Rules for use of blues
Discussion
I was following a cop car today who stopped opposite side of road to one of his scamera van mates and put his blues on whilst having a friendly chap. He then moves off to a speed in excess of 35(according to my speedo) in a 30, hits the brakes and turns right without indicating).
I'm not petty enough to report the bloke just another example of him abusing his police powers and I was surprised he could could use his blues instead of normal hazard warning lights.
>>> Edited by JoolzB on Friday 4th February 15:49
I'm not petty enough to report the bloke just another example of him abusing his police powers and I was surprised he could could use his blues instead of normal hazard warning lights.
>>> Edited by JoolzB on Friday 4th February 15:49
The blue lights can be used for a variety of reasons..including warning of an 'obstruction.'
How long did you sit and watch him? I mean you had been following him down the road, then watched him go to the offside, park up and have a 'friendly chat' then drive off and turn right?
Presumably you sat and watched?
He could have been doing many things. He might have been looking for a car that had perhaps passed by and wanted to know if cameraman had seen it...etc etc..
Or he could have been having a friendly chat with an old buddy. Who knows?
How long did you sit and watch him? I mean you had been following him down the road, then watched him go to the offside, park up and have a 'friendly chat' then drive off and turn right?
Presumably you sat and watched?
He could have been doing many things. He might have been looking for a car that had perhaps passed by and wanted to know if cameraman had seen it...etc etc..
Or he could have been having a friendly chat with an old buddy. Who knows?
JoolzB said:
I was following a cop car today who stopped opposite side of road to one of his scamera van mates and put his blues on whilst having a friendly chap. He then moves off to a speed in excess of 35(according to my speedo) in a 30, hits the brakes and turns right without indicating).
Was there anyone who needed indicating to or would have benefitted form the use of his indicators?
Advanced driving teaches you that you do not have to be an automaton where signals are concerned. They merely feature within the system and are to be considered on the approach to a hazard in the information part of the system. Maybe he considered the use of them and decided they were unecessary
JoolzB said:
I'm not petty enough to report the bloke just another example of him abusing his police powers and I was surprised he could could use his blues instead of normal hazard warning lights.
If he was an obstruction in the road, is it better to put on all available warning to others that he is staionary or not?
It would seem a reasonable and sensible decision to me.
If someone had chuffed him, an investigation by a traffic Sgt would have started off, "Why were you parked there? What warning equipment did you have showing?"
Report him if you have the vehicle number and then you will be made aware of exactly what he was doing and why. If you do not, you will be forever wondering. It will be no skin off your nose and if the officer was legitimately going about his business, none off his either!
>> Edited by gone on Friday 4th February 16:37
It was a friendly chat, oh 
He was not parked up, just sat there for about half a minute I'd guess, ok not long but the queue had built up to about 5 cars. Thing is when I've just been had up for speeding for something that I didn't consider dangerous and then witness this kind of driving and excess speed in an area where 30 was probably too high (at that time of day), it really does grip your shit. What took the piss even more was the fact he'd been chatting to a scam van operator!
If police want to get the respect they think they deserve everytime they put on the uniform, there's better ways of achieving it.
He was not parked up, just sat there for about half a minute I'd guess, ok not long but the queue had built up to about 5 cars. Thing is when I've just been had up for speeding for something that I didn't consider dangerous and then witness this kind of driving and excess speed in an area where 30 was probably too high (at that time of day), it really does grip your shit. What took the piss even more was the fact he'd been chatting to a scam van operator!
If police want to get the respect they think they deserve everytime they put on the uniform, there's better ways of achieving it.
JoolzB said:
Thing is when I've just been had up for speeding for something that I didn't consider dangerous and then witness this kind of driving and excess speed in an area where 30 was probably too high (at that time of day), it really does grip your shit. What took the piss even more was the fact he'd been chatting to a scam van operator!
If police want to get the respect they think they deserve everytime they put on the uniform, there's better ways of achieving it.
You, nor I, really know WHAT the conversation was about...
It doesn't sound particularly dangerous...and if you had done the same thing...in your car,you'd have found that no prosecution would have even been started against you...
Like Gone has said...you'd better report the incident to the police management so that you MIGHT get an explaination about what happens and perhaps the BiB in question might be 'advised' about how the public are always there to give support and praise to the BiB when deserved.
You've got nothing to lose...
gone said:
Was there anyone who needed indicating to or would have benefitted form the use of his indicators?
Me! I'm not going to explain the road layout(could poss do another paintbrush sketch
gone said:
Advanced driving teaches you that you do not have to be an automaton where signals are concerned. They merely feature within the system and are to be considered on the approach to a hazard in the information part of the system. Maybe he considered the use of them and decided they were unecessary
Could lead to people thinking about whether or not they need to indicate, if you're not sure then put your index finger just 2 inches away from the wheel and flick the switch.
gone said:
If he was an obstruction in the road, is it better to put on all available warning to others that he is staionary or not?
True but using the same thought process when making a manouevre would've give me warning he was going to hit the brakes and turn.
gone said:
Report him if you have the vehicle number and then you will be made aware of exactly what he was doing and why. If you do not, you will be forever wondering. It will be no skin off your nose and if the officer was legitimately going about his business, none off his either!
I don't have the number and didn't try to get it, to me it was an example of bad police representation, practice what you preach and above all don't go doing >30 in an area where there's a scam van parked up and people everywhere.
It's not aimed at you guys in any way, just amazed me after some of the stuff I've read on here in the last 2 weeks.
JoolzB said:
To be honest..it's no wonder that SOME BiB have the attitude...'bollocks to them, if they are over the limit...do 'em!'....
I'm not sure I understand how that fits in with the thread?
Not having a go at you personally mate...just highlighting the fact that the public are always quick to point out EVERYTHING that the BiB do wrong..yet expect discretion in return.
The business about exceeding 30mph...is all relative...
firstly.....joolz b wouldn't have a calibrated speedometer in his vehicle, vascar etc etc..
Secondly and more importantly....POLICE OFFICERS CAN EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT IF TO ADHERE TO THE LIMIT WOULD HINDER THEIR PROGRESS. (NEED NOT BE AN EMERGENCY)..
firstly.....joolz b wouldn't have a calibrated speedometer in his vehicle, vascar etc etc..
Secondly and more importantly....POLICE OFFICERS CAN EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT IF TO ADHERE TO THE LIMIT WOULD HINDER THEIR PROGRESS. (NEED NOT BE AN EMERGENCY)..
'King Deadly said:
Secondly and more importantly....POLICE OFFICERS CAN EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT IF TO ADHERE TO THE LIMIT WOULD HINDER THEIR PROGRESS. (NEED NOT BE AN EMERGENCY)..
Indeed. Didn't you start a thread recently titled "One rule for everyone".
Yes I did. And your point is......
The 'one rule for everyon' was about a police officer arrested for drink driving.
What on in the name of sausage and eggs does that have to do with speeding?
ie: Police officer CAN exceed the speed limit lawfully. They CANT drink and drive lawfully.
Simple.
Tonyrec said:
just highlighting the fact that the public are always quick to point out EVERYTHING that the BiB do wrong..yet expect discretion in return.
Exactly, spot on
That's a fair point. But you cannot tar all MOP's or all BiB with the same brush. Respect and loyalty is a 2 way street.
Tonyrec said:
Streetcop said:
just highlighting the fact that the public are always quick to point out EVERYTHING that the BiB do wrong..yet expect discretion in return.
There's some truth in that but you chose your profession. There's some occupations in life that are going to get more publicity and that have more responsibilty and you're in one of them. We all make mistakes but in my job it's not going to harm anyone(apart from me and my job) if I cock up. If say you were to turn up at a hospital with a gangrenous leg and the surgeon removed the wrong one, you'd not be hoppy and the surgeon would no longer be able to practice.
I was merely using this incident as an example of how not to hack mop off, and I do not complain EVERYTIME I see a cop do something wrong and I haven't done this time, just posted it on here as I found it ironic.
>> Edited by JoolzB on Saturday 5th February 12:09
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff