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[Jay w]

The HATO guys, i call them 'pretend police' i have seen recently seem to be carrying some sort of radar device and we were wondering if they were allowed to use them in the same capacity as police?

[Jim]

The HATO guys, i call them 'pretend police' i have seen recently seem to be carrying some sort of radar device and we were wondering if they were allowed to use them in the same capacity as police?

There is no reason for them to carry speed guns as they have no speed enforcement rights

This was taken from where website;

Highways Agency Traffic Officers
Who are we?
Highways Agency Traffic Officers are highly trained people who patrol England’s motorways 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

We put drivers at the forefront of the Highways Agency’s operations to help tackle the growing problems of congestion on our roads. Our sole aim is to keep traffic moving to help make your journey as safe and as reliable as possible.

Our role
Depending on whether we are based on road or in the control room, we are trained to a high standard in everything from safety to dealing with customers, traffic management and the use of technology.

Where incidents occur, our police colleagues still retain their role in investigating crime, but we are there to help with coordinating the resources of the other emergency services, managing the traffic and re-opening routes as soon as it is safe to do so.

We also keep the public informed through our electronic message signs and by supplying information for local travel reports.

We are there to help you if you breakdown or are involved in a collision or incident.

[Jay w]

Cheers  

[Richie London]

and wherever there is one of there cars parked up on the hard shoulder, there is a traffic jam building up.

[amigov6]

I would'nt have thought so as they do'nt have the power to arrest or detain although they can contact the real police if they see you driving like a tit. They can also close 1 of 2 lanes & a roundabout with peak time traffic lights on the A38 for a broken down car which could've been pushed out the way while awaiting recovery causing 1 1/2 hours needless delay possibly stopping the recovery vehicle. Well done, where would we be without you & your training?
    I've only been driving for a living nearly 30 yrs so what would i know?

[HolyCount]

Even though they don't do any enforcing I guess there is no reason why they can't use radar guns to "monitor" speeds --- probably to collect some new dodgy statistics for Mr Brown to use against motorists

[FRE07962128]

I would'nt have thought so as they do'nt have the power to arrest or detain although they can contact the real police if they see you driving like a tit. They can also close 1 of 2 lanes & a roundabout with peak time traffic lights on the A38 for a broken down car which could've been pushed out the way while awaiting recovery causing 1 1/2 hours needless delay possibly stopping the recovery vehicle. Well done, where would we be without you & your training?
    I've only been driving for a living nearly 30 yrs so what would i know?

No Amigo, they cannot do that for Health & Safety reasons!!
   But they are permitted to cause an accident for others by letting the queue back up

[JamesV6CDX]

I complained about one of these Highways vehicles, once.

A Highways agency Shogun once tried to "Police" my speed.

It was doing about 65mph in lane one. Everyone was behind it, and wouldn't overtake.

I just kept on going, at just over 75mph. I overtook it, and pulled in, once I was a safe distance ahead. The highways car immediately pulled out into lane two and went full steam ahead. It then overtook me, pulled in front of me (close) and  braked down to 60mph.

So I pulled out into lane two again, cogged it down, and overtook it once more.

This went on a few times, everytime I overtook it at around the national speed limit, maybe a tad over, it would overtake, pull close in front of me, and brake. At one point, the highways officer in the passenger seat wagged his finger at me as they overtook.

They were clearly on a power trip and trying to play at traffic Police.

Fortunately, I didn't take the bait, I just ignored them and finally left them in the dust of a V6 Meega

I did make a mental note of the VRM of this vehicle though, and when I saw some plod having a coffee in the nearby services, I just had a amicable word and told them about the situation. I wasn't expecting much response, but they were in fact very keen for me to tell them what happened. They made some notes, talked on the airwave a bit,  and concluded like I, that they were just muppets

[albitz]

i suspect genuine plod are no more happy about the pretenders than we are :-/

[HolyCount]

'Fraid there are muppets everywhere -- but put them in a uniform .......

[bertiecbx550]

yep i agree with that....now where can i get a uniform......I WANT POWER I TELL YOU....LOTS OF LOVELY POWER!!!!!!......

[Gaffers]

yep i agree with that....now where can i get a uniform......I WANT POWER I TELL YOU....LOTS OF LOVELY POWER!!!!!!......

I have one for you, it comes with a rifle, low pay and lots of travel to hot and torrid destinations!  

[amigov6]

It's just struck me that maybe the plastic police were deliberately invented to make us love the real police more.
    If so it's working. [smiley=2vrolijk_08.gif]

[bertiecbx550]

I tried to enlist in the RAF Regt when i was 18 i got turned down my left knee was knackered through playing american football in the 80`s when it was big over here as i was always big for my age i got put into the adult squad at the age of 15 2 years down the line i end up in a hospital in liverpool with a blown out knee after a scouser put his shoulder pads into the side of my knee my leg looked like the letter "L" it took 2 ops and 6 mths of physio to walk straight or without a limp....I then try and join the RAF cause i left school with hardly any qualifications and was told that i could learn anything in the armed forces....it broke my heart when i failed the medical   i could not stop crying all the way home its something i have always regretted and when i do see our armed forces or interact with em i have nothing but pride for em....