Whatever they were doing, they weren't forcing people to slow down to 50mph.
If it was a heavily laden lorry doing 50mph would the rest of the traffic slow down - I don't think so.
Folks tend to over-react to police patrols on motorways, but what can they do? If you don't patrol there'd be complaints and if they did 80mph folk would complain.
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Also previously discussed here
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=39084&...e
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They were travelling at their patrol speed of 50mph, looking for defects such as gaps in the roadside fencing which may allow livestock onto the carriageway, debris in the carriageway which may cause an accident etc. They're also on the look out for broken down motorists.
Take a moment to consider the Highways Agency officers in this news item from last week: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4757692.stm
They were doing their job and a lorry driver (who it turns out was many times over the drink drive limit) ploughed through their vehicle and the one that they were providing rear protection to, sadly killing the motorist.
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Folks tend to over-react to police patrols on motorways, but what can they do? If you don't patrol there'd be complaints and if they did 80mph folk would complain.
Which does make me wonder why they are painted up to look like police patrols from the rear - if it were obvious from a distance that they were highway patrol, then people would not overreact quite so much.
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Which does make me wonder why they are painted up to look like police patrols from the rear
But are they? They're black and yellow checks with an orange light bar, as opposed to blue and yellow with and blue and red lightbar. And most of the ones that i have seen are Mitsibishi Shoguns. The only 4x4's that i have seen the police use are Range Rovers and Mercedes M class (I'm sure that there are others, i just haven't seen them).
Do people confuse Ford Focus Estates in green and yellow (as used by Avon Ambulance) with police cars? And what about the blood wagons? Big red heart on the bonnet and a light bar?
Even if it was a police car, why would you slow down to 50 anyway? People really are sheep sometimes.
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"Do people confuse Ford Focus Estates in green and yellow (as used by Avon Ambulance) with police cars?" - YES, I do.
The police cars in Manchester are blue and yellow, and one Mondeo estate with lots of dayglo paint looks like another to me, especially from over 100 metres away or more. Face it, we all look at ourt speedos when we see a police car, so now we do it more often, especially as the punishments for minor traffic infringments are much greater than before.
I would much prefer if the car based ambulances and the Highway Agency patrols looked sufficiently different to Police cars that one would not panic, or even bother to check ones speed when one appeared.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Just shows how many people KNOW they are driving too fast!
It is them that shouldn't be on the road!
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Here in oxfordshire.Doctors emergency vehicles are plain primera's,but have blue lights and three aerials on top.Many people assume they are police.
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Doctors ? - green lights
wonder who they are then ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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"i have seen are Mitsibishi Shoguns"
Seen them in shoguns, Range Rovers, Korean 4x4 thingies (tho never a ssangyong)..
I casn spot them and differentiate from plod at about 150 metres, tho given the job they do a bright dayglo orange all over paint job would be just as good.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Why oh why are people struck with the fear of God whenever they see one of these things? It will only be a matter of time before a serious accident is caused by some idiot who literally panics on sight of the yellow and black striped monster. On Sunday I was nearly invovled in such an accident!
Merrily driving down the M1 Sunday lunchtime, so not busy. Get to bottom of hill near jcn 37 doing 70. In the outside lane is a woman in a Mini who had been doing the 'speed up to overtake the Audi in front (me), then as soon as I'm in front slow down forcing Audi to overtake (the joys of cruise control!) - repeat ad infinitum!.
I'm in the middle lane preparing to overtake the monster with a Micra in front. Micra overtakes monster and moves to left I continue to overtake Micra.
Said woman is level with me doing no more than 80 and sees the black and yellow monster in the inside lane.
The Mini continues past me then just as her rear passes my front she dives in front of me and slams on!! What am I supposed to do now? I hate tailgating ayt the best of times and avoid doing it, but when it is forced on you it's sheer stupidity.
Rant over!!!
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If you don't patrol there'd be complaints andif they did 80mph folk would complain.
They do sometimes, and I've never felt remotely inclined to complain.
Love to see four or five self-appointed pace cars boxing in a speeding jam sandwich!
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Im told on good authority these patrols will slowly take car of speeding motorists ,issuing speeding fines as well a normal patrol duties and helping stranded motorists etc
They are already stopping people in surrey for illegal number plates and windows that are tinted too dark
Press release i saw a few months ago said that this would lead to more police patrols being able to concetrate on normal police duties and the patrols would have the same powers of a traffic cop .
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They can stop you and warn you, but that is all that they can do. Personally I don't see a problem there at all.
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The link below gives you current and future roles, as you will see 'Enforcement of road traffic offences' is left to the Police, now and in the future.
www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/5580.htm
I do believe that the vehicles are equipped with cameras though, whether this could ever be used in evidence, I'm uncertain.
Around my neck of the woods (M5, M6, M42), the vehicles are:
Land Rover 3
Range Rover
Shogun
Landcruiser
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Drive Your Way - If anything can, TerraCan
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