M5 chase today?
Discussion
1/2 hr ago driving north on M5 from Jn11, suddenly sirens, and an unmarked police car (I presume) came hurtling past on the outside lane with front radiator and rear parcel-shelf lights flashing. I noted that this car had a big square of what looked like white paper Photocopy with a black bold letter 'S' in the top off-side part of the rear window.
Closely following were two/ three other marked police cars with blues on again with the same white sheet of paper in the rear widow, but this time with the letters 'PC'!!!!!!
They went on ahead, then the traffic slowed to a crawl, and I could see in the distance that the police cars seemed to have stopped 50 yds ahead of the main traffic for a few secs. Couldn't see properly but they seem to be manoeuvring around and across the carriageway slowly. I thought they had caught someone, but then within another 30 secs all shot off into the distance!!!!
very very strange, especially when the road conditions were poor and visibility not too good due to the rain....
Anyone know what was going on? ...and what did the paper letters mean?
Closely following were two/ three other marked police cars with blues on again with the same white sheet of paper in the rear widow, but this time with the letters 'PC'!!!!!!
They went on ahead, then the traffic slowed to a crawl, and I could see in the distance that the police cars seemed to have stopped 50 yds ahead of the main traffic for a few secs. Couldn't see properly but they seem to be manoeuvring around and across the carriageway slowly. I thought they had caught someone, but then within another 30 secs all shot off into the distance!!!!
very very strange, especially when the road conditions were poor and visibility not too good due to the rain....
Anyone know what was going on? ...and what did the paper letters mean?
3Dee said:
1/2 hr ago driving north on M5 from Jn11, suddenly sirens, and an unmarked police car (I presume) came hurtling past on the outside lane with front radiator and rear parcel-shelf lights flashing. I noted that this car had a big square of what looked like white paper Photocopy with a black bold letter 'S' in the top off-side part of the rear window.
Closely following were two/ three other marked police cars with blues on again with the same white sheet of paper in the rear widow, but this time with the letters 'PC'!!!!!!
They went on ahead, then the traffic slowed to a crawl, and I could see in the distance that the police cars seemed to have stopped 50 yds ahead of the main traffic for a few secs. Couldn't see properly but they seem to be manoeuvring around and across the carriageway slowly. I thought they had caught someone, but then within another 30 secs all shot off into the distance!!!!
very very strange, especially when the road conditions were poor and visibility not too good due to the rain....
Anyone know what was going on? ...and what did the paper letters mean?
Perhaps poice doing pursuit training? "PC" = pursuit car? "S" Suspect?Closely following were two/ three other marked police cars with blues on again with the same white sheet of paper in the rear widow, but this time with the letters 'PC'!!!!!!
They went on ahead, then the traffic slowed to a crawl, and I could see in the distance that the police cars seemed to have stopped 50 yds ahead of the main traffic for a few secs. Couldn't see properly but they seem to be manoeuvring around and across the carriageway slowly. I thought they had caught someone, but then within another 30 secs all shot off into the distance!!!!
very very strange, especially when the road conditions were poor and visibility not too good due to the rain....
Anyone know what was going on? ...and what did the paper letters mean?
All just a guess?
340600 said:
Definitely TPAC training from what's been described. The signs in the window are new to me though.
As stated they train for reality which is why part of it is done on public roads, crap weather or not.
Does sound like it... especially since they pretty-much stopped all over the carriageway for only 30 secs or so (presumably to congrat each other and hand out the chocolate bar) before shooting off again. If it twer real, then I would have expected to be held up for much longer. Why else would they stop the traffic for such a short time?As stated they train for reality which is why part of it is done on public roads, crap weather or not.
340600 said:
Your lot must do it a bit differently (more realistic?) then.
The battered Seat Leon and 10-year-old Vectra were enough for us to identify who's who.
Quite odd because I'm in the same area as you and there is definitely callsign cards placed in the rear window and we've always got out of the car. The Leon is plenty fast enough (I've driven it), although the Vectra is indeed dog slow. The battered Seat Leon and 10-year-old Vectra were enough for us to identify who's who.
Elroy Blue said:
Quite odd because I'm in the same area as you and there is definitely callsign cards placed in the rear window and we've always got out of the car. The Leon is plenty fast enough (I've driven it), although the Vectra is indeed dog slow.
They must not rate us non-motorway plebs as highly as you guys. I'll be sure to demand a proper course in 5 years time. 
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