DHA Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 On Sunday morning (before 6am) I was driving along the A3 on my way to work, it was the 3 lane section and NSL. A volvo estate came up behind me and I braked as I had been doing 85mph. The volvo was in fact a Surrey Police traffic car. I slowed to 75mph and the traffic car shot past me at I would guess near to 100mph. The car had no siren on and no blue lights. Are the police allowed to exceed the speed limit without showing any blue lights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Technically I'm not sure they are, but I guess the magic word "discretion" comes into it somewhere. It's not something that bothers me - they have a job to do and are top notch professional drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Yes, but recently they do seem to be killing alot of civilians on the roads..... (and the odd police officer too). They are not a law unto themselves..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilB Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 On Motorways I'm not too fussed if they speed. What gets my goat is when you see them doing 40 in a 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mccombie_5 Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 My gran lives almost opposite the police headquarters for Newcastle Upon Tyne. The road is a 30 limit, and to be honest I don't think any of the cars with Police livery on them adhere to that speed limit, I've no gripes with them driving at whatever speed they need to on the way to an emergency response, but surely in a 30 limit it seems a but on the line? As for motorways and other faster roads.. fine they've got a job to and I'd want them to be going as fast as safely possible if they were on their way to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Recently saw a marked Volvo doing 69mph in the slow lane causing a huge tailback. We slowly went passed and were infront by about 100m when he then undertook about ten cars and shot off at well over 100mph (no lights), so fast infact that the air wave infront of his car moved mine when he went by! Then about 5 miles down the road we caght up with him, doing 69 again. Not sure what that was all about, but certainly was not safe driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Admittedly a few years ago now, I was given a lift home about 2am on Sunday morning by a mate (who's now a chief inspector!) in a marked police Omega. I was a little p*ssed but not too much to notice that we were "proceeding" down the A46 lincoln by-pass at about 130mph. "Why's he doing 130?" I recall saying. My mate looked at me incredulously and said "Beacuse he can!" Certainly got me home in record time, although the effect was spoiled when they insisted on taking me right to my front door complete with blue lights a flashin' (fortunately no sirens) got a few funny looks from the neighbours the next day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garcon magnifique Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Yes, but recently they do seem to be killing alot of civilians on the roads..... (and the odd police officer too). They are not a law unto themselves..... [/ QUOTE ] There has been a worrying jump, though the vast majority have been when on a proper call with blues & twos blaring away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser647 Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 Not really fussed, they have a job to do. It amazes me how people STILL do not see or hear them come up behind them! If I see a Police Car doing 69mph on a motorway, I carry on at 80. No point causing an accident by slowing down too quickly. Silly people do slow down for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanG Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] If I see a Police Car doing 69mph on a motorway, I carry on at 80. No point causing an accident by slowing down too quickly. Silly people do slow down for some reason. [/ QUOTE ] Probably to avoid being nicked! You also see lethal breaking around speed cameras that does question the safety aspect of some cameras.... (A303 behind a bridge ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Admittedly a few years ago now, I was given a lift home about 2am on Sunday morning by a mate (who's now a chief inspector!) in a marked police Omega. I was a little p*ssed but not too much to notice that we were "proceeding" down the A46 lincoln by-pass at about 130mph. [/ QUOTE ] I hope that's somebody who's still around in Lincolnshire police, and that somebody has a good sense of what constitutes stupid driving and what constitutes 'making good progress'... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AvantSE Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 [ QUOTE ] On Sunday morning (before 6am) I was driving along the A3 on my way to work, it was the 3 lane section and NSL. A volvo estate came up behind me and I braked as I had been doing 85mph. The volvo was in fact a Surrey Police traffic car. I slowed to 75mph and the traffic car shot past me at I would guess near to 100mph. The car had no siren on and no blue lights. Are the police allowed to exceed the speed limit without showing any blue lights? [/ QUOTE ] In short, yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tizzy Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 He's still in the force, but no longer on traffic (it was only for an attachment) and no longer in Lincs Police. I'd like to think many traffic officers accept good, safe progress in a capable car as not causing a threat to the public Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drpellypo Posted April 25, 2006 Report Share Posted April 25, 2006 The Police have an excemption to traffic law if they need to reach somewhere quickly (in the line of duty.) They may well be on a 'silent approach' and as such, may not have their B's&T's going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlpearson Posted April 26, 2006 Report Share Posted April 26, 2006 I was in an accident with a marked police car 2 weeks after passing my test. I was going through a green light doing 30 in my rover metro and he came through across in front of me doing 110mph. I nailed into the side of his car and flipped his over and it slid down the road. I later found out the he had been doing over 130mph down the promenade in Blackpool. He had travelled 7 miles to get to a domestic dispute that he still hasn't got to this day and that was over 13 years ago now. The witnesses said that he didn't have his lights or sirens going at the time. I consider myself lucky to be alive and am glad I do not remember anything about the crash or else I may never have driven again. These guys may well be advanced professional drivers, I don't fell as safe as I do when my brother-in-law is driving (he is ex-traffic police), but quite a few of them think that they cannot be touched as they are the law and this should not be the case. In my case the police driver was only banned from driving a police car for 6 months and had to retake his police test. If that was anyone else, the consequences don't bear thinking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now