speed guns and a pen and paper to pensioners to get them to do something they can't really bothered with or have the resources to do.

A work colleague got one for speeding in a Mid-Sussex village. Except that her car was sitting on the driveway in Rottingdean at the time of the offence...

She hadn't been to said village for years.

It seems that the mandatory test of eyesight doesn't apply to those with the gun.

 

[Eeyore]

Great Initiative, we’ll done Sussex Police and all members of public trying to fight anti social behaviour. As with all these things, you’ve nothing to worry about if you’re doing no wrong.

Or not, see my above post.

 

[sydney]

Currently listening to 1984 on audiobook - this sounds a little familiar

busybodies plc. soon we will have vaccine police , smoking police , graffiti police and talking too loud police all volunteering and making normal peoples lives hell .....i have recently been banned from one of the BHA related facebook pages for using the word twatt....!!! a 30 day ban for using the word twatt that has offended a 3rd party who has reported it to admin.....i'm hoping they look at this thread so i can call them a busybody twatt directly , some people just need to get a life.

 

[Dick Head]

busybodies plc. soon we will have vaccine police , smoking police , graffiti police and talking too loud police all volunteering and making normal peoples lives hell .....i have recently been banned from one of the BHA related facebook pages for using the word twatt....!!! a 30 day ban for using the word twatt that has offended a 3rd party who has reported it to admin.....i'm hoping they look at this thread so i can call them a busybody twatt directly , some people just need to get a life.

 

[PeterOut]

busybodies plc. soon we will have vaccine police , smoking police , graffiti police and talking too loud police all volunteering and making normal peoples lives hell .....i have recently been banned from one of the BHA related facebook pages for using the word twatt....!!! a 30 day ban for using the word twatt that has offended a 3rd party who has reported it to admin.....i'm hoping they look at this thread so i can call them a busybody twatt directly , some people just need to get a life.

I think that you are more likely to get a 30-day ban here as well, once the spelling police notice thatt error....

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

My ex had similar for using her phone while driving a while ago, it is legit.

No, it’s not legit to be using a phone when driving

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thought I'd share this because it's a curious one that's been bugging me, just wondered if anyone else has had similar and what they did if so? A few weeks ago I got a letter from Operation Crackdown, which is the Sussex Police initiative that allows members of the public to report other members of the public for dangerous driving. The letter says I've been reported for doing something that I categorically didn't do, but it doesn't look like there's any meaningful right of reply. For context, I'm a law-abiding driver to the point of paranoia about being sure of not doing anything wrong (I blame my Catholic upbringing for an over-enhanced sense of guilt) - never had an accident, no points ever, no fines ever, never been stopped etc. While the letter says it's not a record of an offence and there is no penalty, it also goes into detail about the risks and penalties for dangerous driving and carries the strong implication that they are taking the word of whoever reported it, even though there is no evidence provided and none is needed to make the accusation. It also says that the report will be held on file for 12 months and could be referred to if there are other reports. So someone can report someone else, give no evidence, it gets held on file for reference, and it can't be refuted - seems an odd situation and open to all kinds of abuse. No hard feelings from me particularly, people make mistakes, but I'd like to be able to at least respond and be heard just as much as whoever made the accusation in the first place. Anyone had similar and what did you do if so?

Funny how no one ever does.

Yours isn’t the most heinous of crimes and I’m a great believer in forgiveness. You seem a decent person, I hope you learn from this and can become a decent citizen once again.