REPORT TRAFFIC COPS???
Discussion
Followed two traffic cop Volvos for 9 miles Christmas Eve morning.
They stuck to the NSL limit (single carriageway – 60mph) with our speeds and relative distances not changing, We reached a notoriously dangerous bend – with a junction on it, which is furnished with large 40mph limit signs and multiple other warnings.
I slowed my speed as I entered the 40mph zone and then watched as both police Vovlos pulled away from me. They did not brake or seem to adjust their speeds. As the road returned to the NSL of 60mph they were still some distance away from me. As soon as I could I accelerated hard back up to 60mph to catch them. but they were still further away from me.
After about 5 miles the road comes to a roundabout where the limit is 50mph. They blatently ignored this as well.
I do not beleive they were on an emergency call. There were no sirens or lights. When I caught them up at a set of traffic lights I took both registrations.
How do I report them? I know it's my word against theirs but I don't have a Scamera to back me up do I?
They stuck to the NSL limit (single carriageway – 60mph) with our speeds and relative distances not changing, We reached a notoriously dangerous bend – with a junction on it, which is furnished with large 40mph limit signs and multiple other warnings.
I slowed my speed as I entered the 40mph zone and then watched as both police Vovlos pulled away from me. They did not brake or seem to adjust their speeds. As the road returned to the NSL of 60mph they were still some distance away from me. As soon as I could I accelerated hard back up to 60mph to catch them. but they were still further away from me.
After about 5 miles the road comes to a roundabout where the limit is 50mph. They blatently ignored this as well.
I do not beleive they were on an emergency call. There were no sirens or lights. When I caught them up at a set of traffic lights I took both registrations.
How do I report them? I know it's my word against theirs but I don't have a Scamera to back me up do I?
sneakypete said:
Followed two traffic cop Volvos for 9 miles Christmas Eve morning.
They stuck to the NSL limit (single carriageway – 60mph) with our speeds and relative distances not changing, We reached a notoriously dangerous bend – with a junction on it, which is furnished with large 40mph limit signs and multiple other warnings.
I slowed my speed as I entered the 40mph zone and then watched as both police Vovlos pulled away from me. They did not brake or seem to adjust their speeds.
They stuck to the NSL limit (single carriageway – 60mph) with our speeds and relative distances not changing, We reached a notoriously dangerous bend – with a junction on it, which is furnished with large 40mph limit signs and multiple other warnings.
I slowed my speed as I entered the 40mph zone and then watched as both police Vovlos pulled away from me. They did not brake or seem to adjust their speeds.
Traffic cops can actually drive. Really. Really, really REALLY drive. That's how they could go through a "dangerous" bend without apparently slowing down. They also wouldn't have done it if they didn't have good visibility.
Are the 40 signs advisory, or an actual limit?
Agree with spokey AND monkey. Plus they have a dispensation from speed limits when doing their job, regardless of lights and sirens or not.
Unless they were driving dangerously (and the description so far doesn't fit that), then I don't see they were doing anything wrong. Plus if the public start reporting them for small infringements, how long before they stop using their discretion on small public infringements?
Scameras are evil, but trafpol are to be supported.
Unless they were driving dangerously (and the description so far doesn't fit that), then I don't see they were doing anything wrong. Plus if the public start reporting them for small infringements, how long before they stop using their discretion on small public infringements?
Scameras are evil, but trafpol are to be supported.
spokey said:
Are the 40 signs advisory, or an actual limit?
important question. You see many bends have advisory speeds, but if not in a big red circle they are NOT limits. Either way, don't report. They obviously drove the corner very well.......they're amazing drivers, as much as people hate to admit that....they drove the corner/hazard appropriately, that is all you need to ask yourself.
Having been in a traffic car (V70) at full pelt in "pursuit mode" let's call it, I am totally in awe of traffic copper's driving.
Police do not need to use blues and twos to go on a call and speed to it - they only use lights and siren if necessary ..... you do not know what they were doing or why. Feel free to report them and potentially waste some time for them filling in paperwork to quantify their existence.
They may have been taking the p*ss but more likely were just on there way to something .... yes, there are those who may be on their way for a takeaway - or not, as the court decided but try and remember that most coppers are actuualy just going onto the next job. It may require 'progress' but at only 50% of what is possible as opposed to say 70 or 80% where blue lights would be needed.
This sort of thing seems to come up on PH about once a month - do a search and you will find numerous threads.
A call for a police officer does not mean automatically reaching for the blue light switch. Police drivers are trained to speed if necessary and safe and to use warning stuff only as and when required; not as a matter of course! Many, many immediate response calls can be taken without the need for lights and siren - it depends on what, where, conditions, road, etc, etc, etc ..... and this decision making process is what they are trained for.
They may have been taking the p*ss but more likely were just on there way to something .... yes, there are those who may be on their way for a takeaway - or not, as the court decided but try and remember that most coppers are actuualy just going onto the next job. It may require 'progress' but at only 50% of what is possible as opposed to say 70 or 80% where blue lights would be needed.
This sort of thing seems to come up on PH about once a month - do a search and you will find numerous threads.
A call for a police officer does not mean automatically reaching for the blue light switch. Police drivers are trained to speed if necessary and safe and to use warning stuff only as and when required; not as a matter of course! Many, many immediate response calls can be taken without the need for lights and siren - it depends on what, where, conditions, road, etc, etc, etc ..... and this decision making process is what they are trained for.
busa_rush said:
havoc said:
Scameras are evil, but trafpol are to be supported.
Sure, that's good, but only the TrafPol who DO NOT use scameras or do part time work for the SCPs are worthy of our support. ANY plod who uses a camera is showing his/her unsuitability to be a Police Officer in my view.
Do all police officers who operate speed cameras do so voluntarily?
SamHH said:
busa_rush said:
havoc said:
Scameras are evil, but trafpol are to be supported.
Sure, that's good, but only the TrafPol who DO NOT use scameras or do part time work for the SCPs are worthy of our support. ANY plod who uses a camera is showing his/her unsuitability to be a Police Officer in my view.
Do all police officers who operate speed cameras do so voluntarily?
According to a quote on here last year, yes they do. I know Silverback Mike said he didn't do it, IIRC.
It's a bit like a Surgeon saving lives during the week and then mugging old ladies for their pension at the weekend.
I know they were probably doing their job and I have a lot of respect for the traffic police. It's just that every other week they have cameras on the same bend picking off people for doing the same thing.
It's just a dangerous bend with a junction on it people are killed there I respect it because of that reason – the sign reads 'MAX SPEED 40MPH' is that the law – or can I ignore it?
I could see the road was clear and I felt it was pretty safe to take it at that speed. (I have taken the same bend at that speed when it was 60mph and to be fair my car could probably take it at 80mph.)
Just seems to take the P!SS that's all, good exampe and all that...
It's just a dangerous bend with a junction on it people are killed there I respect it because of that reason – the sign reads 'MAX SPEED 40MPH' is that the law – or can I ignore it?
I could see the road was clear and I felt it was pretty safe to take it at that speed. (I have taken the same bend at that speed when it was 60mph and to be fair my car could probably take it at 80mph.)
Just seems to take the P!SS that's all, good exampe and all that...
sneakypete said:
It's just a dangerous bend with a junction on it people are killed there I respect it because of that reason – the sign reads 'MAX SPEED 40MPH' is that the law – or can I ignore it?
Sounds a lot like an advisory to me. You could have problems however if you take the bend at 60, go off the road and later be found to have ignored the sign...
I know of 1 such advisory 40 that i can safely take at a considerably higher speed in the dry...however various muppets have stuffed their cars into the scenery at the same spot.
monkeyhanger said:
I know of 1 such advisory 40 that i can safely take at a considerably higher speed in the dry...however various muppets have stuffed their cars into the scenery at the same spot.
Most such advisory's I've seen have been ludicrously low for modern cars, certainly in the dry. So I typically drive to the distance I can see, regardless of the advisory, and treat the advisory as a warning sign only.
sneakypete said:
It's just a dangerous bend with a junction on it people are killed there I respect it because of that reason – the sign reads 'MAX SPEED 40MPH' is that the law – or can I ignore it?
It only kills people who can't drive. With a bit of luck, no-one else was harmed by this useful bit of darwinism.
Generally, I find advisories seem to be set on the basis that the corner will be taken by a numpty driving a vintage Morris on racing slicks in the rain. I wouldn't say I ignore them, but I have been known to nod off due to adhering to them.
busa_rush said:
havoc said:
Scameras are evil, but trafpol are to be supported.
Sure, that's good, but only the TrafPol who DO NOT use scameras or do part time work for the SCPs are worthy of our support. ANY plod who uses a camera is showing his/her unsuitability to be a Police Officer in my view.
SamHH said:
Do all police officers who operate speed cameras do so voluntarily?
They have the option of resigning if they are forced to enforce bad law.
I personally think that the Union for Police officers need to make a decision, and that all of the Officers who are genuinely opposed to draconian speeding law enforcement should resign. But I don't like the idea of the "Few Good Men" putting themselves in jeapardy for a problem they didn;t create.
havoc said:
Most such advisory's I've seen have been ludicrously low for modern cars, certainly in the dry. So I typically drive to the distance I can see, regardless of the advisory, and treat the advisory as a warning sign only.
This is another unfortunate consequence of blanket limits; you cannot put a realistic 70mph advisory on a safe at 90 NSL SC road...
Speed limits really are more bother than they're worth.
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