How to scare a beekeeper - good for a laugh

[margob99]

5 years I've lived in this country, and I've never been stopped by a copper.

Blow me down - today was the day for moving my beehive, and the cops pulled me over. "No insurance, ma'am, you can't go anywhere from here, until you've proved you've got insurance".

Turned out to be a registration number spelling glitch at the insurance company, which took about 20 fraught minutes to sort out by the side of the road. Though I had my beekeeper suit on (sans veil) under my coat, I refrained from letting the coppers know about the 10,000 irritated bees in the back of my little car (mainly because I had - naughtily - not put a "Bees in Transit" sign in my window).

Then we got the bees to their destination, loosened one of the cable ties off and my partner jumped like a shot calf and yelled "they're getting out at the back", and took off like a wounded rattlesnake.

Turns out that, in taking the cable tie off, it had snagged on the OMF and must've loosened it at the back, and the furious bees were pouring out the back end ....

They're all settled in now, but that was a ride to remember, that was!

 

[Gscot]

Insured my van at 10 am got stoped for spot check at 8 pm same day insurance com. had not updated police records Tried to contact insurance com. but could,nt Van got uplifted to a breakers yard.After proof that the van was insured I got a sorry from the police. But had to wait 2 days to get the van back and had to pay £150. If I did,nt pay it was £20 a day extra for 14 days and then the van was crushed.Was totally p.... off but nothing I could do. You had some hassle but just to let you know it could have been a lot worse The police sometimes are ar.......

 

[taff..]

why would a 'bees in transit' sign make any difference?

I would have told them about the bees straight away and made sure that they understood that delaying the journey for any longer than necessary may result in the bees overheating and the colony dying. may not be 100% accurate but hey ho

that may have persuaded them to issue a producer.

Gscot - I hope you put a claim in to get the £150 back, there should be no reason why you should have to pay the money when you can prove you are 100% legit

 

[Queens59]

My son took out 'automatically renewed insurance' as he has a bad memory - so that he was always covered. Stopped by PC Plod who said 'your insurance ran out 5 days ago'...and booked and charged him. Turned out that as he had paid in full at the start of the original policy, they didn't automatically renew...We had been waiting for the paperwork and for the credit card bill...Points, fine and court appearance...not pleased and never insured with them since!

 

[Dishmop]

Insured my van at 10 am got stopped for spot check at 8 pm same day insurance com. had not updated police records

You werent stopped for a spot check.... you were stopped because their system showed that you hadnt got any insurance.

Not sure how quick it takes for insurance to register on their computers but I heard it can be 2 weeks for road tax...
However,,, if I were you I would get onto insurance company and tell them you want them to refund the money you had to pay the police or you will contact the insurance ombudsman, or whatever they are called now... Financial Advisory Service I think...

 

[drstitson]

Of course if everyone carried their v5 and insurance details around with them like you have to do abroad then this problem wouldn't occur.

 

[victor meldrew]

Of course if everyone carried their v5 and insurance details around with them like you have to do abroad then this problem wouldn't occur.

That's ok until some scrote steals your vehicle plus your documentation !
Sure helps the car ringers .

John Wilkinson

 

[Dishmop]

Of course if everyone carried their v5 and insurance details around with them like you have to do abroad then this problem wouldn't occur.

I agree but in this case I doubt the company had even posted them...

I suppose the police might accept a printed copy of the emails and details of payment..... but then again they might be in a bad mood, or missed thier tea-break.....

 

[victor meldrew]

I'm an old man ,brought up to respect the Police Force.
I have quite a few friends who are ex-police !
I consider we now have a Spent force (they like to call it a police service)being run like a business complete with creative accounting to boot !

John Wilkinson

 

[Gscot]

It was the breaker who damanded the £150 for uplifting the van. The police dont have funds to cover this(Although I think some of it from the breaker goes to their xmas fund) They gave me an address to write to to try to claim a refund but they make it difficult and hope that you give up and thats what I have done.The police were so arrogant that I think if I had been transporting bees it would,nt have made any difference. They said " Any vehicle not insured must be uplifted off the road"Although it was insured. I made a complaint to my M.P. who said was going to look into it .Still waiting.

 

[fredbloggs]

There is no such thing as " a producer" as in :

that may have persuaded them to issue a producer.[/I]

I did some recovery work for sussex plod on this revenue stream and if the driver has no insurance then orf to the pound it goes! No producers!

Police have statutory powers to seize a vehicle they believe has no insurance. These cases can be identified by the link between their ANPR (auto number plate recognition) camera/software and a link to the PNC (old bill computer) The PNC now stores info on car tax/mot and insurance and other police markers such as drugs offences or banned driver details info .

If you watch any of the many Sky TV old bill based "doc-u-nick" programmes, the police normally take all additional measures to confirm that the potential miscreants have insurance - such as a phone call to the insurance company that the driver names in the roadside chat. If they did not take those steps and it subsequently transpires you did have insurance in force at that time, you are entitled to a refund of the seizure fees? Time to get your writing crayons out me thinks

Regards

FB

 

[Hombre]

Don't you think that it might have been worth it for Mr Plod to have moved your hive in the back of your car and taken a few hits from the girls for his trouble.

Are you obliged to tell that the back is full of bees. Just say that you would prefer it if he didn't go raking around. Almost sounds like a golden opportunity for mischief.

 

[taff..]

There is no such thing as " a producer" as in :

that may have persuaded them to issue a producer.[/I]

I did some recovery work for sussex plod on this revenue stream and if the driver has no insurance then orf to the pound it goes! No producers!

Police have statutory powers to seize a vehicle they believe has no insurance. These cases can be identified by the link between their ANPR (auto number plate recognition) camera/software and a link to the PNC (old bill computer) The PNC now stores info on car tax/mot and insurance and other police markers such as drugs offences or banned driver details info .

If you watch any of the many Sky TV old bill based "doc-u-nick" programmes, the police normally take all additional measures to confirm that the potential miscreants have insurance - such as a phone call to the insurance company that the driver names in the roadside chat. If they did not take those steps and it subsequently transpires you did have insurance in force at that time, you are entitled to a refund of the seizure fees? Time to get your writing crayons out me thinks

Regards

FB

Maybe I should have called the producer by its propper name - ho/rt1- but that would have probably just confused more than it's slang name.

police officers may have the stautory powers to seize a vehicle but they are allowed to use a bit of discression, if the drivers details and the registered address all checks out and the officer is satisfied that the driver is easily contactablem, then the hort/1 can be used as opposed to seizure.

obviously, should the driver be seriously failing the attitude test, or there are further issues (maybe 4 bald tyres, no MOT and half the van held together by duct tape) then the chances of seizure go up

 

[fredbloggs]

Sorry your reply appeared whilst I was posting my reply

It was the breaker who damanded the £150 for uplifting the van. The police dont have funds to cover this

This is misleading. The police engage their preferred supplier to take your motor off the road. This is invariably a "tow truck" operative agent who has tendered and been engaged by Mr Plod to do this very work. They must satisfy the police on many issues such as being able to respond within set timescales (the boys in blue don't want to be stuck at roadside?). The agent also has to have appropriate storage facilities (Fort Knox) just in case you fancy reclaiming your property (A team style) and yes it has been known to happen. The police have an account to ensure that Road traffic incidents are recovered (normally the same geographical agent). However, in the case of "no insurance", the recovery and subsequent storage fees (another nice earner) are fully charged to the uninsured. I am certain that should you exercise your right not to reclaim your property, you remain liable for the recovery fees + expenses + storage plus the inevitable bailiffs fees (The bailiff being the brother of the tow truck owner?)

Which just goes to show, you can know bugger all about bees and still contribute to a bee-keeping forum

 

[Gscot]

The van had a good check witthe PC. You see it was,nt the traffic police it was the local PC on a panda The only thing that failed was my attude I suppose cos. I suggested they would be better trying to tackle some rear crime on a Sat. night a 8pm ( Nice little job to keep them going till 10pm) and then off home

 

[fredbloggs]

It matters not that you gave them some stick. Ordinary plod in a panda do not have the powers to seize your motor . It has to be a suitably qualified officer. more power to your appeal.

All it takes is a letter ? nothing to lose ? give it a go and report back?

 

[fredbloggs]

Solution

GScot !!

Just spotted your underlining problem. You live in Scotland? Scottish Police??

Wouldn't have happened in England????????????

(Note to admin - you need to provide a smilee that stretches across the page?)

Seriously now (and I'm not saying this because you are scots but because it will make gavin larf.)

150 smakeroons is important wonga. write to your Mp again (don't phone - write, keep copies and send recorded deliveries ) Ask him what he has done. Suspecting bugger all, write to the Chief of Police and give them all the details. Ask him/her to confirm the legality of the process. Two letters - 150 quid? I'll act as your agent for 50 per cent?

 

[taff..]

It was the breaker who damanded the £150 for uplifting the van. The police dont have funds to cover this(Although I think some of it from the breaker goes to their xmas fund)

when you make the payment to the recovery agent, you are paying 'on behalf of the chief constable of the force area'

the chief constable of your force area owes you £150, get those letters written, dont let them get away with it!!

 

[Gscot]

Twas the chief constable who told me to write. Wrote 4 letters made plenty phone calls Only gave rise to elavating my blood pressure Was given lots of bull s...

You guys should, nt need smilies today Cheshire cat comes to mind
"Ashes."

Have to chuck this line forgot this is a Beekeeping Forum

 

[MJBee]

I was moving my bees from Wales to Northumberland some time ago. I noticed in the rear view mirror that one hive had moved leaving a small gap between boxes and bees were escaping. Once on the M6 i increased speed and found that 60 - 65mph made the bees keep their heads down and they were safely moved.

Some time later I received a speeding ticket!! - 60mph on a motorway- does not compute. The trailer was borrowed and I hadn't noticed a 50mph sticker .

I wrote a groveling letter appealing to their better nature but was fined £100 anyway - no points though as it was a "technical offence".

I wish it had been a traffic car stop because the bees were seriously hacked off and if I had stopped they would have boiled out and I was full suited but the orfficer..........