Police motorway speed tolerance
Discussion
I always thought that the police had a mature attitude to making progress late at night if it looked like you knew what you were doing...and that certainly keeping speed below 85 would not result in a pull....however..
4 lane dry motorway, late at night, barely any cars, I'm doing about 80, until I spot a marked police estate in the inside lane about 1 mile ahead. I slow my speed gradually, and as I get closer, it appears he was doing about 68, based on my GPS speed. I turn my headlights down to reduce glare and pass him at a GPS speed of about 71, indicated on my speedo of 73. I then get a shock as he pulls level with me and gesticulates from the drivers seat for me to slow down... so I slowed down to 65, pulled in behind him, and stayed there until he left the motorway in about 8 miles, before accelerating back up to my normal, sensible cruising speed for that time of night.
This situation really did seem quite bizarre....I've used this method many times to pass marked cars in the inside lane who I assumed were going slowly in order to use their ANPR on the slowly overtaking traffic. So I thought police didn't really mind getting overtaken on the motorway in this manner as long as you don't take the piss. I still don't know how I could have passed the aittitude test if they'd given me a lecture on the dangers of 1mph over the limit on a clear dry motorway. And I'm not exaggerating, it really did happen. Were they just bored?
4 lane dry motorway, late at night, barely any cars, I'm doing about 80, until I spot a marked police estate in the inside lane about 1 mile ahead. I slow my speed gradually, and as I get closer, it appears he was doing about 68, based on my GPS speed. I turn my headlights down to reduce glare and pass him at a GPS speed of about 71, indicated on my speedo of 73. I then get a shock as he pulls level with me and gesticulates from the drivers seat for me to slow down... so I slowed down to 65, pulled in behind him, and stayed there until he left the motorway in about 8 miles, before accelerating back up to my normal, sensible cruising speed for that time of night.
This situation really did seem quite bizarre....I've used this method many times to pass marked cars in the inside lane who I assumed were going slowly in order to use their ANPR on the slowly overtaking traffic. So I thought police didn't really mind getting overtaken on the motorway in this manner as long as you don't take the piss. I still don't know how I could have passed the aittitude test if they'd given me a lecture on the dangers of 1mph over the limit on a clear dry motorway. And I'm not exaggerating, it really did happen. Were they just bored?
Sorry guys I've been away with work. Thanks for the replies, I was not using high beam. My car has xenons and I always try to remember to manually lower the setting on low beam to lowest possible range setting to avoid dazzling road users such as plod or those with older cars which obviously don't have dimming mirrors. I wind them up again slightly if there's no one around, in order to see debris in the road further ahead - this prevented me running over a dead horse lying in the outside lane of the A421 a few years ago.
I've never had complaints about using my xenons in this way and I am well aware that there's nothing more infuriating than a Range Rover blinding everyone for 100 miles.
With regard to the speed differential and me spotting them ahead - it's an incredibly long straight stretch of motorway - it makes sense to include the distance you can see in your scan. I coasted up to them with a sensibly respectful speed differential, and didn't think it was a big deal...maybe they were just bored.
I've never had complaints about using my xenons in this way and I am well aware that there's nothing more infuriating than a Range Rover blinding everyone for 100 miles.
With regard to the speed differential and me spotting them ahead - it's an incredibly long straight stretch of motorway - it makes sense to include the distance you can see in your scan. I coasted up to them with a sensibly respectful speed differential, and didn't think it was a big deal...maybe they were just bored.
Edited by BusaMK on Monday 22 May 19:03
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