Cop Cars - Unmarked - What & Where, as much detail on cars!!
Discussion
As a former Special Constable it used to be the case that the vast majority of marked and unmarked vehicles had SF at the start of their registration plates. A lot of people in the former Strathclyde Police region used to think that this stood for Strathclyde Force but it didn't - you'll see the same on fire and ambulance vehicles. The majority of non-traffic police unmarked vehicles were of the Ford Focus variety with a double aeriel on the roof - I remember we were briefed to push the second aerial down flat as the neds and those in the know could spot vehicles more easily with the two aerials clearly on show.
Today we see the vast majority of previously unmarked vehicles now displaying Police signs - in an effort to reassure the public that there is a greater police presence in the local community than you might think.
With regard to speeding, officers in a non traffic car which isn't equipped with a speed recording device would struggle to successfully prosecute you for speeding. However, id they are travelling at 30mph on a 30mph road and you were to pass, they could charge you with careless driving - a simple trip to Helen Street (Glasgow area) to ensure that their speedo is accurate would be required however.
With corroboration required in Scotland, one officer in any sort of car would be unable to charge you with speeding but you can be requested to produce documents at a local police station at a later date.
As for unmarked traffic cars, I've noticed a big shift away from the 5 series BMWs since Police Scotland came into play - I've since seen Audis and Mondeos and wouldn't risk speeding anymore.
Hope that's helpful for you all - I'm no-longer a SC and don't proclaim to be some sort of expert - the above is just a snippet of small things I picked up over the years.
Today we see the vast majority of previously unmarked vehicles now displaying Police signs - in an effort to reassure the public that there is a greater police presence in the local community than you might think.
With regard to speeding, officers in a non traffic car which isn't equipped with a speed recording device would struggle to successfully prosecute you for speeding. However, id they are travelling at 30mph on a 30mph road and you were to pass, they could charge you with careless driving - a simple trip to Helen Street (Glasgow area) to ensure that their speedo is accurate would be required however.
With corroboration required in Scotland, one officer in any sort of car would be unable to charge you with speeding but you can be requested to produce documents at a local police station at a later date.
As for unmarked traffic cars, I've noticed a big shift away from the 5 series BMWs since Police Scotland came into play - I've since seen Audis and Mondeos and wouldn't risk speeding anymore.
Hope that's helpful for you all - I'm no-longer a SC and don't proclaim to be some sort of expert - the above is just a snippet of small things I picked up over the years.
The giveaway for me of unmarked cop cars wasnt the 2 aerials or the SF on the reg, it was the font of the reg plate, the "S" in their plates was always "flatter and more squared" than any other I've seen, almost like a reversed "Z" which is clearly down to them using a different plate supplier than the usual Hills/Jepson/Bestplate suppliers that car dealers/garages/motor factors normally used, coupled with the blank plates without Arnold Clark/Parks etc names on them.
They seem to use a lot more Astras as well now both marked and unmarked whilst still using Focus' whereas before it was solely Focus'. Not sure what the navy blue Insignia estate with the battenburgs on it is used for, bit strange that its neither unmarked nor silver in colour like the other marked cars.
They seem to use a lot more Astras as well now both marked and unmarked whilst still using Focus' whereas before it was solely Focus'. Not sure what the navy blue Insignia estate with the battenburgs on it is used for, bit strange that its neither unmarked nor silver in colour like the other marked cars.
Martin_M said:
As a former Special Constable it used to be the case that the vast majority of marked and unmarked vehicles had SF at the start of their registration plates. A lot of people in the former Strathclyde Police region used to think that this stood for Strathclyde Force but it didn't - you'll see the same on fire and ambulance vehicles. The majority of non-traffic police unmarked vehicles were of the Ford Focus variety with a double aeriel on the roof - I remember we were briefed to push the second aerial down flat as the neds and those in the know could spot vehicles more easily with the two aerials clearly on show.
Today we see the vast majority of previously unmarked vehicles now displaying Police signs - in an effort to reassure the public that there is a greater police presence in the local community than you might think.
With regard to speeding, officers in a non traffic car which isn't equipped with a speed recording device would struggle to successfully prosecute you for speeding. However, id they are travelling at 30mph on a 30mph road and you were to pass, they could charge you with careless driving - a simple trip to Helen Street (Glasgow area) to ensure that their speedo is accurate would be required however.
With corroboration required in Scotland, one officer in any sort of car would be unable to charge you with speeding but you can be requested to produce documents at a local police station at a later date.
As for unmarked traffic cars, I've noticed a big shift away from the 5 series BMWs since Police Scotland came into play - I've since seen Audis and Mondeos and wouldn't risk speeding anymore.
Hope that's helpful for you all - I'm no-longer a SC and don't proclaim to be some sort of expert - the above is just a snippet of small things I picked up over the years.
Martin - regarding corroboration - presumably a single officer with video onboard counts as corroboration? How many marked and unmarked traffic cars are equipped with video?Today we see the vast majority of previously unmarked vehicles now displaying Police signs - in an effort to reassure the public that there is a greater police presence in the local community than you might think.
With regard to speeding, officers in a non traffic car which isn't equipped with a speed recording device would struggle to successfully prosecute you for speeding. However, id they are travelling at 30mph on a 30mph road and you were to pass, they could charge you with careless driving - a simple trip to Helen Street (Glasgow area) to ensure that their speedo is accurate would be required however.
With corroboration required in Scotland, one officer in any sort of car would be unable to charge you with speeding but you can be requested to produce documents at a local police station at a later date.
As for unmarked traffic cars, I've noticed a big shift away from the 5 series BMWs since Police Scotland came into play - I've since seen Audis and Mondeos and wouldn't risk speeding anymore.
Hope that's helpful for you all - I'm no-longer a SC and don't proclaim to be some sort of expert - the above is just a snippet of small things I picked up over the years.
Clivew said:
I think I read an article in the Scottish Daily Express on Monday stating that all Police Scotland unmarked cars have to heve the police logo on them. Unfortunately HID threw the paper out before I could read it again, but I did see a plain black Volvo doing speed checks in the roadworks on the A9 at Perth with "Police" in red and the police logo on the doors which seemed strange.
Just to add to my post, this was spotted today.
AGK said:
SN10 DVO. Black 5 door sportback.
A regular around the Edinburgh area.
This has been very active in Livingston over the last week or so. A regular around the Edinburgh area.
Spotted another couple that I've never seen before that were parked up together. Both white and on 12 plates, A4 Avant and a V70. Lights behind front grilles, additional nearside door mirrors and cameras mounted to the windscreens. I haven't seen them out and about but look very much like traffic cars.
Anyone else come across them anywhere?
fast dave said:
Martin - regarding corroboration - presumably a single officer with video onboard counts as corroboration? How many marked and unmarked traffic cars are equipped with video?
I may well be proved wrong but as far as I was aware, one officer's evidence isn't enough in court in this regard. I've read things about the Scottish Gvt wanting to do away with the need for corroboration though. I have no idea how many cars are video equipped. In my experience, none of your regular patrol cars are but with more and more different makes and models appearing, who knows anymore.
I think you may be right Alan - did a bit of research there. What's confusing me is that I was friendly with a traffic cop in Glasgow who often told me stories of pulling cars for speeding over the bridge at Glasgow Airport which used to be a 40 limit. Regardless, he told me that he couldn't do anything without another cop present?
.I'm certainly not an expert but my Mrs works next door to a big Police Station in Glasgow and we see lots of these type of branded vehicles without the the blues and twos, seem to be everyday police duties cars and the liveried police cars do the emergency high visibility stuff. There are still plenty of unmarked police cars pulling drivers over though I've never seen the branded ones stop anyone.
Not an unmarked car but worth telling you lot just because it was unusual
8:00pm tonight I came out of ASDA Robroyston it was raining and dark, I came out of ASDA left at the roundabout
to head onto the M80 towards Cumbernauld, only me and one car behind me, I looked ahead
and was very surprised to see a group of hi-viz jackets in the distance, lucky I was going slow about 33mph
let foot off the gas to bring it down to 30mph. indeed I was correct, in the dark was 5 police officers one with a speed gun aimed on me.
very sneaky... :-(
8:00pm tonight I came out of ASDA Robroyston it was raining and dark, I came out of ASDA left at the roundabout
to head onto the M80 towards Cumbernauld, only me and one car behind me, I looked ahead
and was very surprised to see a group of hi-viz jackets in the distance, lucky I was going slow about 33mph
let foot off the gas to bring it down to 30mph. indeed I was correct, in the dark was 5 police officers one with a speed gun aimed on me.
very sneaky... :-(
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