This is taking the P

[Jay Gee]

I noticed a dark blue BMW in Tesco's carpark last w/e with a whimsical private plate -J41LER. Remarked upon it to OH-this morning she was overtaken by this same vehicle on the A55 with its blues and twos on.Ditch most of the unmarked traffic cars and go back to high vis high profile normal police cars.A few more of these would cut speeding and idiotic driving at a stroke.Oh,dear,and revenue as well.What am I thinking of.But a private plate??. Sorry,I'm quite angry about this,but rant over now.

 

[roscoc180]

Just another example of the tax paying residents of this "wonderful land" having the p*** taken out of us.

 

[merc convert]

And how would they catch the drug dealers, gun runners, mobile phone users, non seat belt wearers, drivers using laptops, drivers undue care and attention ect ect.
Sorry mate but sometimes covert action is required.
Drive and behave legally nothing to worry about unmarked Police cars.

 

[Cole@MBS]

And how would they catch the drug dealers, gun runners, mobile phone users, non seat belt wearers, drivers using laptops, drivers undue care and attention ect ect.
Sorry mate but sometimes covert action is required.
Drive and behave legally nothing to worry about unmarked Police cars.

Good point !!!!!!!

If you have nothing to worry about, then why worry!!

 

[JEZ.S320L]

And how would they catch the drug dealers, gun runners, mobile phone users, non seat belt wearers, drivers using laptops, drivers undue care and attention ect ect.
Sorry mate but sometimes covert action is required.
Drive and behave legally nothing to worry about unmarked Police cars.

............... AND those drivers (not) watching TV/Video on their Comand..!!????

 

[Xtractorfan]

Good point !!!!!!!

If you have nothing to worry about, then why worry!!

Because we are a nation of worriers..when we used to be a nation of warriors...

 

[brianbrian]

used to be an empire and had an emperor-then a kingdom and had a king - now we're just a country!!!!!!

 

[Alex M Grieve]

used to be an empire and had an emperor-then a kingdom and had a king - now we're just a country!!!!!!

Happily, you didn't name him ................

 

[Jay Gee]

And how would they catch the drug dealers, gun runners, mobile phone users, non seat belt wearers, drivers using laptops, drivers undue care and attention ect ect.
Sorry mate but sometimes covert action is required.
Drive and behave legally nothing to worry about unmarked Police cars.

Yes,I agree with the above comments,but my point was why spend unnecessarily on private plates and a lot of covert vehicles which are used to monitor motoring habits more often than to catch drug dealers etc. when marked police vehicles patrolling our highways and byways would make motorists who do break the law think twice,thus removing the cause before the effect occurs. Certainly, covert action is sometimes required,but 'horses for courses' surely?

 

[television]

Yes,I agree with the above comments,but my point was why spend unnecessarily on private plates and a lot of covert vehicles which are used to monitor motoring habits more often than to catch drug dealers etc. when marked police vehicles patrolling our highways and byways would make motorists who do break the law think twice,thus removing the cause before the effect occurs. Certainly, covert action is sometimes required,but 'horses for courses' surely?

Yes there is 2 sides to this, but I am sure that both guises play a roll and are needed

 

[JEZ.S320L]

Yes,I agree with the above comments,but my point was why spend unnecessarily on private plates and a lot of covert vehicles which are used to monitor motoring habits more often than to catch drug dealers etc. when marked police vehicles patrolling our highways and byways would make motorists who do break the law think twice,thus removing the cause before the effect occurs. Certainly, covert action is sometimes required,but 'horses for courses' surely?

Marked Police cars on Highways and Byways?? Behave yourself! Recently, I have driven Brighton - Bristol - Brighton, Brighton - Manchester - Brighton and not seen a single solitary Police car. BUT I have passed by, been checked by, and tracked by numerous ANPR cameras..!!!

 

[PanzerMcGrory]

I would say marked police cars have proactive role and unmarked a reactive role.
For policing our highways i prefer a proactive approach, for helping to catch real criminals then by all means use unmarked cars.

 

[merc convert]

Yes,I agree with the above comments,but my point was why spend unnecessarily on private plates and a lot of covert vehicles which are used to monitor motoring habits more often than to catch drug dealers etc. when marked police vehicles patrolling our highways and byways would make motorists who do break the law think twice,thus removing the cause before the effect occurs. Certainly, covert action is sometimes required,but 'horses for courses' surely?

First of all I am not plod but do work closely with them, nuff said there.
I agree 100% re the plate unless that was purchased with the vehicle. Police do also used seized vehicles for covert operations so it may not be a Police vehicle. Lots of unmarked cars for lots of criminals it is all relative.
When you drive a marked vehicle you create a bubble around you where everybody is the perfect driver. As soon as they are out of visability normal driving resumes. Best value policing means unmarked cars will deliver more results for less cost which will result in reduced crime figures. I can assure you Police do not monitor motoring habits. They are given strict performance levels to achieve from ministerial bodies.
Hopefully this will enlighten you.

 

[Jay Gee]

Thank you for an insider's view.My opinion is now more balanced,but not by much.Please bear with me here,I've tried to set my this out nicely with a bit of your post,then an answer,but have failed miserably!So- here we go.
Police using seized vehicles.........so it may not be a police vehicle. Good to know-but this one was certainly equipped as such.

'Marked cars and bubbles' Agreed--but more bubbles would be good for public confidence and perception.

'unmarked cars will deliver more results for less cost' Covert surveillance-the only option,obviously.But as mobile speed cameras? Prevention is better than cure.

'Police do not monitor motoring habits' Have an amble in Traffic Taleban land and see how many unmarked cars you can spot on the 'on ramps' of dual carriageways aiming speed cameras.

 

[Jay Gee]

I would say marked police cars have proactive role and unmarked a reactive role.
For policing our highways i prefer a proactive approach, for helping to catch real criminals then by all means use unmarked cars.

In a nutshell,Mr.McG

 

[merc convert]

Thank you for an insider's view.My opinion is now more balanced,but not by much.Please bear with me here,I've tried to set my this out nicely with a bit of your post,then an answer,but have failed miserably!So- here we go.
Police using seized vehicles.........so it may not be a police vehicle. Good to know-but this one was certainly equipped as such.

'Marked cars and bubbles' Agreed--but more bubbles would be good for public confidence and perception.

'unmarked cars will deliver more results for less cost' Covert surveillance-the only option,obviously.But as mobile speed cameras? Prevention is better than cure.

'Police do not monitor motoring habits' Have an amble in Traffic Taleban land and see how many unmarked cars you can spot on the 'on ramps' of dual carriageways aiming speed cameras.

Good to know we can have a constructive discussion.

Seized vehicles? equipped with what?

"Bubbles" = extremely expensive option just to raise public perception and confidence. I would rather see reduced crime figures and actual crime solved than this but hey, we all have our own opinions.

"Unmarked cars" = mobile speed cameras. Sort of contradicts your earlier statement, you want bubbles to inspire confidence and public perception. surely an unmarked car catching speeding vehicles acheives this.

"Traffic Taleban Land" Well I work out there on the motorways and in my region police do not use unmarked cars for speed camera work on the motorways. I cannot speak for all forces though as different forces apply different policy. I would say an unmarked car on police ramps would be a bit of a giveaway though.

Your main point seems to focus on speeding cameras and unmarked cars. Once again no speeding, no stops, no fines, no points and no interaction with plod. Why worry if you drive within the law. Let em catch the lawbreakers.

 

[merc convert]

Marked Police cars on Highways and Byways?? Behave yourself! Recently, I have driven Brighton - Bristol - Brighton, Brighton - Manchester - Brighton and not seen a single solitary Police car. BUT I have passed by, been checked by, and tracked by numerous ANPR cameras..!!!

What is wrong with ANPR if it catches untaxed, un-insured or non MOT'd vehicles at reasonable cost?
By the way ANPR only checks you against a database. It does not track you.

 

[television]

Yes and nothing wrong with APNR cameras, they are a good thing

 

[Jay Gee]

Hi again,merc convert.You're pretty constructive yourself.I'll try to address some of the points/questions you've brought up.

Seized vehicles?Equipped with what? The vehicle I was referring to may or may not have been seized,but if it was such a vehicle(and you made some good points to suggest it may well have been) it was equipped with(at least) a police siren and blue lights.

Bubbles. Expensive? Very probably,but why not increase the percentage of marked to unmarked cars,keeping the overall total the same,so costs would not change?

Traffic Taleban land. I take it that you have met this term in the media-it refers to N.Wales police who have even placed a speed camera inside a horsebox!!Also,I was referring to the public 'on-ramp' access to a dual carriageway,not a dedicated police ramp.
My perception may be slightly skewed because of the area I live in-as you say,each force employs different methods.Thanks for the good dialogue,but we may have to agree to disagree on some points.

 

[JEZ.S320L]

....... It does not track you.

I beg to differ.! PERSONAL experience (I was the 'goody') enabled the Police to track my car, with ALL the information needed.