Okay to overtake a police car?

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

Ricochet J

Soldato
Joined
29 Jun 2004
Posts
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I was on the A406 North Circular today. The speed limit is 50mph. There was a police car (the sirens were not on) doing 40mph in the nearside lane. This meant everyone in both offside and nearside lanes slowed down to 40mph and created a "wall" of travelling cars.

Is it okay to overtake a police car?
 
Yes perfectly fine.

Annoys me when I see plod doing 70 in the left lane of a 3 lane motorway and then nothing ahead of them for miles because everyone is stuck doing 70 in all 3 lanes.

I usually trundle past at like 72 or something so as not to be too obvious.
 
Of course.

People seem so paranoid these days when approaching police. I notice instantly they drop speed despite the fact that they aren't above the limit anyway, and what the OP said is also quite frequently seen. Ridiculous.
 
*shrug* On the A38 I go past at 80-85, laughing at the cluster of cars behind the police car. Never had anything happen.
 
Tute said:
*shrug* On the A38 I go past at 80-85, laughing at the cluster of cars behind the police car. Never had anything happen.
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Indeed. I went past one at 35 or so on a dual carriageway 30 zone this morning and they didn't care.

I did sweeten them up first though by flashing them out when a car was stopped in their lane ;)
 
No problem at all. I would also suggest that, should you have a passenger with you, you might like to invite them to moon the police car as you drive past. :D
 
Ricochet J said:
I was on the A406 North Circular today. The speed limit is 50mph. There was a police car (the sirens were not on) doing 40mph in the nearside lane. This meant everyone in both offside and nearside lanes slowed down to 40mph and created a "wall" of travelling cars.

Is it okay to overtake a police car?
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For the same reason that people slow down to 30mph for a speed camera near where I live regardless of the fact that the speed limit is actually 40mph. ie. they aren't really paying attention to the road signs and have no idea what the actual limit is on the bit of road they are on. I can't think of any other particularly valid reason for this behaviour.
 
I've overtaken police on single carriageway roads where they've been well under the speed limit. Its people that suddenly turn into nervous snails around police that are responsible for undercover cars, I swear.
 
Sagalout said:
Sometimes its so tempting to do it on one wheel ;)
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lol! Was on the back of a bike when the rider did this in their blind spot. Probably in jail now, or dead... but was funny.

As long as you aren't speeding or driving beyond the conditions of the road I see no problem of passing a police vehicle, lights on or not, so long as you aren't impeding its progress.
 
Its overtaking when they're on blues n twos thats frowned upon :D

I did have a odd moment when i came onto a sliproad to a duel carriageway, saw a police car with it's lights flashing comking up in the outside lane, nothing on the inside. So i floored it (short slip road from 30mph zone), and pulled out to inside lane. Wondering where the police car was (surely is should have come past by now), i look over my right shoulder to see it sitting in my blind spot with two rather confused looking officers in it.

They were going with lights flashing at 70mph on a dual carriageway, i didnt know whether to slow down a bit just to let them past or to continue at 70mph myself! I went for the first option but it was a bit awkward having a police car, on call, crawl past like 2mph faster than me.
 
You wont get busted for overtaking them if they are going slower that the posted limit and you do so safely.

I overtake coppers often on the way to/from work (pass a police station). Granted I first hang up the phone and put my cornflakes down :D
 
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