ANTI-SOCIAL APPROACH

The relationship between police and drivers has always been fractious. We meet both sides of the debate around anti-social driving and the popularity of car meets

- Tom Jervis

THE relationship between drivers, especially those that enjoy their cars, and the police has always been a slightly strained one. From car meets to just jumping in with friends for a drive, there's long been a tension, and different attitudes over how to address the problem. Or even whether it's a problem in the first place.

From so-called illegal car meets to the basic principle of antisocial driving, police have tried various tactics to address the issue, but Cheshire Constabulary's Road and Crime unit is trying to educate younger drivers in particular on how they can modify their attitude and behaviour on the roads to make it safer for everyone.

We joined the force's Road and Crime unit on patrol to get to the bottom of what exactly this means and to see the problems the police are facing first hand. Our companion for the night was PC Mark Jones - a veteran of the force who took us out in the unit's undercover MINI Countryman John Cooper Works patrol car.

ANTISOCIAL DRIVING

As the sun began to dip, we set off with PC Jones explaining what defines antisocial driving. “It varies wildly,” he says, “all the way from boy racers and car meets – spinning wheels and showing off – to [examples of] driving without due care and attention, such as tailgating or overtaking in a dangerous manner.”

It doesn't take long for his point to be proven when a Volkswagen Golf ahead pulls out into the middle of the road and accelerates to pass two or three other vehicles, all on a blind corner.