So, for EuroPride 2006 I’ll be taking my beloved Moggie; we hope; this year we’re also intending to make it to the far end and not stop 15 minutes in (not anything to do with Rebecca mind). As part of the forward planning for this I’ve been trying to find out whether, in a Parade, my car can be decked out as a Police car.
Rebecca’s blue, and a touch battered, but she’d look Lovely with ‘POLICE’ down the side and a nice flashy flashy blue light on top.
Anyway, so I started by asking the Parade organisers, but there was some difficulty there; no one seemed entirely sure. Technically I’m still driving down the road, with potentially, my car being identifiably a ‘police car’, which is illegal. Never mind that it’s 2006, not 1969 and my car is ‘unlikely’ to really be a police car. Indeed, I’d be seriously concerned if anyone thought it was (mind you people asked if she really was a tow vehicle last year, and whether Hebe really was a driving school car. People concern me). I can understand it actually, the whole not diluting the impact of the word POLICE.
It became apparent that that line of inquiry (I hate ‘that that, incidentally) was not going to yeild results quickly, so taking my heart in my hands I mailed the Metropolitan Police. Not that I’ve got anything against the Police, I’ve worked with loads of officers in my training and they’ve all, to a person, been excellent. I’ve encountered the police also outside of work – with the Racist blokie, and they were also really good then.
But just because I find contact with big things like the Police or the Government kind of intimidating. It’s one of those still feeling like a kid things. And also, my youth is not exactly the best thing in the world. It’s not like I broke any big laws, but I wasn’t the best kid in the universe. And I still feel guilty.
Anyway, having crafted an e-mail I paused for a moment, and thought, and then hit send. And off it went, winging it’s little way all the way to London.
Being as it was kind of a random request it bounced through the Met police a little teeny bit before hitting it’s mark; and a very nice chap mailed me back with information and more questions. And rang (unfortunately right at the time I’d decided to go out swimming); and it looks likely to happen. Of course, if anyone knows a discount supplier of magnetic signs that’d be handy.
But the question is, what’s so scary about all of this? It’s the fact I’ve had to give my car’s details to the police, and my name… I’m not sure why they need this, although it might be to keep track of cars they’ve given permission to. But that was like “oh god, what have I got myself into?”
Still. I’m looking forward to it. I need a blue flashing beacon if this is to work too. And a police costume uniform. Anyway, generally it’s *yay*. But it’s still a bit scary…
