Just for fun:plod vs public drivers

[HertsBiker]

Not a plod bashing thread, but can we possibly organise a plod vs public driving challenge? I would love to legally see if I am better than the best! No offence to the law, but I would dearly like to see in a controlled environment if the training is better than talent/luck. I am sure there are many others who would like the opportunity. If plod win, a great publicity coup. If the runners win, plod may learn useful tactics to prevent future runners. Can thus happen? Could even be a tv series.

[Kinky]

No?

[Troubleatmill]

What's the challenge?

Road observational skills?
Fastest around a track?
Racing lines or safest lines for the extended view position?
Fastest / Safest ratio.
It's all willy waving to be honest.

I'd wager an F1 driver is quicker around a track than you are in a reasonably priced car.
If I need a fire engine or an ambulance - I'd want someone who does it for a living

You want to do it for kicks.
In their line of work - there are at times very high stakes.
That is a fundamental difference and their risk profile will be very different to yours.

[Baryonyx]

No, especially as a large part of advanced driver training is about depersonalisation and removing bravado and competition from the drive. You'd also find a large number of police drivers with track experience (even race experience), so you'd not be in a for a clear cut win. And when it comes down to the manoeuvring, the VIP and protection drivers have that down to a science, so unless you could produce a professional stunt driver, I doubt the public would win there either.

The real test would be (hypothetically): public roads (mixed classes), to complete the drive whilst formulating a plan on how to deal with a live incident on arrival. Then do it over and over, day after day to mimic the standard the police work at. Completely impractical to do, and of course, will never happen.

[BOF]

Be careful of what you ask...


I have been with a number of Class 1 drivers who could stick your bike up your jaxi without touching the sides...

Until you wake up to reality and pain you would not even see them...

BOF

[robbyd]

When "Men & Motors' channel used to be free, I remember seeing such a show, where US highway Interceptors pursued different stunt drivers around various closed sections of road. The cops weren't allowed to try to make a stop until a traffic violation had been committed. One stunt driver's violation to initiate the chase was a high speed reverse T-bone into the patrol car from his driveway. They didn't expect that! Another Interceptor got sandwiched between the pursued and a petrol tanker - and wedged into its rails...

The program was hilarious - many egos taken down - but basically the stunt drivers (literally) drove rings around them...
I don't have sky so when it became pay-only I never saw it again, unfortunately...

[Kinky]

But in fairness though, I don't think the US level of training is as high as the UK class 1 level. There was an interesting article I read on that very subject a few years ago. I can't recall where it was though

[robbyd]

Maybe not - but it made good TV!

[SVS]

US training varies by locality. When I was there, it was a 4-day driving course for pursuit drivers. That was it

Hardly the same as the weeks of training and selection for a British Class 1. (Of course, not every British cop has a Class 1. Far from it.)

[Dr Jekyll]

I was reading about a driver training conference where the US police delegate mentioned that on his course drivers were taken to a race track where they were allowed to drive at up to 80MPH. The UK delegate said that he taught drivers on public roads with no speed restriction and they had trouble believing him.

[RB Will]

I guess it depends what skill set you are measuring.

I cant find a clip on the Tube but I remember a 5th Gear where Vicki did a piece with a bloke who was the chief of police driver training or something like that.

So she got evaluated on the road and did pretty well with speed, smoothness, observation etc, and the police chap gave her some pointers but I think said she was good enough to be class 1 or something.

Then they did timed laps of an airfield circuit and I think Vicki was 3-4 secs a lap quicker than the police guy so overall a 1-1 draw I guess.

[omegac]

You couldn't evaluate a class one just from a drive out with someone, too many other things come into the equation...Zoe from Blue Peter visited once and had smoke blown up her ass too, probably got an "Advanced" certificate at some point of the visit too.

Track vs Road so different, no benefit in pitting Police vs Public.