Following a speeding police car

DannyDan · 1 Feb 2012 at 19:50

This evening I noticed a police car on the motorway pacing speeders, so thinking he'd probably be too pre-occupied with them to do anything about me, I kept up with him at a reasonable distance behind to see whether he managed to get anyone (he didnt).

Lo and behold, a few miles further on he slows right down and lets me pass him (at the speed limit), and when I left the motorway he followed me and pulled me over. He told me that he could "easily take me to court" for speeding using the video obtained from his rear-facing camera, but would let me off with a warning this time.

My first thought is that he probably wouldn't be able to do any sort of speed check and was just a bit annoyed that I'd been following him.

Anyone know whether the police can/do prosecute vehicles following them?

Zero Pope · 1 Feb 2012 at 19:52

Yes, the cameras record the speed of the cop car at all times so even the rear facing one will gave a record of you keeping up with him.

MrMoonX · 1 Feb 2012 at 19:58

yeah thats quite a lot of fail logic on your part

the camera would have recorded you keeping up with him and his calibrated speedo would have recorded his speed, indicating you were speeding. Also the courts will take the word of a copper over yours.

Id take this as result I didn't get a ticket

Burnsy2023 · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:00

DannyDan said:
Anyone know whether the police can/do prosecute vehicles following them?

Yes they can.

Nathan · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:05

jesus, just dont do it. He can prove you were speeding and yes he can speed without blue lights for certain criteria.

Jono8 · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:08

lol. Playing with fire there my man!

alexthecheese · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:12

I kept up with him at a reasonable distance behind to see whether he managed to get anyone (he didnt).

He got you.

Pretty failtastic. Hehe.

PhillyDee · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:12

Why would you do this?

NathWraith · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:12

You were very lucky

Maccy · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:14

Valuable lesson learnt here I'd say.

MOOGLEYS · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:16

Why....

Steve M · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:17

Why on earth would you do that?!

Scania · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:19

NathWraith said:
You were very lucky

And quite daft too!

Type_R · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:26

Loads of muppets in and around London that I have seen doing exactly this! Why, now that is the ultimate question!

ecksmen · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:26

DannyDan said:
see whether he managed to get anyone (he didnt).

Yes he did, he got you!

For me, the rules of speeding are thus:

1) Don't stand out.
2) Be prepared if you get caught.

If everyone on the motorway is doing 80, you do 80 (rule 1) then you'll fit in and if you do get caught it's just "unlucky" (rule 2). If everyone is doing 80 and you do 95, you stand out and will get targeted.

therealnerd2 · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:28

haha, that's brilliant. Guessing you'll learn from that!

Cosimo · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:32

What a daft thing to do. Luck has been on your side today.

DannyDan · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:38

PhillyDee said:
Why would you do this?

It's not as though I was tailgating him, I was a fair distance behind and wasn't going any faster than 80. Admittedly that was faster than the other cars around and I guess thats why I caught his attention.

Oh well, epic fail on my part, lucky he was a nice chap I suppose

Housey · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:48

If he nicked you for 80mph on the motorway it would have been a bit harsh to be fair, but personally tailgunning a feds car is not the act of a wiseman. They get a bit "yes but we are the law" on these sort of things.

pdw8 · 1 Feb 2012 at 20:50

Slightly OT but It's quite annoying when you come across a marked police car that people refuse to overtake (motorways) when they are British Transport Police or MOD police. I usually overtake them regardless as they are not allowed to pull you over.