Bike Plod Stops Car on Roundabout and causes 2 mile tailback

[GilbertGutbucket]

Bike Plod stopped an Audi TT today on the A414 dog-bone roundabout near Hatfield today and caused a 2 mile tailback instead of waiting for a nearby lay-by to pull the culprit into. Well done Bike Plod, big boots and a uniform always over-rides commonsense!

[Defcon5]

TT may have broken down?

[GilbertGutbucket]

Defcon5 said:

TT may have broken down?

Plod bike with blues on?, Plod bikes don't do AA/RAC

[TPS]

GilbertGutbucket said:

Plod bike with blues on?, Plod bikes don't do AA/RAC

Yes if they stop behind something they put their lights on to warn other motorists.

[JumboBeef]

If the vehicle is stranded then yes they would protect the scene with blues.

I have used the ambulance on blues to protect a car broken down in a dangerous position before now (whilst awaiting the police).

[telecat]

Seen this kind of stupidity before. Coming off the M621 from the M62 end and turning on to the Ingram Road distributor you get a Plod car sat just around a "blind" bend with "Blues" having stopped a car. The stopped driver in the back of the Plod mobile. Just 200 yards down the road is a layby...........

[anonymous-user]

TPS said:

Yes if they stop behind something they put their lights on to warn other motorists.

Audi TT's seem to have a habit of running out of fuel in the dumbest of places.

Unless it's just a frequent driver error ?.

[Hooli]

The other option is a stupid TT driver.

Last time I was stopped was on a dual carriageway & I waved at the layby sign then rode the 1/2mile or so under the limit with the plod car following me till I stopped in the layby.

I can't see plod having an issue with you stopping somewhere sensible rather the the first moment the lights go on.

[14-7]

Maybe without the full facts the title should read "Ill informed person belittles others to make themself feel bigger".

[CharlieTwo]

telecat said:

Seen this kind of stupidity before... Plod car sat just around a "blind" bend with "Blues" having stopped a car. The stopped driver in the back of the Plod mobile. Just 200 yards down the road is a layby...........

The problem is when to put the blues on. Some drivers are good and acutely aware of what's going on around. They get the idea that BiB want a chat and are anticipating the stop, and make that obvious by their driving. The blues can go on quite late for them and you get that impression as the BiB wanting to make the stop.

If you're trying to stop a clueless driver (quite possibly because they're not paying attention) the blues have to go on earlier, with a toot of the siren when they fail to notice. There's then a flap - oh, are you wanting me to stop? - kind of behaviour with either a panic brake, stop where they are, or carry on past the layby you wanted them to go into while still trying to figure out what to do. Alternatively they carry on for a mile wondering why you're not overtaking them given the blues are going.

I've had someone pull into the entrance of a layby, obstructing half a live lane before now. There's no perfect solution, and the difficult one is if they do an emergency stop the moment they're aware. If they're also pissed/unlicensed/disqualified then you can't ask them to just move their car, and if you're on your own you can't do anything until a colleague arrives.

Alternatively they may have got it very wrong. It happens.

[Nigel Worc's]

CharlieTwo said:

The problem is when to put the blues on. Some drivers are good and acutely aware of what's going on around. They get the idea that BiB want a chat and are anticipating the stop, and make that obvious by their driving. The blues can go on quite late for them and you get that impression as the BiB wanting to make the stop.

If you're trying to stop a clueless driver (quite possibly because they're not paying attention) the blues have to go on earlier, with a toot of the siren when they fail to notice. There's then a flap - oh, are you wanting me to stop? - kind of behaviour with either a panic brake, stop where they are, or carry on past the layby you wanted them to go into while still trying to figure out what to do. Alternatively they carry on for a mile wondering why you're not overtaking them given the blues are going.

I've had someone pull into the entrance of a layby, obstructing half a live lane before now. There's no perfect solution, and the difficult one is if they do an emergency stop the moment they're aware. If they're also pissed/unlicensed/disqualified then you can't ask them to just move their car, and if you're on your own you can't do anything until a colleague arrives.

Alternatively they may have got it very wrong. It happens.

Good post sir ..... bd lol

I was going to reply "because they can, and anything they are doing is far more important than anything you want to do"

[tenohfive]

I've lost track of the number of times I've been stopped behind broken down vehicles or vehicles that could not otherwise be moved for very good reason, and had some thoughtful member of the public shout abuse out of the window like,

"What a stupid fking place to stop a car,"
or,
"You idiot you're holding everyone up,"

At least the OP had the decency to vent such spleen on an internet forum, rather than boiling some officers piss and driving off before he can suitably respond.

[JumboBeef]

I'd say many (most?) drivers just don't know what to do when they see blue lights behind. Ambulance coming up? Then pull over and let them past.

However, 'pull over' normally means slowing to about 20 (but not actually stopping) on a blind bend/brow with double white lines. If you can actually stop, then make sure it is also opposite a driver going the other way who has also stopped

[covboy]

Defcon5 said:

TT may have broken down?

Shouldn’t that read TT probably broken down

[poljot]

Or how about this inappropriate reponse to blues and twos.....

driving down a long straight, single car in front of me, we're both doing around 40mph. Coming towards us in the distance is an ambulance, everything on. There are no vehicles in front of the ambulance at all. As the car in front of me is around 100m from the ambulance, driver suddenly stands on his brakes!!! What....is the ambulance suddenly going to get wider or something??

Anyway, it tested my reflexes very nicely and got the old ticker pumping a treat.

Pete

[Scuffers]

JumboBeef said:

I'd say many (most?) drivers just don't know what to do when they see blue lights behind. Ambulance coming up? Then pull over and let them past.

I am constantly amazed at how 'un-aware' most drivers are of what's around them...

for example, in a moving queue of traffic on an urban ringroad, can see an ambulance coming from ~500Yds back, there's a bus-pull-in 100yds in-front of me, so I pull into it, only for the two stupid Muppets behind me overtake me and then the first does a panic stop and the second one piles in the back of it!

Ambulance then had to stop and deal with this incident (whilst radioing in for another one to go to the original call)

Both were 'mummies' with kids on board etc....

Both said 'mothers' then start screeching at all and sundry how it's not their fault, etc etc etc.

Police turn up, ask what happened, rolls eye's, then buggers off! (why not do both of them for driving without due care etc?? how else are they going to learn?)

Not being funny, but you have to be deaf/blind not to be able to see something that size with blues/two's coming.....

[PAULJ5555]

I got followed by plod once and when I entered a roundabout he blue lighted me, I carried on until the exit and drove to a safe place to pull in.

Plod says why did'nt you stop when I put the lights on. I replied what did you want me to do, park up on the roundabout and cause chaos to following traffic. He went quite and then quickly changed the subject.

[jesta1865]

PAULJ5555 said:

I got followed by plod once and when I entered a roundabout he blue lighted me, I carried on until the exit and drove to a safe place to pull in.

Plod says why did'nt you stop when I put the lights on. I replied what did you want me to do, park up on the roundabout and cause chaos to following traffic. He went quite and then quickly changed the subject.

at the risk of hijacking the thread, a very long time ago before scameras i was pulled by an unmarked car on southend sea front.

asked why i didn't stop when he flashed his headlights at me, i said 'what 1am on southend sea front with 2 guys in a car and me with the wife?' he replied 'fair point' told me to slow down, winked and got back in the car. i may also have got away with it, as the esplanade had a late licence for a live band, and i had been pulled up in front of 200 pissed up fans who kept pointing out i was a very naughty boy

[GilbertGutbucket]

PAULJ5555 said:

I got followed by plod once and when I entered a roundabout he blue lighted me, I carried on until the exit and drove to a safe place to pull in.

Plod says why did'nt you stop when I put the lights on. I replied what did you want me to do, park up on the roundabout and cause chaos to following traffic. He went quite and then quickly changed the subject.

Reflects my point exactly.

[tenohfive]

GilbertGutbucket said:

PAULJ5555 said:

I got followed by plod once and when I entered a roundabout he blue lighted me, I carried on until the exit and drove to a safe place to pull in.

Plod says why did'nt you stop when I put the lights on. I replied what did you want me to do, park up on the roundabout and cause chaos to following traffic. He went quite and then quickly changed the subject.

Reflects my point exactly.

Care to respond to other peoples points? Such as how you know he had been stopped at that location, and not broken down?