What can the police do about a drunk driver?

Richard53

interstellaflyer wrote: »

Many cars have Bluetooth and voice activated dialling these days, as long as the emergency service numbers are on the memory, you can just say "police" and the system will call police, no eyes taken off road or hands taken off steering wheel. The law relates to using hand held devices, not hands free.

In any case, genuine emergency calls are exempt from the regulations.

When you can use a hand-held phone

You can use a hand-held phone if either of these apply:

• you’re safely parked
• you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop

Mercdriver

Richard53 wrote: »

In any case, genuine emergency calls are exempt from the regulations.

Though as others have said, I don't think reporting a suspected drunk driver counts as immediate danger. Still better from hands free even so...

Mercdriver

Dave_Brown. wrote: »

Why does it need to be a risk of immediate danger? He called 999, maybe it was unsafe or impractical to stop. It would be for a court to decide whether it was an emergency.

Given he callled 999 I can't see anyone issuing him with a ticket for making the call.

Well 999 is only meant to be used for certain situations where people are in immediate danger.

Are you Hong Kong Phooey reincarnated? Strange choice for a first post unless you are someone who has been PPR'd.

ETA: As Fat Walt you always used to attack a certain other PPR returner - he of the matter that is dark.

Car_54

Mercdriver wrote: »

Well 999 is only meant to be used for certain situations where people are in immediate danger.

Not so. Cambridgeshire police (for example) say:

"Call 999 if:

• Someone is injured, being threatened or is in danger
• There is a risk of injury to someone or a risk of serious damage to property
• A crime is in progress, or you suspect a crime is in progress
• There is a serious incident which needs immediate police attendance
• Someone suspected of a crime is nearby"

In this case, the OP suspected a crime was in progress.

Mercdriver

[quote=[Deleted User];72948635]Not so. Cambridgeshire police (for example) say:

"Call 999 if:

• Someone is injured, being threatened or is in danger
• There is a risk of injury to someone or a risk of serious damage to property
• A crime is in progress, or you suspect a crime is in progress
• There is a serious incident which needs immediate police attendance
• Someone suspected of a crime is nearby"

In this case, the OP suspected a crime was in progress.[/QUOTE]

I got told off by the police for reporting what I thought was a burglary in progress. So they tend to have different mesurements. The one put out in the media by the people that represent the emergency services is the one I have put forward.

Car_54

Mercdriver wrote: »

I got told off by the police for reporting what I thought was a burglary in progress. So they tend to have different mesurements. The one put out in the media by the people that represent the emergency services is the one I have put forward.

Interesting. From a very small survey, the Met agree with Cambridgeshire and want you to call 999 to report crimes in progress.

On the other hand, in Dorset the police only want 999 used for an emergency, and quote the OED definition “a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action.” No doubt they don't want their sleep disturbed by mere crime.