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Rally Cross

by | 30th, July 2003

‘THE British bobby may traditionally be better at telling the time and giving directions than his foreign counterpart, but he’s always been pretty rubbish at solving crimes.

‘And the car failed its emissions test, Mr McRae’

In fact, had it not been for amateur sleuths like Father Brown and Miss Marple or professional ones like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot, barely a single murderer would have seen the inside of a prison cell in the past 150 years.

But what he lacks in what Poirot used to call ‘the little grey cells’, Old Bill makes up for in cunning.

So desperate were South Wales police to improve their detection rates they decided to lay a speed trap for unsuspecting motorists…at the Rally Great Britain.

‘With thousands of fans expected to attend, it was assumed that a good few would be caught trying to emulate their heroes’ high-speed antics,’ the Times explains.

‘What the force had not counted on, however, was catching 20 of the world’s top rally drivers as they dashed between the event’s different stages on public roads.’

Among the drivers caught and now facing disqualification are several former world champions, such as Colin Mcrae, Richard Burns, Tommi Makinen and Carlos Sainz.

Belgian Freddy Loix is accused of breaking the 30mph speed limit seven times on the same day.

The World Rally Championship said banned drivers would still be allowed to compete, but they would have to get someone else to drive them between stages.

Police in Northamptonshire are believed to be kicking themselves after hearing of their South Wales colleagues’ coup.

They could have had the licences of all the drivers at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone before they’d got round the first corner.



Posted: 30th, July 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink