Unmarked Police motorcycles

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Ch00

You need some unmarked fleet both cars and bikes.

Not for purely traffic policing we don't, I stand by the above - what is it the police are attempting to achieve?

Originally Posted by Ch00

If your in a marked traffic style vehicle then the vehicles area around you behave until they can't see you and then carry on their normal style of driving. A unmarked vehicle will let them act as they normally would.

See that just sounds like a nicking for the sake of a nicking, this isn't a workable tactic - it doesn't change attitudes or educate - it simply fuels the feeling that the police aren't playing fairly and reasonably. And most importantly right now the tiniest acknowledgement that the police want to stem the drain of public support would go a very, very long way.

It isn't enough to pay lip service to the concerns of the public - yours is a hard enough job without tactics that are seen to be underhand poisoning relations further.
It's not enough for policing to be efficient, it must be seen to be fair and decent, for a significant, and rising, proportion of the population that's not how things appear.

[Ch00]

Originally Posted by Sid Squid

See that just sounds like a nicking for the sake of a nicking, this isn't a workable tactic - it doesn't change attitudes or educate - it simply fuels the feeling that the police aren't playing fairly and reasonably.

I havent anything about the outcome of being stopped by a unmarked car. Just because you get stopped does not mean your going to get reported or arrested.

Surely the educating and the changing attitudes happenes once you are stopped maybe doing something you shouldnt have?

Ch00

it is a close call this but 1 things for sure, id rather actually get stopped and explained why what i was doing was actually dangerous, get a telling off and be on my way rather than an anonomous £60 fine just dropping through my letter box!
i think the biggest criticism i have about being followed at speed by unmarked vehicles is the amount of time they sometimes follow you. surely if it was all about road safety and reducing injuries/deaths on the road they should stop you after you commit the first offence, not follow and wait for you to commit more and possibly more dangerous offences!

I thought in general unmarked cars tend to ignore a lot more than marked cars, for the very reason that they see a lot more (being unmarked and all). You have to do quite a lot to get an unmarked car to penalise you in any way.

Motorcycles are a different matter, I generally only hear of them being used to bait and catch other motorcycles.

i don't know if the above is correct but it's the feeling I get from tales I read on forums!

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by muffles

Motorcycles are a different matter, I generally only hear of them being used to bait and catch other motorcycles.

i don't know if the above is correct but it's the feeling I get from tales I read on forums!

It would be interesting to film what these unmarked bikes were doing, with a rearward facing camera.

I don't mind them catching the knobs of this world wether they drive 4 or 2 wheels, but to entice someone to break the speed limit isn't right.

[the_lone_wolf]

Unmarked police vehicles make the game more fun...

Where's the sport in announcing your presence on the road with a lurid red and yellow paint job???

As for entrapment, sorry but it's your choice whether to speed off or pull over when the mystery bike appears in your mirrors...

Besides, it's far more fun to let them through then keep pace without overtaking

[punyXpress]

Originally Posted by Paul the 6th

i tend to let faster bikers pass as I'm not that good at riding fast... I enjoy bumming along enjoying the roads until there's no one infront or behind me

Looks like Carlsberg 2 is going to be a lonely ride for someone ?

[embee]

I saw a dark red unmarked Pan having stopped a car on the M54 near Telford a couple of years ago. It got me thinking so I dropped into our local ploddery to ask what the score was when being "blue-flashed" at by unmarked bikes/cars. The civvi woman behind the counter clearly had no idea but started to tell me how many people get mugged at cash machines.

Then an "unmarked" bike cop happened to walk through the office, so we collared him. First he told me they don't stop people on motorways (so I was imagining it then?), and then I was told I should stop when blue flashed. I said I thought I only had to stop for a "constable in uniform", which an unmarked vehicle isn't as far as I can see, and he was in plain black leathers which didn't look like uniform to me. Then they ummed and aaahed and said if I wasn't happy then I should ride/drive to the nearest police station...........yeah right.

They said if a vehicle had flashy blue lights it must be a cop car/bike, and weren't impressed when I said I could buy flashy blue lights from Maplins for a tenner, so how do I know it isn't some car-jackers after my sports car or bike. I was underwhelmed by the usefulness of the replies, and basically they shrugged and said clear off and don't waste our time.

More or less what I expected really..............

I always allow faster bikers past if they are pressuring me as well if i dont know who they are.

Did any one see traffic cops last night? i saw a bit where a sp1 was doing a ton and got knicked and fair enough he shouldnt of done it, but with that copper on the VFR following him (not blaming the copper i must add) i bet he thought hmm this VFR wants to play which then landed him in the thick smelly brown stuff

[the_lone_wolf]

Originally Posted by Holdup

...i bet he thought hmm this VFR wants to play...

And herein lies the problem, when I see any vehicle flying up behind me the first thought isn't "bet he wants a race" it's "what's he up to? copper? sunday rocket pilot? simply a ****?"

if the person's first response is "lets race" then perhaps that's why the person is getting pulled...