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zark
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Joined: Aug 08, 2006
Posts: 11
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 Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Tomo wrote: | | AFAIK (or remember) there is no legal requirement for a Police vehicle (even a totally unmarked vehicle) to stick within the speed limits when been used for an appropriate police purpose. I beleive that even a patrol car going to a non-urgent call is still excluded |
the official wording is along the lines of 'exempt from speed limits (and a couple of other regulations) when being used for "police purposes" and when obeying the speed limit (or whichever of the other exemptions is being used) would hinder or frustrate that purpose"
Yup, any points not overturned would go on the officers civvy licence, it's no wonder that so many officers are refusing to put their licence on offer and refuse to drive police cars... It's perfectly possible (certainly in parts of London) to clock up 6 or 7 gatso's in one 'blue light run' Should that run later be deemed to be 'not police purposes' will they award me 18 points??
I'm encouraged by the comments on here that largely echo my own personal feelings... Lets support the Old Bill - they're rushing to something that most of the public would not want to see or deal with... However - if they're taking the mick... showing off or driving in excess of their driver status - i don't see they should be treated any differently from Joe Public.
Remember that clown that had his photograph in the paper giving a double thumbs up to the gatso... twice....? Sheeeesh!  |
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Darren
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Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40
Posts: 23848
Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| zark wrote: | | I'm encouraged by the comments on here that largely echo my own personal feelings... Lets support the Old Bill - they're rushing to something that most of the public would not want to see or deal with... |
Absolutely, I wouldn't want this thread to descend into an attack on Police or Police Officers, they do a sterling job. It does serve to remind us all that no-one is perfect and also shows that where wrong has been done it is dealt with and not brushed under the carpet.
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Darren Griffin |
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Colin21
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Joined: 21/06/2003 19:24:34
Posts: 19
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 9:56 pm Post subject: Police Speeding |
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I understand that the purpose of all speed limits on our crowded roads is to stop accidents and therefore protect us all . We are told that if a car hits a pedestrian at over 30mph it will be killed.
The police use the same vehicles as everyone else and no amount of advanced driver tuition will help if a child runs out into a road after being totally obscured from view of the speeding driver.
The first object of an officer attending any incident is to get there safely. If they have an accident on the way they will be delayed. The difference speeding to an incident is more in the mind of the driver than the actual time saved.
As the people who police the laws the Police should not be allowed to break the same laws themselves when it suits them. |
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Darren
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Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40
Posts: 23848
Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:06 pm Post subject: Re: Police Speeding |
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| Colin21 wrote: | | As the people who police the laws the Police should not be allowed to break the same laws themselves when it suits them. |
That's rather unfair. They don't break them when it 'suits them', they breach them when it is necessary. There are always a few who misbehave in all walks of life, the Police are no different but we should be careful not to tar the Police as a whole as a result.
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MaFt
Pocket GPS Staff
Joined: Aug 31, 2005
Posts: 15315
Location: Bradford, West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2009 10:26 pm Post subject: Re: Police Speeding |
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| Colin21 wrote: | I understand that the purpose of all speed limits on our crowded roads is to stop accidents and therefore protect us all . We are told that if a car hits a pedestrian at over 30mph it will be killed.
The police use the same vehicles as everyone else and no amount of advanced driver tuition will help if a child runs out into a road after being totally obscured from view of the speeding driver.
The first object of an officer attending any incident is to get there safely. If they have an accident on the way they will be delayed. The difference speeding to an incident is more in the mind of the driver than the actual time saved.
As the people who police the laws the Police should not be allowed to break the same laws themselves when it suits them. |
i've never seen a police car racing up a road without sirens blaring and blue lights flashing. even the stupidest children know what the noise and lights mean - a police car, ambulance, paramedic or fire engine is nearby and travelling fast! indeed, it's probably one of the first things a child learns to say 'nee-nor'.
i'm no big fan of the police (there have been incidents when i felt let-down in a major way) however they generally do a good job and i'm sure most of us would be queuing up to complain if your house was being broken into and the police were travelling along at 30mph stopping at every single set of traffic lights!
MaFt |
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knighterrand
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Joined: May 22, 2007
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:53 am Post subject: |
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| Regarding police being exempt in Tomo article I have had personal experience where a police traffic car was doing well in excess of 100mph with no warning lights it just so happened after I myself the day before had 3 penalty points for doing 50mph in a 40mph zone I reported the said officer and was called back by the chief inspector of the area who informed me that the officer concerned was carpeted because it was not an emergency and the reason they gave was the officer concerned had forgotten the keys to the crime prevention unit he was warned only, yet its a different law for us, yet they should know better. |
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classy56
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Joined: Sep 08, 2006
Posts: 441
Location: Dorset
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| Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:16 am Post subject: Re: Police Speeding |
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| Darren wrote: | | Colin21 wrote: | | As the people who police the laws the Police should not be allowed to break the same laws themselves when it suits them. |
That's rather unfair. They don't break them when it 'suits them', they breach them when it is necessary. There are always a few who misbehave in all walks of life, the Police are no different but we should be careful not to tar the Police as a whole as a result. |
Yea like causing chaos when joining the traffic jams coming into the town where I live, which are notorius, they switch their lights and sirens on, then when they get to the point where the traffic clears, just like magic the emergency they were rushing to seems to resolve itself and they switch off the lights and sirens and continue like good boys.
You say we shouldn't tar the whole police force with the same brush, well in that case the whole police force shouldn't act the same then 
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Tomtom Go730T
App 8.300
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To old to die young. |
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gcranston
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Joined: Nov 30, 2008
Posts: 24
Location: Sheffield, UK
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| Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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| RobBrady wrote: | Thanks for that interesting insight Zark 
Just playing the devil's advocate here, might that acceptable reason, be "over-used" by some of your less scrupulous colleagues, i.e. might it just be a convenient excuse for speeding past the camera that got them bang to rights? |
At the end of the day, if they're in a police car (even unmarked), they're on work time/taxpayers time, not their own. If they're going somewhere above the speed limit, its to get more work done. I'd rather proffessionals trained to be able to drive safely within different limits to the general public were better using the time to get more investigation done. So its not really for their benefit if they're speeding a bit past the camera. If they're off duty, then yes, same rules for all.
Also, agree with the point about urgent calls/work don't necessarily warrant blue lights/siren. I would be fairly sure that police cars with blue lights + siren on end up creating more accidents from panicking motorists, than if they're driving around quietly above the speed limit to get somewhere. Obviously in some situations its worth the risk.
My parallel is working in A+E. Some patients can sit for 3 hours in the WR, fine. Some need an immediate response to save life, but there's many in between that need sorting quickly (i.e. not messing around at the speed limit!), but don't need everyone to panic, taking away attention that other ill patients need as well, putting them at risk. Prosecuting on duty police officers would be a bit like criticising me for seeing the chest pain before the cut finger, just because it didn't warrant putting the alarm out for everyone to drop everything and come see the patient immediately. |
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