So, i got overtaken on an A road on the way home this week by a Focus ST Estate, the chap drove on the chevron area and cut in front of me just before a traffic island. Cue normal swearing horn and "the bird", then the chap blinked on blue lights in his indicators. 

 

Was a very discreet car and got me wondering if he was legit (ie a Police Car). I have no problem with the law, they do a great job however the unmarked cars i have seen have been easy to spot with small lights on the grill, but not this one. 

They don't have a license to drive like ****s, when not using blue lights.

Mmmm, he did pull in, maybe he was waiting for a car further down the line of traffic. Was bricking it that he would pull me over, but thinking about it i was not in the wrong.

 

Unless they were on a call then they have to obey the traffic laws like any other vehicle. They won't necessarily have the blues on but all the times are recorded so 'the management' know when they are on a job. I recall at least one case that got to the BBC website (I think) where a policeman had been done for speeding as he drove through a camera when not on call.

 

Doesn't excuse poor driving when not using blues and twos!!

 

23 minutes ago, Banjaminion said:

 

So, i got overtaken on an A road on the way home this week by a Focus ST Estate, the chap drove on the chevron area and cut in front of me just before a traffic island. Cue normal swearing horn and "the bird", 

 

So how did you react then? 

Covert cars are not going to be using blues and 2's when trying to get a shift on covertly,  but then usually do not show out.  I am pleased when they do,  especially Royal protection and the likes around the a93. Or nuclear police on other locations,  it does save thinking you are having a nice sporting drive with another like minded driver in a s4, s3 or the likes.

Live and learn. I was  driven by a police inspector in the 1980s in a Granada Mk2  and would not decry his skills.  Sometimes laws are bent and the ends justify the means.Allegedly.

This is a huge problem all over the world. Unmarked Police cars. There's law in some states in US that prohibit unmarked police cars. Cuz any one can fit those strobe lights in there car and speed. I even saw video one US citizen poling over a cop! And calling a police demanding unmarked car gets removed from road until marked. And police officer that was in that car to be proven if he is really a police officer or imposing as a cop.

 

And there is a reason its prohibited because there's been kidnapping form fake police stops and imposing criminals.

 

And I totally agree! Police needs to be transparent. If the car is not standard police car, it needs to have police shield nad "Police" on the sides and police licence plates.

 

EDIT: In Croatia we had many times people buy "police stop" wand put some rotating lights on the car and stopping speeding cars and demanding bribe pretending to let them go from paying a ticket what Croatians like to do. To be fair that was in 90 and 2000...

 

I went to check Croatian traffic law to see what is penalty for having police lights in your car if you are not Police, Fire department or Ambulance, or escort Police. Its only 700 kn's fine and they take away your lights. And then I found shocking information that most of law doesn't apply to Police?

 

Any way you can download Police lights on your smart phone, put it in the middle of dash and in night time get away with it on motor way if you are driving same brand of cars police does.

 

And since some undercover police cars have civilian registration plates no one will bother to check if you are really a unmarked police car, and you cant rush your way with Octavia or Audi through traffic jams.

 

If by any chance you get puled over you remove your smart phone and delete the app and deny any accusations. And they cant prove it plus traffic cameras are not valid prof on court.

Edited 9 March, 20179 yr by Croat

As well to just post up the Registration Number.  If an Officer driving then no harm done their senior officers can look at their driving, 

and if a mechanic or delivery driver likewise.

If a member of the public then tuff titty.

Send the picture in, if it's all above board then all is fine. If not the driver may cause an accident and someone might get seriously injured or even worse.

My initial post should have asked the question whether there is a way of checking if an unmarked car does belong to the police. I was more worried it was some oik driving like a cunner. No harm done and I quite like Rhodes ST estates 

Probably some tiny **** fool getting off on a virtual power trip IMO after a trip to fleabay ?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xpolice+lights.TRS0&_nkw=police+lights&_sacat=0

 

I think I've seen that before myself and similarly doubted authenticity ( probably even harder when its dark when any amount of "light pollution" at night, stands out significantly and could be more easy to be fooled).

 

Could the local police confirm ( ideally stopping or handsfree), if you felt you were somehow "threatened" and even better have evidence to go with it.

 

Check youtube for some ideas of geniune response vehicles undercover,plenty example videos to compare with

 

 

I have seen the estate vrs in the garage and they are noticeable from the grill, x5's are obvious as the grill lights are higher up.

 

3 hours ago, Banjaminion said:

I have seen the estate vrs in the garage and they are noticeable from the grill, x5's are obvious as the grill lights are higher up.

 

 

 

Just looks like (assuming it was just that left indicator which was blue?) some poor driver using a blue light illegally - police would usually have far more lights on their cars IMO. I would also send to police as there's stories of many fake police cars trying to pull over female drivers locally to us using home kit blue lights 

?

How did the vehicle proceed after this incident,

In an orderly manner, or spirited like in a dangerous manner, ie Bampot ?

I'd report it but maybe to a neighbouring force. Either plod was on a call, was a **** or it as someone with blue LEDs fitted.

 

You could report it as someone who was driving badly with blue lights "who might have been impersonating a police car".

 

I wouldn't expect much to happen but the driver might get a kick in the *******s and a reminder that lots of cars have cameras now.

 

I've a few mates in the police and universally they all hate traffic cops.

Edited 10 March, 20179 yr by Aspman

Isn't that a learner driver/driving school vehicle oncoming just as the ST cuts back in? 

 

Poo driving whatever the reasons and/or driver.   I personally doubt that it was a legit unmarked car. 

Edited 10 March, 20179 yr by penguin17

I'd drop 101 a call and report it

It is not just the Police that use unmarked cars. I have a friend in Surrey who works for the Ambulance Service and his car has hidden blue lights and two tones. They can also be used by the Fire Service, BTP, and Coastguards. 

Military, Transport, Nuclear, HMRC, Diplomatic Protection, Royal Protection even Live Organ Transfers, so much legislation covering so many that can flash their lights and sometime do.

One that might surprise a few when the blue lights are switched on.

(& only to the front!)

 

Edited 25 April, 20179 yr by Awayoffski

Strangely enough when I worked abroad (in one of the worst 3rd World democracies)over 40 years ago, law decreed that all Police vehicles had plain white numberplate's( with numbers on ,obviously).

On the driving- it used to be that you knew in this country that that car on you tail was an unmarked .Driving was top class . Line round corners was excellent, positioning was excellent and they just gave out that "I'm a police driver" aura.

On 2017-3-9 at 23:22, ToffeeMRD said:

Just looks like (assuming it was just that left indicator which was blue?) some poor driver using a blue light illegally - police would usually have far more lights on their cars IMO.

 

The lights tend to flash alternately, so on a dash cam screen grab you'll only see one side flashing at a time.

 

They tend to have more lights to the front than to the rear.

 

The strobes are usually fitted inside the rear clusters by cutting holes into the reflectors behind clear lenses, such as the indicators or reverse lights.