Watch out the police are out to get you!

[Bigtallfatbloke]

...well so it seemed to me this afternoon.


I was out on my usual ride and was heading home. I was approaching a small roundabout when I heard the familier sound of a van revving it's engine behind me...nothing new..."That'll be white Van man getting impatiant again" i said to myself. Sure enough the white van sped past me across the roundabout missing me by no more than a few centimetres and scaring the living daylights out of me, he just had to overtake me on the roundabout...something to do with his macho pride I was telling myself...I looked up, and was just about to offer the retalatory single fingered salute when guess what?......

...It was no ordinary van....it was a white van Marked


ESSEX POLICE
'Driving casualties down'



He bloody nearly did drive me down as well

 

[col]

It doesnt surprise me,the police where i live dont seem to indicate at all, so causing problems at junctions roundabouts ect,well for me anyway.I thought they had to pass some sort of advanced driving test before they drove vehicles?apparently not
Its a pity you didnt get the van number,all complaints are looked into in great detail,my brother in law was in the police,and told me if you do write to complain,always end the letter with,"I look forward to the results of your enquiry",seems to do the trick

 

[andy_wrx]

I think anyone with a driving licence can drive a panda or van.

Traffic cops have higher standards of training (like that one done for doing 140 was it on the M4 ?) and are not impressed with the driving capabilities of yer average beat copper.

 

[Bigtallfatbloke]

this wasn't a panda car, it was one of those white transit vans things they use to transport prisoners I assume...or traffic cones...or drop off coppers along their beat...whatever it was the slogan that amused me most.

 

[col]

I still think they should set the example,they are supposed to be people to trust and get help from when needed,not lie and decieve......oops wrong subject

 

[Nortones2]

Possibly a mechanic taking it back from the workshop. Never assume its polis driving them anyway, as it could be stolen, or on a bank raid.....

 

[asterix]

'If you want to know the time, ask a policeman' was the old saying.

Unfortunately, far from being a tribute to the helpfulness of the force's finest, it was really a slur, suggesting that if you were taken into custody wearing a watch you were unlikely to get it back from the desk sergeant on your release.

 

[col]

Possibly a mechanic taking it back from the workshop. Never assume its polis driving them anyway, as it could be stolen, or on a bank raid.....

They certainly have a lot of mobile mechanics and pinched police cars here thenThats without including the dishonest ones...oops there i go again

 

[longers]

'If you want to know the time, ask a policeman' was the old saying.

Unfortunately, far from being a tribute to the helpfulness of the force's finest, it was really a slur, suggesting that if you were taken into custody wearing a watch you were unlikely to get it back from the desk sergeant on your release.

Cor blimey, that's a good one if it's true. It is isn't it?


OT but I would play snooker at Lancaster ploice station with a civvy mate who worked there. It was very childish but we'd take great delight in the words "frame" and "set em up" and would use them far too often.

 

[Sore Thumb]

Ive got a mate at work who is also in the specials who tells me that he is allowed to drive the van. However it ends there as he is not allowed to drive with blues and siren on.

But he does "whos going to grass him up"

well he maybe ok with that until he has an accident ........... then what?

 

[longers]

Ive got a mate at work who is also in the specials who tells me that he is allowed to drive the van. However it ends there as he is not allowed to drive with blues and siren on.

But he does "whos going to grass him up"

well he maybe ok with that until he has an accident ........... then what?

he's not so special anymore? and they will disown him like a turd on fire.

 

[spen666]

I think anyone with a driving licence can drive a panda or van.

Traffic cops have higher standards of training (like that one done for doing 140 was it on the M4 ?) and are not impressed with the driving capabilities of yer average beat copper.

All police drivers have to go on a course/ take a test even if they hold a full driving licence.
The traffic police have additional training on top of this

 

[gpx001]

Leicestershire Constabulary had to apologise a while back about officers admitting to playing car snooker with their victims - sorry members of the public, and I believe they were using squad cars to collect their curries whilst on night shift. I've not dared wear a red cycling top since !

 

[Dayvo]

Leicestershire Constabulary had to apologise a while back about officers admitting to playing car snooker with their victims - sorry members of the public, and I believe they were using squad cars to collect their curries whilst on night shift. I've not dared wear a red cycling top since !

Another good reason for not wearing black - 7 points!

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Some interesting, if slightly skewed POV's here. All Police drivers have to pass a basic level 5 driving test,(and that includes civilian police staff (mechanics/drivers) in order to drive the lowest level of vehicle , the general duties (panda) car, so named because when Lancashire Police first introduced a non black patrol car in the late 1960's it had a two colour paint scheme, pale blue and white, for some reason the god old British public dubbed it a 'panda car'.

Level 5 drivers are NOT allowed to exceed the speed limit or use warning equipment - lights/sirens.

Then you get a standard response driver (me) who has completed an intensive 3 week course, which gives me an exemption by virtue of the road traffic act to exceed the speed limit, (when responding to an emergency) and to use my warning equipment in order to allow me to drive progressively, it does not however give me an automatic exemption to pass no entry signs, cross solid double white lines or go against a oneway system.

Then you get the advanced drivers of the Roads Policing Unit (traffic Police) who are trained to an even higher level often involving specialist driving skills for containment of vehicles at speed, pursuit and escort duties.

All Police drivers are trained using the guidance and best practice learned over many years and covered in the book 'Roadcraft' which is compulsory reading for any officer taking the driving course, the methodology is called the Police system of Car Control, or just ' The System' for short.

If you drive a van, you have to take and pass the van test, not all officers are able to take the van out, and often you will hear a shout from an officer on foot in a town centre, who has a stroppy prisoner, request a van, only to be told that there' s no one available to drive the van.

Any motorist can, if they wish sit the IAM test, although set at a higher standard than the basic driving test, it is still below the level of an advanced level 3 Police driver.

On the point of incidents involving police vehicles, what used to be called PolAcs and now referred to as PVI's are thoroughly investigated, and in my experience Officers are dealt with as any member of the public would be in similar circumstances.

Car snooker is an interesting concept, but I'm afraid it is an urban myth, as for refreshments being collected in police vehicles, well that does happen , obviously we do need to eat, but cars would not be sent out specifically to collect someones carry out, maybe if you were stopping to collect your meal break scoff whilst on your way back to the station you might also take something back for a colleague.