Is it me or should the people upholding the law follow the highway code?
I was going down a dual carriageway just now and a police Ford Focus came hammering past.
Clearly not chasing anyone though as he stopped for the traffic lights not so far down the road. Then he swapped lanes without indicating, cutting up the driver in the lane he moved into, but who would dare honk their horn at him?
Still not after anyone though as he stopped at the next set of traffic lights chatting away to his mate.
Is it me or is this not the best way to gain any respect or set any kind of example to other drivers? I manage to indicate ok, maybe they need lessons on how the indicators work?
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If they annoy you with bad or dangerous driving like this, you should make note of time and registration of the car and of other cars affected by him/her.
Then write letter to chief constable or email etc. Normally swift action follows.
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And don't forget to include yr own name and registration number so that grateful plod can stop you to thank you for saving him from himself. I understand this gratitude can last for years.
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Totally agree-lead by example. And it is not linked to just the police-other emergency services drivers do the same. Unfortunately its the nature of the human beast.
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If someone is a bad driver they will remain so. Putting them in a vehicle with stripes and lights isn't going to make them any better. As you have just seen it probably makes things worse.
West Yorkshire police were involved in 1,689 accidents last year. They were judged to be at fault in 863 of these cases, about 50%.
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One rule for them, another for everyone else
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I have honked at police cars before! Doesn't bother me. If they want to stop and discuss I am more than happy to. We don't live in China, and certain authorities would do well to remember that.
There is a school of thought that thinks that the world was a better place when there was a "fear" of authority. I don't agree. Respect for authority would be a good idea, however respect is EARNED not automatic. IMHO the police, whilst for the most part doing an OK job, will NOT command the respect they used to till they sort their act out.
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Actually, one thing that really annoys me with regard to police driving is the lack of sirens on emergency calls. Fine if you're driving a car as you can spot the lights in the mirror, but on a bike you're unaware until they come forcing their way past at high speed.
Why not use the siren the whole time they're on the rampage?
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Because that would be sensible and logical?
Arrogant, out-of-touch and pompous.
That's me, anyway... as for the police... : )
Any policemen care to defend their honour?
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I am sure there are cases of bad driving by the Police but it's only those that draw attention. On the whole they are highly skilled at their trade. Damned if they do, damned if they don't...
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Not a defense, but police vehicles are not driven solely by police officers-could be mechanics, traffic wardens, PCSO's etc. To achieve the right to drive a police car at a basic level, a 90 minute drive with a force driving instructor is enough. Ultimately, bad driving can not be excused whatever the profession.
The number of driving school cars being driven by one person that display poor driving skills worries me too!
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Absolutely agree with the 2 above points. What I would say is that yes they're "damned if they do damned if they don't" well that's part of the job, so surely it's in their interests to get more public backing? Maybe I'm wrong, I often am, but sometimes it seems as if they want everyone to dislike them, and more importantly not respect them.
Let the record show I dealt with Crewe Police last night, minor incident that I reported, and they were great. It wouldn't take many more instances like that to make my opinion more positive. However, one instance of ponderous pompous Plod using the third person to address me, and back to Square one eh? : )
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Generally police drivers are OK but there'll always be transgressions. Likewise with other emergency drivers - I once had to brake hard to avoid an oncoming ambulance, with lights flashing, who pulled out to overtake just AFTER I had come into view round a bend. Of course, I always give way to emergency vehicles but in this situation the ambulance driver had not ensured it was safe before overtaking.
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I have to say I agree with SS about the general standard of police driving. It is very good indeed, and it can be a pleasure to watch cars with lights and sirens slicing through the London porridge. Of course the odd offduty panda can behave as described in the OP.
However my impression is that the OP was colouring it up a bit (no offence) to make the point that plod doesn't always conform to super-IoAM standards.
Some motorists overreact to every little thing, like the Double-Take Brothers for those who remember them. I don't mean the OP of course, but this can be more annoying and more genuinely harmful than sloppy or rude driving.
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I reported it as i saw it. They were minor trangressions, but coming from people who charge people for minor trangressions, totally unacceptable. Indicators are not rocket science, nor is checking your mirros before pulling into another lane.
And yes they were officers at the wheel, I had a look to make sure it wasnt a meccy.
I agree that the police on the whole dont do a bad job, but any police officer on the road in a marked car should atleast be expected to follow the highway code.
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I agree that the police on the whole dont do a bad job, but any police officer on the road in a marked car should atleast be expected to follow the highway code.
Quite right. I seem to recall one of their Chief Constables equating accidentally drifting over a 30 limit with accidentally drifting a knife into someone.
We'd be upset if they kept knifing us, wouldn't we ;-)
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"but who would dare honk their horn at him? "
Me!
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never mind the driving......I hate it when they stand around at an accident or an incident, hands in pockets, hat off or on back of head, jacket undone. Call me old fashioned, but I used to bark at my officers if I caught them doing that!
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Agree with Lud and SS, its easy to criticise when you are sitting on the other side of the fence(Im no plod though).
Its important to remember that the police do a very stressful job and they do it reasonably well despite all the pressures involved.
Its a high visibility job and even minor mistakes can seem more obvious.Im sure most laymen make more mistakes while driving!
A stray incident or two in not so perfect driving, give them a break will you, they arent inbuilt robots programmed to make no mistakes!
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Lot of Forces are fitting GPS tracking kits to their cars now giving live data as to speed and location. Further black boxes (which don't provide telemetry) record engine revs, gear selection, harsh braking and accelerating, all linked to tod data so if you complain it's very easy to corrborate or otherwise. Thinks - I wonder if they would provide this data under Freedom of Information rules ? e.g. How many times were Police cars recorded at going over a 100mph in non-emergency situations...
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I believe that many police drivers are brilliant drivers, but the majorty are not upto this standard. From what I see, their driving is quite often terrible. I've been tailgated by them on a number of occasions, including when I was stuck in slow moving traffic. Stress is no excuse for such poor driving skills, stress doesn't lead people to tailgate badly! The number of accidents they have is evidence of their bad driving.
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Give praise where praise is due! She is not a police driver, she is an ambulance driver in St Albans. To watch her negotiate the council sponsored cocque-up that passes for traffic flow in that ancient city is a pleasure to behold. With siren wailing and blue lights flashing, the way she persuades the traffic to part and let her through is a work of art. Well done, brave lady!
--
e Prof
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A couple of months back I was held up in a narrow two-way street by two police cars (travelling in opposite directions) stopping for what I presumed could only have been a chat as it was about 200 metres from their base. After a full minute I gave a gentle toot - to make the other driver aware of my presence. They moved, I moved on and a blue light came on and I was waved down. I was then told I was impatient and better watch myself in future.
At this point I confess I simply chickened out and apologised profusely for being such an unreasonable person and was let off.
Respect for the boys in blue - you are kidding.
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I wonder what they were chatting about ? About an ongoing incident, surely not - probably doughnuts. (sarcasm intended)
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stunorthants
Whoever was driving it was most likely late their Cuppa and Bacon and Sauage bun.!!
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If I might continue to bash police driving, on the M5 today I was doing 80 overtaking a pair of lorries in the outside lane when a police Volvo (with no lights or siren on) came up behind me at high speed and started tailgating me.
Resisting the temptation to stamp on the anchors I pulled over as soon as I could and watched him do the same thing to the car in front of me.
Eventually he got a clear bit of motorway, and out of curiosity I followed. After accelerating to match his speed, I clocked him at a GPS indicated 93mph (and indicated 105) before I dropped back.
I've got his number plate, who do I complain to?
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Oh David,
I wish I could see which direction you were coming from on speed. One moment you're condemning it as the root of all evil and the next you admit to doing 93mph.
What's it to be?
(All between friends and in jest you understand)
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Root of all evil. I'm still in favour of speed cameras that pop up out of bonnets. However, they aren't around yet I can chase police cars with impunity.
I was more annoyed with the tailgating than the speeding. I consider it bad manners to zoom up behind someone and brake heavily before driving about 6 inches off their bumper.
I don't profess to set a standard to anyone, but the police do.
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A very diplomatic answer if ever I heard one!
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Would you prefer the other version? ;-)
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No no - that'll do.
For now!
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Sounds as if they were a bit impatient with people mimsing along at 80 in the outside lane. I have sometimes felt the same myself.
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If you CHOOSE to join the police, and you do choose, there's no drafting... then you accept that you enforce the law. The law is 70mph. Accept it, plod, and let's see a bit less of this arrogance. If you don't agree with a limit, tough tough tough. We all have to put up with it, so do you.
And as for the Dulwich Estate story above.. words fail me. There is no way on earth I could have bitten my tongue. I would have taken them to the cleaners. That is exactly what I mean.. sheer blinding arrogance. GET OUT OF THE WAY IF YOU WANT TO CHAT. Idiots.
If there's any police on here, then PLEASE give me some heartwarming stories about you and your great colleagues. At the moment, I would quite happily abolish our pathetic Keystone Cops and start again if I had the power.
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Some years back the Irish government of the day conducted a study of road traffic accidents, growing alarmed at the ever-increasing number of deaths and injuries on the country's roads.
Telephone company vans had the most accidents - mostly being crashed into while parked, unoccupied, by the roadside as the driver fixed a phone box.
Police cars had almost as many accidents - mostly involving crashing into other cars at speed, and many with the squad car driver at fault.
The significant thing is that, in the years since, Eircom have spent much time, effort and money on driver training and brightly painted vans to greatly reduce their accident rate - whereas little has changed with the police!
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If you CHOOSE to join the police, and you do choose, there's no drafting... then you accept that you enforce the law. The law is 70mph. Accept it, plod, and let's see a bit less of this arrogance. If you don't agree with a limit, tough tough tough. We all have to put up with it, so do you. And as for the Dulwich Estate story above.. words fail me. There is no way on earth I could have bitten my tongue. I would have taken them to the cleaners. That is exactly what I mean.. sheer blinding arrogance. GET OUT OF THE WAY IF YOU WANT TO CHAT. Idiots. If there's any police on here, then PLEASE give me some heartwarming stories about you and your great colleagues. At the moment, I would quite happily abolish our pathetic Keystone Cops and start again if I had the power.
No heartwarming storiesat this time. But you've cheered me up no end. It's great winding up reasoned persons such as yourself!!
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