We had "polite" horse riders..... now "polite" Vans ?
Discussion
Devil2575 said:
Issues of impersonating a Police officer aside, how does high Viz with the word Polite on it cause anyone any inconvenience?
The only reason I can think is that it causes you to take action that you would not otherwise have taken, i.e. you behave differently because you mistake the person for a Police officer. Does this not raise more questions about your behaviour than the person wearing said item?
It shouldn't matter whether the rider is a Police officer or not, the way you drive should be unaffected.
I don't condone impresonating a Police officer but i've seen plenty of Horse riders wearing those high viz Jackets and don't have an issue. They catch the eye and so are more likely to be noticed which for vulnerable road users is a good thing and they don't take more than a glance to spot that it isn't actually a Police officer.
I personally think this is another case of people getting hot under the collar about something that doesn't, or at least shouldn't, really matter.
You've turned this argument backwards. It starts with the decision by the police to paint their cars differently to the non-emergency vehicles on the road. Why do they do this? I'm assuming there is a good reason and it isn't just a waste of money.The only reason I can think is that it causes you to take action that you would not otherwise have taken, i.e. you behave differently because you mistake the person for a Police officer. Does this not raise more questions about your behaviour than the person wearing said item?
It shouldn't matter whether the rider is a Police officer or not, the way you drive should be unaffected.
I don't condone impresonating a Police officer but i've seen plenty of Horse riders wearing those high viz Jackets and don't have an issue. They catch the eye and so are more likely to be noticed which for vulnerable road users is a good thing and they don't take more than a glance to spot that it isn't actually a Police officer.
I personally think this is another case of people getting hot under the collar about something that doesn't, or at least shouldn't, really matter.
Once you've accepted this, you have to then include the effect of non-emergency vehicles being made to look like emergency vehicles. If that's a perfectly acceptable thing to do then you have to re-question the original conclusion to paint emergency vehicles differently in the first place.
The question you need to answer is: Should emergency vehicles be painted differently to non-emergency vehicles?
I think they should be different. I'm guessing you think they shouldn't be.
alock said:
Devil2575 said:
Issues of impersonating a Police officer aside, how does high Viz with the word Polite on it cause anyone any inconvenience?
The only reason I can think is that it causes you to take action that you would not otherwise have taken, i.e. you behave differently because you mistake the person for a Police officer. Does this not raise more questions about your behaviour than the person wearing said item?
It shouldn't matter whether the rider is a Police officer or not, the way you drive should be unaffected.
I don't condone impresonating a Police officer but i've seen plenty of Horse riders wearing those high viz Jackets and don't have an issue. They catch the eye and so are more likely to be noticed which for vulnerable road users is a good thing and they don't take more than a glance to spot that it isn't actually a Police officer.
I personally think this is another case of people getting hot under the collar about something that doesn't, or at least shouldn't, really matter.
You've turned this argument backwards. It starts with the decision by the police to paint their cars differently to the non-emergency vehicles on the road. Why do they do this? I'm assuming there is a good reason and it isn't just a waste of money.The only reason I can think is that it causes you to take action that you would not otherwise have taken, i.e. you behave differently because you mistake the person for a Police officer. Does this not raise more questions about your behaviour than the person wearing said item?
It shouldn't matter whether the rider is a Police officer or not, the way you drive should be unaffected.
I don't condone impresonating a Police officer but i've seen plenty of Horse riders wearing those high viz Jackets and don't have an issue. They catch the eye and so are more likely to be noticed which for vulnerable road users is a good thing and they don't take more than a glance to spot that it isn't actually a Police officer.
I personally think this is another case of people getting hot under the collar about something that doesn't, or at least shouldn't, really matter.
Once you've accepted this, you have to then include the effect of non-emergency vehicles being made to look like emergency vehicles. If that's a perfectly acceptable thing to do then you have to re-question the original conclusion to paint emergency vehicles differently in the first place.
The question you need to answer is: Should emergency vehicles be painted differently to non-emergency vehicles?
I think they should be different. I'm guessing you think they shouldn't be.
I'm not saying that people should be allowed to paint their cars to look like emergency vehicles, i'm simply saying that if it causes you a problem that a vehicle or a horse/bike rider at first glance superficially resembles one then that indicates a problem with your driving.
If the actions these people have taken actually made them look like the Police then I agree it needs to be sorted but I suspect the majority of those who have such an issue with this are motorists who drive in a way that would not be acceptable to the Police and so tend to modify their driving style when they see such a person.
there was a guy in a white omega with comedy aerials all over it, wore a police looking top etc, basically was preteneding to be a police man. I always felt like trying to get him to pull me over to see what he would say. This was 2007ish in swindon
around 2009 ish on the m3 northbound in the early morning there was always a guy every morning with a honda pan european bike all tarted up like a cop, had the comedy light pole up the back too. He would pull up behind cars and point em over like a police man would, then shoot off
saw him every day for years, then he stopped, always wondered if he changed jobs, crashed the bike, moved or got busted
around 2009 ish on the m3 northbound in the early morning there was always a guy every morning with a honda pan european bike all tarted up like a cop, had the comedy light pole up the back too. He would pull up behind cars and point em over like a police man would, then shoot off
saw him every day for years, then he stopped, always wondered if he changed jobs, crashed the bike, moved or got busted
Devil2575 said:
I Think emergency vehicles should be painted differently. No problem there.
I'm not saying that people should be allowed to paint their cars to look like emergency vehicles, i'm simply saying that if it causes you a problem that a vehicle or a horse/bike rider at first glance superficially resembles one then that indicates a problem with your driving.
If the actions these people have taken actually made them look like the Police then I agree it needs to be sorted but I suspect the majority of those who have such an issue with this are motorists who drive in a way that would not be acceptable to the Police and so tend to modify their driving style when they see such a person.
I don't have a problem with my driving. I know I break the speed limit the majority of the time that I'm driving. What I do have a problem with is self appointed pricks who have altered their vehicles appearance to pretend to be plod. I'm not saying that people should be allowed to paint their cars to look like emergency vehicles, i'm simply saying that if it causes you a problem that a vehicle or a horse/bike rider at first glance superficially resembles one then that indicates a problem with your driving.
If the actions these people have taken actually made them look like the Police then I agree it needs to be sorted but I suspect the majority of those who have such an issue with this are motorists who drive in a way that would not be acceptable to the Police and so tend to modify their driving style when they see such a person.
I'm unlikely to fall for it but others do. So I get held up unnecessarily. Secondly the pricks will try to act as a unsanctioned plod themselves. That pisses me off.
Edited by LoonR1 on Tuesday 16th September 16:23
It's obviously been done as an advertising tool for his RS vans and also as a bit if fun (he has a Royal Mail style van too), and most people would realise it's not a police van pretty instantly as it doesn't say police on it.
So where do you draw the line? Is it the reflective yellow and white squares or the word that looks a bit like police?
He isn't trying to be a police officer so is it actually impersonating a police officer?
So where do you draw the line? Is it the reflective yellow and white squares or the word that looks a bit like police?
He isn't trying to be a police officer so is it actually impersonating a police officer?
Adz The Rat said:
It's obviously been done as an advertising tool for his RS vans and also as a bit if fun (he has a Royal Mail style van too), and most people would realise it's not a police van pretty instantly as it doesn't say police on it.
I would proffer that most people would assume it was a Police van, seeing it has been stickered up to look exactly f
king like one.
Adz The Rat said:
HereBeMonsters said:
I would proffer that most people would assume it was a Police van, seeing it has been stickered up to look exactly fking like one.
Apart from the completely different words, big wheels, big brakes, private plate and lack of lighting on the roof?king like one.Given 99% of the general public think that the traffic Womble Land Rovers are Police cars, they're pretty much all going to be taken in by this.
Adz The Rat said:
It's obviously been done as an advertising tool for his RS vans and also as a bit if fun (he has a Royal Mail style van too), and most people would realise it's not a police van pretty instantly as it doesn't say police on it.
So where do you draw the line? Is it the reflective yellow and white squares or the word that looks a bit like police?
He isn't trying to be a police officer so is it actually impersonating a police officer?
That and he fact I've never seen a slammed Police vehicle of any description running big wheels and no bule lights. If people can't see that isn't a Police vehicle then they should have their license taken away from them for being blind...So where do you draw the line? Is it the reflective yellow and white squares or the word that looks a bit like police?
He isn't trying to be a police officer so is it actually impersonating a police officer?
HereBeMonsters said:
So you see that in your rear view mirror. And you're claiming you wouldn't for one second think it could be a Police vehicle of some sort? If I saw it I would assume a dog handling van or similar. I'm not in the habit of carefully reading all the signwriting on every van I see just to check it's not an "hilarious" joke vehicle.
Given 99% of the general public think that the traffic Womble Land Rovers are Police cars, they're pretty much all going to be taken in by this.
From the front it looks exactly like any other Connect....Given 99% of the general public think that the traffic Womble Land Rovers are Police cars, they're pretty much all going to be taken in by this.
LoonR1 said:
Devil2575 said:
I Think emergency vehicles should be painted differently. No problem there.
I'm not saying that people should be allowed to paint their cars to look like emergency vehicles, i'm simply saying that if it causes you a problem that a vehicle or a horse/bike rider at first glance superficially resembles one then that indicates a problem with your driving.
If the actions these people have taken actually made them look like the Police then I agree it needs to be sorted but I suspect the majority of those who have such an issue with this are motorists who drive in a way that would not be acceptable to the Police and so tend to modify their driving style when they see such a person.
I don't have a problem with my driving. I know I break the speed limit the majority of the time that I'm driving. What I do have a problem with is self appointed pricks who have altered their vehicles appearance to pretend to be plod. I'm not saying that people should be allowed to paint their cars to look like emergency vehicles, i'm simply saying that if it causes you a problem that a vehicle or a horse/bike rider at first glance superficially resembles one then that indicates a problem with your driving.
If the actions these people have taken actually made them look like the Police then I agree it needs to be sorted but I suspect the majority of those who have such an issue with this are motorists who drive in a way that would not be acceptable to the Police and so tend to modify their driving style when they see such a person.
I'm unlikely to fall for it but others do. So I get held up unnecessarily. Secondly the pricks will try to act as a unsanctioned plod themselves. That pisses me off.
I generally speed pretty much everywhere I go, sometimes excessively on A-roads, but as I am a very suspicious and observant driver (comes from years of owning bikes as well as cars) then I wouldn't fall for fake Police livery, but everyone else does and behaves erratically because of it.
As an example, look at all the morons on the motorway who slam on their brakes and slow down to 65mph just because they have seen a HATO vehicle and for some reason think it's the Police? It happens all the time.
Same with speed cameras... They see one, panic, and slow down to 45 or 50 in a 60mph limit.
Christ, I even watch people panic and slow down whenever they see the Volvo Action Service van parked on the side of the road near my house because the bloke who drives it lives there! They think it's a sodding Camera Partnership Van. (photo below) Nothing wrong with the van in my opinion, but all the idiots panic as the Volvo action logo and van colour looks like our local Scamera Vans.
People have even crashed at the mere sight of Police cars:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvLrkIPqTZo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn4ZzxYG1X4
I saw an episode of Police Interceptors where some lady was just pulling out of a road end normally, but then panicked and crashed, just because a police car was coming along the road.
What I'm trying to say is that the roads are full of people who panic and behave extremely erratically whenever they are faced with 'at a glance what appears to be a Police car', and therefore I would rather people didn't try to sticker their vehicle up to look like the Police 'for a bit of fun'.
Edited by NinjaPower on Tuesday 16th September 17:05
NinjaPower said:
Yes. Yes they are.
Plain white helmets and battenburg vests = tosspots.
Oh FFS. Plain white helmets and battenburg vests = tosspots.
I have a plain white helmet. They are cheaper than patterned helmets and a NZ study showed they are more visible and riders with white helmets have a 30% lower chance of having a SMIDSY crash (although safer riders may be more inclined to choose white helmets, so the helmet is not necessarily the reason why white helmet riders are safer).
I also have a Pan European, which is the bike the police formerly used and the bike various ambulance services still use.
I have a police surplus high viz jacket. It has a battenburg pattern. It is also goretex and was amazingly cheap for what it is, which is why I got it (it is just blank where police or polite would have been written).
None of the above is designed to make me look like a copper and any look at me will reveal I am not a copper. Esp if I happen to have the MP3 going and am singing some Barry Manilow, karaoke style as I am riding.
Personally, I would not wear a "POLITE" anything and (a) I like to say f
k a lot, fk fk fk and and (b) I don't want to look like a copper.NinjaPower said:
What I'm trying to say is that the roads are full of people who panic and behave extremely erratically whenever they are faced with 'at a glance what appears to be a Police car', and therefore I would rather people didn't try to sticker their vehicle up to look like the Police 'for a bit of fun'.
I'd rather they didn't either, but what you're describing is a problem with how some drivers respond to seeing a Police vehicle. It's not really anything to do with people stickering their car up is it.There are far more real Police cars out there than vans like the one being discussed in the OP.
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
Devil2575 said:
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
It should be, I fully agree, but I cannot see how that 'reaction' by drivers would ever be addressed.In the meantime however, to limit the amount of panicked drivers, people like the van owner should be told to pack it in.
Devil2575 said:
I'd rather they didn't either, but what you're describing is a problem with how some drivers respond to seeing a Police vehicle. It's not really anything to do with people stickering their car up is it.
There are far more real Police cars out there than vans like the one being discussed in the OP.
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
Jesus christ.There are far more real Police cars out there than vans like the one being discussed in the OP.
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
The act of stickering it up to resemble a Police vehicle CAUSES the response. Or do you think they're completely disconnected?
HereBeMonsters said:
Devil2575 said:
I'd rather they didn't either, but what you're describing is a problem with how some drivers respond to seeing a Police vehicle. It's not really anything to do with people stickering their car up is it.
There are far more real Police cars out there than vans like the one being discussed in the OP.
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
Jesus christ.There are far more real Police cars out there than vans like the one being discussed in the OP.
So if there is a problem with how certain drivers react to the sight of a Police vehicle then that should be addressed.
The act of stickering it up to resemble a Police vehicle CAUSES the response. Or do you think they're completely disconnected?
If they saw an actual Police vehicle then the response would be the same.
Do you think there are many such vehicles on our roads and that this is a significant problem?
I'm not saying that people shouldn't be stopped from making their cars look like Police cars, just that the issue of how other drivers react isn't the reason why they should be stopped.
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