Speeding police car etiquette

S

Ste

Senior member
 Costa Del Barrow-in-Furness
Just a question, where does the general rule of thumb lie with driving behind police who are speeding slightly as they always seem to be.

For example. last night I was driving through a country road that was 40mph but perfectly suibtable for, and everyone does, about 50-60. Policeman was in front of me, doing about 55 (no blues and twos, just driving to the road like everyone else). If I'd have done the same speed he was doing and driven behind him keeping up, would they be likely to pull me over for speeding as I must have been speeding to keep up with them? As it was I did (and always do) stick to the speed limit and the police car zooms off into the distance, but I've always wondered.
 
Slow down until they are out of sight and then maintain the same distance :D
 
Just because they've not got the nee-naws going, doesn't mean they're not on the way to a job, and thus exempt from the general speed limit.

If you follow at the same speed and they feel they have to have a word, then they may go more harshly on you as you've stopped them from getting to their call as quickly as they could have.

On motorways though I tend to find the patrol car sitting at just under the limit, so that cars can pass without breaking the limit themselves, although you see the numpties slamming on and pulling in behind them instead. I just sit at an indicated 75mph and cruise past. Once I can't see them in my mirrors I speed back up to cruising speed.
 
I find that so many motorists are afraid to overtake traffic on dual carriageways etc.... even when the traffic guys are doing 60mph :headbang:


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Zed Five said:
pvr said:
Slow down until they are out of sight and then maintain the same distance :D
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If they are out of sight, how do you maintain the same distance? :poke:
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Well, measure their speed first, say 50. Then when out of sight, go back to 50 and pray they have not slowed down :D

(smart arse :P )
 
oh - and sent you an email from the mug shot on your website :P
 
i was doing 120mph one time when a bike cop came past me (not quite knee down) but going much faster than me. He glances sideways to give me a look and then carried on like nothing was up.

It was on the IOM though! :cry:

Dario
 
In which case he was not speeding :P

Overtaking German police cars flat out is also a very satisfying experience :D
 
I am sure I read somewhere that police drivers are generally exempt from speed limits ? Could be total bollocks, just a vaguely remembered memory. In any case, speed limit, or just above on the motorway, is how I behave round the rozzers.

And yes Adamski, irritating as hell - many people don't seem to realise that the national speed limit on dual carriageways is 70 for cars unless otherwise indicated.
 
Putter Whore said:
I find overtaking them is generally frowned upon (except on motorway)!
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LOL i found this the hard way when I was younger and more inexperieinced!

To be fair they were going 20 in a 40 and indicating to take the next exit and we were the only 2 on a straigh road.

Got pulled (surprised?):

'You were speeding' - 'no I wasn't you were going 20'

No you wern't yes I was No you wern't yes I was No you wern't yes I was No you wern't yes I was.

Hmmm well be on your way and drive safe.

Always do officer..... bye!
 
Fastest I've gone past a cop car is 220kph, in my naive & younger car ownership years. Luckily it was in Germany and the Polizei was coming the other way. Unfortunately when I boasted of this to a co-worker in the German office, I was told that only the autobahns are 'properly unlimited' in places and the 'national' roads through the forest have a 110kph limit :oops:

Fastest I've been 'caught' at was 140mph on the A34 between Oxford and Newbury - but the car that 'caught' me was originally going faster than me and catching up, so I simply tagged onto his rear end (at a distances of about 200m) and then kept up with him. When I started slowing to take my junction he started to slow down too, and gradually eased back until he was level with me. Down comes the tinted window on the Saab 9000 and warrant card is flashed by gent in black uniform & peaked cap in the passenger seat. Luckily he only wagged his finger at me and then shot off :oops:
 
mmm-five said:
On motorways though I tend to find the patrol car sitting at just under the limit, so that cars can pass without breaking the limit themselves, although you see the numpties slamming on and pulling in behind them instead.
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Exactly the same numpties I seem to find. Although instead of pulling in they drift along in lane 2 or lane 3 at the same speed as the cop car or HATO either terrified to actually overtake or elephant racing the cop car.
 
Friend of mine is a police officer and unless the blue lights are on then they are not allowed to speed. Technically, if they put the lights on and they are not on a call then they can be seriously penalised for this!
 
mmm-five said:
Just because they've not got the nee-naws going, doesn't mean they're not on the way to a job, and thus exempt from the general speed limit.
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Not true. The police are not exempt from speed limits unless they are using blues and twos. Follow them at their speed unless it's outrageous, in which case, report them! :P .
 
DR-Z said:
mmm-five said:
Just because they've not got the nee-naws going, doesn't mean they're not on the way to a job, and thus exempt from the general speed limit.
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Not true. The police are not exempt from speed limits unless they are using blues and twos. Follow them at their speed unless it's outrageous, in which case, report them! :P .
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Not quite true either, as there will be instances where they have to get somewhere quickly, but discreetly, so will not use the B&2s, yet will still have an exemption as the exemption is based on whether the vehicle is being used for police business and whether that police business 'requires' speeding.

Road Safety Act 2006 said:
“87 Exemptions from speed limits (1) No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when—

(a) it is being used for fire and rescue authority purposes or for or in connection with the exercise of any function of a relevant authority as defined in section 6 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, for ambulance purposes or for police or Serious Organised Crime Agency purposes,

(b) it is being used for other prescribed purposes in such circumstances as may be prescribed, or

(c) it is being used for training persons to drive vehicles for use for any of the purposes mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) above,

if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion.

(2) Subsection (1) above does not apply unless the vehicle is being driven by a person who—

(a) has satisfactorily completed a course of training in the driving of vehicles at high speed provided in accordance with regulations under this section, or

(b) is driving the vehicle as part of such a course.

(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about courses of training in the driving of vehicles at high speed.

(4) The regulations may include—
(a) provision about the nature of courses,
(b) provision for the approval by the Secretary of State of persons providing courses or giving instruction on courses and the withdrawal of approvals (including provision for appeals against refusal and withdrawal of approvals),
(c) provision specifying the maximum fees that a person may be required to pay for a course,
(d) provision for the training or assessment, or the supervision of the training or assessment, of persons providing courses or giving instruction on courses,
(e) provision for the evidencing of the successful completion of courses,
(f) provision authorising the Secretary of State to make available information about persons providing courses or giving instruction on courses, and
(g) provision treating courses of training in the driving of vehicles at high speed which have been completed before the coming into force of the regulations as if they had been provided in accordance with the regulations.

(5) The regulations may include provision for the charging of reasonable fees in respect of any function conferred or imposed on the Secretary of State by the regulations.
(6) The regulations may make different provision—
(a) for different classes of vehicle,
(b) for different descriptions of persons, or
(c) otherwise for different circumstances.”
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There is no "only with B&2s" phrase in the legislation, but there may be local force guidelines/rules which stipulate a slightly different/stricter approach.

Hence my 'you never know' phrasing of my previous post.
 
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