Slow police cars on the motorway holding traffic up
If find this so frustrating. Why do policemen and policewomen drive really slowly on busy roads used by the public commuting to work?
Have you ever driven on the motorway to be confronted by a load of cars slamming on their brakes and refusing to overtake a police car, even though they are driving at least ten and sometimes twenty miles per hour UNDER the speed limit? For some reason or other people (myself included) are reluctant to overtake a police car on the motorway.
But why are they driving so slow and what on earth are they doing? Shouldn’t they be at a doughnut shop somewhere or arresting some old biddy for having a toke? But no, they have to sit in their lane crawling along and clog up the road for around 5 miles behind them!
As I said, no one seems to have the bottle to overtake a police car in case pursued and presumably done for breaking some law or other.
I’d just love to one time, drive past them and signal for them to stop and get off the road so that we can all get on and get to where we are going. But I stay in my lane and crawl along behind them at 50mph same as everyone else. It's just so frustrating! Does anyone else feel the same as me? Are there any police officers out there who can shed some light on the reason for the way they drive?
By: Dave Bridgen
Comments from visitors
It is one of the few things that the police are good at, driving slowly in a straight line, not taxing their limited energies. (Have you noticed how fat most them are on the telly? the a**e on one policewoman was enormous) It has a beneficial side effect for ordinary legal drivers. The dorks all brake and scuttle I love watching dorks, they think the police are interested.
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Cynical Boblet - 9-Mar-11 11:34
@ Angry Guy
They could be going to anything, it's up to the driver when to put the lights on. So they could be going to someone raping your mom for all you know
They could be going to anything, it's up to the driver when to put the lights on. So they could be going to someone raping your mom for all you know
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Sounds in that case that they could be involved in what is called a covert follow, prior to pulling someone for something serious. A covert follow is usually performed by an unmarked car driven by a uniformed police officer. Covert follow is usually performed so as not to blow their cover, and so that the errant motorist does not realise that the Police are already on them. When the required set regulation covert follow distance has been completed, its on with the lights and siren, and your nicked!. The example you site could be a Police Officer acting the part of the bandit car for a training exercise.
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expert on police tactics - 3-Nov-10 19:07
Never mind about the police driving too slow, what about the ones that fly up the motorway at 150mph with no lights flashing or siren on, what are they up to? They don't seem to be in pursuit of anyone and the high speed training excuse doesn't wash as I've seen them do it with only one officer in the car, if it were training then surely they would have another officer in the car, marking the driver on his performance?
Simply another example of "one rule for them and another for the rest of us"
Simply another example of "one rule for them and another for the rest of us"
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If one can drive well and legally, then demonstrate it, even in front of the police. I remember from my lessons being warned to 'make good speed', so that when you're driving you don't cause undue influence to others, including impeding their progress or causing them to have to avoid you,. etc.
I do often get nervous if followed by police, but that's my problem and for me to deal with. As others point out, whether the police are going slow or full speed, it's still other driver's obligation to ensure that their driving is appropriate for the road conditions and that appropriate care is being taken at all times.
It's not for us to determine why cops may be going slow, whether they're waiting for someone to over-take to nick them etc, it's just for us to let them do their jobs and get on with our lives. I have overtaken police cars on countless occasions, never been pulled over for this reason (I have for others).and hate police driving behind me, close up, in an intimidating manner - that may not be the reason they do it, but it's a reasonable assumption that would be made, as a consequence of such behaviour.
I do often get nervous if followed by police, but that's my problem and for me to deal with. As others point out, whether the police are going slow or full speed, it's still other driver's obligation to ensure that their driving is appropriate for the road conditions and that appropriate care is being taken at all times.
It's not for us to determine why cops may be going slow, whether they're waiting for someone to over-take to nick them etc, it's just for us to let them do their jobs and get on with our lives. I have overtaken police cars on countless occasions, never been pulled over for this reason (I have for others).and hate police driving behind me, close up, in an intimidating manner - that may not be the reason they do it, but it's a reasonable assumption that would be made, as a consequence of such behaviour.
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indeed traveling down the A13 one evening a 4x4 police vechile pulled over into the outside lane and crawled a long.within minutes all 3 lanes were stacked up behind him ,not one car attempted to pass them. I was in the inside lane with a large truck up behind me so I slowly increased my speed to keep a distance between my self and the truck behind the next thing I know iv blue lights behind me and im pulled, I spent the next half hour on the side of the road while mr plod went over my car with a fine tooth comb there is no dought id upset this guy by passing him and he made this quite clear he was quite clearly waiting for some one to challenge him by passing him im quite annoyed that this clown is allowed to sit in the outside lane and do this he was simply cousing traffic snarlup for no good reason other than his own
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I do not have any problems with overtaking Police cars,especially on motorways,they don't appear to be trying to get anywhere in a hurry,and as far as I can see they don't seem worried at all about being passed.
Of course saying that I suppose I will get a ticket sometime this week now.!!!!
Of course saying that I suppose I will get a ticket sometime this week now.!!!!
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they are only driving slow so you pass them and the front mount camera can scan your plates, standard operating procedure, if they go really slow and you are walking or cycling its because they are watching you thinking about having a reason to stop and question or lift you.
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I over took a police car today, only for the plonka to then over take me and signal to me to slow down, and then cut me up as it moved back into the second lane. Appalling driving by a so called police officer. They were doing over 70mph in the outer line and did not have there blue lights on. I was livid, as normally I do overtake police cars, as they are normally driving under 70mph. The queue they caused on the M6 was pretty bad!
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You can get away with passing police cars at anything up to 80mph on a motorway or dual carraigeway, 99% of them really aren't that bothered/aren't able to determine your exact speed by sight alone. They're more concerned about vehicle defects, insurance, tax, etc than going 5-10mph over the speed limit on a fast road.
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David, where are you coming from, why not just over take them if its safe to do so,if you have
nothing to hide, I do quite offen and give them a smile, what is your problem,no tax,worn tyres or
something in the vehical that shouldn't be.
nothing to hide, I do quite offen and give them a smile, what is your problem,no tax,worn tyres or
something in the vehical that shouldn't be.
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Thatcham Tony - 23-Oct-09 11:50
The police rules actually indicate that they should patrol at the speed of traffic in the slowest lane (unless they have a specific reason for doing otherwise) to allow overtaking and to prevent traffic bottling up. It's not the patrol's fault that other motorists are too timid to overtake. By patrolling at the speed of traffic in the slowest lane they are seen by more motorists and therefore their presence should be seen as more reassuring by more people. If they patrolled at the speed limit bunching would still occur, probably worse. I can imagine the comments that would be made if the patrol sat at 70mph in the outside lane instead. By travelling slower it also allows the officers to observe more passing vehicles for defects or criminality, something I would have thought most motorists would applaud. I suppose everyone has an expert opinion on how the police work and they are entitled to it. However, the police really are the experts in policing and I don't think most officers are as naive, incompetent or lazy as casual observers might assume.
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Sounds like your one of the retards that sits behide them then!!!! Why don't you grow a pair and drive by at 70 or are you worried that they might find out that your driving without tax and insurance...get a life.
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Fed up with stupid people - 5-Aug-09 23:26
Surely the problem is the folk who won't pass the plod-mobile? Perhaps these drivers are so unsure of how they are driving (or indeed know they are driving illegally) to risk passing the police car.
I have never been pulled over, though I invariably pass police cars in such situations. Remember police will be more suspicious of a car driving too slowly than one slightly over the limit.
I have never been pulled over, though I invariably pass police cars in such situations. Remember police will be more suspicious of a car driving too slowly than one slightly over the limit.
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You might find that they chose not to route you past the burning vehicle until the fire was out in case it exploded. Or not ..... just a thought!
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Yes.
and to add to that, yesterday I sat on the M40 as several police officers watched firemen extenquish a car fire and then a police officer waved us on to the hard shoulder and told us to hurry along.
Which they could have done 2 hours earlier !
and to add to that, yesterday I sat on the M40 as several police officers watched firemen extenquish a car fire and then a police officer waved us on to the hard shoulder and told us to hurry along.
Which they could have done 2 hours earlier !
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Grumpy Grandad - 26-May-09 09:33
I have no problem overtaking police cars which are doing under the speed limit - it's the ones who tailgate you on a dark night to try and get you to exceed the speed limit just so they can book you which gets my dander up! And don't try telling me this doesn't happen - I've been witness to it several times. They've tried it on with me personally too, but anytime anyone tailgates me I deliberately do about 3 mph under the limit to prove a point, so I never get pulled over.
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Maybe you should grow a pair and overtake, if you NOT speeding then all is well.
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karlosthejackel - 20-May-09 15:03
How can the police justify spending x amount (x being far to much money! theyre not cheap!!) on range rovers to use as police cars??
There is no excuse that they need a car of that value or stature and it can not be justified!
they may say they need an off roader... why not get a cheaper one.... they may say that they absolutely need a range rover.... buy ex fleet....
Its not just the initial cost, its the upkeep, the fuel (majority ive seen have been petrol.... 4.4 V8!!)
Im not saying they arnt amazing cars, they are one of the true british things we have left, but this cannot be justified when the government closes hospitals due to "funding"
Its not just range rovers either, Ive seen brand new BMW X5's, Audi S5's, Both of which are on the big side of £30,000.
And the "super-intendants" that have one as a "company car", Its sickening...
There is no excuse that they need a car of that value or stature and it can not be justified!
they may say they need an off roader... why not get a cheaper one.... they may say that they absolutely need a range rover.... buy ex fleet....
Its not just the initial cost, its the upkeep, the fuel (majority ive seen have been petrol.... 4.4 V8!!)
Im not saying they arnt amazing cars, they are one of the true british things we have left, but this cannot be justified when the government closes hospitals due to "funding"
Its not just range rovers either, Ive seen brand new BMW X5's, Audi S5's, Both of which are on the big side of £30,000.
And the "super-intendants" that have one as a "company car", Its sickening...
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Yet where are the police when the boy racers are overtaking each other on dangerous stretches of roads including by-passes?! I've almost been killed 3 times in the last week alone!! Yet anytime I find myself just a tad over the speed limit (and especially during dark nights) I look in the rearview mirror and wham bam, it's the dreaded illuminated "POLICE" sign!!! lol but I have never overtaken a police car yet.. so that's MY guilty confession :P
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