Motorcyclists with 'fake' Police vest [POLITE]

VincentHanna

VincentHanna

VincentHanna

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I've seen a few of these recently, bikers wearing a Hi-vis vest with the word

POLITE

In the exact same font/size as actual POLICE motorcyclists would have stenciled on their cloths

I don't really get the point of the vests either, as they thinking drivers will be more careful because they might think they are actual police? And what's the legality of these?
 
I’d say it’s probably a fine line to “impersonating a police officer”, though the reality is I doubt anyone would actually get prosecuted for it as they aren’t actually “doing” anything other than riding along.

I’ve seen the same thing for years with horse riders, never seen a motorcyclist with one on though.
 
Legal but mercilessly mocked by all other bikers for being ****s.

They normally have all white lids and some check pattern tape stuck on their bike somewhere.
 
tom_e said:
Legal but mercilessly mocked by all other bikers for being ****s.

They normally have all white lids and some check pattern tape stuck on their bike somewhere.
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My guess would be that the person willing to wear it is probably used to being bullied.
 
One word to describe them.. *****! Wear a hi-viz if you want but the polite ones are ridiculous. Only thing worse is the guys who buy a BMW and then do everything they can to make their bike and themselves look like the police. If you want to be a bike cop join the police!

Rant over.
 
I've seen a few cars stickered up on the rear to look like police cars too. Not really sure what they are trying to achieve. Maybe they think it will stop people from overtaking them? It didn't work.

It's legal as long as it doesn't actually say "Police".
 
They have been around for years. Not sure about legality but you also see polite used by councils on road signs.
Knowing how observant drivers in the UK fail to be I'm sure they catch lots of people out.
Andi.
 
I gave one a right talking to a few months back. I was heading to Scotland with a colleague. Joker riding in middle lane starts waving at me as I drive past then pulls out behind me and starts swerving around to much WTF from said colleague and I. We were both unsure if it was a police bike as it was made up like one.

I make progress and a few miles later I have to pull over on to the hard shoulder for a reason I can’t recall and said joker pulls in behind and gets off, walks to my side window and signals to put it down.

“Nice car mate”

I let lose and reported him. Utter tool and EXACTLY the nerdy tool you’d expect.
 
As a biker, I hate seeing these. Usually worn by old codgers or do-gooders on adventure bikes doing 10 - 20mph under the speed limit....
 
If I see one when I'm on my bike, I'll make a point to pull alongside them at a set of lights and shake my head at them.

Utter morons.
 
Dis86 said:
Horse riders have been wearing these for years.
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Are these the same ones that have hissy fits on social media every couple of weeks sharing pictures of the aftermaths of accidents with dead horses bleeding out over the road and hurling abuse at drivers for not acting responsibly around horses - but if you encounter them (individually - living in rural Somerset I know many horse riders who don't act like this) they act like they own the road, doing stuff like dicking around on blind bends then losing their **** when someone nearly hits them, etc. :(
 
There’s someone about here knocking about in a transit van done up with the police dice pattern / fluorescent scheme and “Dog Unit” on it.

It’s laughably bad, would have been better if it said “Dogging Unit” to be honest.
 
Rroff said:
Are these the same ones that have hissy fits on social media every couple of weeks sharing pictures of the aftermaths of accidents with dead horses bleeding out over the road and hurling abuse at drivers for not acting responsibly around horses - but if you encounter them (individually - living in rural Somerset I know many horse riders who don't act like this) they act like they own the road, doing stuff like dicking around on blind bends then losing their **** when someone nearly hits them, etc. :(
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I once saw a Horse going crazy in the middle of the road and it didn't want to let it's obese owner mount it. Wish I had a dash cam :D

A busy main road too just outside of a town, stupid place to ride a horse.
 
Jokester said:
There’s someone about here knocking about in a transit van done up with the police dice pattern / fluorescent scheme and “Dog Unit” on it.

It’s laughably bad, would have been better if it said “Dogging Unit” to be honest.
Click to expand...

Lots of security companies do that, if I'm not mistaken they can legally have blue/yellow battenburg markings as long as they're not retro-reflective.

Then there's their uniforms and kit which are clearly trying to emulate the police, but that's another matter.
 
VincentHanna said:
I don't really get the point of the vests either, as they thinking drivers will be more careful because they might think they are actual police? And what's the legality of these?
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I spoke to a copper on this some years ago and they'll do you for wearing one of these for impersonating a police officer. I'm sure one of the OCUK coppers will chime in shortly.
 
Quartz said:
I spoke to a copper on this some years ago and they'll do you for wearing one of these for impersonating a police officer. I'm sure one of the OCUK coppers will chime in shortly.
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They absolutely categorically will NOT "do" you for wearing one of these, as explained by the managing director of the company that makes them and supported by a number of very senior police officers that were consulted during the product's conception and development.
 
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