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Police refuse to chase helmet-less motorcycle perps


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Also add to that the risk to the police officers lives in the chase - more important than those being chased imo.

 

That's not the issue here though is it.

 

It's about the police refusing to chase people who aren't wearing a helmet, because of the safety of those people.

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In most instances, I would agree, if you run from the police, and you have a fatal accident; you are to blame.

 

Certainly, if people are removing helmets in order to escape the police, I don't think that should be reason alone for the police to give up the chase.

 

However, theree are other factors to consider. Threat to bystanders. Threat to passenger(s) in/on the fleeing vehicle...

 

Someone on the back of a bike, may have no knowlege of the drivers criminal activity, and may not have opportunity to leave the vehicle before it flees from the police. Are the police right to risk that innocent person's life?

 

I would say not. But then, how would the police know? They don't. They do not have perfect information, so it's eneviatable they will make mistakes.

 

I'd take a wild shot in the dark that if you're on the back of someone's bike and they're not wearing a helmet while riding around the streets that you'd have a reasonable idea that they're committing a crime, as riding without a helmet IS a crime.

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I'd take a wild shot in the dark that if you're on the back of someone's bike and they're not wearing a helmet while riding around the streets that you'd have a reasonable idea that they're committing a crime, as riding without a helmet IS a crime.

 

no it's not, it's a fixed penalty notice on the same level as using a bus lane.

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I'd take a wild shot in the dark that if you're on the back of someone's bike and they're not wearing a helmet while riding around the streets that you'd have a reasonable idea that they're committing a crime, as riding without a helmet IS a crime.

 

Quite possibly.

 

Are you saying then, that it is acceptable, in that 1 in a 100 case, where the passenger is unaware of any criminal activity; for the police to give chase and endanger the life of that person?

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Break the law, run from the police and get hurt/killed during a chase whether on foot or transport of whatever type - accept the consequences - simple - end of :rant:

 

Live by the rules/laws and everyone will be fine :D I don't agree with a few laws but there we go, I have to abide by them. (why can't I smack the next ******** idiot that ****** me off?)

 

bet auto sensor has worked :D

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Quite possibly.

 

Are you saying then, that it is acceptable, in that 1 in a 100 case, where the passenger is unaware of any criminal activity; for the police to give chase and endanger the life of that person?

 

So criminals just need to have a passenger with them, on a bike or in a car, and the police shouldn't chase them... "In case" the passenger is somehow innocent.

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So criminals just need to have a passenger with them, on a bike or in a car, and the police shouldn't chase them... "In case" the passenger is somehow innocent.

 

I think it depends on the merit of the situation at hand; and it's up to the officers on the scene to use their experience and make the call, one way or another.

 

Also, there is a consideration regarding the nature of the chase itself; how reckless and dangerous is it? Though, I guess that's more to do with potential harm to innocent bystanders, pedestrians or other road users.

 

There will be times when they get it wrong. Sometimes letting someone get away who they should have chased; sometimes causing injury or death to an innocent party, or to a petty criminals (for example, someone with no road tax on their vehicle).

 

I don't imagine it's a clear-cut easy thing to decide.

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If someone does a runner because they have no car tax then they've almost certainly committed some other crime... Because if the car is registered to their address it's hardly going to be difficult to track them down...

 

And that's the case with a lot of stops. If they've run then they've almost certainly got something to hide beyond the reason they were pulled.

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If they've run then they've almost certainly got something to hide beyond the reason they were pulled.

 

Almost certainly heinous enough that the police are justified in causing loss of life to that person, and to their passenger / hostage (who may want to leave the fleeing vehicle, but are unable to)?

 

All I'm saying is, it's not black and white.

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