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In one of the papers today a high ranking copper is complaining about horse riders wearing high viz with the words "Polite" or "Please" on the back and saying that they could be arrested. Many years ago a friend had a big white motor bike with a white fairing, he was riding somewhere well South of Scotland and he was wearing a high viz jacket. He was pulled by the police who said he had been watched by CCTV (probably a novelty in those days) and was asked to remove his high viz as he could be confused with a police motorcyclist. He refused and was threatened with arrest. His response was OK which police station do you want me to drive to, at which point the police told him to go away. That must have been at least 20 years ago, I wonder if it is the same plod?
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 6 May 13 at 08:53
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I have remembered an incident that happened to me a couple of years ago. I was driving in the right lane of a road in Edinburgh one evening in very light traffic. The left lane was empty, and I was planning on turning right about 200Yds on. An unmarked white Escort van came up behind me and turned on a blue led strobe in the windscreen. I moved over but doubted if it was a police or any other emergency vehicle although I realise they use all sorts of motors. I regret not noting its number and checking it out.
Also the local police are looking for a weirdo who has stopped a couple of women and claimed to be a police officer. Strange world.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 6 May 13 at 09:26
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I fitted a white fairing to a motorbike which already had a white top-box. The difference in attitude from other motorists was amazing.
I never feared another SMIDSY.
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When I used to ski and had a ski rack on the roof of the car I sometimes noticed people slowing down as I caught up with them. I can't think why, If they were speeding I must have been.......:-)
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Cyclists have been seen in 'Polite' day glo vests too. In fact I think somebody on one of the cycling forums had a batch made up.
Don't really tempt me but if they did I'd take same line as ON's mate. HArdly my fault if the public cannot read properly.
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By default, where you find mountain bikers you often also find horse riders and of course walkers. Most from each group know how to peacefully and cooperatively co-exist and respect each others needs and limitations.
However, now that you come to mention it, the horsey types with imitation police vests and what's more, some of them even have black and white chequered bands around their hats do tend to be the ones who could be best described as drawer handle heads.
Edit- BTW, I ride horses too sometimes before anyone suggests any partisan viewpoint.
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Mon 6 May 13 at 10:43
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Wouldn't make a scrap of difference to me if a cyclst was wearing a misleading hi viz, as i try to drive sensibly near them, no difference whether they are good riders or idiots.
However i would fully expect a passing plod to take action he otherwise wouldn't bother too much about if said hi viz wearing cyclist acts the twerp on the road, for taking the P as much as anything else by attempting to slyly improve others driving.
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>> When I used to ski and had a ski rack on the roof of the car
>> I sometimes noticed people slowing down as I caught up with them.
>> I can't think why, If they were speeding I must have been.......:-)
>>
Reminds me of small white vans with ally steps on roof bars ( the top step/platform was bright blue plastic )
The steps were always arranged with the blue part at the front ( for aerodynamic efficiency ?) :-)
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I had a white Cortina 2.0S ( the one with a matt black panel between the rear lights. ) I had ski racks on that sometimes and right enough it was remarkable how much other drivers seemed to be so much more well behaved when they were in place.
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Years ago people with garages fronting the road used to put up signs saying Polite Notice - No parking.
Funny to recall that there was a time when a hi-viz jacket alone was enough to give the wearer some aura of authority.
Nowadays everyone wears them, so a group of policemen conducting some operation seems no more noteworthy than just another gang of workmen, or over-cautious sunday hikers.
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>> or over-cautious sunday hikers.
>>
>>
You sound like an urban resident who does not use narrow unlit country roads. Some people who have to walk at night around here use flashing led bike lights on their clothing, (In case there are any urban drivers around). :-)
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>> >> or over-cautious sunday hikers.
>> >>
>> >>
>>
>> You sound like an urban resident who does not use narrow unlit country roads. Some
>> people who have to walk at night around here use flashing led bike lights on
>> their clothing, (In case there are any urban drivers around). :-)
>>
No, I have lived in the country most of my life.
I am not talking about walking at night - I am talking about Sunday afternoon hikes on our deserted country lanes.
We get about 6 cars a day down our lane - it really isn't necessary to dress up in fluorescent kit looking like a council workman.
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>> No, I have lived in the country most of my life.
>> I am not talking about walking at night - I am talking about Sunday afternoon
>> hikes on our deserted country lanes.
Fair enough, My reply was probably influenced be an experience I had about 15 years ago.
I was driving along an unlit, narrow, undulating road, (now rebuilt), near a campsite. I came across a group of about ten teenagers walking in the direction I was driving on the left side of the road. they were dressed in dark clothing and the only reason I saw them was because one of them was wearing white socks and I saw a brief flash of white. It gave me a fright, and I stopped and told them what had happened and advised them to at least walk on the other side of the road so that their faces would reflect some light. (No racist accusations please). That could easily have been a disaster for all of us on that night.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 7 May 13 at 08:34
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''That could easily have been a disaster for all of us on that night.''
Navy that tale makes your blood run cold, brings back all those instances in a our driving careers when ''if only'' could have led to injuries death and destruction, not surprised it gave you a fright.
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In my first Peugeot 309, I fitted a Moss alarm which was all the rage at the time - the one with the black stand that sat on the dashboard with the red LEDs ?
Anyway it also came with a panic alarm - you just pressed a button and your car alarm sounded. Was quite useful to get drivers in front of you to pull over out your way!
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I had a Honda CX500 'maggot' years ago, with one of those big white Avon fairings and a white topbox. It did indeed have a remarkable effect on other motorists. Oddly enough, I bought it from a copper but it wasn't an 'official' machine although it had been serviced all its life in the police workshops at Taunton. I inherited the mechanic!
My pal used to ride to work on an ex-mob white BMW. He reported the same effect.
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I note that there was no word from the police about the lorries decorated with blue lights.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 6 May 13 at 13:19
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In the mid to late 1990s my colleagues and I all suffered the misfortune of driving company Vectras which were the benchmark car in the company scheme of the time. In those days you could opt to swap the sunroof for aircon which many of us did, also by getting a GLS (IIRC) you could get the 2.0L or even V6 'at our grade'. Add to this a roof mounted mobile phone aerial and the picture of a mid-spec car similar to those used by traffic police at the time emerges.
Those who picked a nice flat-white, dinge-blue or even flame red often found motorists moving aside when 'pressing on' on the motorway, I always thought that this might be because of an unintentional resemblance to the cars used by law enforcers, or maybe (like today's de-badged and under-engined BMW/Audis) they realised the driver was likely to be particularly reckless ?
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Most people can spot a repmobile a mile away and give them a wide berth. The driver will be late, on the phone, eating his (her) lunch, doing their paperwork or otherwise distracted. :-)
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>>or otherwise distracted. :-)
Aye true, but also almost certainly at least twice as in control of their vehicle and aware of what's going on around them as some auld duffer pootling to the garden centre in something Japanese or Korean...
:-)
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I don't do gardening. :-)
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Our company owned an ex-police Granada at one time.No lights,no stripes-the only way it showed were grommets on the roof and a calibrated speedo;however the reg.no. was known to the police-got many friendly waves.
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A few years ago there was some nutter impersonating a police car around the Seaton area in Devon.
Thing is the idiot kept driving the coastal/hill road at night with his blue light on and the real police could see him from 20 miles away.
His was a short rein.
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>> His was a short rein.
>>
?
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I thought reins were more to do with gee gees.
;>)
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The way I type that would be "ee ees".
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Impersonating the police - Old Navy
