Hi all
I have noticed a lot of people seem to be "pretending" to be Police officers by putting these yellow fluorescent jackets and vests on the rear parcel shelf , so that its visible from behind.Cars vary from clapped out Sierras to one I saw today which was a newish Audi A8.
Why do they do this?
Do they think it looks cool or do they presume that no one will cut them up or tailgate them?
Dont they know if the car they were in was a real unmarked Police car then all you would probably see would be a few extra aerials! :o)
Any ideas?
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I'm not sure they are pretending to be police; it seems akin to the somewhat ill-advised practice of having a hard hat on the rear shelf.
Tomo
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I carry two dayglo waistcoats in the boot (not on display) for use in case of breakdown/puncture/accident. If you're stuck at the roadside or the hard shoulder anything you can do to make yourself more visible is IMO worth doing.
Terry
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Agree not sure pretending are police...and think terryb's idea is good...am thinking about it...
But, if the said driver was to put on that dayglo waistcoat and start stopping the traffic on a main road while working at the local car boat sale I would agree...somehow I don't think the A8 driver will though...
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Here's one from the Far Side. Some riders where I live have taken to wearing those day-glo vests on the expressways for obvious reasons of visibility and presumably some belief they've enhanced their personal safety. Indeed on my last trip to UK I brought back about 30 of those Halfords ones and sold them.
Recently tollway patrols have been apprehending the wearers on the grounds there is an ordnance saying (this is true) motorcyclists must not wear flamboyant or brightly colored apparel lest this prove a distraction to other motorists.
On the other hand my truck can have any number of any colored lights it likes back and front and still be within the law.
Ah..well, time for another coconut juice...
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I agree that you see many more day-glo vests these days. I don't see too many on rear parcel shelves, but think that legislation has a lot to do with the increased use of them. Everyone working on the roadside has to wear them, lorry drivers wear them when unloading, I've seen bus drivers wearing them - even the tree surgeon working near the road and loading branches into his chipper wore one outside my place.
I agree that it's a great idea to have a couple in the boot for punctures or other unexpected incidents and for about £30 you can get a waterproof one with a hood - great if it's tipping it down and pitch black and you're on the hard shoulder of the motorway.
See recent "what to carry in the boot" thread.
KB.
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I unintentionally discovered how to be a 'pretend policeman' - at least in some people's eyes.
I quite frequently wear white Pilot Shirts, and have noticed a certain effect on some prospective overtakers.
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I agree that you see many more day-glo vests these days. I think that legislation has a lot to do with the increased use of them. Everyone working on the roadside has to wear them, lorry drivers wear them when unloading, I've seen bus drivers wearing them - even the tree surgeon working near the road and loading branches into his chipper wore one outside my place.
It's got a lot to do with health and safety regs too, employers taking all reasonable precaution etc. I took a parcel to a large warehouse in the car this week, the security guard actually booked out a hi-vis waistcoat for me to wear while walking from the car to the Goods In office!
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KB I think you're closest, the amount of people who now have to wear these hi-vis jackets is increasing by the day. Certainly anyone who now works within a metre of the carriageway 'must' wear one, even if that metre means you're on the pavement surrounded by pedestrians who can wear what they please.
The reason people carry them inside the vehicle rather than in the boot may be poserish, but the reason I carry one in the cab of the van and in the rear of the car is that if I need to stop in a situation where a hi-vis jacket is needed I would rather be wearing it when I get out of the vehicle. Much safer than wandering around the carriageway or the hard shoulder to get it out of the boot!
Cockle
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Has anyone actually seen a Police car with a dayglo layed on the parcel shelf or infact anything layed on the parcel shelf ( other than a rotating stop sign!!!!!!) Paranoia?????
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Speaking of dayglo jackets, when you consider how many motorcyclists are killed at road junctions it puzzles me as to why this highly noticible material is not made more use.
I never venture out on my cycle without my dayglo waistcoat which does not look very nice but it sure feels a lot safer with it on.
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Be wary.
Leaving items on view in the motor connecting to Plod can work both ways.
Come back and find your tyres slashed, paintwork scored etc.
DVD
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I once got pulled by the police, (for having all me little blue lights and neons on, I admit it) as I followed their unmarked car around town one night.
What I thought was a pair of Goodmans speakers, one on each side of the rear shelf, turned out to be a pair of neatly folded jumpers with police hats on.
I was asking for it, really.
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Couple of years ago I had brand new white Vectra hatch. On leaving-do from company, jokers bought me a blue disco-light - basically same as on old cop cars, but mains-powered. Threw all office gear onto back seat and light on parcel shelf. Travelling home (on M25) and suddenly noticed not one person had overtaken me for some distance. On reaching home town, discovered other cars were getting up to their usual (close) distance from my rear bumper and then pulling back! Wonderful! That light stayed on the parcel shelf for months. Even as tailgating deterrent it was brilliant.
Also, a year later, on the blue light front, I had a small 5-inch blue neon bulb over the front number plate to light it when the doors opened. Plod pulls me up for parking in town and asks if I've got any blue lights. I say yes, and point to the blue neon. Does it flash? he asks.
Only when I open and close the door repeatedly, says I. I couldn't believe it when he actually stood there and literally opened and closed my door about 20 times. Oh, Surrey Police, you make the Keystones look good!
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'blue neon light to illuminate front number plate'
Dom f. I think your friendly pc probably couldn't believe his eyes the first time he opened the door. The idea of having a front number plate illuminated is a bit strange I would have thought. Perhaps akin to the old Wolsley badge which was lit by an interior bulb.
Different folks for different strokes!!!
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Every year our local school has a carnival at which I am one of the marshals. The local plods provide us with yellow vests with POLICE stickers on the back. We wear them inside out so that we can?t be accused of impersonation etc. but it?s easy to see that they say POLICE on the other side. Last year I as I was stood watching the procession up comes a shady looking character and says ?I?ll give you fifty quid for that vest mate?
Keep upright
Chris
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craggyislander, i bet you live in ireland as the place is full of theese people,most of them turn out to be council workers.
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