I'm really off the rails now...

[michael 118]

As me and a couple of friends cycled back from college today, 2 PCSOs' told us to get off the pavement and cycle on the road. Fair enough .

So as me and my chums cycled along the road, a boy racer car zoomed up behind us. So, me and one of my friends went up onto the path to avoid being striken down, and there was not even anyone else on the pavement.

Unfourtunatly, this was not on the cycle path. So we were cycling along the pavement where we should have still been on the road, risking a collision with a boy racer. As we crossed the very busy main road - rush hour time it was, the PCSOs' came running up behind us, grabbed one of my friends and stopped me. Our other friend had ridden off at this point, unawares of what happened.

The PCSOs' then told us we will be getting a criminal record, a caution letter and a £30 fine.

As our other friend turned back, he cycled up next to us (on the cycle path) and simply said

"Shouldn't you be solving real crimes?"

To which, one of the PCSOs' grabbed him and told him he will be having a £30 fine, a criminal record and caution letter.



It hasn't been a good day

EDIT: The sad thing is, my friend who was grabbed will be paying the £30 fine out of his EMA... So he won't be able to buy any food/equipment from the college for the whole of next week.

 

[TriplexDread]

Riding on a pavement does not substantiate a fine or criminal record he's talking through his arse. And for your other mate. He is entitled to his freedom to speach. He did not pervert the course of justice in anyway and as far as i'm aware he cannot be fined either. Go see a solicitor

It should be free as your are in education and/or unemployed

Did you tell him about the boy racer?

 

[Anon_F]

michael 118 i suggest you take this matter up with your local Police Station.
Explain what happened in a calm manner & give them the PCSO shoulder tab numbers.
You can not get "done" just like this, the PCSO must normally follow a set down procedure.
As for getting a criminal record, a caution letter is none of the sort it is as it states a caution!

I suggest you speak to your parents or someone in the student welfare at College about this as soon as possible.

 

[TriplexDread]

 

[michael 118]

Thanks for the response you two

My dad will be writing a letter to the station as soon as possible. I'll speak to the college as well since it happened about 2 minutes away from it.

The woman must have made a mistake when she said a criminal record AND a caution... it just doesn't make sense.

Well, none of this makes sense at all actually!

edit: and no, i didn't say anything about the boy racer, I felt I should not say anything until I had spoken to my parents/ someone from college!

 

[TriplexDread]

If anyone will be getting a caution it will be her. I wouldnt be letting it go mate.
An apology is in order, however that is entirely upto you and whoever to decide.

Let us know how you get on mate

 

[michael 118]

Thanks TD, will do

 

[Abarbarian]

You won't be voting Conservative the at the next election . As they are calling for zero crime policing and riding on the pavement is breaking the law .

Seriously though it seems a bit over the top .

 

[TriplexDread]

I can understand that if your causing a problem like dangering the public or yourself, however she was very wrong in making a threat like that. And she should have been trained better instead of using her power to intimidate younger generations. How many others has she done it too and got away with it because they were to scared to report it

 

[Rush]

I feel i am a expert on cycling.

My family has a car...i do not drive

I cycle to work every day at 5.40 am (takes 15mins) the times i have to ride on the pavement are more than i ride on the road... the worst culprits are

Taxi drivers (probably been working for 12+ hours)
Bread delivery wagons
Lorries
Late workers

Peripheral vision is a wonderful tool and i have perfected it early am...

if Police told me off i would seriously tell them to F*** off, get a fine and still cycle where i feel safest...A fine or seeing my family at nightime is not negotiable...

so is yours Michael ...

 

[Anon_F]

You could of course write to the Chief Constable of the Hampshire Constabulary, Chief Constable Paul Kernaghan.
If you feel you were mistreated or the actions of the PCSO were wrong.

 

[cirianz]

I can understand that if your causing a problem like dangering the public or yourself, however she was very wrong in making a threat like that. And she should have been trained better instead of using her power to intimidate younger generations. How many others has she done it too and got away with it because they were to scared to report it

Yeah, this is what springs to mind. She is abusing her power & using it to intimidate people she thinks are vulnerable & who won't know their rights. If this is her personality then it's very unlikely that this is the first time that she's done something similar & is unlikely to be the last. Someone somewhere along the line has to stand up to her.
It sounds like your family are behind you in this, so get a lawyer & file a complaint. See if your mates will do it too. It may or maynot have any effect at this stage... but even if you get no result now, the piling up of complaints against her will eventually reach the point where it can't be ignored. Who knows, it may be getting that way already.

 

[michael 118]

Thanks for the replies,

Basically we all think she is picking on the vulnerable because she can

i bet you anything she'll be waiting at the same place tomorrow..

we're mailing the letter tomorrow

 

[cirianz]

Good for you

 

[Taffycat]

PCSOs might be a good idea in principal, but sadly, I think the job will always attract some individuals, who are less than capable of handling their new-found "power" and who will abuse it.

Equally, there are people who can ride their bikes sensibly, even on pavements, without endangering pedestrians, and others who belt along, busy shopping malls, scattering every pedestrian in their wake (which happens a lot around here.)

In the end, it all comes down to weighing-up the circumstances, and using a bit of discretion rather than just diving-in and slapping fines on people willy-nilly.

Good luck to yourself and your mates Michael

 

[michael 118]

Thanks Ciri and Taffy

Its alright now, they aren't going to fine us or give us a caution...

what a waste of our time, their time and taxpayers money!

tsk!

 

[cirianz]

As you said, but at least you're ok now

 

[TriplexDread]

So what happened?

 

[michael 118]

Whilst I was at college yesterday, another PCSO came to our house to confirm that me and my friends will not be getting a caution or a fine.

And thats about it according to my mum

 

[Taffycat]

Sounds like someone made a bit of a boo-boo doesn't it