Emergency Services Reckless Driving

[Ghostrider]

Yes, I know when the accident occured, and how long it took for there to be a Police presence, and what that presence was. Beyond that I'm not about to post details on a public board

 

If you are not willing to detail this on a public board then I suggest you PM me. Alternatively don't say things you can't back up.

 

I'd suggest you provide verification of your identity, and proof of how it's any of your business, to my satisfaction. Then, and only then, will I consider PMing you.

[JustMe]

[/b]Ghostrider wrote

Then, anyone care to estimate his speed at the end of the Ackrigarth road? This is widely reported as a Focus estate, and although it's not really possible to get a definite ID from the pics, it would seem to be. At least two guys in it, that thing certainly didn't gain 1 mph climbing, and he had to have a damn good head of steam on her at Ackrigarth not to be steadily losing mph climbing.

 

Never mind Ackrigarth........I think that the speed of this car all the way through Lerwick at a time when there would have been lots of kids about should be investigated. Can the police justify speeding through the town when going to an emergency where the coastguard helicopter or the airport fire service were going to be needed first if the emergency turned into an accident. Perhaps to other incidents yes but this one???.

 

rebel21 wrote

Why on earth did the police feel the need to be going so fast anyway? I heard the helicopter concerned in the emergency was half an hour away from sumburgh when the police left town. Lerwick to Sumburgh only takes 25 minutes and thats going at a safe speed!! And what were they planning on doing when they arrived? There was already several fire appliances there in full control of the situation. The police wouldn't have been able to do much anyway.

 

Oh no it dosen't. Lerwick....as in Victoria Pier to Sumburgh (asin the terminal doors) is something like 27 miles which would be 27 mins at the national speed limit or whatever Officer Dible would call it. But the speed limit is 30/40 going out of town (20 by the school?) and 50 through Cunninsburgh and I have no desire to go round the bend at Channerwick at anything like the speed limit.

[turrifield]

Was there not an accident recently were a police car was blocking an entrance and a truck couldn't turn in which in turn led to an accident? Was it not near Sandwick?

Correct me if I'm wrong.

[turrifield]

or I could correct myself

 

Quote from The Shetland News

 

"17 August, 2006

 

POLICE in Shetland yesterday (Wednesday) confirmed that one of their own vehicles had been present at the scene when a three vehicle accident left one woman seriously injured, on Tuesday afternoon.

 

But a police spokeswoman stressed that the police car was neither involved nor did it cause the accident, as it was "stationary off the road" at the entrance to the peat works of Peterson's Peat Products, on the A970 just north of Lerwick.

 

Inspector Mo Smith said: "There is nothing to suggest that the police vehicle has caused the accident. We left it on location to assist with the ongoing accident investigation."

 

She added that the police vehicle had not been one of the three vehicles - a car, a van and lorry -described as being involved in the accident.

 

Rachel Rosie, aged 38, from Scalloway had to be cut from the wreckage and flown to the intensive care unit of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, where she was described as being in a stable condition.

 

The A970 was re-opened again yesterday afternoon after having been closed for more than 24 hours"

 

 

 

Perhaps if the police had parked with more consideration for other road users this may have been avoided

[Njugle]

That subject was "touched upon" in a previous thread turrifield, though somewhat obscured by the title,

 

Yet another road closure

[BigMouth]

I used to drive a bomb disposal van many years ago in Northern Ireland. I was 21 and this thing had a 3-litre engine in it. When you were called out to a device there was the chance that it could go off at any moment. The rules for us was that despite the blue lights and two tones we had to keep to the laws of the highway code. We were fired up looking for excitement. There was no telling if the opposition were setting you up by planting something where they best judged you were likely to be parked.

 

All due respect to Plod. They do a hard job well up here, but there can't be much in the way of excitement for them. I can see why someone might have a Sweeney moment here.

 

I drove like a twat in Ireland for 9 months and got away with it. This copper might have driven like a twat once and has got caught out. Yes the guy should have been checking his mirror before he turned across the path of the cop car, but hey, he was indicating so that's a huge step forward.

 

Its easy to trash the cops with hindsight.

[RickB]

Personally I do realise that emergancy services do need to get to an incident in the quickest time safely possible. Although I dont consider the speed that they must have been doing up the hill to be safe when they could have driving safely and made up time out of town using "system of driving". Im no expert either though

[penfold]

The cold facts are that the police car was involved in an accident with a vehicle turning right into a junction, now if it had been myself of anyother member of the public that had been involved then we would have been subject to a investigation and officer dibble would have been on here at some point after the investigation and court case had passed, castigating us for our very poor standard of driving and crass stupidity, it just goes to show that some within the police force in Shetland and the country as a whole have forgotten that they are subject to the same laws that we are. I hope that they investigate the incident with the same due process and diligence that they would if it were you or I that had been involved, and not with the attitude of it was one of the boys just doing his job.

[Styles]

I think the police do a hard job, but get the impression a lot of the time that they think they think their post of authority lets them off from following the rules the normal public have to as if its their god given right because of the authority they have.

[BigMick]

Imagine the scenario...

 

You are on top of the hill about to turn in to a junction. You check your mirror. All clear. You can hear a siren in the distance, but can't see it yet. Indicater goes on, and as you approach, the road is clear for you to go. In your mirror you can see the blue light coming up behind at speed. Oh! What to do? Stop in the middle of the carriageway and block the road, making it impossible for the police car to come past, or continue turning in (its already clear!) and let them past. You have a matter of seconds to decide. In this time, you have to take into account the traffic coming towards you, the traffic behind you, the position of the police car (remember, you are on top of a hill so you might not see it in your mirror until the last moment) how long it will take to turn in, etc.

 

What would you do?

 

Not saying this was anything like what happened in this accident. Just purely hypothetical.

 

One further point. I have kids who go to the sound school. If a police car is willing to ignore the basic common sense rules of the highway code, then what about the rest of the rules of the road?

[sailor]

Isn't there a police presence in the Ness already?

[penfold]

Isn't there a police presence in the Ness already?

 

There is but the officer in question is more often than not in da toon,

[whodat]

Once again, yaaaawn.

 

These threads are getting so tired and predictable. Without ALL the facts - and who amongst you can claim to be in possession of them? - you start the sniping. And that includes the (alleged) "Officer" Dible.

 

This accident was just that. An accident. When young boys crash their cars and kill each other in Shetland, I have never seen the same volume of threads queuing up to kick them? Whyever not? Could it be... that it's because they are one of your own, whereas the polis (with the exception of two officers here) are not? Surely not. Surely the fine folk of Shetland with their reputation and renown for warmth and hospitality to all would not think like that?

 

Then why? Is it because they are an authority and you resent that? Once again, surely not.

 

Answers would be helpful. Logical, courteous, reasonable answers that is not the standard "if you don't like it here, there's a fery and a plane, yadda, yadda, yadda..."

 

Personally, I was taught to drive on an island far smaller than Shetland, from the time I could sit at the wheel of my dad's tractor and landy while on his lap. I then moved to a large city as a youth and quickly had to catch up with the REAL Highway Code. Something that would benefit a lot of Shetland drivers! And I too have complained before, both on this thread and to Polis on patrol, about the standard of driving amongst folk in Shetland. The tendency seems to be to drive at 15 mph or at 50 (in built up areas). And I live where I can see the road at Sound primary. And it's not the Polis or marked cars that I see screaming up and down every day. Unless the CID have a fleet of motors now?! There is a complete disregard amongst a large number of folk - not all of the young ones in the fancy cars - for speed limit or safety on the roads of Shetland. Particularly the open roads. Take a simple drive to Sumburgh anyday and count the idiots who tailgate you then overtake at the first opportunity - safe or not - as you drive at the LEGAL limit.

 

Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone. All too easy to forget, isn't it?

 

Hiow many of those posting anti-polis threads can seriously say (if they have their licence) they have never once driven faster than they should?

 

Bit it doesn't really matter does it, it's a good excuse to kick someone, especially the polis, so why not, eh?

 

There was shock, horror and anger expressed on this very forum when it was heard that folk had tried to stop the polis from saving a man from a serious assault - possibly even death - in Lerwick recently. Quite honestly, with the anti-polis statements expressed throughout a number of threads at any and every opportunity, it does not surprise me.

 

Same as a number of years ago, I recall a man being battered into a coma in Lerwick in front of a number of folk. He ended up in a coma and was left impaired by it. Guess what? No one EVER came forward on that one.

 

SOME of you should be ashamed at yourselves and you know who you are.

 

If this accident was avoidable and the polis was committing an offence, he'll be done. I believe that, I have seen and heard it happening elsewhere in the Highlands & Islands.

 

But all you saying, "they shouldn't be speeding, oh my goodness!" yes, you are right, they should not be speeding. Unless there is a good reason to do so. Do you want them obeying the Highway Code next time someone is breaking into your house, or your windows are being broken, or you or your family have been or are being assaulted? Oops, silly me. This is Shetland, that couldn't possibly happen here. Or so some folk seem to think.

 

Like them or not and frankly for the most part I am indifferent as long as they do their jobs, we need them.

 

Unless you fancy petitioning the scottish parliament to get rid of them?

 

Take off the rose tinted glasses, drop the knives you're queuing up to stick in one another's backs and gie's peace.

[whodat]

PS Polis are exempt from seatbelts. Same as ambulance, firemen, delivery drivers and even milkmen (having once worked a milk round I know this to be fact). No one complains about them driving without seatbelts. Why not? Though most Polis I see wear them from common sense.

 

GP

[whodat]

And, before anyone starts, I am NOT excusing - or condemning the driver of EITHER car in this accident. Because I don't have all the facts. Only they know what happened, and each will no doubt view it very differently.

 

One of the comments previously said "when (not if)" about polis causing a fatality accident here. Get real. I've been here almost twenty years now. There hasn't been one yet. It's ALL been locals killings themselves in tragic accidents. What does that say about the standard of shetland driving as opposed to polis driving? Hmmm...

 

Last point. If the polis had been seriously injured or died, would those anti amongst you have been posting "serve him right" threads?

 

Once again, sadly it wouldn't surprise me.

 

GP