Getting in the Police's way

Priapus · 8 Sep 2006 at 10:54

Mr Joshua said:
I've always wondered this and it seems like a good thread to ask it - how much can you hear when you're on a motorbike with helmets etc?

You can hear a lot. I ride a motorbike everyday on highways ect. I am always looking in my mirrors and all around as you need to be extra crefule on the bike.I can hear everything, even a police siren a few 100 feet away.

Chronos-X · 8 Sep 2006 at 10:59

I'll wager the people who don't use their mirrors/aren't aware of flashing lights in the corner of their eyes from said mirrors are the same group who tailgate dangerously on our motorways

Dave M · 8 Sep 2006 at 12:43

Saw one idiot pull in alongside a crossing once (one of those with the bollards in the middle of the road). Poor copper had to go round the bollards onto the other side of the road to get past him as he'd completely blocked his side of the road.

Another time it was a dual carraige way and the idiot (woman in this case) actually stopped in the outside lane! IShe didn't even move when the police car had to stop behind her - some people had slowed down on the inside lane to let him past and they had to speed up again to clear the inside so he could undertake her.

I'm always stunned by the number of people who just stop and point their nose into the kerb when they hear sirens - for gods sake people if there's no room for him to get past you make best speed to a point where you CAN stop to let him past.

TheOtherPhil · 8 Sep 2006 at 14:26

Pug said:
heh, i had an ambulance come past me leaving the city towards the motorway, so i pulled to the nearside lane and let him pass, then pulled out behind him, and followed him onto the motorway. Once on the motorway the damn thing was holding me up! Went to overtake and proceeded to drive ahead of the amubalance (at 70mph) and got off at my exit. Joined the traffic at the roundabout and continued round only to be caught up again by the same ambulance. Pulled over once more and got a laugh and a thumbs up from the paramedic - hehe!

Yeah, our busses are limited to 90ish if people get out of the way and allow us to stretch it's legs. The trouble is that rarely happens on our congested roads. We then get people overtaking us and thus adding to the traffic in front. This then really slows us down as we have to fight through yet more traffic and especially approaching junctions/ slip roads.

I now drive a Police spec Volvo so nothing manages to get past me....and if you can't see this in your rear view mirrors, you must be blind!

RRV Front
RRV Rear

triggerthat · 8 Sep 2006 at 15:58

So shouldn't I need to worry about getting any points on my licence?

EddyG · 8 Sep 2006 at 16:06

Mr Joshua said:
I've always wondered this and it seems like a good thread to ask it - how much can you hear when you're on a motorbike with helmets etc?

You can hear quite a lot e.g. people shouting, horns, sirens etc.

I don't respect the Police all that much, I don't RUSH out of their way if I see them coming up behind me (Different story with Ambulances/Fire Engines).

Dunks · 8 Sep 2006 at 16:42

EddyG said:
I don't respect the Police all that much, I don't RUSH out of their way if I see them coming up behind me (Different story with Ambulances/Fire Engines).

Why is it differen't with the Ambulance/Fire service? Things can be life or death for the police aswell if they can't get through.

EddyG · 8 Sep 2006 at 17:06

DunK1 said:
Why is it differen't with the Ambulance/Fire service? Things can be life or death for the police aswell if they can't get through.

Yeah, I do move out of their way I just do it with contempt

timbob · 8 Sep 2006 at 17:20

Was in a car with a mate the other week, down a 40mph twisty A road, about 30 or 40 yards behind a girl driving a Ka. We heard, and then spotted an ambulance come tearing up behind us at a rate of knots, so my mate put his foot down and screeched into a small tarmac mini-layby area to let the ambulance past.

The girl had no idea the ambulance was coming up behind her until it steamed up to her rear bumper, whereupon she begun to slow, indicated left, and then just stopped.... right on a blind crest.... With an intermittent stream of oncoming traffic! The ambulance beeped at her, but she stayed there, until someone helpful coming the other way stopped to let the ambulance round the parked up Ka.

Some people's situational/spatial awareness is just laughably bad!