The rozzers.. what do you want to know?

[keystonedriving]

The lights and siren are there to attract attention, because the vehicle is going somewhere to do something important (unless I'm hugely mistaken). Turning either or both off on approach to a busy junction (where they would be most useful) would seem to imply that suddenly it's not so important.............but then it is again after the junction.

 

30m from this particular roundabout there is no visibility of the traffic on the roundabout as the approach is on an incline, and the side-rail is quite high. The first two cars in the queue get a clear view, and that's it.

Modern Police thinking is that by turning off some (or all) of the warning devices they are less likely to spook another road user into panic mode and do something stupid.  The emergency vehicle still has to give way if necessary, so it is their choice when it comes to how they handle the situation.  The other emergency services are a bit behind on this, but give them time.......

 

I'm not a police officer (and never have been), but as a driver trainer I find myself talking with their driver trainers on a regular basis and learn what is going on.

[RainbowFire]

Modern Police thinking is that by turning off some (or all) of the warning devices they are less likely to spook another road user into panic mode and do something stupid.  The emergency vehicle still has to give way if necessary, so it is their choice when it comes to how they handle the situation.  The other emergency services are a bit behind on this, but give them time.......

 

I'm not a police officer (and never have been), but as a driver trainer I find myself talking with their driver trainers on a regular basis and learn what is going on.

 

That sounds backwards to me (although I can kinda of see the logic)......if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, surely that's what the blues and twos are for. Watching at that roundabout, the fire engine and ambulance got through the traffic far quicker than the police did.

 

Essentially: if we don't know you're coming, we won't get out of the way.

 

 

I've also noticed a reluctance by the police to use the hard-shoulder in stacked traffic on the M25 too, and just try and push through static traffic. I thought we had to leave the hard-shoulder clear for emergency vehicles. The other two services (three if you count Highways Agency) seem quite happy to scoot on down there.

Edited 18 November, 2015 by RainbowFire

[KenONeill]

Modern Police thinking is that by turning off some (or all) of the warning devices they are less likely to spook another road user into panic mode and do something stupid.  The emergency vehicle still has to give way if necessary, so it is their choice when it comes to how they handle the situation.  The other emergency services are a bit behind on this, but give them time.......

 

I'm not a police officer (and never have been), but as a driver trainer I find myself talking with their driver trainers on a regular basis and learn what is going on.

I've heard this independently, along with comments about "not using 2-tones to 'bully' other road users out of your way".

[KenONeill]

That sounds backwards to me (although I can kinda of see the logic)......if you need to get somewhere in a hurry, surely that's what the blues and twos are for. Watching at that roundabout, the fire engine and ambulance got through the traffic far quicker than the police did.

 

Essentially: if we don't know you're coming, we won't get out of the way.

 

 

I've also noticed a reluctance by the police to use the hard-shoulder in stacked traffic on the M25 too, and just and push through static traffic. I thought we had to leave the hard-shoulder clear for emergency vehicles. The other two services (three is you count Highways Agency) see quite happy to scoot on down there.

In this context, I've encountered similar on the M1 (South-bound, just North of Nottingham) except that we had Police and Fire Brigade trying to make progress between lanes 2 and 3.

[Rocketeers]

Differing views from differing elevations of drivers seat position, albeit I do not claim to know the location, both ambulance and brigade vehicle would be higher?

[Tim1631]

So more police patrols on the streets. Not in my area a heavily polluted town. All I have seen is unoccupied police cars in the city parked on double yellow lines.

Military on the streets is laughable. They won't arm most of the police by the looks of it never mind a load of ****ed of squaddies on the streets.

[Tim1631]

I think all police would agree that there aren't enough police.

I've not been a copper for a long time now, but it was always the case that a lot of people didn't want to be armed routinely. I know I wouldn't have done.

If you're unarmed, all you could do is run away like everyone else, and I'm not sure a sidearm would be all that useful against assault rifles and body armour.

That's where the cops now a days need to get over themselves and start being armed. You don't want to be armed do something else. How can you protect innocent civilians if you can't protect yourself. A Glock is better than the spray and stick the police currently use is it not?

[Tim1631]

Indeed, but I'm confident should the unthinkable happen here, suitably armed police or armed forces would be deployed rapidly to where ever they are needed.

 

Didn't the met recently show off their elite unit training ?

Elite training is that what you call it, it was hardly realistic if you have any experience of real firefights. It was pathetic. This country is not pro active in any way and people are oblivious to the fact that an attack will happen here. It will. No use putting out the army on the streets after terrorist scum has killed hundreds. It's quite embarrassing, the country and the police to be honest

[RainbowFire]

Dusting this thread off a little.......

 

We were watching the entertainment that is Police Interceptors the other day. They had tasers drawn ready to zap someone. The question came up........

 

How far does a tazer reach?

[Welsh_kai_boy]

25ft?

[mdon]

Depends of which cartridge is used and how good your aim is but Welsh boy is about right for absolute max

[Chunk11]

Yep max for the standard x26 taser is 21ft or 7 meters

[Adenuf]

Why do rozzer car drivers around here....and elsewhere perhaps....insist on using their sirens in the early hours of the morning when the roads are virtually deserted, waking up all and sundry?

 

They should at least have a button to halve the noise, a bit like the rozzer chopper that has a silencer of some sort to keep the racket down a bit.

Edited 20 May, 2016 by Adenuf

[mdon]

Why do rozzer car drivers around here....and elsewhere perhaps....insist on using their sirens in the early hours of the morning when the roads are virtually deserted, waking up all and sundry?

They should at least have a button to halve the noise, a bit like the rozzer chopper that has a silencer of some sort to keep the racket down a bit.

All depends on the driver. Round here the worse culprit for that are the water fairies. I'll silence mine in silent hours unless there's traffic that hasn't responded or I'm going though lights/junctions.

Better to wake someone up that run someone over at a junction.

[fabiamk2SE]

All depends on the driver. Round here the worse culprit for that are the water fairies. I'll silence mine in silent hours unless there's traffic that hasn't responded or I'm going though lights/junctions.

Better to wake someone up that run someone over at a junction.

 

or you could say

 

better to wake someone up than put someone to sleep 

 

[Adenuf]

Not condoning speeding no matter what you are driving, but isn't it seemingly a bit wrong that motor bikers can get away with getting nicked by road side camera vans due to not having a front number plate?

Tell me otherwise if I'm incorrect here

[fabiamk2SE]

Not condoning speeding no matter what you are driving, but isn't it seemingly a bit wrong that motor bikers can get away with getting nicked by road side camera vans due to not having a front number plate?

Tell me otherwise if I'm incorrect here

Some camera vans have a camera in the front too. So they can cross reference and get the numberplate.

Normal forward facing average speed cameras and Gatso's cant get bikes though.

Its a perk of having a bike .

[Chriswright03]

They can't.  What happens is the bloke in the van pops out of it and gets the number of the bike as it passes.  I know this because I know of someone who has been caught this way.  Not me I hasten to add!  However many of the speed cameras are forward facing.

[fabiamk2SE]

They can't. What happens is the bloke in the van pops out of it and gets the number of the bike as it passes. I know this because I know of someone who has been caught this way. Not me I hasten to add! However many of the speed cameras are forward facing.

If he had get out n read it

The best thing i could do there (if there isnt a camera in the front) is actually gun it and hope he's not quick enough to read it :D.

[RainbowFire]

I'm sure I've seen roof-mounted 180 degree cameras for just such an occasion

[fabiamk2SE]

It doesnt matter

No bikers ever speed anyway .

[Adenuf]

Some camera vans have a camera in the front too. So they can cross reference and get the numberplate.

Normal forward facing average speed cameras and Gatso's cant get bikes though.

Its a perk of having a bike .

Not a perk at all when I see the warp speed of some of these crazy nutters,insane driving  especially on a Sunday in N.Wales..

Very bad, very wrong

[Adenuf]

It doesnt matter

No bikers ever speed anyway .

[Adenuf]

In bikers defence, some brainless car drivers too!

[Adenuf]

Some camera vans have a camera in the front too. So they can cross reference and get the numberplate.

Normal forward facing average speed cameras and Gatso's cant get bikes though.

Its a perk of having a bike .

Almost feel as though I'm making out that this is a game, but I'm not honestly, but that does seem so grossly unfair/discriminational and just plain lunacy.

We're talking about life here

Edited 23 May, 2016 by Adenuf