WHEN I was young my mum used to say: “Ask a policeman.” I was never quite sure why and frankly never really needed to.

Actually she used to share a lot more advice with me than this and some of her words of wisdom were delivered in a much more pointed fashion.

However, I’ve mentioned my views on the merits of smacking children previously so we’ll leave this one here.

Back to my point about coppers – I take it I can still refer to them as coppers? I hope it’s not politically incorrect. Anyway, whatever we choose to call them, they used to be figures of respect – along with teachers, the bank manager and the vicar.

Do we now do enough to teach our children to show adults the respect they deserve? In the case of my own youngsters I think I can put my hand on my heart and say yes.

In fact, for a short while my daughter toyed with the idea of joining the police force, though she’s now taken a different career path.

The thing is, I had two separate “brushes with the law” this week and in both cases I was left feeling uplifted and invigorated by the experience. The first really is too boring to mention but suffice it to say I required help with directions and asked a bobby on the street. He was so helpful he actually accompanied me to my destination and to cap it all held the door open.

In the second case I attended an awards event at which PC David Catt was made Local Hero of the Year – and very well deserved it was too.

In short, I was left feeling very good about this country’s great police force.

The trouble is, this on-the-ground experience is in stark contrast to any professional relationship I have in my working life.

Sadly I have to report the relationship between journalists and the police is at by far the lowest ebb it has ever been.

Both sides are bound to blame Lord Leveson, the crooks who hacked phones, resources, the general state of society etc.

I’m sure both I, and the relevant chief constables, will say we’ve each done what we can to foster better relationships.

Well, through this column I will hold my hand up and say I want to do more.

I want to do anything I can to improve the relationship between my team and yours so please speak to me.

The Argus: A speed camera

Being completely honest I should probably admit I did have one other new experience yesterday. I didn’t actually come into contact with the police, it was a camera on a traffic light.

Anyway, as I don’t have any points on my licence I was invited to attend a What’s Driving Us Course. The cost of the course is only marginally less than the fine, so swerving the points is the obvious attraction. Apparently there are 80 offences we might have committed.

I think you are only entitled to attend one of these every three years – anyway, I was a virgin to the whole process.

It was held at the local rugby club, I’m not sure entirely why.

The welcome was pleasant enough and we started off with a cup of coffee.

I’m not sure why I was surprised but I’d describe my fellow attendees as a very mixed cross-section of society – I suppose they were always likely to be.

Apparently we’re all at various stages – anger, denial, acceptance, disappointment, bargaining. The guy on the next table definitely hasn’t got beyond anger – he still claims touching one button on a mobile shouldn’t be breaking the law.

In fact, I met a number of really interesting folk or maybe I was just lucky with the table of six I was sitting at.

I was also reminded of the year wearing a seat belt became law – do you remember? And, guess how many years later it was before wearing them in the back was added to the statute book?

And as for a law about drink driving – would you like to have a stab at that one?

I’ll tweet the answers out there @parkestheeditor

Do you know what, this course also dispelled a few myths – there were far more men on it than women and, what’s more, most of the men were older, so not the young tearaways you might expect.

And I’m told this is generally the case.

One other thing that crossed my mind while I was sat there – I wonder if anyone’s ever met a future partner at one of these courses? Perhaps a 49-year-old on her way to Pilatus.

The fact is, like many things in life, you’ll get out of these courses what you’re prepared to put in.

Hopefully I’m a safer driver now.