Dave25

Interesting to hear about an ex-police car.... but I think al the lights etc would be stripped out, surely? Plus this was a new, as in newstyle registration plate BMW.

Was a 3 series, 4 door, very light blue metallic. I swear the driver wore a business shirt or suit! Looked very much the business man to me!!!

If you get caught doing something you shouldn't / driving badly ( I wasn't and don't! )then fair enough - but this guy was seriously looking for me to take steps, which I did. My big concern was that his behaviour was *deliberately provocative* - and if I had undertaken him I would have been doing less than the speed limit, so would have been fair enough I think ( and yes, I undertake people too, which is a sad state of affairs when people don't know proper lane discipline, isn't it? )

David.

[Edited by Dave25 - 5/3/2002 10:26:24 PM]

Dave25

I know that this has been seen before, but thought I would tell about my experience today.

M25, coming round from Staines to get to the A1. Hell on a Friday of course, but gets better once you're past the M4 junctions. No point in rushing, gets you nowhere in this situation.

So, going along and traffic moving more freely now, past Amersham, Watford etc and in the outside lane, and come up behind a light blue BMW 3 Series. Speed of traffic slows down, speeds up again and again but this guy ( alone ) sits in the outside lane, pulling right back from the car in front at times and positioning his car so that he is not even getting past cars in the middle lane, and not pulling in. He is determined to sit there regardless, driving erratically. Over 10 minutes this begins to grate a little as I see the traffic pulling away ahead while this guy speeds up and slows down while not pulling into even large gaps to let me by ( Note : we are doing 55 - 65 mph here, not exceeding the speed limit, though at other times we are doing 75-80 )

Eventually this gets a bit much and when he isn't getting past a landcruiser I give him a flash. With this he pulls behind the landcruiser and lets me past. At this point he pulls back behind me and switches on the blues and the alternating head / beam lights. Pretty clear to work out this is a unmarked car. Then the lights go out and we're at the A1 junction where I come off and he stays on the M25.

I think "What the hell?". The most worrying thing was that there was clear deliberate provocation here, wanting me to bite at it. What if I had seen red mist at his behaviour or he had provoked more than he did?

Not sure what the point was of him actually putting on the lights as well, but not stopping me. I would have loved a chance to hear what he had to say, believe me.

Is this an isolated thing or happening more and more?

David.

HKSubaru

hate police that do that. see them fly past traffic and at dangerous speeds when they are not even putting on sirens or flashing etc. they speed all the time!

HKSubaru

remember the plate and colour?

HKSubaru

don't know what reaction you may get on this one but there is a bmw ex-police car i think at silverlake breakers.

gravelexpress

Dave,
thanks for the warning!! When someone is driving in the manner you describe. I usually end up getting that annoyed that I undertake the vehicle concerned. So I think I will be a bit more careful in the future. Saying that for some reason whenever I overtake I tend to have a quick glance at the driver to look for the police uniform!!

HKSubaru

me too!

Banzai Bob4893049

sounds an rsole, copper or not m8.

Neil Smalley

Is'nt this called entrapment?

Doc1

I have to say, as someone who drives an unmarked car with blue lights and bits, and has done the courses with the cops etc, i doubt very much that this was a cop. Unmarked police cars invariably have video and therefore almost always have two officers in them. The "rules of engagement" are strict and sticking the blues on when behind you is not only against these rules if there is no attempt to pull you, but pointless.
I imagine that whoever the pratt was who was driving this car was either a bored/childish fire/ambulance officer who was trying to throw his weight around.

Rob Dawes (doctor for tech rescue team, hants fire service)

fast bloke

Got pulled for undertaking an unmarked car at 70 in a 50 a couple of years back. I threatened to make a complaint about his lack of lane discipline and call his passenger and use his 'persecution' as my witness. He thought about it and let me off. Wonder why

yhe chod

this sort of thing does not give them a good public image -suprise suprise their supposed to be expert drivers! these hooligans in the bm are letting their collegues down were they bored or something thank god they dont get many scoobs as police cars

ScoobyK

Nasty, but then again, it may not have been a police car - there is a car around here that has a siren, goodness only knows where he got hold of it, but he seems to think it's fun to put it on and see if you pull over for him.

Must be carefull not to "assume" this was a unmarked car as the police have a bloody hard time - and there are many who drive Scoobies.

Katana

When will you people realise that the police force are nothing more than a bussiness venture. Obviously, they'se a bit low in the funding department and needed more money hence provoking you to speed. Proper crimes are no longer lucrative, hence why they concentrate mostly on traffic offenses. Don't believe me? Look at my fence that was vandalized a few nights ago by some youths that I don't even know. Called the police and nothing could be done.

Found those *ssholes and dealt wih it the proper way. I think I'll be getting my replacement fence soon once they've come up with the money. I know where they live now...

rr_ww

If you can remember the Registration make an official complaint. Though to be honest it doesn't seem like it was a copper. If it isn't he'll get a visit and told "not to impersonate police cars"

skiddusmarkus

"Unmarked police cars invariably have video and therefore almost always have two officers in them."
Just so people know,there only has to be one officer and when it's his word against yours there's no prize for guessing who the courts will believe.There's also the misconception that they can't pull you over for nothing.This is all down to interpretation of the rules.They only have to "suspect" something such as you have been drinking to pull you.Once over they can check away.

HKSubaru

the one at the breakers had sticker marks all over it with the obvious police marks, was a bmw white estate.big engine too! yeah, lights and all taken out.

rapiddescent

this didn't sound like a police car. you'd be surprised about how many non-traffic-police roles can apply for, and get alternating headlights and blues.

+ all mountain rescue (even if they only do 2 weeks a year)
+ coastguard
+ fire inspectors
+ military (who reportedly use souped up imprezas)
+ other gov't roles e.g. diplomatic.

rd

I Stancer

was in Spalding today for Flower parade (high octane action!!!) spotted a Police Accord type R in Silver with no rear wing , had pulsing blues in the reversing lights ! you have been warned