Andy went up one way street near were we live,a resident has reported this to the police,can the police charge him,was told today that the police did call at our home today,we were at work.

Sheila

Don't think is the sort of offence they would charge you for they will call and ask for a explanation and depending on what Andy says and his general attitude then the may just tell him off, fine him or if he wishes he can take it to court but they are unlikely to. Main thing is to be polite and contrite and providing he is insured and has a full licence then the punishment should not be too harsh, he would be best to admit the offence rather than try to deny it.

I thought the police had to witness a minor traffic offence themselves to be able to take anything further?

> I thought the police had to witness a minor traffic offence themselves to be able to take anything further?

You would think so or at least a photo.

I thought the police had to witness a minor traffic offence themselves to be able to take anything further?

I could be wrong, it has happened, but I think the police can act on a witness statement - how ever as I have said it is a motoring offence and providing it is admitted in a polite manner the worse that is likely to happen is a fine and may be points on the licence although you can always elect to go to court but not a lot of point if you know you have committed the offence.

Surely they cannot just act on the word of a neighbour?
This could lead to lots of problems with malicious accusations and it would come down to the word of 1 person against another. They must need some sort of proof surely?

Surely they cannot just act on the word of a neighbour?

Well I think they can but it all depends on the person who has committed the offence, if they are prepared to lie and deny then that is up to them but may be half a dozen people saw it and if so you could find yourself in deep dodo.

When you think about it all court cases are one persons word against another the police rarely see the offence being committed, it may be different with a motoring offence but I am not sure it is.

my cousin done same thing in a road that had just been turned into a one way street in our area, she was seen by police pulled over and given a producer  she went produced got a telling off and that was the end of it,

The man who reported this is the type who is always writing to the papers,he even wanted double yellow lines all the way down our quiet old rural road,he lives off it, and only lived here couple of years,it has upset me that he did not confront Andy first about this matter,he Knows I work nights in a nursing home for minimum wage,spoke to his sister in law last night,she said at worst would only be £60 fine,oh well i said some of us have to work all night for that,this bloke is a young high flyer caused 2 years of hassle when he was doing his big old house up and put up with mess ect even had to walk on the road,

Sheila

Sadly, there are some folk who have nothing else better to do! They seem to spend half their life spying on others watching and waiting for them to trip up! I can think of much better things to do with my time than to report one of my neighbours for this. With any luck the man in question is known to the police for being a pain in the rump and will send him away with a flea in his ear. It wasn't a deliberate act made by your husband and i'm sure the police have bigger fish to fry. If you happen to see him in the street just be polite, calm and smile sweetly. Let him know you really are not bothered even if you are seething inside, as im sure you are.
Fingers crossed for you both! 

> oh well i said some of us have to work all night for that

I think you should be saying this to Andy :)
I'm guessing as it is a local road he knew it was a one way street.
I know you regard this chap as a pain and a busybody but he could equally be regarded as a doer and shaker.
We had one in our village that many people moaned about for years but he achieved a lot for the parish and not nearly as much has ever got done since he died.

It is highly unlikely the police will act on this as it was not witnessed by an officer. If the police did call round regarding this matter it will be to offer 'words of advice' to see that he is aware of the mistake that he made.

To be honest, im highly surprised that the police have bothered with this. They have much more important things to be bothering about than someone making a mistake and driving the wrong way up a one way street- especially as (im assuming from your post) that there was no accident or other offence committed.

I really wouldnt worry about it, and would be even more surprised if the police bothered to call around again.

Actually, you say you know the police called at your home? Did they leave a calling card?

The police have to act on a complaint whether they believe it or not. Theynwill then establish if it is true, malicious, domestic, false or whatever other labels they use. I had a neighbour that thrived on complaining about anything and everyone and the police had to keep coming, even about an alleged soft jelly sweet being thrown from an attic window and hitting a ground floor window fifty feet away and breaking the pane of glass! The pane had in fact been cracked for years, it had just finally given in! The child should have been a bowler for England if that was true! They were sick of it but by law had to investigate every complaint but did tell them to consider the facts carefully before calling in future...after too many empty visits.
It is for Andy to say whatever he needs to and to accept any consequence if they dish out a fine but if he is up front and has a reason and the road is a quiet residential one where neighbours often do a quick zap to their drive in an emergency they may just ask to see his docs and give him a warning. Its a tricky one. Neighbours eh.

> has a reason and the road is a quiet residential one where neighbours often do a quick zap to their drive in an emergency

Struggling to imagine what reason or "emergency" they would see as acceptable. 
As it is local to him I doubt they would accept "accidental" either.  I think he just has to big up and take the talking to and possible fine.

I dont know the circumstances in which he drove the wrong way, I dont assume anything and I dont pry so I am stating what could happen and I did say he will have to face whatever consequences, be it a fine or warning. I think and hope on the whole my post was helpful and stating fact. Some police are humans too and can be reasonable, I am not saying they would say its not bad, they may however decide between two punishments,..they may not. If i had left my frying pan on the hot ring it could take me 4 minutes to get home on our one way system, 20 seconds the wrong way..house fire or not... Could that be a good enough reason living in a terrace? Would a policeman/woman see that as reasonable? Sometimes I collapse, an alarm alerts a centre who call my O H who has to dash from work and get home quick.... If the traffic is bad...one way system or wrong way up a quiet street?  See..you never know whats happening in someones life...and someone may prefer not to say, I prefer not to but in fact its good to use as an example when people judge others

This chap is a pain and disliked and is upsetting the community,I dont know why Andy did this,but its somthing I can do without at the moment oh well all in life.

Thanks for your help.

Sheila

> I think you should be saying this to Andy :-)
> I'm guessing as it is a local road he knew it was a one way street.

Thank you Stooge, I desperately wanted to write this last night. It's a pet hate of mine people who think they can drive through red lights, up one way streets the wrong way etc just because to follow the law would hold them up for a minute or two.

> 20 seconds the wrong way..

I really don't think any emergency can justify it as by trying to save seconds to avoid one danger you are just creating another to other drivers and pedestrians.

And speeding is a pet hate of mine,I dont drive but I see many people doing this putting my dogs in danger,so I wii report him if I ever see him speeding in his yuppy car,nobody is perfect,

Sheila

Maybe, but im saying dont judge until you know someones situation or have been in one yourself. Im not defending anyone or any situation, just being devils advocate here, theres too many idiots on the road but im not going to be judge and jury as to who wears that label. I only posted to explain that the police have to investigate as no-one seemed to realise!

Thanks Elly,your reply was helpful,yes we were in a situation as our beloved Sadie had been pts so really I cant cope neither can Andy,

Sheila

This is not actually true. The police must log every complaint but do not have to act upon it. Any 'trivial' reports are usually handed to pcso's to deal with.

So are you saying PCSOs are not covered by the term 'police'? I was told they have to investigate every complaint,..that could include if it is by a PCSO or a ' real policeman/ woman' as some would say...  Maybe its changed now..I was passing what I was told..or perhaps he just enjoyed my tea making.

> so I wii report him if I ever see him speeding in his yuppy car

I think that is perfectly reasonable :)

No, im not saying that at all. Im saying that trivial reports are usually handed to pcso's to deal with, but not ALL reports have to be followed up to the extent of a visit to the said offender.

Edit: it does depend on circumstance, if there is a victim of crime then the complaint/report has to be acted upon.

if there is a victim of crime then the complaint/report has to be acted upon.

We do not know if there was a victim or not - do not think this is helping the situation, if the police want to establish what happened they will call and if they see fit they will take action, such action will not be severe but may strain the finances.

I'm not sure why you think this is not helping. I was responding to another poster who stated the police have to act on every complaint they receive. This is not the case.

Also, it is very obvious that there is not a victim of crime in the situation described by the OP. I was clarifying that if there IS  a victim of crime it has to be acted upon. As i stated earlier, IMO the OP has absolutely nothing to worry about.

I do know what I'm talking about ;)

Was just pointing out that we don't know if there was a victim or not, we only have a third party report. By not helping, I meant the OP, we are speculating as to what happened and what action may be taken and as we are not aware of the facts we can't say.

Hi the facts are my husband went down a one way short road,very near were we live,he shouldnt have done that I know,so does he now,however the person who saw him do it told my husband that he had reported this to the police as he was sick and fed up of people doing this,Ido understand were he'S comming from as I am a pedestrian and get fed up with selfish drivers,what I was asking,can the police charge him with this if he was the only witness..well police havent called today and didnt leave anything when they called yesterday.

Sheila

Sheila, that is why I suggested that some of the comments were not helping you, it could be that the chap in question was fed up with it happening and took his anger out by saying he had reported him, he may not have done so but I bet your husband will be careful not to do it again anyway.

If he was reported the police may take action if he was not then all is well, you can do nothing to alter the outcome so try to forget it and hope you hear no more.

I believe the police can charge you on the statement of one person but then again you don't know if he did report it or if he was the only witness.

Thanks for your help.

Sheila xx