X Cars - Vehicle Road Crime Units

[Roadcraft]

Enjoy and discuss...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qTF71o1Ep0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti_loOXu ... ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX6c_o9w ... ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rA4DD10 ... ed&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skuaKJ3B ... ed&search=

[PeteG]

Crikey, that must be from a long time ago. Car thieves... getting jailed?

Nice one, anyhow.

[SammyTheSnake]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TX6c_o9w ... ed&search=

I wouldn't like to be the driver of the dog van in the third clip trying to explain why I nearly caused an accident, the car whose path he drove across can be heard to skid heavily and only just missed him!

Other than that, the standard of driving and commentary was a pleasure to behold.

The whole episodes from which these clips were taken recently turned up on uknova.com, I'm sure they can be re-posted if people want another chance to grab them (I'll join in the seeding)

A similar series I caught an episode or two of recently is roadwars, and I was considerably *less* impressed with the standard of policing on that

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[nuster100]

I dont know. I quite like road wars.

The episode where they spun out a nova then proceded to try and push himm sideways into a tree when he tried to make off again.

Smoke from the tries of the nova, clutch smoke pouring from the police car. Clutch lost in the end, gave out at the last second.

Was quite interesting.

Jay

[martine]

Yes I always find these interesting, sometimes horrifying to watch.

As has been said, must be from a while ago (Montego) and the quaint commentary: "...these are sometimes called 'joyriders'"- ahhh bless.

[Roadcraft]

Crikey, that must be from a long time ago. Car thieves... getting jailed?

Nice one, anyhow.

I regularly put car thieves 'away'. Don't believe all the negative press you read.

I recently got someone a 9 month sentence for simply driving whilst disqualified.

[PeteG]

Crikey, that must be from a long time ago. Car thieves... getting jailed?

Nice one, anyhow.

I regularly put car thieves 'away'. Don't believe all the negative press you read.

I recently got someone a 9 month sentence for simply driving whilst disqualified.

Nice! I must say, Road Wars and the BBC equivalent very rarely mention jail terms.

[James]

Unfortunatly despite good police work people rarely receive jailt terms. Well, not rarelt but, not as often as you might think. You could have a long police chase, be drunk and hit a few cars and get a 3 year ban, hefty fine and/or few points and/or community service...

[Roadcraft]

I suppose my experience is slightly different, in that the thieves that my unit and I catch are the 'big hitters' who then admit to several if not several dozen other offences.

In addition, we target car ringers and those gangs who steal to order.

However, like most things regarding law and order...the only 'body' of people who gets the blame are the police.

The fact that the CPS and Courts take over the decision process once the police catch them..is often overlooked by the masses...

[PeteG]

Would it be fair to say that most people know not of the CPS, much less what part they play, until they have cause to come into direct contact?

[Roadcraft]

Would it be fair to say that most people know not of the CPS, much less what part they play, until they have cause to come into direct contact?

That would be fair to say.

It's just that I'm a fan of gaining facts and the like before casting complaint and advice...and so many people don't adhere to that theory.

[SammyTheSnake]

The thought has struck me on many occasions that being banned from driving is something of a useless sanction. It might work on a very small number of people who're actually pretty much "good eggs" but happen to have a stupid moment and go off on one, but then they're the kind of person who's more likely to be let off with a lesser sentence, first time etc. The people who tend to get driving bans (to my understanding) are generally the kind of people who aren't all that fussed by the idea of driving while disqualified.

Perhaps the right way about it is to make the penalty for driving while disqualified stiffer, maybe mandatory prison time? I'd also like to see the "extended driving test" (just the same as the normal DSA test, but longer) replaced with something much more like an advanced driving test.

Thoughts from the thin blue line? (or anywhere else, for that matter:))

Cheers & God bless
Sam "SammyTheSnake" Penny

[James]

Your quite right, as is Roadcraft in what he says. But even he will have seen very poor charging decisions, and poor convictions through his line of policing.

[martine]

Not in the profession of course but I totally agree with Sammy. The ban is totally ignored by some but presumably if they are caught driving while banned, the sentence racks up quickly?

Personally I get very frustrated with lenient sentences for repeat offenders...once, maybe twice but a minority are just taking the mickey and deserve to lose their freedom for a not inconsiderable period - I suppose this is the '3 strikes and your out' priniciple in some states of the US?

[nuster100]

Watched another episode of road wars yesterday.

Showed the traffic police making a point of checking up on those who are banned.

I imagine that goes a long way to stopping people breaching the ban.

Jay