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Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Sir Tigger KC on 23 April 2014, 19:54:43

Title: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 23 April 2014, 19:54:43
I saw a silver Vectra join the M5 behind me in my mirror this afternoon and thought Uh-O police car, but I wasn't bothered as I wasn't going too fast.  :)  As he got a bit closer behind there were two blokes in it wearing hi-viz and when he passed me it had a none standard aerial, but it was a '56 reg.  :-\

Too old for a Police Car? or do they use older cars as part of the camouflage?  :-\  ::)
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: ted_one on 23 April 2014, 20:03:31
I do hope so, because I can sell them a couple of mine and put the money towards something with a VXR badge on it ::) :y
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Crazycarzowner on 23 April 2014, 20:40:40
They sometimes keep the older (well kept) cars as a pool car for when the newer ones go for a service or are broke.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: 05omegav6 on 23 April 2014, 20:51:28
Not wishing to stereotype, but it might have been a couple of eastern Europeans out on a fishing trip :-\
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: chrisgixer on 23 April 2014, 20:58:58
A couple of Wally bibs, plod they do not make.

A silver 56 plate vectra with two lumps in the front seat pulled into lane 3 for no reason in front of me at 5.30 this morning. Two Wally bibs, one with an ear piece.

Plod don't drive in such a manor. No way.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 23 April 2014, 21:18:40
It wasn't just the car and the 'wally bibs', it was the way he joined the motorway and filtered into the traffic just screamed Police to me....  ::)  :-\

Maybe I've got a guilty conscience!  ;D

Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: kevinp58 on 24 April 2014, 00:19:22
I saw a white Mondeo with private plates on it, stop at my local motorway stop last year and it was an old 2001 shape, when a police officer with body armour and weapons got out, then a 2012 landrover disco drew up to it and 3 more got out of that.  :-X
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: biggriffin on 24 April 2014, 11:19:37
They are used by lots of "government" departments to blend in with the surroundings, eg anti terrorism,covert observation.
 Customs n excise use older cars for investigations as do national crime squad,.
round these parts they have an old 51/02 plate Vectra,
 There use to be 2 black range rovers on permanent patrol in the met area,haven't seen these for a while,possibly due to the cuts.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Phil on 29 April 2014, 17:01:33
If you drive in and around London alot you will see all sorts of unmarked odd cars that have VERY well hidden lights and are a few years old

Not sure if they are armed response or what but i have seen Golfs, Shoguns, Renault Scenic and Migranes amongst BMW's and Mondeos, all vary for nearly new to 04 plate iirc but with the lights on they are always in one heck of a rush to get somewhere!
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Andy B on 29 April 2014, 18:15:42
Saw an unmarked gold/bronze 3 series BMW the other evening on the hard shoulder, near The Reebok, with alternating side to side rear fogs flashing ...... assuming it was a plain clothes Police car  :-\
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: tunnie on 29 April 2014, 18:16:20
Saw an unmarked gold/bronze 3 series BMW the other evening on the hard shoulder, near The Reebok, with alternating side to side rear fogs flashing ...... assuming it was a plain clothes Police car  :-\

Yup, sounds like it.  :)
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: tunnie on 29 April 2014, 18:18:05
One beef I have at the moment is plod breaking the law, without blues and twos on.

Dual carriageway, I was doing 75/80 ish. Plod branded car over takes me, doing around 90 without any blues on. It was a late afternoon empty roads, no one had passed me for a while, so clearly not tailing anyone.

 
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: SIR Philbutt on 29 April 2014, 18:30:11
Saw an unmarked gold/bronze 3 series BMW the other evening on the hard shoulder, near The Reebok, with alternating side to side rear fogs flashing ...... assuming it was a plain clothes Police car  :-\

I've seen that one going like stink down the A627m towards Oldham, blue's & two's showing from all the hiding places. Also seen a white and Met grey. My bother got pulled/done by the met grey one on his first trip out in his GTR, he thought it was some kid being clever  ::) ;D ;D

Suspicious of all "odd" looking/maneuvering BM's now :( :-\
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: wiliferus on 29 April 2014, 18:56:20
One beef I have at the moment is plod breaking the law, without blues and twos on.

Dual carriageway, I was doing 75/80 ish. Plod branded car over takes me, doing around 90 without any blues on. It was a late afternoon empty roads, no one had passed me for a while, so clearly not tailing anyone.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=703979&mid=100123&nmt=Blues+%26+Twos+and+Speed+Exemptions (http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=10&t=703979&mid=100123&nmt=Blues+%26+Twos+and+Speed+Exemptions)

HTH :y
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 April 2014, 21:08:20
Only required to be used if it's beneficial to making progress. Might simply have been looking to catch up with someone surreptitiously  :y
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: tunnie on 29 April 2014, 22:15:52
One beef I have at the moment is plod breaking the law, without blues and twos on.

Dual carriageway, I was doing 75/80 ish. Plod branded car over takes me, doing around 90 without any blues on. It was a late afternoon empty roads, no one had passed me for a while, so clearly not tailing anyone.

 

Only required to be used if it's beneficial to making progress. Might simply have been looking to catch up with someone surreptitiously  :y

Not that I could see, very little on the roads in Wales  ;D
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Rods2 on 29 April 2014, 22:36:26
I see Surrey Police have been driving a white lorry cab, so they can view lorry drivers on an equal level and look down into cars. They have caught nearly 500 people in 2 weeks, including quite a few were people typing on ipads and iphones on their laps while driving. :o :o :o
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Crazycarzowner on 30 April 2014, 01:23:27
One beef I have at the moment is plod breaking the law, without blues and twos on.

Don't have to use em to be honest, when I did my advanced course we were in a plain T5, exemptions are speed limit +20mph on red rings & in nationals / motorways, no restrictions.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: wiliferus on 30 April 2014, 06:06:29
That'll be a Force specific restriction, the legislation merely gives an exemption, and it's upto the driver to justify how fast they go. Different Forces have different policy guidance for their drivers.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: biggriffin on 30 April 2014, 09:00:52
I see Surrey Police have been driving a white lorry cab, so they can view lorry drivers on an equal level and look down into cars. They have caught nearly 500 people in 2 weeks, including quite a few were people typing on ipads and iphones on their laps while driving. :o :o :o
Old news, west midlands,Suffolk,The met have all used a Scarnia"limiter removed" to veiw motorists from up high.
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: Sir Tigger KC on 30 April 2014, 10:01:36
I see Surrey Police have been driving a white lorry cab, so they can view lorry drivers on an equal level and look down into cars. They have caught nearly 500 people in 2 weeks, including quite a few were people typing on ipads and iphones on their laps while driving. :o :o :o
Old news, west midlands,Suffolk,The met have all used a Scarnia"limiter removed" to veiw motorists from up high.

You do see some shocking things from a lorry cab! The worst I saw was a Dutch truck who overtook me on the M25 and the driver had his feet up on the dash and was reading a newspaper!  :o
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: X30XE on 30 April 2014, 20:31:54
Northamptonshire : Lime green Octavia VRS Saloon, Electric Blue Octavia VRS Saloon, Grey BMW X5 4.0d - All looking completely civilian.. (except for doing 80mph down the hard shoulder on concealed B & T with stationary traffic in lanes 1-3 of M1)  :o. Sneaky little ....  :-X

Met police : Mondeos old enough for Helen of Troy to have had one, the give away being black steelies and no wheel trims most often. 

Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: omega3000 on 02 May 2014, 15:54:07
Northamptonshire : Lime green Octavia VRS Saloon, Electric Blue Octavia VRS Saloon, Grey BMW X5 4.0d - All looking completely civilian.. (except for doing 80mph down the hard shoulder on concealed B & T with stationary traffic in lanes 1-3 of M1)  :o. Sneaky little ....  :-X

Met police : Mondeos old enough for Helen of Troy to have had one, the give away being black steelies and no wheel trims most often.

They must do something about those black steelies  ;D If you have a keen eye there is no way you will get caught out doing anything wrong  :P The camera's are a dead give away at any distance .. trouble is with most folk nowadays is all they do is look forward and never use mirrors and if in a bmw dont use indicators  ::)
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: MaxV6 on 02 May 2014, 17:26:16
trouble is with most folk nowadays is all they do is look forward and never use mirrors and if in a bmw dont use indicators  ::)

thought that was just volvo drivers /??
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: the alarming man on 02 May 2014, 18:53:42
I see Surrey Police have been driving a white lorry cab, so they can view lorry drivers on an equal level and look down into cars. They have caught nearly 500 people in 2 weeks, including quite a few were people typing on ipads and iphones on their laps while driving. :o :o :o


that is actually on loan from kent...it is used to catch foreign lorry driver driving down the M20 whilst eating their breakfast :o
Title: Re: Plain Clothes Police Cars
Post by: GastronomicKleptomaniac on 02 May 2014, 20:04:29
There's still a 56-plate Octavia in service around here. And one of the Mk1 vRSs lasted about 9 years, on an 03 plate. :y