Well I've often said that I get stopped by the police regularly while going about my business. Guess what? It's just happened again.
I was driving out of Liverpool on the M62 and I spotted a cctv van parked on a bridge with a couple of squad cars on the hard shoulder.
As I drove under at 65mph I could see they were watching me and one of the cars pulled out and worked it's way up behind me.
Suffering from that guilty conscience that gets us all at times like this, I had dropped my speed to 60 but I had to pull out around the guy in front of me who must have been feeling even more guilty.
The pursuit car pulled round me and on go the blues and a sign saying "Follow Me".
I was led off the motorway and into the services where there was a whole team of coppers waiting for me.
I pulled up and one of the coppers had a chat with the officer in the car before walking over to me.
"Is this your vehicle sir?"
"Yes it is officer, have I done something wrong?"
"Just a routine check sir, would you mind stepping out of the vehicle?"
What followed was the usual documents and name check while a customs officer introduced himself and asked if he could check my fuel. (Looking for red diesel I guess.) Another policeman is checking my tax disc and prodding my tyres.
Then the one I've been dreading for years.
"Before I ask you to open the back of the vehicle, is there anything you need to tell me?"
"Yes officer, you are going to find two spears, four axes, six swords and five knives in the back."
Taking a half step back. "Really, and would you mind telling me where you are going with them?"
"I'm going home."
"And where have you just been?"
"At a school near Knotty Ash."
"What were you doing there??"
"Well today I was being a Saxon, but usually I'm a Viking or a Roman, that's what I do for a living. I teach history and ancient skills."
By now an understanding look is on his face and we start talking about the fact that I obviously have a good reason for carrying said items. The customs man has finished his job and I am quickly waved on my way.
Nobody even looked in the back of the van in the end.
Thank goodness for policemen with common sense is all I can say, until the next time.
I was driving out of Liverpool on the M62 and I spotted a cctv van parked on a bridge with a couple of squad cars on the hard shoulder.
As I drove under at 65mph I could see they were watching me and one of the cars pulled out and worked it's way up behind me.
Suffering from that guilty conscience that gets us all at times like this, I had dropped my speed to 60 but I had to pull out around the guy in front of me who must have been feeling even more guilty.
The pursuit car pulled round me and on go the blues and a sign saying "Follow Me".
I was led off the motorway and into the services where there was a whole team of coppers waiting for me.
I pulled up and one of the coppers had a chat with the officer in the car before walking over to me.
"Is this your vehicle sir?"
"Yes it is officer, have I done something wrong?"
"Just a routine check sir, would you mind stepping out of the vehicle?"
What followed was the usual documents and name check while a customs officer introduced himself and asked if he could check my fuel. (Looking for red diesel I guess.) Another policeman is checking my tax disc and prodding my tyres.
Then the one I've been dreading for years.
"Before I ask you to open the back of the vehicle, is there anything you need to tell me?"
"Yes officer, you are going to find two spears, four axes, six swords and five knives in the back."
Taking a half step back. "Really, and would you mind telling me where you are going with them?"
"I'm going home."
"And where have you just been?"
"At a school near Knotty Ash."
"What were you doing there??"
"Well today I was being a Saxon, but usually I'm a Viking or a Roman, that's what I do for a living. I teach history and ancient skills."
By now an understanding look is on his face and we start talking about the fact that I obviously have a good reason for carrying said items. The customs man has finished his job and I am quickly waved on my way.
Nobody even looked in the back of the van in the end.
Thank goodness for policemen with common sense is all I can say, until the next time.
