rider looks like a policeman

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Wed 11 Aug 2010 23:10
rider looks like a policeman - gramar

I am regularly passed, as I drive home from work along the A14 towards Suffolk, by a motorcyclist who peels off onto the A14 heading towards Norfolk. Riding a big silver fully fared tourer with matching panniers, he travels serenely along at the legal limit wearing a white full face helmet with a blue and white chequered band around its base, reflective over jacket with blue and white chequered band around the waistline and dark leather trousers and boots. As he approaches he looks like a police motorcyclist. I am convinced he is just a commuter as there is no other sign such as aerial, siren, radio etc; fitted . Has anyone else seen him? Is it legal to 'pose' as a policeman? Any comments?

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Thu 12 Aug 2010 00:05
rider looks like a policeman - bathtub tom

Years ago I fitted a white fairing to a 'bike I had. The reaction from other road users was remarkable.

Perhaps he's done it to increase his chances of survival.

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Thu 12 Aug 2010 20:10
rider looks like a policeman - Pica

Filling up at my local BP a woman asked me if I was a Police Officer because of the check pattern on the bottom of my white helmet. She seemed disappointed when I told her I was not the Police

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Fri 13 Aug 2010 16:34
rider looks like a policeman - amj

Unmarked bike? Theres quite a few forces using them.

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Thu 2 Feb 2017 10:46
rider looks like a policeman - edlithgow

I had that happen quite often when wearing a dayglo orange coverall dinghy sailing suit (actually very good on a bike) on a Honda SS50, so you don't have to look very cop to get the benefit.

I think they'd have had difficulty making a prosecution stick under those circumstances.

Perhaps helps if you're fairly tall and look p***ed off, which I did most of the time.

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Wed 13 Oct 2010 22:32
rider looks like a policeman - scotttt

Yes he is a police motorcycle. I find them easy to spot, look out for his arctic white helmet thats usually the give away as most helmets are coloured.

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Fri 29 Oct 2010 22:30
rider looks like a policeman - Will from the Pool

Sounds more to me like he's just someone trying to look just a bit like a bobby. I used to have a BMW with a metallic white fairing and even though I had black leathers and a blue helmet, the traffic would sometimes part in front of me like the Dead Sea!

I've heard tales of some riders being threatened with prosecuting for impersonating a police officer for simply wearing a high-vis jacket, but as long as you don't say the not-magic words 'I am a policeman' or write 'police' on your bike I can't see it ever getting to court.

A proper unmarked police bike will simply be a high-spec sports tourer in a standard colour scheme, with only a few extra aerials to give it away.

Edited by Will from the Pool on 29/10/2010 at 22:45

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Fri 26 Nov 2010 09:37
rider looks like a policeman - emmcee

I have a hi-viz overjacket which includes Reflexolite strips and dark blue areas. exactly as issued to bike Police (depending on the Force, patterns vary). No offence is committed provided it bears no Police insignia. A few years ago I had a BMW 1150RT and fitted an HID light to the dip beam; it had a 6000K colour temperature and so was noticeably blue-ish. The jacket, plus the headlight, plus a big faired silver bike had a remarkable effect on car drivers; many of them became positively helpful and scrambled to get out of my way. The only notice the Police ever took of me was on the M18 when an bike instructor on a Pan following two trainees (?) went howling past me on - I presume - a high speed training run, and I got a wave from the instructor.

On the downside, I always enjoy the "biker wave" with other riders. None is forthcoming when wearing the hi-viz :-)

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Tue 30 Nov 2010 12:08
rider looks like a policeman - gramar

Thanks guys for all your thoughts. As the weather has now turned wintery I haven't spotted 'the policeman' on his Pan Europeanfor over a week. Maybe I should look out for his car instead!!

Last bike I saw on the A14 was just before the snow started last week. A Hyabusa that I also now see regularly commuting from my home town towards Cambridge. Even he appears to have given up now. But who can blame him.

Edited by gramar on 30/11/2010 at 12:09

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Tue 30 Nov 2010 12:48
rider looks like a policeman - tdc

Maybe you`ll see Ogri on his ice-speedway bike?!

Seem to remember he gave the police a run for their money.

Small trials/trail bike can still be fun in this inclement weather...got several in bits,just trying to get that w/shop sorted!

See unmarked Skoda cop`s in court on a DD80.Straight after accident was heard to remark"where did she come from?"How many times have we heard that one?Poor woman`s family,terrible loss....all for what?

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Thu 5 Apr 2012 15:59
rider looks like a policeman - CBR_Bob

It wont be a copper. It will be a muppet who thinks he is!

If its an unmarked bike, it doesnt sound very unmarked!

My brother in-laws are cops in the drug squad and they use unmarked bikes for surveillance. These bikes look like any normal bike.

When I did Bikesafe with the police, there was a civvy who turned up on a Pan, with blue & white checks. Wearing plack leather pants, black boots, hi-vis jacket with blue & white checkstrip and white lid - he looked like a cop. Even the coppers were taking the p*** behind his back.

In infuriates me tbh. You see one up the road and you creep up slowly. You stay behind him for miles until you come to a junction when you realise its some muppet who has jsut spoilt the last few miles of your ride!

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Sat 6 Apr 2013 01:00
rider looks like a policeman - Rich53
I got an ex-police riding jacket off eBay. It is yellow hi-viz and has the chequered bands and scotchlite strips, but the word 'police' has been erased from the tab on the front. As far as I am aware, it is completely legal, as long as you don't use it to pretend you are a copper. I used to have a white Pan and, as others have said, the effect on car drivers is very interesting. But then I have also had people pull over to let me through when I have been on my 1994 trail bike. My helmet is black and silver, so I don't look much of a copper.

Not everyone who wears one is a muppet or wannabe. To me, it is a b***** good jacket, 100% waterproof, goretex lined, and highly visible. On a motorway, after dark in the rain, that's very welcome. And it fits over my leathers a treat.
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Wed 14 Dec 2016 11:10
rider looks like a policeman - Defactio

CBR_Bob: Which sort of implies that you are perfectly prepared to break the law - as long as you think you won't be caught: (the cause of many a road death).

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Sun 7 Apr 2013 14:09
rider looks like a policeman - Huge

Driving to Suffolf on friday, i was overtaken by a white van and then a dark BMW touring bike, didn't think anything except the bike rider appeard to have a chat with the white van whilst over taking him. The bike then pull infont of the van and a pair of blue lights started flashing on the rear. I over took as they slowed down and on the back of the riders helmet was the word Police. The bike was unmarked.

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Mon 15 Dec 2014 14:04
rider looks like a policeman - philthunder

If looking like a copper makes drivers see you, whats wrong with that. Invisible bikers are the ones in danger of the muppet pulling out on them. So slowing down to legal speeds upsets some people. Well that might just have kept them out of trouble legal and life threatening!

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Sat 8 Aug 2015 00:32
rider looks like a policeman - Dizzybuff

Most police bikes if unmarked are high spec tourers as stated. Cheshire have hiabusas saw a maroon colored one at Oulton Park one year.. they willbusually be supported by marked vehicles somewhere in the vicinity. They don't wear white helmets either. Some of the unmarked bikes are sexy.

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Mon 17 Aug 2015 20:10
rider looks like a policeman - jc2

Our company once owned an ex-police Granada-no external markings-just a different speedo but the registration number must have been known in the local area.I got a lot of waves from the local BiB!

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Wed 14 Dec 2016 11:05
rider looks like a policeman - Defactio

It's also perfectly legal to show blue lights to the front (such as the new, bright LED's that have become fashionable).

I can tell you from experience that it for some reason curtails ignorant car users from pulling out without indication - nearly killing you in many (many) instances.

;-)

Edited by Defactio on 14/12/2016 at 11:07

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Fri 7 Jul 2017 10:25
rider looks like a policeman - gramar

I haven't commuted along the A14 for over 4 years since I reitred so I wonder whether the 'policeman' is still plodding along on his Deauville.

Thanks to all of you for your interest and comments on the subject. I think this guy has the right idea. Commuting daily in all weathers car drivers certainly seemed to notice him.

Personally I favour loud pipes.

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