Simon C

Coming down the A1 this morning and had a cop car on my rear bumper wanting to get past.

Never even heard him sat there with the sirens going until he went past. The ipod wasn't even that loud as I have good hearing and like to protect it, so much so, if I'm going to a loud venue I always wear earplugs.

I'm old enough to rememebr the old 2 tones and you could hear them miles off, and the ambulances round here still use them.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Sirens are probably due to their location; I used to fit car alarms and teh sirens are faily similar. They are very directional and anything in teh way severely hampers the loudness.

Obviously, in old cars there was loads of room in the engine bay behind teh grill to fit the siren and mount it so it points forwards. But modern cars just don't have the space, and where they can be squeezed in the audio pathway is blocked by some engine ancillary or bodywork.

Combine that with modern cars having better noise insulation means its harder to hear.

There is also an issue with some plod drivers "habits/trainin" that follow so close you cannot see their lights. Roof and grill are chopped out in the mirrors - all you see is bonnet and windscreen. I have had a panda stuck behind me without sirens and been totally unaware that it had the lights on because they positioned the car too close behind me.

billythekid

There are specific motorway siren systems out there but very few cars have them fitted due to their cost. They are very good though.

A lot of the problem is getting the speaker in the right position to get the sound output. These days the bodywork and much more limited space along with undertrays on most modern cars prevents the sound from getting out.

Newer LED lights make the difference, IME.

Leslie

They used to have a bell on the front of their Wolseleys before they got those poncy sirens or two tones.

It was amazing how the sound of that bell used to strike fear into your heart because you knew they had had caught you speeding! At night you always knew it might be a cop car following you because you could see the illuminated Wolseley badge at the top of the radiator. We were all very good at checking the rear view mirror for cop cars in those days No speedcams etc in those days.

Les

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

I very rarely hear the sirens before I see the lights when on multi-lane carriageways - mind you, I do have tinnitus in both ears and some frequencies simply don't get through.

I did once see a line (4 of 'em) of Police cars 'making progress' on the outside lane of the M42 (fortunately right as the speed cams ended) just as I was overtaking a line of cars all doing just under 70 with me at a GPS checked 70.

Figuring it was something really important I dropped a cog and booted it to clear the cars inside of me. I was doing 90 as the Police went past with a smile and a wave from the leading driver

Simon C

Had that too Keiran on the A1 just where 2 lanes split to 3. As like you, I got a thank you and a wave, then the indication to slow down which I duly did. Din't realise how fast I was going to get pas t the HGV's and slower cars.... If they had gone with the letter of the law and nicked me I would have lost my licence. That was the days when I had my old classic.

my94wrx

iTrader: (4)

round by me the police sirens in the new/ish astra's are almost like they are muted normally you could hear one two or three streets away and now you can only just hear them no matter which direction they are coming from.

zip106

Are you somewhere in the background Les?

http://www.aronline.co.uk/images/policewols_03.jpg

jef

iTrader: (13)

emeergency services also dont use there sirens as much as they used too

they cause people to panic and drivers behaviour becomes unpredictable.
generally sirens are just used coming upt to junctions/roundabouts ect, to make as many drivers aware they are coming.

ive done some blue light driving, and its amazing where some people stop, and then others that nearly run into a 32 ton bright red vehicle with blue flashing lights, because they dint see it!

billythekid

Perhaps in your neck of the woods but not round these parts, any response runs must be done with all the equipment on - including sirens. If there is no traffic then you use wail, that includes 3am with no one around.

The only real exception is if the job might require a silent approach, but you have to seriously slow down and use caution and only use a silent approach if traffic conditions allow. If there is an accident and the siren is off you have to be able to seriously justify it - either way you are probably grounded for several months.

HTH!

Bonehead

I know of a old Plod Octavia that had a very loud siren on it. You couldn't hear the radios when you had the sirens on it was that loud.

One night it was parked up on an estate whilst the cop was off sorting out some dispute between two drunken idiots when some so & so broke off one of the ariels.
The cop driving it decided it was time for some retribution so switched the siren on and drove VERY SLOWLY along the narrow streets waking up all of the locals.

Leslie

Couldn't you find an actual police car then?

If I had been there I would probably been zooming past on a Vincent White Shadow!

Wish I still had it, one of those was sold at Bonhams last year for £87K !!!

Les