GMP Traffic M62, 1979 Documentary Film
Discussion
Just found this on Youtube and thought it might be of some interest, a really fascinating film from early 1979 following the Greater Manchester Police Motorway Division policing the M62.
Some great cars and truck, lots of old police Range Rovers and it's interesting to see how things have changed over the years.
It's almost an hour long so might be worth grabbing a brew when watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvw9DNQWymo
Some great cars and truck, lots of old police Range Rovers and it's interesting to see how things have changed over the years.
It's almost an hour long so might be worth grabbing a brew when watching!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvw9DNQWymo
jamie w said:
Thread here from a few years back with some good responses:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As always, I'm too late to the party!https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
Pat H said:
bob1179 said:
jamie w said:
Thread here from a few years back with some good responses:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
As always, I'm too late to the party!https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I've been at this party over 18 years and missed it last time. So I'm glad you posted it.
That run from Manchester to Leeds is pretty bleak at the best of times, but it looked properly horrible back in 1979.
Blondie and Gary Numan were in the charts. Mum was driving a 2.8 Granada and Dad had an RS2000. I was ten years old.
I recall 1979 fairly well and I'm very familiar with the roads, but that film makes it look like another planet.
I used to live in Huddersfield and used to drive that road so often too, it does seem very different!
dandarez said:
Me too! Not seen that vid, very good. Like the copper 'Do you speak English?' being replied to ... 'No.' 
Christ, I'm wondering how I ever survived the 10 yrs from the late 70s to the late 80s, when I did 100,000 miles in all weathers in a car that was barely the height of a bus tyre and hardly weighed as much!
This was all weathers, come rain or deep snow, especially recall the snowfall of April 81, an exceptionally late snow event that primarily affected Britain between 23 and 26 April that year, and had to rush my wife to hospital as she'd gone into labour. Snow got that bad my car was stranded in the hospital car park for two days.
To be honest, I felt safer then than I do with some of the pricks on today's roads, many of whom can't even figure out right of way on a roundabout let alone the vast increase of tail huggers, many of whom seem to believe they are like the guy in the Bond film: 'I am invincible!'
To be fair, though, I don't mind, at my age it keeps me alert, really alert, more so than I've ever been!
Also should be added the difference back then to 'northern' cops and 'southern' cops (just my experiences).
Recall one occasion where we (wife and me) had driven to Goole Yorkshire to look at a car. Liked it, so paid cash. Wife took my souped up Imp and I drove the just bought car.
by now it was dusk. I went first, my wife followed. I glanced in my mirror and noticed she hadn't put her lights on, so gently touched my brake lights. Nah, didn't register. As we got near to getting on the motorway I spot blue lights behind her. Oh f
k! They pulled her over.
Me? I sped off!
After a few miles on the motorway I pulled into a layby and waited. Remember, no mobiles etc then.
I'm sat there viewing the rear mirror. Oh no! The police car pulled in front of me. Gawd, how embarrassing, what do I say?
Christ, was I surprised, they were as nice as pie, and simply said 'She's juuus cummin.'
And then proceeded to say 'nice wheels, what is it?' We chatted away for a while until my wife pulled up. The two cops waived us back on the motorway.
About an hour or so later entering Thames Valley area, blue lights again. Blow me, we were pulled over and virtually 'interrogated' - the difference was incredible between the two different forces. Or perhaps it was just the usual good and bad?
Things seem to have changed a great deal since those days, this film was made just before I was born, I didn't appear until November 1979.Christ, I'm wondering how I ever survived the 10 yrs from the late 70s to the late 80s, when I did 100,000 miles in all weathers in a car that was barely the height of a bus tyre and hardly weighed as much!
This was all weathers, come rain or deep snow, especially recall the snowfall of April 81, an exceptionally late snow event that primarily affected Britain between 23 and 26 April that year, and had to rush my wife to hospital as she'd gone into labour. Snow got that bad my car was stranded in the hospital car park for two days.
To be honest, I felt safer then than I do with some of the pricks on today's roads, many of whom can't even figure out right of way on a roundabout let alone the vast increase of tail huggers, many of whom seem to believe they are like the guy in the Bond film: 'I am invincible!'
To be fair, though, I don't mind, at my age it keeps me alert, really alert, more so than I've ever been!
Also should be added the difference back then to 'northern' cops and 'southern' cops (just my experiences).
Recall one occasion where we (wife and me) had driven to Goole Yorkshire to look at a car. Liked it, so paid cash. Wife took my souped up Imp and I drove the just bought car.
by now it was dusk. I went first, my wife followed. I glanced in my mirror and noticed she hadn't put her lights on, so gently touched my brake lights. Nah, didn't register. As we got near to getting on the motorway I spot blue lights behind her. Oh f
k! They pulled her over. Me? I sped off!
After a few miles on the motorway I pulled into a layby and waited. Remember, no mobiles etc then.
I'm sat there viewing the rear mirror. Oh no! The police car pulled in front of me. Gawd, how embarrassing, what do I say?
Christ, was I surprised, they were as nice as pie, and simply said 'She's juuus cummin.'
And then proceeded to say 'nice wheels, what is it?' We chatted away for a while until my wife pulled up. The two cops waived us back on the motorway.
About an hour or so later entering Thames Valley area, blue lights again. Blow me, we were pulled over and virtually 'interrogated' - the difference was incredible between the two different forces. Or perhaps it was just the usual good and bad?
Edited by dandarez on Friday 5th March 12:57
As with everything, I think some things are better some are worse. Driving standards seem to be terrible now, I think there has been a marked decline even since I passed my test in 1997.
As I mentioned above to Pat, I know this section of M62 very well, and have seen a lot of accidents on this stretch of road. I remember the 1st January 2003 when I was driving back from my folks in Lancaster in an old Sierra I had with my then girlfriend after celebrating New Year, as we were heading up the long hill towards Scammonden, I was in lane three passing some trucks, a lady came whizzing up lane 4 in a Ford Ka, we hit this big bank of fog and for some reason she swerved into lane three between two cars ahead of me just as they were braking and then it was all a big mess, to this day I'm not sure how we avoided it all but I managed to get out of the way and onto the hard shoulder. As we were trying to help folk get out of cars and helping those who couldn't there was a pile up on the opposite carriageway caused by rubberneckers. Luckily nobody was really hurt but it was a bit of an eyeopener.
The tailgating, lack of indicating, messing around with phones, aggressiveness and general obnoxious behaviour of a large amount motorists seems to be getting worse. Would be nice if folk would understand driving is a privilege rather than a right.
Anyway, I feel I've digressed!
I too love that white XJS in the film!
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