Unmarked police cars

[The Londoner]

This thread www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=23&t=280086&h=0 suggests that it is not a requirement to stop for an unmarked police car. Is this true? If you were exceeding the limit on a motorway and attracted the attention of such a vehicle, what do you do? Just keep going and wait until a marked vehicle joins in?

[^Slider^]

That thread refers to Madrid (i admit i havent read it all so i may have missed something). You are required to stop when required to do so by a constable in uniform regardless of the vehicle used. If an unmarked car intended to stop you then you are required to stop.

If you doubt the officer is actually police then just acknowledge the cars attempts to stop, do not speed up or try to evade them and either drive to the nearest police station or call 999 if you have a mobile.

You will soon be met by marked units if it is indeed a police vehicle! If you try to accelerate or evade then you could be liable for failing to stop.

[jasandjules]

I was told that if the car has the hidden blue lights etc. then you pull over, leave the doors and windows locked and then ask the police officer to get a sergeant to come along or ask him what station he is from, phone the cops and ask them if they have the car he has. Don't ask him for the station number for obvious reasons.

[TSS]

^Slider^ said:

You are required to stop when required to do so by a constable in uniform regardless of the vehicle used.

What about plain clothes police in an unmarked car. I've been pulled an bollocked by plain clothes officers in an unmarked Ford Galaxy. Yesterday morning I was a few cars behind a friend who got pulled over by an unmarked Mondeo with 2 very plain clothes officers in it, i.e. jeans and T-shirts.

On both occasions the pull was for undertaking the unmarked car because they were sitting in lane 2 of a dual carriageway for ages and ages overtaking nothing. Neither of us got tickets, just a severe talking to. Do police have to be in uniform to issue a ticket?

[vonhosen]

TSS said:

^Slider^ said:

You are required to stop when required to do so by a constable in uniform regardless of the vehicle used.

What about plain clothes police in an unmarked car. I've been pulled an bollocked by plain clothes officers in an unmarked Ford Galaxy. Yesterday morning I was a few cars behind a friend who got pulled over by an unmarked Mondeo with 2 very plain clothes officers in it, i.e. jeans and T-shirts.

On both occasions the pull was for undertaking the unmarked car because they were sitting in lane 2 of a dual carriageway for ages and ages overtaking nothing. Neither of us got tickets, just a severe talking to. Do police have to be in uniform to issue a ticket?

If you stop for an officer not in uniform then that doesn't make them stopping you illegal.
It's just there is no compulsion in law for you to stop for an officer unless they are in uniform.
As for issuing tickets, they can do that in uniform or not, it doesn't matter.

[TSS]

vonhosen said:

If you stop for an officer not in uniform then that doesn't make them stopping you illegal.
It's just there is no compulsion in law for you to stop for an officer unless they are in uniform.
As for issuing tickets, they can do that in uniform or not, it doesn't matter.

Thanks vonhosen.

[Hollywood Wheels]

jasandjules said:

I was told that if the car has the hidden blue lights etc. then you pull over, leave the doors and windows locked and then ask the police officer to get a sergeant to come along or ask him what station he is from, phone the cops and ask them if they have the car he has. Don't ask him for the station number for obvious reasons.

Who told you that? Or do you mean if they are in plain clothes? Why would you ask for a Sergeant if they are in uniform?

[cross-eyed-twit]

if I was suspicious I would drive to a well lit public area and leave the windows etc closed and the car in gear ...