Dont use blue lights, you aint a copper!!

[Arch]

My point was that those that wear the Hi-Viz Polite tops should'nt be finger wagging at the guy with the blue lights as they are both as bad as each other

Yes, but your point has been contradicted by a serving police officer on this thread, and by another talking to me personally.

I've had nothing but positive comments about my vest from other cyclists and pedestrians, and never been pulled up for it. If any police officer ever did so, I'd relinquish it, and those of us who got one when they were organised by a regular on the C+ forum did discuss and get advice first.

It has an added point, in that I feel compelled to be polite while wearing it...

Cycle mounted Paramedics and Police are common here in York, where they are able to negociate the congested but relatively small city centre extremely well - they have lights and sirens, the latter used mostly to warn pedestrians, since they are permitted to use the pedestrian zones. When I had occasion to call 999 I had a paramedic with me within a minute - a huge relief, although sadly he was always going to be too late. The sad thing is, as I opened the door to him, in the midst of the worst trauma I'd ever been through, and in some degree of shock, a tiny voice at the back of my head said "cool, one of the bike guys..."

 

[Muddyfox]

Yes, but your point has been contradicted by a serving police officer on this thread, and by another talking to me personally.

But im afraid a police officers personal view whether on here or not is'nt law ... Police officers do not make the laws that we have to live by neither can they change them to suit themselves whether its a good idea or not

Like i've said i dont care what you wear or how many blue flashing lights you have on your bike or whether the whole of the Metropolitan Police think you look dapper in your Polite Hi-Viz vest ... but people that live in glass houses should'nt throw stones

Simon

 

[marinyork]

But im afraid a police officers personal view whether on here or not is'nt law ... Police officers do not make the laws that we have to live by neither can they change them to suit themselves whether its a good idea or not

Like i've said i dont care what you wear or how many blue flashing lights you have on your bike or whether the whole of the Metropolitan Police think you look dapper in your Polite Hi-Viz vest ... but people that live in glass houses should'nt throw stones

You're not comparing like for like.

I think using the sorts of blue lights I'm talking about is much worse than Arch's top, it's fairly distracting having a 5-7 blue LED perhaps 10cm wide on the bike. If someone's worried about standing out in terms of urban jungle and colour scheme I suggest they do the green/amber thing attached to their clothing which doesn't have the same set of issues attached. I'd personally recommend buying a couple of smart 1/2 watts and attach them at different positions on the bike.

 

[Debian]

I am not swayed at all by any of the proponents of using blue lights and quasi-police clothing.

Doing such things detracts from the high moral ground that we aim to take and it also detracts from the legitimate users of such devices because they are tainted with some of the opprobrium resulting from the illegitimate use.

 

[Arch]

I am not swayed at all by any of the proponents of using blue lights and quasi-police clothing.

Doing such things detracts from the high moral ground that we aim to take and it also detracts from the legitimate users of such devices because they are tainted with some of the opprobrium resulting from the illegitimate use.

But my vest isn't police clothing, quasi or otherwise. It says Polite on it. Anyone who can read can see that. Just like anyone who can read can see that those notices you see people put up to ask people not to park outside their house are headed Polite Notice.

Do you seriously think the Police are going to be tainted by my vest? That would only happen if I routinely broke the law while wearing it, and I don't, wearing it or not.

 

[Muddyfox]

You're not comparing like for like.

Yes i am

the law is the law which ever way you choose to impersonate a police officer

Marin ... i understand exactly what your saying (and Arch) and as previously stated (i dont care what people wear)

Simon

 

[marinyork]

Yes i am

the law is the law which ever way you choose to impersonate a police officer

Marin ... i understand exactly what your saying (and Arch) and as previously stated (i dont care what people wear)

No you're not. A police officer doesn't wear a siren on his head. The lights is a totally different issue which is assigned colours/lights/etc to vehicles. On a practical level it's also a very different matter, you can see the blue lights a lot further away than something more passive in the environment like arch's top.

As for the impersonating a police officer, how far do you want to take it, you could argue wearing any hi-viz top is impersonating a police officer.

 

[Muddyfox]

But my vest isn't police clothing, quasi or otherwise. It says Polite on it. Anyone who can read can see that.

Section 90 of the Police Act 1996) creates offences relating to the impersonation of police officers or the possession of articles of police uniform,

namely:
impersonating a police officer (including a special constable);
making a statement or doing any act calculated falsely to suggest membership of a police force;
wearing a police uniform calculated to deceive;
possessing an article of police uniform.
NB: The words "calculated to deceive "means likely to deceive" and therefore the fact that there was no intent to deceive is immaterial.

Any person who, not being a constable, wears any article of police uniform in circumstances where it gives him an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive shall be guilty of an offence.

Arch ... if the vest works for you then great i was merely pointing out that it is an offence the same as the blue bicycle lights

simon

 

[Debian]

But my vest isn't police clothing, quasi or otherwise. It says Polite on it. Anyone who can read can see that. Just like anyone who can read can see that those notices you see people put up to ask people not to park outside their house are headed Polite Notice.
.

Don't be disingenuous, of course it is. Your intent is for others, at first glance, to see it as POLICE, not POLITE. If this isn't your intent then it's even more pointless and puerile. If it is your intent then it's close to impersonating a police officer. There's no difference, except one of scale, between your vest and a motorist decking their car out in police livery and putting "POLITE" on the doors, bonnet and rear end. The intent is to deceive.

Your comparison the the use of "polite notice - no parking" is inapt, there's no impersonation of a police officer involved.

 

[marinyork]

Your comparison the the use of "polite notice - no parking" is inapt, there's no impersonation of a police officer involved.

Have you actually seen them? Some are mocked up to look like the equivalent.

 

[classic33]

Tried with two police forces to find out whetether both the lights & polite Hi-Viz vest are illegal. Both can find nothing within the current law that states that either cannot be used.
The old wording used was "legally obtained" lighting. Therefore having "legally obtained" by purchase over the counter. The lights are legal. Been followed by a police car, but had nothing said when wearing the POLITE vest.

In both cases the aim wasn't to set out & try to give the impression of being in the emergency services, but to aid visibility. In fog flashing blue lights can be seen a lot easier & presumably earlier than their red counterparts.

Checking this out I've found that strobe lights do not appear to be covered by the regulations. Rotating lights but not strobe lights. Odd in a way.

How many on here are non serving police officers actually own & use any item of police equipment?

 

[Debian]

Have you actually seen them? Some are mocked up to look like the equivalent.

But it's not impersonating a police officer which is the offence.

 

[Debian]

Tried with two police forces to find out whetether both the lights & polite Hi-Viz vest are illegal. Both can find nothing within the current law that states that either cannot be used.
The old wording used was "legally obtained" lighting. Therefore having "legally obtained" by purchase over the counter. The lights are legal. Been followed by a police car, but had nothing said when wearing the POLITE vest.

In both cases the aim wasn't to set out & try to give the impression of being in the emergency services, but to aid visibility. In fog flashing blue lights can be seen a lot easier & presumably earlier than their red counterparts.

Checking this out I've found that strobe lights do not appear to be covered by the regulations. Rotating lights but not strobe lights. Odd in a way.

How many on here are non serving police officers actually own & use any item of police equipment?

So why do you need the word POLITE on the vest if it's merely to aid visibility?

 

[marinyork]

But it's not impersonating a police officer which is the offence.

Do keep up! We're talking about two different things.

 

[Debian]

Do keep up! We're talking about two different things.

Are we?