I need to add that Surrey Police read my evidence and have dissociated themselves from, and apologised for, many of the points made to me in the letter of 14.09.15 cited in my evidence. I am happy to acknowledge this, though the fact of course remains that a police employee who has been making decisions on prosecutions held those misguided beliefs. There is clearly a systemic problem as well as having a few rogue decision makers.
Some (not all!) of the other evidence is well worth reading and I particularly commend the evidence of Mary Manning here. This is compelling and accords entirely with my own experiences, and that of many others, and needs to be addressed by the police.
At the moment we have only platitudes and stuff like Policing the Roads in Partnership signed off by a senior police officer who would not commute in London due to the risks on the roads presented by risky motoring behaviour. That was, of course, uncovered in Anna Tatton Brown's excellent film about the investigation into the death of her father, Michael Mason, which can be viewed here and which I hope the transport committee will see.
The Metropolitan Police take no adequate care in transmitting reports from the police station, where they require them to be made, to the Traffic Prosecution Unit in Kent, where they are ‘processed’. My only such report was ‘lost’.
ReplyDeleteSnap - although in my case, the last page, a list of witness details, stapled on to the rest, was 'missing' when it came to process - and therefore reject - my report. Must happen a lot...
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ReplyDeleteThe linked documents appear to be linked incorrectly, they appear to reference files on your C: drive (/C:/Users/mp/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.Outlook/9GY5A84I/QC%20Martin%20Porter%20(RTL0006).docx)
ReplyDeleteThe links are just for the footnotes at the bottom of the post. This is just copied and pasted from a Word document without the hyperlinks being stripped out.
DeleteI've been reading this blog for a long time and this is another insightful post - probably one of the best. It accurately highlights the inadequacy of the police. I was recently involved in a hit and run, and the entire process is a farce. Drivers can do whatever they like on UK roads.
ReplyDeleteI expect this one to be removed as my previous comments - so get it while its hot. Sorry to see all those poor boys and girls on Essex road this morning with their bikes in hand talking to the local constabulary and handing over fines for traffic light infractions. There seems to be a higher than average incidence of colour blindness among the cycling community. My tip - the top means stop. Easy to remember. Perhaps the cycling barrister might have some insight as to whether fining colour blind cyclists counts a disability discrimination?
ReplyDeleteI think you're post should be left to show the discrimination that law abiding cyclists suffer from uneducated people like yourself. Just because a small minority of cyclists jump red lights does not make it ok for drivers to cut me up, pass too closely or drive far to close and fast behind me. I note that statistics show that a higher percentage of car drivers jump red traffic signals than cyclists. So that leaves your poorly written argument dead in the water!
DeleteAs the Direct line survey from 2011 made clear, motorists are by far the worst offenders when it comes to colour blindness. Approximately 1 in 10 of all drivers are amber gamblers, over 5 million drivers admit running red lights...EVERY month with a total of around 12 million offences combined, again per month. it's always good to do your homework before making unfounded comment, stops one from looking so foolish.
DeleteThank you Martin for your kind comments about my evidence. I follow your blog with great interest - as well as with gratitude that someone with your knowledge tries to 'take on' entrenched habits and systems.
ReplyDeleteMy evidence was written in great haste on deadline day so I know it is far from perfect (and I have rewritten it in my head many times, with better argued, more succinct points!). But if it conveys frustration at an unfair system which routinely turns a blind eye to bullies in cars, then hopefully it might strike a chord somewhere.
Best to you.
Mary
I thought it was a great description of what so many of us experience. Well said!
DeleteBrilliantly written - this so perfectly puts into words my own experiences. Please do keep up the good work.
ReplyDeletewho has been making decisions on prosecutions held those misguided beliefs.
ReplyDelete