Mature And Preemptive Policing.

[developer]

This morning I left the motorway and whilst negotiating the (empty) traffic island I came up behind a dark BMW X5

As we exited the island onto the dual carriageway he remained in the outside lane.

I followed him round the sweeping bend and by the time the road began to straighten we were both doing c70mph.

Because he hadn't moved over (there were no other cars) and because it was a lovely clear road I had engaged hyperdrive (3rd gear, foot ready to mash) and moved close enough to him to declare my intention.

Suddenly, two blue lights appeared in his upper rear windscreen, each flashing just two or three times before disappearing again.

I moved over to the inside lane and dropped back to 65mph and he carried on down the carriageway, just that bit faster than me until the traffic island a few miles further on, where he took a different exit to me.

As I moved over I actually found myself putting my hand up to him, as an acknowledgement.

My interpretation was that he knew what I was about to do and decided to let me know he was a traffic officer.

Interestingly, I carried on the GTG at a more leisurely pace, feeling I'd been given a sensible warning, which I ought to heed.

Thank you, Mr Policeman - very constructive .

 

[cinek]

Plenty of reasonable officers out there

 

[wemorgan]

Maplin sell some great gadgets

 

[RWDpetrol]

... we were both doing c70mph...

I had engaged hyperdrive (3rd gear, foot ready to mash) and moved close enough to him to declare my intention.

Disappointed.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

He may have been constructive and preemptive, but that's no excuse for illegally hogging the outside lane. In my book that's a :fail

 

[Giantvanman]

He may have been constructive and preemptive, but that's no excuse for illegally hogging the outside lane. In my book that's a :fail

I am sure the Op is VERY grateful that the officer was driving like this. As would I.

NO excuse? Maybe the officer was trying to catch those who overtake on the inside whilst speeding and this would be a perfectly legitimate and easy way to do so.

 

[John]

If the officer was driving at 70mph in the outside lane, you cannot pass in any lane without breaking the law...

 

[Stratman]

If the officer was driving at 70mph in the outside lane, you cannot pass in any lane without breaking the law...

Unless you believe he's about to turn right

 

[developer]

Maplin sell some great gadgets

‘You've got to ask yourself one question. Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?’

I did wonder, but as we approached the island with him in the inside lane, his uniform was clear to see.

 

[John]

Unless you believe he's about to turn right

Would he still be doing 70mph when he is about to turn right?

The point at which you will be overtaking he won't be doing 70 anymore...

 

[Deleted member 65149]

NO excuse? Maybe the officer was trying to catch those who overtake on the inside whilst speeding and this would be a perfectly legitimate and easy way to do so.

I believe that would be called entrapment. Certainly not legitimate.

 

[Stratman]

Would he still be doing 70mph when he is about to turn right?

The point at which you will be overtaking he won't be doing 70 anymore...

As he wasn't overtaking anyone, the only possible explanation for a highly trained police driver being in the overtaking/right turn lane is he was about to turn right.

Perhaps he was just about to slow down

 

[markjay]

Gents, you are over-thinking this...

This true tale as originally posted is complete. There is really no need to add or take way anything.



(I know, Dieselman might say this is rich coming from me )

 

[Dieselman]

Perhaps he thought , "This Blokes driving an E63, I'm in an X5. Chasing that is just going to be embarrassing, I know, I'll spoil his fun anyway...!

 

[cinek]

Perhaps he thought , "This Blokes driving an E63, I'm in an X5. Chasing that is just going to be embarrassing, I know, I'll spoil his fun anyway...!

Dunno, what if that was M50d, or even better - X5M?

That would have been interesting

 

[meeeb]

He may have been constructive and preemptive, but that's no excuse for illegally hogging the outside lane. In my book that's a :fail

To satisfy my curiosity, what's illegal about it, as described?

 

[Deleted member 65149]

To satisfy my curiosity, what's illegal about it, as described?

My understanding of the OP's description was that the X5 (police vehicle?) remained in the outside lane when the inside lane was empty. We are told in the Highway Code that "Once moving you should keep to the left, unless road signs or markings indicate otherwise." Additionally, since last year the police have been instructed to focus on, among other things, "Lane discipline, such as needlessly hogging the middle or outside lanes", and issue on the spot fines. I can't be bothered to look up the specific law for you (it probably comes under the classification of careless driving), but those facts are sufficient for me to class the X5 driver's actions as illegal.

 

[Dryce]

but those facts are sufficient for me to class the X5 driver's actions as illegal.

I guess the next thing to worry about is the resurrection of the death penalty - and then we'll have an appropriate level of punishment for this heinous crime.

I'd also want a specific new crime of police harassment - where members of the public who unecessarily pick on the police for minor details get flogged.

So in addition to resurrecting the death penalty for the specific purpose of applying to minor traffic violations I think we need to also get flogging reinstated for petty arguments about minor traffic violations.

For my next trick I'm planning on a dashcam tax and imposing a fee on those who submit dashcam footage of other drivers to the police where there is no case to answer.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

I commented on an example of inconsiderate driving by someone referred to earlier as "a highly trained police driver". What the officer is alleged to have done may have resulted in a fine if repeated by a member of the public. It may come as a surprise to some, but the police are bound by the same laws as the rest of us. I was asked to explain why I considered the officer's actions illegal, and I did so. i didn't comment on the seriousness of the officer's actions, just that he was breaking one of the laws that he is duty bound to enforce. I don't understand why that resulted in unnecessary sarcasm.

What I do expect from our "highly trained police drivers" is a better example of how we should be driving. I would expect such driving to include adherence to ALL our laws, no matter how insignificant they may seem to some.

 

[Rory]

...and decided to let me know he was a traffic officer.

I very much doubt that was a traffic officer.