‘We’re sorry your experience with us has not been a good one,’ said the press officer at Surrey Police.
‘You misunderstand me,’ I told the chap. ‘I didn’t expect being cautioned for breaking the law to be a good experience. In fact, I think it’s very important that breaking the law and being caught is not a good experience.’
I explained to the officer who had telephoned in response to my enquiry that I was not complaining about being fined for not having an MOT. I was unhappily happy with that bit. The bit I was questioning was where the young officer issued me with a penalty notice that hadn’t printed properly so I couldn’t read the offence number or the phone number to call to pay it, and the bit where he and his colleague left me broken down and stranded at the roadside with my battery drained, having detained me for an hour with my lights on while they checked every inch of my car.
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