PW_2_2024

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Looking Back to the 80s David Smith, Wiltshire Branch

American Cars B ack in September 1982 , I was a Traffic Sergeant in Wiltshire, when I came across a flat bed with a big American Car on it. The front end had been cut off. The driver was stood by the lorry with a map and was clearly lost. He said he had to get to a field near Hinton Parva, where there was to be a film made. Knowing my patch, I told him to follow me, and at the end of a dead end lane I was met with the sight shown in the photos. BMW were doing an advert to show how their new models drove the big gas guzzlers into the ground. They buried 25 cars like this, and then drove their cars zigzagging through them. I spoke to the crew, and they said the best shots would be at dusk, when the cars would have their headlights on, so I went back later, and it was quite something to see. It was all quite hush hush. I never did see the advert, but some petrol head member might recall it. Indeed, given that all the buried cars were American, it might just have been for the USA market.

Tanker RTC T he accident was back in the early eighties on the A420 East of Swindon. I was the Sergeant , the imbiber is an officer who shall be nameless. He later went from Traffic to CID, so his consumption of a large quantity of lager here was good training for what was to come. Note the total lack of equipment hung about us, our staff’s handcuffs and bullet proof clipboards were in the boot of our car.

Police World Back Copies Sought We are looking for original copies (one of each) of: Vol. 64 No.3 -2019 Vol. 65 No.1, No.2 & No.3 -202)

If any members have these and are happy to part with them, please contact: michele.rai@ipa-uk.org Michele Rai,Business Operations Manager, International Police Association – Section UK

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POLICE WORLD Vol 69 No.2, 2024