WHEN it comes to parking violations, it looks like a bread-and-butter case.
A police van is parked on the pavement on double yellow lines while one of the occupants nips into a supermarket to buy some sandwiches.
But according to Greater Manchester Police, this police vehicle was legally parked as a female officer did a spot of shopping - because it was being used to transport three prisoners at the time and there was a problem with the rear door.
An MEN reader used his camera to snap the liveried van parked outside Tesco Express on Quay Street, one of the busiest roads in the city centre on Monday evening.
He also took pictures of the officer going into the supermarket, queuing up at the till and paying for some food before going back out to the van to rejoin her male colleague, who was driving the vehicle.
The shopper who took the pictures said: "I was at Tesco doing some shopping when I spotted a policewoman get out of a police van which was parked on double yellow lines and then went in to Tesco do some shopping.
"How do they get away with parking on double yellow lines?"
When we approached Greater Manchester Police for an explanation, the force insisted its officers had not broken the law.
In a statement, a
GMP
spokesman said: "The police van stopped on Quay Street for wholly legitimate reasons and was parked legally.
"What the surreptitious pictures obtained by the MEN do not show is that the officers had just arrested three juveniles. As they were transferring them to a police station the prisoners complained that there was something wrong with the door at the back of the van.
"The officer driving immediately pulled over to investigate - as he was duty bound to do. While he checked the back of the van the other officer took the opportunity to go into the shop.
"By this time the officers had been working for more than six and a half hours without a meal break and were unlikely to get another opportunity to get some refreshments as they had to get to the station to process the prisoners.
"The prisoners were secure at all times."
According to the Highway Code, waiting restrictions indicated by yellow lines apply to the carriageway, pavement, and verge.
You may stop to load or unload (unless there are also loading restrictions) or while passengers get in or out.
Double yellow lines mean no waiting at any time unless there are signs that specifically indicate seasonal restrictions.
The incident happened just 48 hours after the MEN reported how another Greater Manchester Police officer had parked in a disabled bay at a supermarket.
In that incident the vehicle was pictured by an eagle-eyed shopper at Asda in Rochdale - the same store which recently introduced £60 spot-fines for anyone caught using disabled spaces without a blue badge.
Police have launched a probe into whether the driver of the van in that incident was on an emergency call at the time.
What do you think? Have your say.
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Double yellow stop for special brunch
April 10, 2008
Showing comments 1 to 21 and replies | View All
Leo B (10/04/2008 at 09:10)
Mike S, Manchester (10/04/2008 at 09:30)
In any event, if you look at the picture, the van isn't just parked on yellow lines, it's almost fully on the pavement. Isn't that worse?
Also, they can't be more than 200 yards from Bootle Street Police Station. Couldn't they have parked there and nipped back for their groceries?
Laura Norder, Didsbury (10/04/2008 at 10:24)
Are police officers not allowed meal breaks? Should they
ace, manchester (10/04/2008 at 10:31)
Of course they are allowed dinners etc. but not if they break the same laws that they prosicute us for? Are we allowed to park on double yellow lines while we go shopping??I DONT THINK SO?
Mike (10/04/2008 at 10:40)
alvinlwh (10/04/2008 at 11:01)
Were the prisoners concerned that the door could not lock properly and they can escape???
chris (10/04/2008 at 11:03)
jacko101 (10/04/2008 at 12:16)
Nice that the MEN reported that his is one of the busiest roads, wow look at all that traffic and the problem this van is causing.
Yes, the Police should generally follow the rules that they enforce, but come on......give it a rest and take some photo's of a real crime.
I bet the person who took this photo was one of the ones on here complaining when the police said the public could help with their camera phones! Typical.
ace, manchester (10/04/2008 at 12:36)
Daniel (10/04/2008 at 12:45)
Daniel (10/04/2008 at 12:50)
im sure you would all be the first people to start having a go at the police if they failed you by not doing something for you. like catching criminals. Police are useless, they only bova with the young kids not the hardend criminals!!
i was watchina police programe the other day, and it showed, a man on a night out urinating on the street corner, the police went to arrest him. (2 officers) the man tried getting away so they then asked for back up. (6 officers) it took 15 mins to find the guy, and then it took 1 officers entire night filling in paper work. i'd probably work this out as costing about 600 pound jus to catch someone urinating in the street, all for a caution in the morning when he wake and sobers up!
The Bobelesque, MANCHESTER (10/04/2008 at 13:07)
This story explains why folk have little respect for coppers these days - and I speak as an ex-bobby!
He should be ticketed. They must know who was driving. I would be.
alvinlwh (10/04/2008 at 13:14)
mrsdover, Manchester (10/04/2008 at 13:16)
1. Would the photographers be as keen to take picture of a robber attacking an innocent person in the street?
2.If they did, have the nerve to take the photo ... would the M.E.N. be as keen to put the picture on page 2??
ace, manchester (10/04/2008 at 13:22)
Its like the ones who come out of the pubs and clubs at weekends and it takes dozens of police to lock them up and then in the morning they just caution them what a waste of police resources..
City on my mind (10/04/2008 at 14:00)
I see them parking where they shouldn't all the time - disabled bays at supermarkets whilst they nip in for cigarettes or sandwiches, double yellows whilst collecting flowers (once). If this van did have criminals in it and one officer went to fix the door whilst the other was inside well what would have happened if the door opened and three criminals tried to get out with only one officer there to prevent them from doing so while the other is buying a sandwich!
I also regularly see them speeding, not indicating etc. On a motorway recently everyone slwoed to pull in behind a Police van (without flashers on) and we were all doing about 90mph!
I'm all for the Police but plaese stay within the law.
Barmy Bird (10/04/2008 at 17:26)
Speaking as an ex cop it is a hard job but you need to practise what you preach
gman (10/04/2008 at 20:37)
and for the photographer get a life
Karen Bell (10/04/2008 at 23:04)
However, they are there to ensure they uphold the rule of law within our judicial system and the yellow line incident is simply institutionally systematic within law enforcement.
I first observed some 25 years ago a police van that went through two sets of red traffic lights with lights and sirens blaring and ½ mile later was parked outside a Chinese takeaway. I know it is possible that they needed to feed the prisoners in the back!
My observations of police transgressions since then run into hundreds and I am sure the Police forces PR would have a reason for all of them. The prisoners in this most recent case could of course corroborate the police story as of course could their logbook of their day’s activities.
What would be refreshing from the GMP, just for once would be to hold up their hands up and say; yes, our officer was totally out of order and has been admonished for his/her behaviour. As regards the Rochdale – Asda case, how long does it take to investigate whether the parking was an emergency, dead simple just a few minutes? Come on GMP you are supposed to be more honest than the rest of us!
Uncle Buck, Burnage (11/04/2008 at 01:29)
This particular incident may appear trivial, and I accept that their reason for stopping may have been reasonable, but a copper with any sense of responsibility would have driven a few yards further to find a safer place. Certainly when I was a lad they would not have driven onto the pavement!
Sadly, it's a sign of the times. The police used to earn our respect - now they're only interested in being seen as the big 'I Am'.
My father was a policeman and I was brought up to fear and respect them. In his latter years he was often heard to say, "coppers nowadays, I wouldn't spit on them if they were on fire". And that's the clean version!!
mylifeinthemafia (11/04/2008 at 08:28)