Those police 4x4's on the motorway... Are they police?

[t350chunder]

Sorry if this is a very stupid question but...

Those 4x4's that you see on major routes thesedays... They are not police, but do they have police powers to stop and ticket etc?

I'm sure this has been done before...

Rich...

[vonhosen]

www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/601.aspx

[t350chunder]

Thanks Vonhosen, Interesting...

Not about to tear past anyone doing 100+ on the motorway to be honest, value my license too much.

That is interesting though, I actually thought they had powers of arrest, also thought they were there to hand out speeding fines...

So they're sort of like firemen without fire engines then?

[t350chunder]

OK more like a mixture of the AA and the fire service...

[t350chunder]

frazer guest said:

i actually think that they are a good idea.

I don't think they're a bad idea. Although I sometimes wish there were more real police patrolling the roads in and around London.

I think they actually have a calming effect on traffic which can only be good, so in that sense its a positive measure.

[t0ny99]

Until recently, all these HATO barges appeared to have "Highways Agency" signs on the rear, such that those with moderate eyesight could maintain progress safe in the knowledge it wasn't the five-oh you were about to drift past. However, in the last couple of weeks I have passed several that were not advertising. Now, am I being overly cynical in thinking removal of the above is a cheap way of scaring motorists into believing it's a police vehicle not a HATO one?

[batfink]

i still dont quite get the point of them. All i see them doing is chatting to broken down motorists. How about training them as mechanics and getting them to fix the cars instead or tow them off the motorway so no-one rubbernecks.

At least you have someone to talk to while waiting 50mins for a recovery truck

[t350chunder]

Surprised they're not told to sell light refreshments! They have a captive audience!!

[combemarshal]

t0ny99 said:

Until recently, all these HATO barges appeared to have "Highways Agency" signs on the rear, such that those with moderate eyesight could maintain progress safe in the knowledge it wasn't the five-oh you were about to drift past. However, in the last couple of weeks I have passed several that were not advertising. Now, am I being overly cynical in thinking removal of the above is a cheap way of scaring motorists into believing it's a police vehicle not a HATO one?

They are also different Colours to The Police Vehicles!

[Vaux]

t0ny99 said:

Now, am I being overly cynical in thinking removal of the above is a cheap way of scaring motorists into believing it's a police vehicle not a HATO one?

It'll say "Highways Agency" and "Traffic Officer" somewhere.
Probably peeled off with washing.........

[bimsb6]

otherwise known as wombles as they go around clearing up rubbish .

[t350chunder]

bimsb6 said:

otherwise known as wombles as they go around clearing up rubbish .

That's a bit mean

[who me ?]

Still trying to figure out why they try to act like police -parking on motorway bridges / sitting in police patrol points on the motorway / driving down L1 at 50 ---unless of course they're hoping for heavy braking and an accident to tidy up

[Big Rod]

t0ny99 said:

thinking removal of the above is a cheap way of scaring motorists into believing it's a police vehicle not a HATO one?

No you don't say!! They wouldn't do that would they!?!?!?

[so8]

I think you will find they 'create' more work for real trafpol than they sort out ...... at least where I am - they are nowhere near fully trained yet and are costing quite a bit without yet being able to do the majority of stuff intended for them.

[CombeMarshal]

[quote=who me ?]Still trying to figure out why they try to act like police -parking on motorway bridges / sitting in police patrol points on the motorway / driving down L1 at 50 ---unless of course they're hoping for heavy braking and an accident to tidy up [/quote]

Not rocket Science!
They patrol the Motorways, so obviously the best place to be is, wait for it, The Motorway!

[motorwise]

behave yourself and there's nothing to worry about