mykp

Its before 5:30am and I am well awake, why? because of the three police cars which have gone blasting past my house in the last 20 minutes with the sirens on full. (it might even be the same car driving round macc )

I thought the emergency services werent suppose to use their sirens between 11pm and 7am?

I live just down the road from the fire and ambulance station and we never hear their sirens at night so what makes the police different and is there a law about siren usage?

Not used to being awake at this hour

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

Usually they don't, but if it's the only way they can get blind muppets to move over then they'll turn them on.


And don't forget: if there's an accident and it turns out the sirens weren't on, no matter when in the day it happened, then this forum would be full of people complaining that they weren't using them.


M

mykp

my dad, who was an ambulance driver of some 25 years, says that between the hours of 11 and 7 they shouldnt use the sirens except to warn other divers when required. However he's been retired for over 10 years so the law might have changed since then.

The fire and ambulance service manage fine and they have smaller rapid response vehicles, the police seem to drive a lot between Macc and Knusford, with the sirens on in knutsford and switch the off when they reach macc. We get this at least a dozen times a day, but during the night is a little bit thin.

I know there going to an emergency, but ffs turn off the noise.

Semper

After that lass being killed in Newcastle at 11pm by a police car, it's no surprise that they have their blues and twos on. Can't blame them!

Leslie

I thought it was only ordinary car horns that were restricted from 11 to 7 am.

Best they use them on a call though rather than hitting someone. Been too much of that happening.

Les

Snazy

Na Les, the enviromental people insisted years back it was unnecessary noise pollution and said that the sirens could only be blipped on and off where needed.

Maybe all the cars were single crewed, so safed just to turn the lights and noise on and keep going?

To be honest though, living 500 metres from the fire station and about 700 from the ambulance station, I have grown used to it. And would rather the occasional siren, than an evening of constant sirens and road closures, cos some numpty walked out infront of a police car on a call or something.

But I do empathise, at times, it can be hell!

magicgreg

Spot on there.

billythekid

Some forces in the UK are now saying their policy is response drivers must use sirens at all times on grade 1 jobs. They are also enforcing a 20mph over the posted limit system and prosecuting officers who go over.

So next time you are being robbed, remember the robbers will hear the police coming from miles away - very sloooowly..

Shark Man

I've noted that of all emergency vehicles, all of them only use sirens as and when needed, except for the "reponse" panda cars. (As in the ones with sirens, but still used for normal police duties; i.e not the high powered traffic cars) Usually in the form of Peugeot Expert vans or 307s by me. Where they use the siren all the time when on a respose; no matter what time it is or if there is any traffic.

Worse still, because they are Pandas, for some political reason they don't break speed limits when responding, so there it tootles past at 30mph sirens wailing. Be it during the day or at 4:00am

mykp

Cheers for the comments, thing is I live less than 200 metres from the Fire and Ambulance station and we only know that either have left the station is when the fire engine with the big ladder on leaves the station as that must have a monster engine in it cos it sounds evil when its moving. But no sirens.

_Meridian_

iTrader: (1)

That would be because the drivers have generally had no extra training, and are simply driving on a standard licence. As above, if they have an accident at speed, the same people currently whinging about their noise would be whinging just as loudly about their lack of training at high speed driving.


M

billythekid

Where do you get that info from then?

No police driver in the UK can (should) drive on response (i.e blues and twos) without going on the response driving course. Does not matter if its a panda or otherwise.

eklassei

The law remains that sirens or any horns or loud noise beyond a certain decibel is illegal between the hours of 2300and 0700hrs.
The police blatantly ignore these laws yet they expect everyone else to observe the laws!!!
the police must lead by example if they want respect.
they are still not above the law, gone are the days of freemasonry.

The laws in this regard have not changed, so lets remind them to observe them too.

D4VEW557

How would you feel if they were driving at speed sirens wailing outside of the aforementioned hours chasing your stolen car.

While i agree some coppers are **** and think they are above the law on the whole as a law abiding citizen I respect they are doing a hard job in this day and age

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Happens to me most nights, the blast down my road with them on full, but then I expect when I need them, they'll do the same ..

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

5 year old thread......

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Felix.

You can sound your car horn at any time if you believe there is a danger and you need to use it.

Most police forces had a policy of 'one on - all on' - i.e you cant just use blue lights on their own. And if you are going to drive at speed or go through red lights, then you need your warning systems on.

As stated above - a bit difficult if you are trying to sneak up on a burglary in progress - most would turn off the sirens as you get closer, but you run the risk of getting put through the ringer if you crash on route.

I think this has been relaxed slightly now and if the driver has 'risk assessed' the situation, then sirens and lights need not be used all the time. Makes life a lot easier as you can never hear the radio with the sirens going.

cster

The common sense approach eh.
I must say this law that says it is legal to use your warning device at one hour and illegal to use one minute later has always struck me as one of those absurd little quirks that make this country what it is.
ps on a completely unrelated note, I wonder what name they will give the new Royal baby - I'm getting really excited about this!

Leslie

I am surprised you dont use headphones.

Les

Felix.

I'm going for - Rylan Bieber Andrew Murray Windsor

Felix.

The headphones distort the operator as they speak and the sirens still drown it all out - you end up missing something important until you arrive.....

mrmadcap

They are to warn the crims and give them a chance to get away so the Police can concentrate on dealing with law biding folk driving home from work at 36mph and collect the£60 tax money.

boomer

So get some noise cancelling headphones?

mb

Felix.

Sounds a good idea - but not sure if the force will fork out the money for them or whether they will be compatible with the radio themselves. Its not so much the sound going into your ear from the headphone, more the noise from the siren going into your other ear.

You also have to listen out for other motorists, bikes, kids etc etc - sometimes best just to ignore comms and concentrate on your driving

CrisPDuk

Isn't that why traffic cars are two up, one for driving one for talking?

CrisPDuk

On a side note, I saw a Krispy Kreme Donut van the other day, with 'Proudly sponsoring policemen everywhere!' writ large in the dirt on the back

Felix.

you'll be lucky to find a double crewed car now - traffic or response pandas

Spoon

I have an Police siren adapted to fit on my house alarm and to say it is loud is an understatement.

CrisPDuk

I work in Ashton under Lyne, you almost never see a car single manned round there.