Fake Bike Copper on the A2 London bound this morning? - SV650.org

08-06-05, 08:15 AM

Anyone come across the fake-looking copper on the A2 this morning? He was forcing people (cars mostly) out of the right hand lane, awful road positioning, awful filtering, old, open-faced lid, bike wasn't a BMW or Pan (much smaller, honda dominator sized?) But he had the white paint, police markings, etc. just not quite right... overtook him and he hovered (badly and way too close to the central reservation for a real bike copper) for a while then backed off, but there must have been a good 10 bikes behind me that didn't go for the overtake. Overtake and pulling away from him was at 55 in a 50.

First time I've seen a fake one... or if he was real then they need to sort out his bike and clothing cos he looked nothing like any other bike copper that I've seen.

Red ones · 08-06-05, 08:47 AM

Spookey!

On the way to AR05 we (myself and Essex mob) passed a fake Gatso in one of the little villages near Burford!

BillyC · 08-06-05, 08:52 AM

Did it actually say "POLICE" on his bike?

It's quite easy to buy old police bikes, they still even have the blue lights, but they always have the wording removed before they can be sold.

Some bikers find it useful to buy a white bike, a white lid, and a yellow jacket - I've heard that the traffic just parts infront of them like Moses and the Red Sea!

It may just be that this guy had taken it to extremes, and put on some reflective strips... similar to the back end of some white vans.

08-06-05, 09:01 AM

Theres a fake gatso between Skegness and mablethorpe in one of the little villages. Well more of a sheet of ally painted yellow and fastned to a signpost

. Made me think twice though

Looks pretty convincing from a distance

08-06-05, 09:02 AM

There is a fake copper around me too, he has an old BMW with most of the markings left on. As long as he doesnt pretend to be a proper copper, I dont mind. This bloke on the A2 sounds like a knob

There is also a proper copper in South Derbyshire, who rides an off roader with all his gear on. The rural bike team around me use these off road bikes instead of police cars :P

08-06-05, 09:02 AM

Yeah, he had the "Police" Markings on his jacket and bike, but they were old, like they had a decade ago, in small writing than they do now, and small black and white chequers on the bike, nothing like they do now (large blue and white chequers?) The blue light was much smaller and on a shorter pole.

Worst thing was him making like a copper and giving hand signals to pass people, etc. - very naughty.

In contrast, I passed a paramedic on Friday, on the right bike (Pan, I think) liveried very well, really bold and noticeable, big presence, ridden carefully, guy had a flip up (aren't they standard police issue on their bikes now?!) helmet, right sort of blue light. I can't imagine that a real bike copper would go out like that, or act like that, as he'd know that people wouldn't think he was real.

08-06-05, 09:23 AM

You shoudl have taken his number and reported him.

timwilky · 08-06-05, 10:12 AM

If he was playing copper he is a very naughty man and deserves to meet the real boys in blue.

Personally, I hate those vans and few cars you see with hi vis markings. they cause traffic to slow unnecessarily and therefore obstruct the roads

08-06-05, 10:21 AM

My dad was always had people thinking he was a copper on his old work bike. it was a white pan euro with all the same hi-vis markings as the police bikes except the police marking were removed. he had all the proper gear, and the same lid with the built in mic and ear piece. the radio on the bike was cool. the percs of working for the government. was a fun bike

08-06-05, 10:29 AM

But... could he have been a copper, even a rubbish one? Do they ride bikes like that at all, or should they all look pretty much the same - i.e. bmw/pan and a flip front helmet and exactly the same markings as other police bikes? Part of me wonders if he was just some old copper on his old bike... but they don't let them go out on any old tat now, do they? And even then, it doesn't account for his rubbish riding skills and positioning (the main thing that made me think he wasn't a proper bike copper, getting way too close to the central reservation and other vehicles... never seen a copper do that).

Will get his reg if I see him again. If he's for real then he needs retraining, or else it'll be one more wally off the roads.

08-06-05, 08:15 AM	#1
SVeeedy Gonzales Guest Posts: n/a	Fake Bike Copper on the A2 London bound this morning? Anyone come across the fake-looking copper on the A2 this morning? He was forcing people (cars mostly) out of the right hand lane, awful road positioning, awful filtering, old, open-faced lid, bike wasn't a BMW or Pan (much smaller, honda dominator sized?) But he had the white paint, police markings, etc. just not quite right... overtook him and he hovered (badly and way too close to the central reservation for a real bike copper) for a while then backed off, but there must have been a good 10 bikes behind me that didn't go for the overtake. Overtake and pulling away from him was at 55 in a 50. First time I've seen a fake one... or if he was real then they need to sort out his bike and clothing cos he looked nothing like any other bike copper that I've seen.

08-06-05, 08:52 AM	#3
BillyC Moderator Mega Poster Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The exiles of Kent Posts: 2,184	Did it actually say "POLICE" on his bike? It's quite easy to buy old police bikes, they still even have the blue lights, but they always have the wording removed before they can be sold. Some bikers find it useful to buy a white bike, a white lid, and a yellow jacket - I've heard that the traffic just parts infront of them like Moses and the Red Sea! It may just be that this guy had taken it to extremes, and put on some reflective strips... similar to the back end of some white vans. __________________ SV650 K3 - Gone. Now a member of the SV650.org Kawasaki brigade!

08-06-05, 10:12 AM	#8
timwilky Member Mega Poster Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Not in Yorkshire. (Thank God) Posts: 4,116	If he was playing copper he is a very naughty man and deserves to meet the real boys in blue. Personally, I hate those vans and few cars you see with hi vis markings. they cause traffic to slow unnecessarily and therefore obstruct the roads __________________ Not Grumpy, opinionated.

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08-06-05, 08:47 AM	#2
Red ones Member Mega Poster Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Hertfordshire Posts: 1,422	Spookey! On the way to AR05 we (myself and Essex mob) passed a fake Gatso in one of the little villages near Burford!

08-06-05, 09:01 AM	#4
Stormspiel Guest Posts: n/a	Theres a fake gatso between Skegness and mablethorpe in one of the little villages. Well more of a sheet of ally painted yellow and fastned to a signpost . Made me think twice though Looks pretty convincing from a distance

08-06-05, 09:02 AM	#5
wheelnut Guest Posts: n/a	There is a fake copper around me too, he has an old BMW with most of the markings left on. As long as he doesnt pretend to be a proper copper, I dont mind. This bloke on the A2 sounds like a knob There is also a proper copper in South Derbyshire, who rides an off roader with all his gear on. The rural bike team around me use these off road bikes instead of police cars :P

08-06-05, 09:23 AM	#7
Mike1234 Guest Posts: n/a	You shoudl have taken his number and reported him.

08-06-05, 10:21 AM	#9
Godikus Guest Posts: n/a	My dad was always had people thinking he was a copper on his old work bike. it was a white pan euro with all the same hi-vis markings as the police bikes except the police marking were removed. he had all the proper gear, and the same lid with the built in mic and ear piece. the radio on the bike was cool. the percs of working for the government. was a fun bike

08-06-05, 10:29 AM	#10
SVeeedy Gonzales Guest Posts: n/a	But... could he have been a copper, even a rubbish one? Do they ride bikes like that at all, or should they all look pretty much the same - i.e. bmw/pan and a flip front helmet and exactly the same markings as other police bikes? Part of me wonders if he was just some old copper on his old bike... but they don't let them go out on any old tat now, do they? And even then, it doesn't account for his rubbish riding skills and positioning (the main thing that made me think he wasn't a proper bike copper, getting way too close to the central reservation and other vehicles... never seen a copper do that). Will get his reg if I see him again. If he's for real then he needs retraining, or else it'll be one more wally off the roads.