Poor standard of driving from the police

[jez_200]

On Sunday I was driving along the A19 at about 70 in the inside lane when I could see in the distance a large 4x4 hogging the outside lane behind me driving slightly faster than myself, as the 4x4 got closer I noticed it was actually a police 4x4 with a thin light bar on the top.

The 4x4 overtook me and I then pulled out to overtake so was behind the police 4x4. The police 4x4 then pulled into the inside lane with no indicator and I followed, the 4x4 then came off the next sliproad with again no indicator with me still behind.

Up the sliproad and the 4x4 turned right at the roundabout with again no indicator, the road then goes into two lanes and further along this road is traffic lights, the police 4x4 stopped at the traffic lights behind two cars so I pulled into the right lane to get in front of all three vehicles when the traffic lights went to green, but the police car pulled out in front of me without an indicator and then put its indicator on when it was half into the lane!

At the top of this road is another roundabout where the police 4x4 put its right indicator on and then went straight on!!!

No wonder we have so many people who have such poor lane discipline and don't use their indicators and mirrors when the police set such a poor example as this!

I'm in two minds whether to email a complaint about the poor standard of driving I witnessed.

[killsta]

Do it!

I was following a BMW traffic plod the other day and he turned left off a main road with no indicator, I had his plate ready to make a complaint but somebody persuaded me not to

[IOLAIRE]

jez_200 said:

On Sunday I was driving along the A19 at about 70 in the inside lane when I could see in the distance a large 4x4 hogging the outside lane behind me driving slightly faster than myself, as the 4x4 got closer I noticed it was actually a police 4x4 with a thin light bar on the top. The 4x4 overtook me and I then pulled out to overtake so was behind the police 4x4. The police 4x4 then pulled into the inside lane with no indicator and I followed, the 4x4 then came off the next sliproad with again no indicator with me still behind. Up the sliproad and the 4x4 turned right at the roundabout with again no indicator, the road then goes into two lanes and further along this road is traffic lights, the police 4x4 stopped at the traffic lights behind two cars so I pulled into the right lane to get in front of all three vehicles when the traffic lights went to green, but the police car pulled out in front of me without an indicator and then put its indicator on when it was half into the lane! At the top of this road is another roundabout where the police 4x4 put its right indicator on and then went straight on!!! No wonder we have so many people who have such poor lane discipline and don't use their indicators and mirrors when the police set such a poor example as this! I'm in two minds whether to email a complaint about the poor standard of driving I witnessed.

This is on the increase in Scotland as well and I made a decision not to tolerate it in the light of the draconian enforcement techniques against motorists doing the same thing in view of a police vehicle.
I will flash them to stop if I can't get along side them and ask them if they have advanced driver training and then insist that they justify their driving.
If I don't get an explanation and an apology I report them to their ststion.
This kind of driving from the police nowadays is totally unacceptable; their driving HAS to be seen to be faultless.

[mad man]

Ahhh, the good old A19. If ever a road needed a mass education campaign on lane discipline the A19 is it. Its like a procession of Lemmings most of the day.

[einion yrth]

killsta said:

I was following a BMW traffic plod the other day and he turned left off a main road with no indicator,

There's the problem you see, the police are short of money and couldn't afford the indicators option in the BMW package.

[funkyrobot]

Recently I have seen a lot of bad driving by the plod in my local town. The most common thing the police seem to like doing is speeding.

I was following a police van through the town at Christmas, some police lady was driving it. Anyway, I was behind her as we left some traffic lights, she accelerated to 30mph so did I, however, she kep going faster and faster and in the end must have been doing around or even over 50mph (in a 30 limit!). What was worse was she carried this speed up even over the top of a steep bridge where you cannot see the other side until you are on top of it. How mad was that!!

Its one of the things about the police that really annoys me. How can they get away with speeding and bad driving??

Add to the above experience two police astra cars who I followed, both neither used any indication even when leaving the road at a junction. Then some stupid police lady in an Astra at supermarket car park on sunday who was driving too fast around the car park and didn't indicate when leaving the main road. Also, just remembered this, a police Rover with a chav in the back. Followed him for about 15 miles, we went over three roundabouts which he didn't indicate for, he also overtook a car and didn't indicate and in the end sped off without blue lights on.

Mad and annoying!

[streaky]

funkyrobot said:

Also, just remembered this, a police Rover with a chav in the back. Followed him for about 15 miles, we went over three roundabouts which he didn't indicate for ...

What indication did you expect? It's a serious question, BTW. A roundabout is merely a 'blob' in the middle of (say, and usually) a cross-roads. If you're going straight on at a cross-roads, you don't indicate.

Streaky

[jez_200]

name said:

What indication did you expect? It's a serious question, BTW. A roundabout is merely a 'blob' in the middle of (say, and usually) a cross-roads. If you're going straight on at a cross-roads, you don't indicate.

I was always taught to indicate left at the exit you are taking on roundabouts, so if going straight on just as I have past the left turn I would put my left indicator on.

[KB_S1]

I was overtaken by a Police car in a 30 zone recently. Small town high street, must have got up to about 50 before I lost sight. Not Traff Pol just a panda car. I wish i had got their number an d complained.

[funkyrobot]

streaky said:

funkyrobot said: Also, just remembered this, a police Rover with a chav in the back. Followed him for about 15 miles, we went over three roundabouts which he didn't indicate for ... What indication did you expect? It's a serious question, BTW. A roundabout is merely a 'blob' in the middle of (say, and usually) a cross-roads. If you're going straight on at a cross-roads, you don't indicate. Streaky

Eerrr, these were big roundabouts, and even if you go straight over I am sure you are still supposed to indicate left when ou have passed the previous exit to the one you are taking.

[Fats25]

I thought that as well - but when doing my bike test last year was told that I was incorrect. No indication necessary....

[zippee]

funkyrobot said:

Recently I have seen a lot of bad driving by the plod in my local town. The most common thing the police seem to like doing is speeding. I was following a police van through the town at Christmas, some police lady was driving it. Anyway, I was behind her as we left some traffic lights, she accelerated to 30mph so did I, however, she kep going faster and faster and in the end must have been doing around or even over 50mph (in a 30 limit!). What was worse was she carried this speed up even over the top of a steep bridge where you cannot see the other side until you are on top of it. How mad was that!! Its one of the things about the police that really annoys me. How can they get away with speeding and bad driving?? Add to the above experience two police astra cars who I followed, both neither used any indication even when leaving the road at a junction. Then some stupid police lady in an Astra at supermarket car park on sunday who was driving too fast around the car park and didn't indicate when leaving the main road. Also, just remembered this, a police Rover with a chav in the back. Followed him for about 15 miles, we went over three roundabouts which he didn't indicate for, he also overtook a car and didn't indicate and in the end sped off without blue lights on. Mad and annoying!

Your post highlights a growing problem with a lot of police drivers, BUT, it does tend to be the local panda drivers who are the worst. They think they own the road with their new sense of power, despite the fact they'd pull you up and lecture you on road safety should you make the slightest mistake.
I have full respect for the Class 1 drivers, but the panda cops really need to be trained more thouroughly.

[leosayer]

Lack of indication isn't necessarily a bad thing, in fact the IAM encourage drivers to indicate only if someone will benefit from it.

[streaky]

zippee said:

... the panda cops really need to be trained more thouroughly.

It seems that some of them couldn't find their mouths to stick the bamboo in without training ... but that's the British education system for you - Streaky

[streaky]

jez_200 said:

name said: What indication did you expect? It's a serious question, BTW. A roundabout is merely a 'blob' in the middle of (say, and usually) a cross-roads. If you're going straight on at a cross-roads, you don't indicate. I was always taught to indicate left at the exit you are taking on roundabouts, so if going straight on just as I have past the left turn I would put my left indicator on.

And that's what HC162 says ... but it's not a requirement in law (although lack of any indication might tell against you if an accident ensued). I was taught to indicate left only after the preceeding exit. HC162 goes on to say: When taking any intermediate exit select the appropriate lane on approach to and on the roundabout, signalling as necessary; and: When taking the last exit or going full circle signal right and approach in the right-hand lane .

As with others, I was brought up to use the vehicle positioning as a means of giving information to other motorists (and to interpret other vehicles' positioning as an indicator of the driver's intention) and to signal to give additional information where necessary (e.g. more than four exists, off-set centre).

I would in fact prefer a non-signalling vehicle to some of the stupid indications of intention I do see.

Streaky