Safe Speed Forums

But why are they not allowed to fly threw cameras whilst on duty .. unless it's a police officer needing urgent assistance or a grade one call (life at risk/crime still on going) yet a grade 2 they cannot (yet on a grade 2 they can still use blue n twos and disobey red lights.)

Iv'e activated many cameras en route to immediate response calls. Our division now assess each activation on its's merits, i.e. the nature of the call and the speed of the police vehicle. We do not get prosecuted en route to these calls, and they generally tend to be where life, limb, or property is in immediate danger. Whenever I pass through one, I contact the control room and ask them to atatch the activation to the master incident, and later make a pocket note book entry justifying it.

As for the question asking if the 'normal' plod can drive around as they like (like traffic), then its no. Some of my colleuges have been pinged just driving around in a police vehicle, and they get treated like anyone else.

_________________
'Detritus, get yer stoney arse over ere'

Don't be horrid - there is a gap between zero tolerance and being over the line. The limit now is 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. It is 50mg in much of Europe. Most of the US is higher, with 100mg of alcohol per 100ml. Do you want the law to be 0mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood? Is that what you mean?

_________________
I stole this .sig

Speed Demon,

I don't quite get where you're coming from. You speak of 'Grade One' and 'Grade Two' calls. As a Met Officer this means nothing to me. Are you connected to the Police in some way?

Slightly off subject, but one of my pet hates is when i'm going to a 'suspects on' call (which basically means that the suspects are still on scene, such as a burglary where they don't realize they've been spotted.) You would not believe how many people get in my way on purpose, even though i've got my visual warning equipment on (blue lights and headlamp flash). As i pass them they always give me the 'ears' sign as if trying to say they didn't hear me and didn't know i was there. This is even though i've seen their head in the mirror and know full well that they have seen me and are just trying to prove some bloody stupid point out of sheer ignorance of what i do every single day. If i turned the two-tones on the slag would hear me from miles away.

There's plenty of times i've set off Gatso's with no blues on. Not a problem. Am i a better driver than Joe public? Err, yes, sorry but i am! I know a few idiots that do abuse the power we have, but they are the tiny minority. If you see a Police car driving fast but with no visual or audible warning equipment on, it's probably for a good reason.

Paul, many thanks for your comments on Police drivers and the leeway that should be given to them. Always appreciate your balanced opinion on here........

13 years ago i was taken on a demonstration drive in a Leicestershire Traffic car, driver said that that forces policy was that they only allowed to exceed posted limits on emergency call, but there no such restriction in National Speed limit.

Just recently i have seen Leicestershire Police cars appearing to stick to 30mph limits even when blue lights and sirens on.