[Drivingforfun]

Random question ... as a child, what did you want to do when you were older? Does it resemble what you do (or did) as an adult?

I was always into maths, and science, as a child, and kind of am as an adult. However I'm in finance now, whereas as a child I wanted to be a scientist.. I'd say that aspiration still is there, as the idea of solving longstanding natural "problems" as opposed to problems which are both fleeting and very much man-made still appeals... but finance is more compatible with my situation right now

Looking forward to hear others' input! 🙂

[Rolebama]

I wanted to be a helicopter pilot. I discovered I could do this by joining the Royal Navy as a Naval Air Mechanic and progressing from there. Unfortunately they would only take me on as a Marine Engineer, so I declined their offer and tried the Army. I was advised to join a Tank Regiment and get involved with their Army Air Corps detachment. At the time I was too young to join the Regular Army, so joined an all arms junior regiment. When I was finally old enough and trained, I joined my regiment in Germany. Somehow I ended up doing other stuff, and since the Army worked as a mechanic in various guises.

[TC1474]

I always wanted to join the RAF and become a flight engineer on the basis that when my time was u I should have been able to get a good job with one of the airlines as a flight engineer. However, although I passed all the tests to win a commission, back then you needed 20/20 vision to fly and my eyesight fell below that, so as an alternative the RAF said I could become an RAF Policeman.

My father who was also a serving copper made the suggestion that if I was considering policing in the RAF why not do it properly? So I sat the entrance exams, passed and as they say the rest is history.

My father was a traffic policeman, and so I also hankered that ambition to go on traffic and become a motorcyclist, but you have to do your time on cars first and then hope you get asked if you want to go on bikes (assuming you have a full bike licence)

Long story short, we became the first father and son working on the same traffic base at the same time to both hold Police advanced class 1 qualifications for both cars and motorcycles.

So looking back 45 years on, I did not achieve my first ambition but my second target turned out pretty well ☺

And I had a pretty good second career in private law on the back of my experience and qualifications as well as running my own rider/driver training business as well.

[Drivingforfun]

Being a pilot (either helicopter or plane) appeals to me @Rolebama … even just a private one. I’ve heard helicopters are much harder? Someone once described it to me by saying keeping a helicopter stationary in the air is like balancing a car on a hill using the clutch and accelerator, just much harder. I don’t know how accurate that is!


Did you join quite young @TC1474?


I didn’t know you had to do police cars first to be allowed to do bikes… Out of curiosity, do police bikers ever do any “fast” pursuit-type stuff? I’ve never seen a police bike really going for it - when I’ve seen them with lights on it’s always escorting and that kind of thing, which I guess would make sense due to the risk factors

[Nick]

My intention was always to be some kind of musician / rock star - then I got into insurance, intending to stay for 6 months and eventually staying for 16 years! The job I do now didn't even exist when I was young - the same will likely apply for at least one of my two children.

I also heard that helicopters are tricky @Drivingforfun - made me remember this tv show about potential astronauts and an episode where they had to hover in a helicopter:

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by Drivingforfun

Did you join quite young @TC1474?


I didn’t know you had to do police cars first to be allowed to do bikes… Out of curiosity, do police bikers ever do any “fast” pursuit-type stuff? I’ve never seen a police bike really going for it - when I’ve seen them with lights on it’s always escorting and that kind of thing, which I guess would make sense due to the risk factors

I was 18 and a half when I started, I was lucky that I was on Traffic by the age of 21having passed my selection board and intermediate driving course before being posted.

I retired at 48.

It is was always standard in my force, you started on cars, did all your courses, Speed enforcement, VASCAR, Muniquip etc, etc. We also had to do a minimum of 12 months on the Motorway.

To get on bikes you had to wait for someone to give up or retire or move on as it was a job for life. Once selected, you did an intermediate advanced course to authorise you to ride a marked patrol bike, and then 12 months later you went away to the Home Office school to get your full advanced qualification.

I was involved in many pursuits although control room would try and and get a double crewed car to take over.

The crash that brought about my life changing disability was a result of a pursuit on the bike with a stolen vehicle and I got rammed by the offenders mate in another vehicle.

A buddy of mine was forced into the central reservation of the M4 by the driver of a stolen Rolls Royse of all vehicles. He should have been killed but survived.

I also did the surveillance course which is doing pursuits on a plain unmarked bike (that was fun) and we of course did Special Escort work so I got to know all the members of the royal family well.

The public really do not see a fraction of what the bikes do, but the riders also have the option of filling in and crewing a car if needed.

We used to have our own personal issue bike (or car) and I had the same crewmate for many years, and quite often we would double up in a car on a late turn and it was quite funny pulling a motorist over and they would look at us strangely in leather trousers and boots

[Rolebama]

@Drivingforfun FWIW: I did once have the opportunity to take over controls of a Sea King, although it was a dual control. It was quite a thrill at the time. I was in North Wales when I was in training. We were stuck in the area because of the Foot and Mouth outbreak, so we couldn't travel out to our usual haunts. RAF Valley sent us a Sea King for the day. After I had my turn in it and it had gone back, I asked the others what they thought of controlling it, and it turned out none of them had asked. I don't think they believed I had had the controls.

[NMNeil]

I never had any idea what I wanted to be when I grew up; still don't 😉

[Rolebama]

She-Who-Will-Be-Obeyed-Or-Else still asks me when am I going to grow up.

[TC1474]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

She-Who-Will-Be-Obeyed-Or-Else still asks me when am I going to grow up.

I was told that if you haven't grown up by the time you get to aged 60, then you never have to 😉

5 nearly 6 years in that is very true and works for me 😊

[Beelzebub]

Originally Posted by TC1474

I was told that if you haven't grown up by the time you get to aged 60, then you never have to 😉

5 nearly 6 years in that is very true and works for me 😊

And for me!

[NMNeil]

Rebellious youth stage: Stay out late, drink wayyyy too much beer, grow my hair long.
Working age: Wishing you could stay out late, drinking far less beer or not drinking at all, suitable haircut.
My age (71): Getting up or going to bed when and if I please, drinking beer, whiskey and smoking weed all day long, growing my hair past my shoulders.
No; I guess I grew up for a while then got back to being in my normal state 😎

[Nick]

My eldest son is obsessed with being able to stay up a bit later - I don't really know why, in fact both my sons are, even when they're tired. Opposing that is me, who is ready for winding down and bed before the eldest's bedtime! I'm not sure what he thinks he's missing out on!

[Rolebama]

Can't remember who is credited, but I always agree that 'Youth Is Wasted On The Young'.

[olduser]

Originally Posted by Nick

My eldest son is obsessed with being able to stay up a bit later - I don't really know why, in fact both my sons are, even when they're tired. Opposing that is me, who is ready for winding down and bed before the eldest's bedtime! I'm not sure what he thinks he's missing out on!

Life to come?

[olduser]

Originally Posted by Rolebama

Can't remember who is credited, but I always agree that 'Youth Is Wasted On The Young'.

Usually accredit to George Bernard Shaw, though the sentiment was around before him, so perhaps he formalised the idea.

Rod Stewart, had a line in a song which I think is a similar idea, "I wish I was a little bit younger, and knew what I now now"