Plod pulls Herman on der M1
Discussion
Heading into London on the M1 this avo' at 16:00 - doing 80-85 ish - I passed a German reg. Audi. A little later I noticed my speed had crept up near the danger zone, so I eased off - the Audi slid back ahead - nothing dramatic or license threatening.
A little later I notice (like you could miss), a police 5-series estate with the full monty of lights flashing, tail-grabbing my ass.
Naturally, being a law-abiding citizen, I assumed it wasn't me that had attracted their attention and I slipped into lane 2 to allow them to speed ahead and catch the fleeing criminal.
They instantly radar-locked the German Audi - he dropped into lane 2 (despite nothing in lane 1) at 65mph and Sgt. Panda followed at slip-stream distance for quite some time. I did wonder what the purpose of that was exactly.
Anyway, after a while the 5-series dropped out of the draft, flew past the Audi, dropped back in right in front, and ... now for the point of the story ... the big red LED display on top of the police car politely suggested the Audi pull over - in German "Bitte ..."
I was surprised and very impressed.
So, any idea on the following points:
1) is it normal to follow for quite a while before choosing to pull a car over - what is the point? Trying to check the vehicle reg. details, maybe?
2) how long have the police been able to communicate in multiple languages?
A little later I notice (like you could miss), a police 5-series estate with the full monty of lights flashing, tail-grabbing my ass.
Naturally, being a law-abiding citizen, I assumed it wasn't me that had attracted their attention and I slipped into lane 2 to allow them to speed ahead and catch the fleeing criminal.
They instantly radar-locked the German Audi - he dropped into lane 2 (despite nothing in lane 1) at 65mph and Sgt. Panda followed at slip-stream distance for quite some time. I did wonder what the purpose of that was exactly.
Anyway, after a while the 5-series dropped out of the draft, flew past the Audi, dropped back in right in front, and ... now for the point of the story ... the big red LED display on top of the police car politely suggested the Audi pull over - in German "Bitte ..."
I was surprised and very impressed.
So, any idea on the following points:
1) is it normal to follow for quite a while before choosing to pull a car over - what is the point? Trying to check the vehicle reg. details, maybe?
2) how long have the police been able to communicate in multiple languages?
Joe..
Firstly..the German LED..is bizarre...never heard of it...The matrix sign in the rear window of my patrol car is in English only..
Secondly, your question about following vehicles for a while, many reason;
1) The BiB might do a PNC check on the vehicle
2) They might wait until a straight stretch of motorway.
3) I generally try to see how the driving will be over about a mile or two..ie: do they keep their foot to the ground..or do they let off...lane discipline maintained...whether they are 'pushing' other traffic..tailgaiting/headlight flashing etc etc
Firstly..the German LED..is bizarre...never heard of it...The matrix sign in the rear window of my patrol car is in English only..
Secondly, your question about following vehicles for a while, many reason;
1) The BiB might do a PNC check on the vehicle
2) They might wait until a straight stretch of motorway.
3) I generally try to see how the driving will be over about a mile or two..ie: do they keep their foot to the ground..or do they let off...lane discipline maintained...whether they are 'pushing' other traffic..tailgaiting/headlight flashing etc etc
Joe911 said:
So, any idea on the following points:
1) is it normal to follow for quite a while before choosing to pull a car over - what is the point? Trying to check the vehicle reg. details, maybe?
2) how long have the police been able to communicate in multiple languages?
i guess they are trying to establish just how little attention the driver is paying to the environment around them - if after quite some distance the speeding car still haven't spotted a suspicious car behind them monitoring their pace - well, one deserves to be nicked by virtue of clearly not using the rear view mirror!
multiple languages will be pre-programmed of course - i guess they will sell these devices to all european markets so the software is already capable, mind you, some of them german words are jolly long!
WildCat said:
mind you, some of them german words are jolly long!
Would you believe they altered the German spelling because none of us can spell..
und you all know I have problems mit this....
Yes, how do you fit "an der Seite der Straße für die Etikettierung und das Konferieren bitte imeediately stoppen" on a little LED display???
Streetcop said:Surely not for a German car.
Secondly, your question about following vehicles for a while, many reason;
1) The BiB might do a PNC check on the vehicle
Streetcop said:
2) They might wait until a straight stretch of motorway.
Well, actually, they waited until the mess that is the end of the M1 - it seemed a little odd.
Streetcop said:
3) I generally try to see how the driving will be over about a mile or two..ie: do they keep their foot to the ground..or do they let off...lane discipline maintained...whether they are 'pushing' other traffic..tailgaiting/headlight flashing etc etc
Makes sense - but you fly up to their rear with full lights and then sit on their bumper - you'd have to be pretty dumb not to behave. Having said that, the Audi sat in lane 2 with nothing in view in lane 1 - maybe that's OK in Germany!
miniman said:"Halt!" or "Stop!" would ge the message across. Germans can be succinct when they want to be.
egoboss said:
mind you, some of them german words are jolly long!
Would you believe they altered the German spelling because none of us can spell..
und you all know I have problems mit this....
Yes, how do you fit "an der Seite der Straße für die Etikettierung und das Konferieren bitte imeediately stoppen" on a little LED display???
I can never remember whether it's the new or the old spelling that puts three fs into Schifffahrt.
Anhalten! Papiere!
Streetcop said:
Secondly, your question about following vehicles for a while, many reason;
1) The BiB might do a PNC check on the vehicle
2) They might wait until a straight stretch of motorway.
3) I generally try to see how the driving will be over about a mile or two
and...
4) It took a while to flick through the Anglo/German phrasebook, pull the matrix sign to bits, rewire it and code in the new message.
Damned clever, these highway patrol BiBs...
to avoid confusion 
Joe911 said:I remember driving over here in my German-registered LHD car a few years ago and wondering as I hit that four lane section of the A1 near what I would do if I were stopped. Would I try the "Sorry, ich spreche kein Englisch"? Decided that would be a BAD idea.
And of course, the driver could have been English and not a German speaker!
pdV6 said:
Secondly, your question about following vehicles for a while, many reason;
1) The BiB might do a PNC check on the vehicle
2) They might wait until a straight stretch of motorway.
3) I generally try to see how the driving will be over about a mile or two
and...
4) It took a while to flick through the Anglo/German phrasebook, pull the matrix sign to bits, rewire it and code in the new message.
Damned clever, these highway patrol BiBs...
Zod said:
And of course, the driver could have been English and not a German speaker!
I remember driving over here in my German-registered LHD car a few years ago and wondering as I hit that four lane section of the A1 near what I would do if I were stopped. Would I try the "Sorry, ich spreche kein Englisch"? Decided that would be a BAD idea.
VE HAFF VAYS OF MAKING YOU TOKK !
Phil
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