A scary moment

[st4]

Today in Dumbarton a Lorry made a nice big diesel spill all over the Barloan Toll roundabout.

Strathclyde police were quickly on the scene to divert traffic away from the roundabout via other routes in Dumbarton, and they also took control of managing the traffic as opposed to the lights.

The issue involves the urban dual carriageway with a 40mph limit.

The westbound section was completely congested and basically a giant car park, the east bound section clear. I was passing a Lorry (me doing 40 the lorry about 30) and guess what was coming towards me, strathclydes finest with blues and twos on with the siren in an UNMARKED 5series.

I had to accelerate quickly and break the speed limit to pass the lorry and get in before the speedy copper and I paths would meet.

However, should the policeman really be using the wrong side of a dual carriage way to get to the scene?

Seems dangerous to me.

Cheeky fella gave me a dirty look, erm, who was driving on the right side of the road

Anyone in the know (flanaia1) care to give some input into this?

 

[wemorgan]

Cheeky fella gave me a dirty look,

Good that no one was hurt.

Easy to misread a dirty look for a look of genuine fear.

 

[Lugy]

I'd imagine it would be fine IF it was safe to do so, in this case I'd say it wasn't. My guess (I hope) is that he was going somewhere else really important and not the roundabout if police were already in attendance.

 

[flango]

I'm not too sure North of the Border but if I read your post correctly then he was rushing to the scene of the spill? I actually know that road from my time in Scotland. If he was rushing to the spill then the simple answer would be no he should not be driving down the wrong side of the dual carriageway unesscesscarily but if he could not get through the car park on the other carriageway then I guess it could be justified.

In this neck of the woods a Class 1 TPAC trained police driver is allowed to drive the wrong way down a DCW at his own discretion, if they are already in a pursuit and it has been decided to put a TPAC on the car and stop it. If they are trying to get to an incident such as a spill then it would need the force commanders approval and would normally be done with a marked car and I guess then only under exceptional circumstances as you are quite correct it is a very dangerous thing to do.

Was he driving carefully or was he going for it?

 

[st4]

Given the abilities of the car I'd say it was with relative care, although the bend in which I was passing the Lorry was blind (the one after the cop shop in the eastbound direction). I looked in my mirror and his relative speed was too high on approach to that bend -when meeting the cop car was on the straight and had to boot it past the lorry to get in safely in time.


There was no other indicident at the time other than the diesel spill.

A traffic X5 was already at the scene and sand was poured onto the roundabout-and the local bobbies had the traffic flow under control.

Seemed OTT for me.

 

[moonloops]

Most police forces refuse to follow hardened criminals wrong way down a dual/motorway so the question is why did this officer think it was safe to do so?

 

[st4]

Most police forces refuse to follow hardened criminals wrong way down a dual/motorway so the question is why did this officer think it was safe to do so?

I do not know and IMHO from a civian POV an extremely unexpected event which I percieved to be a potential danger.

 

[LTD]

Another reason to get a V8 Steve - you'd have been well in by then !

Seriously though, a lucky escape for both of you. Did you phone in to register your concern ?

 

[st4]

Another reason to get a V8 Steve - you'd have been well in by then !

Seriously though, a lucky escape for both of you. Did you phone in to register your concern ?

Dont tempt me, a V8 in a 211 would be FUN. Perhaps too much fun for me perhaps

You know the old rhime, "you'll never be late with a V8"-was late to work this AM as a result of the hold up, an E500 would have assisted with "lost time".

Not called the police, will just be my word, didnt get a chance to get his regi plate. Was one of those 2hands on the wheel, and feet to the floor moments.

 

[renault12ts]

Imagine if you had been unsighted and pulled out from behind a big lorry. He was in the wrong if there was other traffic on the carriageway. No ifs , buts or maybes. IMO.

 

[flango]

^ I agree if the X5 and local plod had it under control, there was no need to drive on blues & twos in the first place let alone the wrong way down a DCW not as though it was a life or death shout

 

[st4]

Imagine if you had been unsighted and pulled out from behind a big lorry. He was in the wrong if there was other traffic on the carriageway. No ifs , buts or maybes. IMO.

Would have stung a bit, me doing 30mph, him doing say 50-60mph....would have been here posting this, I'd have been injured/killed and my mate giving you the bad news.

I am glad I am not alone in thinking this was madness on the policemans fault but also unneccessary as it wasnt a life or death situation.

Be careful out there, and expect the unexpected, because it WILL happen.

 

[wemorgan]

You know the old rhime, "you'll never be late with a V8"-was late to work this AM as a result of the hold up, an E500 would have assisted with "lost time".

Just had a chat with a mate with a Saab 95 Aero comparing his car to mine. Poles apart as you'd expect.

car: 95 A2
bhp: 260 75
mpg: 23 64

Despite all his power his average speed to work is 15mph and mine is 60mph

Often it's the case; you're only as fast as the car in front.

But if offered a free E500, would I take one? YES

 

[st4]

Just had a chat with a mate with a Saab 95 Aero comparing his car to mine. Poles apart as you'd expect.

car: 95 A2
bhp: 260 75
mpg: 23 64

Despite all his power his average speed to work is 15mph and mine is 60mph

Often it's the case; you're only as fast as the car in front.

But if offered a free E500, would I take one? YES

Thats because your work is miles away from your home so you are on MWAYS and dual carriageways.

A free E500, I'll have mine in sport trim, silver, tinted windows, COMAND, leather, leccy seats, 4 zone climate, prewirwe and some shares in BP.

 

[wemorgan]

Thats because your work is miles away from your home so you are on MWAYS and dual carriageways.

You had to spoil it

A free E500, I'll have mine in sport trim, silver, tinted windows, COMAND, leather, leccy seats, 4 zone climate, prewirwe and some shares in BP.

+ shares in Michelin

 

[Mr E]

Showing this to a friendly local TO - his opinion (given the very sketchy facts presented) was that the unmarked car would not be on its way to a traffic incident if other marked vehicles were in attendance.

He also said that TOs are not in the habit of putting their own lives at risk, let alone the public, and so there would have been very good reason (and approval) for such action.

 

[JumboBeef]

I can't answer from a Police point of view but I will say that an Ambulance CANNOT drive on the wrong side of a DC (unless under police supervision).

 

[st4]

Showing this to a friendly local TO - his opinion (given the very sketchy facts presented) was that the unmarked car would not be on its way to a traffic incident if other marked vehicles were in attendance.

He also said that TOs are not in the habit of putting their own lives at risk, let alone the public, and so there would have been very good reason (and approval) for such action.

Dont know what sketch about the facts:

Unmarked cop car driving on the "wrong carriageway" with blues and twos on, to the only event in the area, a diesel spill.

Obviously, not working for strathclyde police I dont know whether he had "approval" or not. But on what others have said that are in the know it seems unlikely.

 

[Mr E]

Sketchy in that you assume he's going to the incident you saw. None of us have any idea where he was going, or why, or under what instructions.

So yes, it was a very scary moment - for both of you. Two persons have come back to say that he could do it with approval, one of whom at least is a serving TO.

I've had persons complain that I'm impersonating a police officer, because they've seen me driving my car with blue lights. What they don't know is why, where I'm going, or what instructions I'm acting under.

I just feel it's wrong to jump to conclusions based on such limited observation - "I am glad I am not alone in thinking this was madness on the policemans fault but also unneccessary as it wasnt a life or death situation" and "I agree if the X5 and local plod had it under control, there was no need to drive on blues & twos in the first place let alone the wrong way down a DCW not as though it was a life or death shout" are but two examples that have done just that I'm afraid (and I'm not picking out anyone for any particular reason, just to illustrate my statement).

 

[renault12ts]

I take your above points.

But whether under approval or not this was an extremely dangerous situation. I find it hard to believe that this can be sanctioned unless the carriageway in question was in gridlock and the traffic was not moving....but as I said previously if an incident ( not an accident ) had occurred due to their position on the wrong carriageway, there could be no possible vindication which I would accept if a member of my family was killed in such circumstances and I think that is the acid test in this scenario.