Marked vs unmarked

[Austin Prefect]

Related to the 'how do the unmarked not get pulled over' thread.

What the proportion of marked to unmarked these days? At one time it was unusual to see an unmarked car or van with blue lights going, nowadays I see them on unmarked cars more than on marked police cars, In fact on the motorway I see more unmarked vehicles with blues going than marked police vehicles full stop.

[Scrump]

Probably best you slow down and then you won’t see so many blue lights.

[edthefed]

Austin Prefect said:

Related to the 'how do the unmarked not get pulled over' thread.

What the proportion of marked to unmarked these days? At one time it was unusual to see an unmarked car or van with blue lights going, nowadays I see them on unmarked cars more than on marked police cars, In fact on the motorway I see more unmarked vehicles with blues going than marked police vehicles full stop.

43 different forces in England and Wales all of whom have different communities and different vehicle fleet requirements

So 43 different proportions

[Rushjob]

edthefed said:

Austin Prefect said:

Related to the 'how do the unmarked not get pulled over' thread.

What the proportion of marked to unmarked these days? At one time it was unusual to see an unmarked car or van with blue lights going, nowadays I see them on unmarked cars more than on marked police cars, In fact on the motorway I see more unmarked vehicles with blues going than marked police vehicles full stop.

43 different forces in England and Wales all of whom have different communities and different vehicle fleet requirements

So 43 different proportions

Not forgetting the diverse community of organisations who are lawfully allowed to use marked and unmarked vehicles fitted with emergency equipment for both training and operational purposes......

[Austin Prefect]

edthefed said:

Austin Prefect said:

Related to the 'how do the unmarked not get pulled over' thread.

What the proportion of marked to unmarked these days? At one time it was unusual to see an unmarked car or van with blue lights going, nowadays I see them on unmarked cars more than on marked police cars, In fact on the motorway I see more unmarked vehicles with blues going than marked police vehicles full stop.

43 different forces in England and Wales all of whom have different communities and different vehicle fleet requirements

So 43 different proportions

Of course, but there are still a certain number of marked and a certain number of unmarked throughout England and Wales. And if the proportions vary significantly between forces, that in itself is interesting.

[lancslad58]

Don't forget HGV's and buses...

From the Diss news
"Norfolk Police officers get on Norwich buses during crackdown on mobile phone use whilst driving"

Getsurrey

"In one month the HGV was responsible for catching nearly 400 offences"

https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/unmar...

[paul_c123]

The HGVs (well, one of them that I know of....) are plain white DAF tractors with no speed limiter. An HGV doing more than 56mph on the level, should be enough to alert you......unless you're on your phone at the time, obvs.

[Simpo Two]

lancslad58 said:

"In one month the HGV was responsible for catching nearly 400 offences"

Is being high up really an advantage? Most cars will pass on the offside of the truck so the driver will be on the far side hidden by the car's roof.

[Pit Pony]

Simpo Two said:

lancslad58 said:

"In one month the HGV was responsible for catching nearly 400 offences"

Is being high up really an advantage? Most cars will pass on the offside of the truck so the driver will be on the far side hidden by the car's roof.

Its a good think that Driver State monitoring is coming for HGVs.

[John D.]

Simpo Two said:

lancslad58 said:

"In one month the HGV was responsible for catching nearly 400 offences"

Is being high up really an advantage? Most cars will pass on the offside of the truck so the driver will be on the far side hidden by the car's roof.

Its an advantage for seeing into other HGV cabs.

[Ian Geary]

Simpo Two said:

Is being high up really an advantage? Most cars will pass on the offside of the truck so the driver will be on the far side hidden by the car's roof.

From watching police camera actions type programs, or probably YouTube shorts released by plod, I definately recall seeing the tractor unit overtaking, with the passenger plod filming.

Any alert driver should definitely be thinking wtf.

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

I would agree with others though- my commute up the m23 /a23 i see way more unmarked cars with blues than marked plod.

Appreciate they can be plod, fire, rhe coal board or even food standards agency i believe....

[KTMsm]

I see at least double the number of unmarked cars (with their blues on) than I see marked cars

I'm mostly driving motorways and country roads, I rarely go into towns / cities

[Simpo Two]

John D. said:

Simpo Two said:

lancslad58 said:

"In one month the HGV was responsible for catching nearly 400 offences"

Is being high up really an advantage? Most cars will pass on the offside of the truck so the driver will be on the far side hidden by the car's roof.

Its an advantage for seeing into other HGV cabs.

Ah yes. I was thinking of cars.

Perhaps with a few more cameras and some AI, detection of every offence and issuing of fines will be automatic.

[edthefed]

Austin Prefect said:

edthefed said:

Austin Prefect said:

Related to the 'how do the unmarked not get pulled over' thread.

What the proportion of marked to unmarked these days? At one time it was unusual to see an unmarked car or van with blue lights going, nowadays I see them on unmarked cars more than on marked police cars, In fact on the motorway I see more unmarked vehicles with blues going than marked police vehicles full stop.

43 different forces in England and Wales all of whom have different communities and different vehicle fleet requirements

So 43 different proportions

Of course, but there are still a certain number of marked and a certain number of unmarked throughout England and Wales. And if the proportions vary significantly between forces, that in itself is interesting.

Of course the proportions vary - the demands of Policing for example Inner London and rural Norfolk / Suffolk will be markedly different.

[Somewhatfoolish]

Ian Geary said:

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

It must do. Unfortunately the law goes for handheld phone use. Personally I won't even use handsfree unless it's low stimulus (dual carrigeway/motorway at legal speeds) and something like a many member zoom call which you don't need to be on where you're 99% listening (for me it's when I start trying to articulate stuff that my driving goes to st, see also commentary driving). From my observations most people taking a normal 2 way handsfree call are noticeably downgraded in their driving ability.

[survivalist]

Somewhatfoolish said:

Ian Geary said:

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

It must do. Unfortunately the law goes for handheld phone use. Personally I won't even use handsfree unless it's low stimulus (dual carrigeway/motorway at legal speeds) and something like a many member zoom call which you don't need to be on where you're 99% listening (for me it's when I start trying to articulate stuff that my driving goes to st, see also commentary driving). From my observations most people taking a normal 2 way handsfree call are noticeably downgraded in their driving ability.

I'm not sure calls are the biggest issue regardless of setting. Sitting in a cafe overlooking a main road the other day I'd say that around a third of motorists were using their phones for messaging or social media. TBF speeds were low due to traffic (5-25mph) but what was noticeable was how many people were looking at the phone. on their lap rather than the car/bike/pedestrian in front of them.

When doing the school run it's not uncommon to see the driver behind "nodding" between looking at the back of my car and the phone they're holding.

[Somewhatfoolish]

survivalist said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

Ian Geary said:

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

It must do. Unfortunately the law goes for handheld phone use. Personally I won't even use handsfree unless it's low stimulus (dual carrigeway/motorway at legal speeds) and something like a many member zoom call which you don't need to be on where you're 99% listening (for me it's when I start trying to articulate stuff that my driving goes to st, see also commentary driving). From my observations most people taking a normal 2 way handsfree call are noticeably downgraded in their driving ability.

I'm not sure calls are the biggest issue regardless of setting. Sitting in a cafe overlooking a main road the other day I'd say that around a third of motorists were using their phones for messaging or social media. TBF speeds were low due to traffic (5-25mph) but what was noticeable was how many people were looking at the phone. on their lap rather than the car/bike/pedestrian in front of them.

When doing the school run it's not uncommon to see the driver behind "nodding" between looking at the back of my car and the phone they're holding.

Yeah sure, but again that's legal if the phone is in the mount. It's daft.

[survivalist]

Somewhatfoolish said:

survivalist said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

Ian Geary said:

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

It must do. Unfortunately the law goes for handheld phone use. Personally I won't even use handsfree unless it's low stimulus (dual carrigeway/motorway at legal speeds) and something like a many member zoom call which you don't need to be on where you're 99% listening (for me it's when I start trying to articulate stuff that my driving goes to st, see also commentary driving). From my observations most people taking a normal 2 way handsfree call are noticeably downgraded in their driving ability.

I'm not sure calls are the biggest issue regardless of setting. Sitting in a cafe overlooking a main road the other day I'd say that around a third of motorists were using their phones for messaging or social media. TBF speeds were low due to traffic (5-25mph) but what was noticeable was how many people were looking at the phone. on their lap rather than the car/bike/pedestrian in front of them.

When doing the school run it's not uncommon to see the driver behind "nodding" between looking at the back of my car and the phone they're holding.

Yeah sure, but again that's legal if the phone is in the mount. It's daft.

Hardly ever in a mount. Just holding them fairly low and messaging or just browsing instagram/tiktokj based on my observation. Ironically the majority were in cars new enough to have CarPlay / android auto so will just read you your messages anyway.

[Somewhatfoolish]

survivalist said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

survivalist said:

Somewhatfoolish said:

Ian Geary said:

I have zero problem with surveillance like this - in my view based on no evidence, I reckon distracted driving poses ore of a danger to peds and other motorists than a concentrating driver going a bit over.

It must do. Unfortunately the law goes for handheld phone use. Personally I won't even use handsfree unless it's low stimulus (dual carrigeway/motorway at legal speeds) and something like a many member zoom call which you don't need to be on where you're 99% listening (for me it's when I start trying to articulate stuff that my driving goes to st, see also commentary driving). From my observations most people taking a normal 2 way handsfree call are noticeably downgraded in their driving ability.

I'm not sure calls are the biggest issue regardless of setting. Sitting in a cafe overlooking a main road the other day I'd say that around a third of motorists were using their phones for messaging or social media. TBF speeds were low due to traffic (5-25mph) but what was noticeable was how many people were looking at the phone. on their lap rather than the car/bike/pedestrian in front of them.

When doing the school run it's not uncommon to see the driver behind "nodding" between looking at the back of my car and the phone they're holding.

Yeah sure, but again that's legal if the phone is in the mount. It's daft.

Hardly ever in a mount. Just holding them fairly low and messaging or just browsing instagram/tiktokj based on my observation. Ironically the majority were in cars new enough to have CarPlay / android auto so will just read you your messages anyway.

I fully get what you're saying, I'm just saying that the "legal alternative" isn't really any better in terms of danger (in my opinion anyway).

[Quattr04.]

I wonder if it’s due to BMW who had most marked traffic etc cars across the UK pulling out of the police fleet market, I’m sure the cars used to arrive pre decalled but now individual forces seem to apply them in their workshops and as they have such a mix of cars now maybe they just don’t bother?

The only cars I see marked now are Volvo v90s and Audi a6, unmarked seems to be anything from cupra Leon and forementors, xc90s, a6s, etc