So apparently, I should be in bed, not driving around at 3am according to the police

You do have to ask what type of people does that career attract.

I think I'd have been pretty shirty with him tbh. Make sure I get the details, of why I'm being stopped and by whom. Ensure he plays everything by the book, and quite frankly make his job as inconvenient as my stop.

for my dissertation I did a project where I tracked foxes until 4AM. Was stopped soooo many times by police for erratic driving, loitering outside peoples houses etc.

I can imagine the police reaction. "Oh yes. You are tracking foxes are you. Now tell us what you're really up to."

I was up late on Thursday night after spending hours on the computer and watching tv, I decided I was peckish so went out in my car to McDonald's for some food and a mocha drink, I then decided I fancied a little drive so I just drove out for 10 miles or so as I love quiet roads, I was driving within the speed limits on a quiet road with no houses in sight, just open fields and I suddenly noticed a police car, it flashed me to pull over so I did, the male officer asked me a few questions

Him . Hi sir, what are you doing up and about this time of night
Me. I've just been out to McDonald's for food and fancied a ride out, is that okay ?
Him. It's an unusual time , most people your age are at home asleep at this time
Me. I was hungry I am aloud to eat


the conversation went something like that anyway, he was basically saying I shouldn't be out at that time but it really wound me up, I am 22 years old for goodness sake, I wasn't breaking the law and yet I was stopped and quizzed like a criminal
Anybody else been stopped by police just for being out and about late at night ?

Once or twice. I don't really mind to be honest. Suspicion is always going to be based on things out of the ordinary, and a young man driving around at 3am is out of the ordinary.

Policing relies heavily on instinct and looking for unusual things. It might seem like you're being treated as a criminal but I think it's reasonable to sacrifice a tiny bit of freedom for good policing.

It's an unusual time to be out at night - there's nothing wrong with it but the likelihood of you being up to something/over the limit is necessarily much higher than during the day, so the police are more likely to stop you. It sounds to me like the police officer was actually pretty polite about it. If you have nothing to hide, why should it be a problem?

Call 101 make a complaint about the officers, ask for a freedom of information request for the bodywarmer footage. Make a complaint against the officers and just go through a police conduct book, get a decent argument together. If they deny wrong doing take it to ipcc, you can make that officers a day a bad one. Enjoy its really simple to do, likely outcome further training and a apology. He a police constable sergeant even, bring him down a level, things like that stay on his file.

"Those willing to sacrifice liberty for security deserves neither." - Benjamin Frankin.

I agree with what you said, apart from that last sentence. I hear it well too often when people discuss the powers of the state, e.g NSA online snooping, car black boxes, and police powers of stop and search. I have nothing to hide, but I don't want people infringing my privacy and freedom.

Call 101 make a complaint about the officers, ask for a freedom of information request for the bodywarmer footage. Make a complaint against the officers and just go through a police conduct book, get a decent argument together. If they deny wrong doing take it to ipcc, you can make that officers a day a bad one. Enjoy its really simple to do, likely outcome further training and a apology. He a police constable sergeant even, bring him down a level, things like that stay on his file.

Of course not, but did you get the impression he was doing that? If you appreciate and accept that it's his job to check that you're not driving around with a body in your boot (or whatever - probably less serious - reason he stopped you for!) then there are only a certain amount of ways he can ask what you're up to. And if you're very tetchy about people not infringing your privacy, then all of them are probably going to annoy you.

I wasn't there (obviously) but the impression I got from your (?) original post was that he was trying to make friendly conversation whilst still essentially doing his job. The comment about most 22 year olds being in bed was probably just to lighten the situation up a bit, and not especially to say that you should also be in bed at 3am and how very defiant of you to not be! Maybe his question came across a little invasive, I don't know, but it does annoy me when people moan that the "Feds" are just there to invade your privacy and generally be a nuisance (I'm making a general observation here, not specific to you). Like cold callers and over-zealous retail staff, they're just doing their job and the consequences of not doing it could potentially be enormous.

That seems rather vindictive for a five minute stop?



But in a civilised society we constantly sacrifice liberty for the sake of security, pretty much every law made can be seen as a restriction on personal liberty.

Sorry I think I may have worded it wrong, this wasn't my post. I wasn't referring to this situation, as I believe that the officer caused an inconvenience, but I can understand why and don't have a problem with. But the phrase, if you have nothing to hide why does it matter, I disagree with strongly.

There is one small detail which you seem to be forgetting, and that is that the police officer didn't do anything wrong. Based on the age of the driver and the time at which they were out the officer had a perfectly valid reason to check on the occupant of the car.

The officer would have been acting well within the bounds of what they are permitted to do and as such there is no action that could be taken against him.

Lastly, what exactly would you gain from acting like a complete ****ing **** anyway?

That seems rather vindictive for a five minute stop?



But in a civilised society we constantly sacrifice liberty for the sake of security, pretty much every law made can be seen as a restriction on personal liberty.

Being anything other than extremely polite and helpful to the police is just asking for trouble. You're lucky this isn't the states, talking back with childish rubbish like "I'm allowed to eat" would have earnt you a night in the cells.

His comments were provocative implying he should be in bed, a police officer should be implying fact not opinions as to what he thinks that person should be doing at 3am. Its not the polices officers judgement to cast judgement on him wanting to get something to eat, its his lack of social awareness to know that mc donalds is a 24/7 outlet and its open precisely for that. The guy should just do his job search the car then making offensive remarks and trying to intimidate the driver, they do it to young people who they think are boy racers. Only way to make someone learn is to work in accordance with the law, i.e. Make a formal complaint, you can still get his serial number. The police officer just a scumbag who couldn't go through school properly and a non decision maker, so i would rightly put him in his place.