As students head back to school after a summer break, London motorists will be confronted by more vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists using the roads.
Throw in school buses, construction zones and other detour situations and it makes for an environment that can lead to aggression on the part of motorists who find themselves late for work or other appointments.
Rather than drive aggressively to “be on time” and endanger other road users in the process, police encourage motorists to lie.
Despite running late, police want drivers to calm down, obey the rules of the road then lie if necessary to save face with the boss, client etc who has been slightly inconvenienced in your tardiness.To aid in this process police suggest a few props:
1) Go to the junk yard get an old “flat” tire, throw it in the trunk or back seat. Before entering the office late, rub your hands over this dirty old tire and explain that you had a flat on the way to work and had to change it yourself,
2) Dab just a little amount of gasoline on your hands and then blame your significant other for leaving the vehicle “empty” forcing you to push the vehicle to the nearby gas station to refuel, 3) Same excuse as above but you had to call a tow truck because the gas station was too far away for you to push the car to, 4) Have a pair of pants with the knees torn out of them, explain that on the way to work you saw someone pushing their vehicle, (likely out of gas) and while helping them push you slipped, scraped your knee, ruined your pants and had to return home to change, 5) Buy a realistic arm cast, keep it in the glove box, slip it on…presto instant “hospital visit” excuse!Police encourage all motorists to adjust their departure time in order to arrive at their destination on time and safe and police generally oppose lying and fibbing however if doing so leads to safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists and other motorists than get making that list of excuses!Drive cooperatively, Sgt. Tom O’Brien
