Overtaking the police
Discussion
Hi everyone, just a quick note as yesterday I was shouted at by my father (my laughing though wasn't the response he was expecting) as he had heard via a friend in our 'rural' police force that I was about to be reported for dangerous driving for overtaking a police troop carrier on an unrestricted A-road. Supposedly luckily I was 'let-off' as the secretary knows my dad and she passed on the message to make me realise.
Now my question is that is it illegal to overtake a police vehicle as long as you aren't driving over the speed limit, endangering life etc etc? Or just because the boy in blue may have a chip on his shoulder then he can pull me over, or call at my house or whatever? Also has anyone heard of or been to court for doing a similar thing to what I did (presuming I wasn't driving like an idiot) and despite no video evidence and only the say so of one copper been prosucuted wrongly? I would love to hear your stories/advice. Regards. Gary
Now my question is that is it illegal to overtake a police vehicle as long as you aren't driving over the speed limit, endangering life etc etc? Or just because the boy in blue may have a chip on his shoulder then he can pull me over, or call at my house or whatever? Also has anyone heard of or been to court for doing a similar thing to what I did (presuming I wasn't driving like an idiot) and despite no video evidence and only the say so of one copper been prosucuted wrongly? I would love to hear your stories/advice. Regards. Gary
I do it regularly as long as it isn't dangerous and/or requiring a speed that they would pull me for.
I've also been overtaken by the police in a car not using blue lights when I've been traveling at the speed limit. To be fair, this has always been when conditions were good enough for the higher speed to be safe and where I might myself have been traveling a little faster if I didn't have a police car behind me.
Of course at that point I can assume that my speedo must be misreading and that it is safe to match speed with the police car I am now following.
I've also been overtaken by the police in a car not using blue lights when I've been traveling at the speed limit. To be fair, this has always been when conditions were good enough for the higher speed to be safe and where I might myself have been traveling a little faster if I didn't have a police car behind me.
Of course at that point I can assume that my speedo must be misreading and that it is safe to match speed with the police car I am now following.
I was stopped for overtaking a police van on the A34 (major dual carriageway), I was doing about 65 indicated - I was towing the race car I had at the time. It was a senior traffic cop with a chip on his shoulder, he said "if I was in the usual Volvo traffic car would you have overtaken me?" and I said yes. After some polite but frosty discussion on both sides we parted company with no action.
I also know someone who overtook a slightly erratically driven marked car on a dual carrigeway with a 50 limit, he was barely doing more than 50 and the policeman stopped him and told him he should have more respect and shouldn't overtake police cars.
So in principle you should be fine but in practice a minority of policemen, as with all professions, are self-important tossers.
I also know someone who overtook a slightly erratically driven marked car on a dual carrigeway with a 50 limit, he was barely doing more than 50 and the policeman stopped him and told him he should have more respect and shouldn't overtake police cars.
So in principle you should be fine but in practice a minority of policemen, as with all professions, are self-important tossers.
Not a problem if you stick to the speed limits, they have no reason to pull you over then.
Just last night I could see a police car in the distance, & the amount of people who pass you then notice the cop car. And pull in behind it rather than dare to overtake it. Does make me chuckle!
Just last night I could see a police car in the distance, & the amount of people who pass you then notice the cop car. And pull in behind it rather than dare to overtake it. Does make me chuckle!
Edited by haze on Friday 15th September 15:04
theaxe said:
Yeah it does amuse me when on a NSL dual-carrageway people will sit behind a cop car doing 65mph. I'll quite happily overtake (at 69/70), they'll wait for about 30 secs, see that I'm not being pulled over and then do the same.
Edited by theaxe on Friday 15th September 15:31
i had this on thr A46 near coventry, mr plod was going along about 65 ish, loads of cars sitting behind him, i bimble past at 70, mr plod looks at me smiling and gives a big shrug, i just waved back and bimbled on my way (until i was round the next corner, then i put my foot down)
theaxe said:
Yeah it does amuse me when on a NSL dual-carrageway people will sit behind a cop car doing 65mph. I'll quite happily overtake (at 69/70), they'll wait for about 30 secs, see that I'm not being pulled over and then do the same.
Edited by theaxe on Friday 15th September 15:31
I had traffic behind me on the A3 (3 lane dual carriageway) a couple of days ago doing under 30 in a 50 ..... no one wanted to go past no matter how slow I went - it drives me mad ..... I couldn't slow down any more to encourage them to pass so pulled off as soon as I could to ease the jam. People accelerate up to about 100m away and then sit in lane 2 and 3 so no one can pass. I can't do anything as I am in front so I end up pulling off the road.
The annoying thing is that if I actually do the speed limit I always get some idiot overtake me about 20mph over the limit and then I am forced to stop him!
There is nothing I like more than for people to realise I am doing say 10-15mph under the limit and go past merely doing the actual limit. As has been said, once one does it everyone else gets brave.... and does what they could have done in the first place.
Driving home the other day, in the right hand lane doing 70 and a police bike appears behind me.
I check my mirrors and he isn't signalling or has any lights or indicators going. So keep my position on the road. He's far too lose for safety though.
Drive for about half a mile (there's loads of traffic in the left lane) and he is still right up my arse. He is not signalling in anyway to get past and is quite distracting. Go through a roundabout and I accelerate hard back up to 70 to see if he is indeed trying to get past. He keeps with me.
I let him past (indicate, pull into left lane). He jets by at what i would say at least 90 and keeps going overtaking a number of cars.
A couple of miles later and I catch up with him at an accident reduction zone (50). I respect this as I always do. The officer does as well.
As it goes back to dual carriageway I am once again in front. He is right up my arse again – I consider pulling over with my hazards to ask what makes him exempt from the law.
Still in the right hand lane (doing 70) he undertakes me to join a slip road and leave the dual carriageway, again, at some speed and a lot over the legal limit.
Was it tea time?
It's just that I was in a hurry, but I was still observing the law. That whole stretch of road has seen at least three accidents in the week and numerous mobile cameras had been out recently. I hope he could see me mouthing the words C**T.
I check my mirrors and he isn't signalling or has any lights or indicators going. So keep my position on the road. He's far too lose for safety though.
Drive for about half a mile (there's loads of traffic in the left lane) and he is still right up my arse. He is not signalling in anyway to get past and is quite distracting. Go through a roundabout and I accelerate hard back up to 70 to see if he is indeed trying to get past. He keeps with me.
I let him past (indicate, pull into left lane). He jets by at what i would say at least 90 and keeps going overtaking a number of cars.
A couple of miles later and I catch up with him at an accident reduction zone (50). I respect this as I always do. The officer does as well.
As it goes back to dual carriageway I am once again in front. He is right up my arse again – I consider pulling over with my hazards to ask what makes him exempt from the law.
Still in the right hand lane (doing 70) he undertakes me to join a slip road and leave the dual carriageway, again, at some speed and a lot over the legal limit.
Was it tea time?
It's just that I was in a hurry, but I was still observing the law. That whole stretch of road has seen at least three accidents in the week and numerous mobile cameras had been out recently. I hope he could see me mouthing the words C**T.
jwyatt said:
I was stopped for overtaking a police van on the A34 (major dual carriageway), I was doing about 65 indicated - I was towing the race car I had at the time. It was a senior traffic cop with a chip on his shoulder, he said "if I was in the usual Volvo traffic car would you have overtaken me?" and I said yes. After some polite but frosty discussion on both sides we parted company with no action.
I also know someone who overtook a slightly erratically driven marked car on a dual carrigeway with a 50 limit, he was barely doing more than 50 and the policeman stopped him and told him he should have more respect and shouldn't overtake police cars.
So in principle you should be fine but in practice a minority of policemen, as with all professions, are self-important tossers.
I also know someone who overtook a slightly erratically driven marked car on a dual carrigeway with a 50 limit, he was barely doing more than 50 and the policeman stopped him and told him he should have more respect and shouldn't overtake police cars.
So in principle you should be fine but in practice a minority of policemen, as with all professions, are self-important tossers.
Is the speed limit whilst towing not lower?
I always thought it was 50/60 but I can never be bothered to find my highway code
Edited by killsta on Friday 15th September 20:15
gazereth said:
Now my question is that is it illegal to overtake a police vehicle as long as you aren't driving over the speed limit, endangering life etc etc?
No of course it isn't, but he probably mentioned it because he thought you overtook at an inappropriate place or something, who knows?
I overtake Police cars at about 80 on motorways, and always glance across so they know I'm not half blind and didn't even notice them, they never seem to bother about it. I can't understand the vast majority who slow down to 71 and crawl past, like the Police would crucify them if they didn't! Respect is one thing, but shouldn't be to the extent of causing a rolling road block. Don't they think those officers drive private cars too, and know exactly what speeds motorways flow at, I mean the next day they could pass the same officer in civvies at 90.
I will go past cop cars at an accurate 71mph on the motorway.
If you go past at 75mph some will stick their neck out and follow you untill you slow back to 70mph.
It depends how many doughnuts they have eaten or how bored they are, as to whether they will go after you.
It's a definate NO to overtake BiB on a SC when they are within 10mph of the speed limit, as it will attract too much attention, and they will be definitely looking for trouble, so there is no point in drawing attention to yourself if you have dodgy tyres or faulty lights etc.
If you go past at 75mph some will stick their neck out and follow you untill you slow back to 70mph.
It depends how many doughnuts they have eaten or how bored they are, as to whether they will go after you.
It's a definate NO to overtake BiB on a SC when they are within 10mph of the speed limit, as it will attract too much attention, and they will be definitely looking for trouble, so there is no point in drawing attention to yourself if you have dodgy tyres or faulty lights etc.
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