Traffic Car on Ebay - Whatever next?

[Tonyrec]

Apparently, someone has advertised an ex Essex Trafpol car on Ebay.
He bought the car at an official auction for a nominal fee of around £2000 (vehicle stripped of blue lights etc) and spent a further £2000 kitting it all out again (some parts sourced again on Ebay).

There is a serious Offence of Impersonating a Police Officer but he apparently 'gets around' this by displaying a small sign in the rear window stating that its not a real Police car.

This sort of action raises many points, of which it has to be asked....
1) What sort of person does this sort of thing?
2) How much damage is done to the Police Service as a result?
3) Why is there not a definate Law against this behaviour?

Something must happen soon as i believe that this type of vehicle 'falling' into the hands of what can only be described as a fantasist (read,nutter) can put any one of us at risk, especially lone women etc.
Then of course theres the potential Terrorist threat!

Whose to say that some of the threads on this Forum 'complaining' about Police driving are directed at 'real' Police?

What is this world coming too

[gh0st]

Just out of interest, if someone brought a white van and put "XXXXXXX (name your county) Safety Camera Partnership" logos all over it and then drove like a everywhere, is there any offense being commited (except for the obvious bad driving!)

As they are not technically police officers is there any inpersonation offense?

[Marcos Maniac]

This one per chance Tony

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&h=&t=109245

[Streetcop]

There are lots of wannabe police officers out there...

I don't know what the fascination is...on one week recently there was over 40 programs on television that were police orientated.

There are even website that people can visit that display pictures of different police cars from all over the UK and abroad.

'Closet coppering' is increasing...I think a lot has to do with the fact that so many people are getting pissed off with bad driving and road rage and would love the change to drive about in the public of Eutopia that is 200 metres all around a police car.

I think if people are honest, most would really like to be a police officer. However, there is a difference between wanting to part the traffic with blue and twos on, or being able to drive down a motorway/dual carraigeway with nobody overtaking you for a day; to acutally buying an ex police car and driving it about 'pretending.'

Street

[mike s]

Streetcop said:

I think if people are honest, most would really like to be a police officer. Street

Ummmm No.
edited to add the above comment was by Mikes dad as Mike want to be one
Alan

>> Edited by mike s on Sunday 11th July 10:19

[Streetcop]

Hi..Mike's Dad...Nice to have you aboard..

You wouldn't want to drive a police car, not even for one day....?
1) No road rages,
2) Always able to get out of junctions,
3) Legally able to double the speed limit if the situation and road conditions permit.
4) Nobody tail gaiting you.
5) The ability to stop chavscum and deal with them accordingly.
6) Cut price donuts and 25% discount in Pizza Hut, McDonalds, etc etc etc

Come on now........isn't all that tempting as you commute to day day through boring traffic queues with nobody giving you a break...

Street loves it...


>> Edited by Streetcop on Sunday 11th July 10:23

[voyds9]

Tonyrec said:

There is a serious Offence of Impersonating a Police Officer but he apparently 'gets around' this by displaying a small sign in the rear window stating that its not a real Police car.

But they are not impersonating a police officer the car is impersonating a police car. I know having four wheels and an engine is generally considered an arrestable offence these days but this may be a step too far.

Tonyrec said:

Whose to say that some of the threads on this Forum 'complaining' about Police driving are directed at 'real' Police? What is this world coming too

The government usually encourage competition, perhaps they are just testing the water about privatising the police force, LOOK OUT HERE COMES RENT-A-COP.

[Streetcop]

voyds9 said:

But they are not impersonating a police officer the car is impersonating a police car. I know having four wheels and an engine is generally considered an arrestable offence these days but this may be a step too far.

Hi Voyds9,

But they ARE impersonating a police officer. Here is the small text:

Section 90(1) Police Act 1996 - (6 months/level 5 £££)

"It is an offence to a person to:
1) Impersonate, or
2) Make and statement or DO ANY ACT CALCULATED FALSELY TO SUGGEST HE IS A MEMBER OF THE POLICE FORCE."

It's all a bit fuzzy this buying an ex-police car business. I mean really, who would want such a thing...there would be immediate benefit when people got out of the way etc, but then the following comments of 'Tosser', 'Wanker', 'Who the F##k does he think he is?' I would suggest far outweighs the original thrill.

Afterall, why buy an ex MARKED police car, if it's not for the impersonation thrill? There are some bargain ex unmarked vehicle to pick up.

Street

>> Edited by Streetcop on Sunday 11th July 14:42

[voyds9]

Streetcop said:

voyds9 said: But they are not impersonating a police officer the car is impersonating a police car. I know having four wheels and an engine is generally considered an arrestable offence these days but this may be a step too far. Hi Voyds9, But they ARE impersonating a police officer. Here is the small text: Section 90(1) Police Act 1996 - (6 months/level 5 £££) "It is an offence to a person to: 1) Impersonate, or 2) Make and statement or DO ANY ACT CALCULATED FALSELY TO SUGGEST HE IS A MEMBER OF TEH POLICE FORCE." It's all a bit fuzzy this buying an ex-police car business. I mean really, who would want such a thing...there would be immediate benefit when people got out of the way etc, but then the following comments of 'Tosser', 'Wanker', 'Who the F##k does he think he is?' I would suggest far outweighs the original thrill. Afterall, why buy an ex MARKED police car, if it's not for the impersonation thrill? There are some bargain ex unmarked vehicle to pick up. Street

I must really be careful when I'm in the street with a pack of donuts then.

[Tonyrec]

voyds9 said:

But they are not impersonating a police officer the car is impersonating a police car. I know having four wheels and an engine is generally considered an arrestable offence these days but this may be a step too far.

You must live in a Force Area that has zero tolerance to make a wild statement of those proportions.

[ultimasimon]

Streetcop said:

Afterall, why buy an ex MARKED police car, if it's not for the impersonation thrill? There are some bargain ex unmarked vehicle to pick up. Street

I bought an ex unmarked T5 estate from a well known Gloucestershire car dealer. I thought it would be an excellent vehicle to sell drugs from

When I arrived at his place he had over twenty similar cars there and had bought the lot at the same time. I bought (a few years back) a 95' T5 Estate in mint condition for £4600 It had:
1) Manual overdrive box
2) Uprated suspension and brakes (different pads) extra cargo mesh, but covered by the rear cover.
3) Lots of extra connectors everywhere
4) A large hole in the roof headlining
5) Large anchor points in the floor of the boot
6) A towbar
7) Full service history up to 160,000 miles
8) 188,000 Miles on the clock

I got stopped as I joined the M25 heading for home as the officer recognised the car and thought I was bib as apparently they used to offer them to the 'job' first.

I also got stopped a month later because the officers wanted to see if any of the emergency equipment had been reinstated - eg sirens and lights.

Other than the downside of it being white and unmarked, a good 'timed' flash of the headlights used to do a good job of getting traffic to vacate the outside lane Sadly, the head gasket went and I was offered good money for it (same as what I paid) so it had to go.

For those that sterotype Volvo's and havent driven a T5 - I would highly recomend a drive in a T5 For a vehicle that carries as much mass as that, it handles like a sports car, and it will embarass most sports cars off the lights.

The T5 is a very understated car in my estimation. You guys must have had a lot of fun when those first came onto the force

[kenp]

I can't see what the problem is, afterall the police are buying unmarked cars and impersonating members of the public!

PS: No, I do not want to be a policeman. If I did, I would have become one. Would I like to have the implied powers of a policeman and possibly abuse them? No, not interested. I feel confident enough without them.

>> Edited by kenp on Sunday 11th July 13:06

[Dibble]

voyds9 said:

[I know having four wheels and an engine is generally considered an arrestable offence these days but this may be a step too far.

LMFAO if it wasn't so nearly true...

And yes, Volcos are a hoot. I currently own a V70 2.5T 20v. Not very glamorous, but as stated, great for leaving chavved up Novas and the like at the lights (up to the posted speed limit, of course). The dogs seem to like waving at them out of the back window too...

[Dibble]

Sigh. If only they did Mondeos...

[Pigeon]

So a T5 is available with an overdrive box? Coooool! Didn't think anyone still used overdrives these days.

As for buying a marked car... If I had silly amounts of money it would be kind of cool to thrash it around my private racetrack. But to drive on the road - no, I haven't got the sheer brass neck. And with the power - even if it's only fake - comes responsibility. I'd feel a right twat driving past some situation where the police were needed. If I wanted to drive a marked car on the road that badly I'd join the police.

[Tonyrec]

kenp said:

I can't see what the problem is, afterall the police are buying unmarked cars and impersonating members of the public! PS: No, I do not want to be a policeman. If I did, I would have become one. Would I like to have the implied powers of a policeman and possibly abuse them? No, not interested. I feel confident enough without them. >> Edited by kenp on Sunday 11th July 13:06

You will never know how confident you would have been!

[lanciachris]

kenp said:

I can't see what the problem is, afterall the police are buying unmarked cars and impersonating members of the public!

Arr its a valid point he has tharr.

[g_attrill]

It's all a bit silly really.

If somebody wants to make a marked police car it can be done for well under £2000. I helped somebody restore a Volvo T5 to full police spec. It had "jam sandwich" style markings when in service and chevrons on the rear so it was only about £150 of vinyl for the vinyl.

It did take a while to apply the vinyl but we were being extremely careful to make it "film/tv/show-worthy" condition but if you have a DIY sense of adventure it is pretty easy. Battenburg is a bit more expensive (£1,000 for 3M diamond grade vinyl) but wouldn't take a massive amount of effort to fit.

Getting the rest of the equipment is also easy - the UK companies are pretty open about selling to the public but if not then a lot of the kit is from the US and it is EXTREMELY easy to buy from dealers over there.

Gareth

[kenp]

Tonyrec said:

kenp said: I can't see what the problem is, afterall the police are buying unmarked cars and impersonating members of the public! PS: No, I do not want to be a policeman. If I did, I would have become one. Would I like to have the implied powers of a policeman and possibly abuse them? No, not interested. I feel confident enough without them. >> Edited by kenp on Sunday 11th July 13:06 You will never know how confident you would have been!

The trouble with confidence is, as it grows it changes into arrogance.

[Balmoral Green]

Full story in 'The Sunday Times' Driving section toady. The car, the seller and the Police reaction get a full page.