Police.......or not

[RainbowFire]

Coming home on Saturday there was a rather fast moving (in excess of 100mph fast) Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan. As it approached each car in front, it started up the alternate main-beam flashy thing that the police are quite fond of. However, two things struck me:

 

1) No siren, no graphics, and no blues'n'twos, and no rear flashers. Plus as soon as each car in front was passed, the lights got switched off, until approaching the next car.

2) It was an '08 plate, which I thought was a little old for a Police car.

 

Nothing else was moving that fast. No Marked cars had gone past.

 

Really a live police car - or - something got left behind on a decommission?

[Pol]

doesnt sound like it, i remember reading something on here (I think) about people able to wire up their headlights to flash alternatively,  

[Ootohere]

There are many types of Police & other Agencies that need to get a shift on. 

Armed, Anti Terrorism. Transport,  Military. Nuclear, etc,

then Borders Agency, HMRC, there was SOCA and now the new lot NCA (National Crime Agency.)

 Plus Blood and Organ Transportation.

 

All need training and some need to get some place fast without the car being fitted with Blues and Twos.

many Plain Covert Cars around from the various Groups mentioned above.

 

Anyone messing about and pretending to be one of the above can expect to be spotted by the real McCoy.

 

george

[mender]

Some government fleets run older vehicles due to occasional use, such as Royal family movements, military etc

 

Could be anything legit, not necessarily Police

[LGM]

No harm in reporting it, after all he's committed an offence going 100mph.

[FUBAR]

As LGM said if you have the details of it, no harm reporting and if it was under legitimate business then all is well. If it's registered to some random mong and they visit him and inspect vehicle, you might read about him in some local papers court summaries in 6 months time. 

[Coops]

Had a similar incident a few months back with a Mondeo - reported it but heard nothing back.

[#1radioman]

if it was an emergency services vehicle, if it was 'on a job' he/she could legitimately travel at 100mph on a motorway, on the other hand if it was some plonker who thought that it would be fun to have flashing lights to move other drivers out of his way so that he could play 'Sterling Moss' then he deserves booking however you won't be able to prove he was travelling at 100mph, , re the lights it would be your statement and appearance in court to give evidence plus if you are lucky a police vehicle examiners findings if you could get one to check out the lights.

It sounds like a load of hassle and it is but if the driver is bogus he deserves to loose his licence.

[rwbaldwin]

Report it.

If he doesn't have a good reason for the alternating whites, the Police will take a very dim view and more than likely pay him a visit.

[mdon]

I would report it to your local force as it could be some idiot pretending to be police. But that said we still have operational X plate carriers and 06 plate response vehicles, also when I did a driving course in 2010 we had a white 55 plate mondeo with just alternating headlights and a siren, no blues or any markings whatsoever, it was still used until it was wrecked in 2011 I believe.

[thesquiff]

See lots of these "covert" cars on the M25. One of the agencies I suspect.

[danny6189]

In my area the police use a unmarked n reg galaxy. The only reason I know this is because I got picked up in it when I was mugged a year ago. The police use all sorts of cars old and new.

[RainbowFire]

doesnt sound like it, i remember reading something on here (I think) about people able to wire up their headlights to flash alternatively,  

 

I have to admit, in theory, it's not a hard job. About a tenner from Hailfrauds in parts.

 

 

Some government fleets run older vehicles due to occasional use, such as Royal family movements, military etc

 

Could be anything legit, not necessarily Police

(And similar posts)

 

Flashing headlights are now "official"? I thought they would need to be accompanied by a beacon of some description. Seen Social Services with green lights, for example.

 

Will give the locals a tug.

[brownfox]

Report it impersonating a police officer which you think it was is a criminal offence let the Police check it out and ask for feedback from whoever you report it to. Dont forget to get a contact name and collar number to ensure feedback.It seems a bit to old to be a police vehicle, i thought the only time a emergency vehicle can exceed the speed limit was when it was attending a  emergency or dealing with one.

[Jonneh]

If it was a Galaxy, most likely it will have been Armed Response or Terrorism related. They have them of that age usually with the V6 engines as they're fast enough and can carry a lot of kit/people quickly.

[Ootohere]

Exemptions can apply.

Including using all the lights or warning equipment.

http://www.devon-cornwall.police.uk/YourRightInformation/FreedomInformation/Policies/D227.pdf

 

http://www.kent.police.uk/about_us/policies/m/m105.html

[crickleymal]

Don't bother life's too short. Probably nothing will happen or be reported to you. Even if it does then the amount of hassle will far outweigh anything else.

[Lady Elanore]

I had this happen to me many years ago when I had a Scooby. I pulled over onto the hard shoulder of a slip road and the flashing car pulled up alongside, laughed and then sped off.

[@Lee]

Don't bother life's too short. Probably nothing will happen or be reported to you. Even if it does then the amount of hassle will far outweigh anything else.

How so? Five minutes on the phone to report an unusual vehicle, perhaps impersonating a police car Vs some to55er thinking he's above the law and uses the lights to get home quick?

 

That said, if he's on a promise, I might do the same ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:no:

[FUBAR]

I had this happen to me many years ago when I had a Scooby. I pulled over onto the hard shoulder of a slip road and the flashing car pulled up alongside, laughed and then sped off.

 

I would loved to have done something like that when I was younger, never had the minerals to risk it though. :( 

[mdon]

Don't bother life's too short. Probably nothing will happen or be reported to you. Even if it does then the amount of hassle will far outweigh anything else.

And then you get people with the attitude also complaining the police do nothing!

[Rob 4x4]

Wig wam kits are readily available on ebay etc, I've seen a few people with them forcing theirl way through traffic etc.

Funniest time was when I knew the car was not police etc but it had blue lights in the grill which it started up whilst overtaking me and the fully marked traffic officer in front of me. I saw the car again half an hour later, on the back of a recovery truck.

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Don't bother life's too short. Probably nothing will happen or be reported to you. Even if it does then the amount of hassle will far outweigh anything else.

 

Yeah it might be nothing but if you tell them and it helps them catch some pervet trying to pull women over to rape them or something it'll be the best phone call you made, for the sake of a 5min call it's worth it. 

[Auric Goldfinger]

Yeah it might be nothing but if you tell them and it helps them catch some pervet trying to pull women over to rape them or something it'll be the best phone call you made, for the sake of a 5min call it's worth it. 

 

Well said, it might even save someones life.

[gadgetman]

Reminds me of a few weeks back.

Unmarked Focus shifting on the M6 with blues in the grille next to the Ford badge. As it passed, 2 up, nothing on the back.

BMW driver clearly wanted to race the Focus.

About 10 mins later Mr BMW was on the hard shoulder with the focus and a traffic car. Unmarked driver stuck thumbs up at the officers and sped off again.

Wonder if Mr BMW is still racing Focus'....