Traffic Cop Gets away with driving at 159mph

[Rawhide 0]

I'm sure it was the pigs in Orwells animal farm that said "everyone is equal, except some are more equal than others.."

 

Strangely ironic :roll:

[TomB 0]

The main problem I have is with the speeding in the 30 limit, 84mph is crazy. I don't mind admitting that I speed on 60/70mph roads when conditions allow, but I'm very well behaved in 30 & 40 limits, as you can never tell if someone is going to step out etc.

While I respect the fact that the police need to test the limits of their new vehicles, including handling, top speed etc. for when they have to use them in anger so to speak, surely there are airfields/training grounds for this?

Do you think the policeman and the judge were both wizards? :-)

[dazzyvr6 0]

This one ?

 

http://the-corrado.net/.archive/forum/viewtopic. ... highlight=

 

Yes I have read it mate, he measured it by eye using the speedo, real figure will be down by 10-15 %, so prob doing 150 MPH max,

 

Not wanting to argue about this really tho', suffice to say both cars are quick by anyone's standards,

 

Cheers

 

sorry to take it slightly off topic..so what your saying is if you bolt on a supercharger to a vr6 which has a book speed off 146mph your only gaining 4 mph??dont think so mate!!ive had 140+ out of my vr6 which is standardish which is verified by my sat nav

[andy 0]

Its got nothing to do with jealousy, it's got everything to do with fairness, justice and equality. You or I would be in prison if we had been caught doing 84 in a 30 and 159 in a 70 limit. Its wrong. Perhaps if the police spent a little less time and effort on penalising normal drivers I might have a little more understanding. It's a double standard and it gets my f*cking goat....big style. He's still doing the same job if you can beleive it, no fine, no suspension. Its a big green light for any police drivers to do the same. Not happy.

[dr_mat 0]

You or I are NOT trained police pursuit drivers, on duty in our single-purpose pursuit car. You and I are Joe Bloggs with a driving license we passed 10+ years ago where we never went above 50mph most likely.

TWO independant police officers declined to describe the guy's driving as either dangerous or reckless. They did indicate that the speeds were much over the limits, but also indicated that there was no traffic and that the conditions were dry and clear.

This guy is trained to do this. We paid for him to be trained, and then we gave him a powerful car, and we expect him to use it when we need him to, and that's what he does - he puts his OWN life on the line to stop idiots nicking OUR cars.

What're ya gonna do??

[samm_cvr6 0]

I don't have a problem with this guy doing 159 on the motorway at 4am,, if he has xenon headlights or whatever those really bright ones are called you would probably notice him coming up behind you. But there is a reason you get your license taken away at over 100 on a motorway, because over that speed, you have less time to react to other drivers who may not see you as you are going fast. But they really should of beefed up the brakes, if it was a mclaren slr or 911 tt that can stop quicker from 120 than most cars can from 60 then it would be understandable, but it's still a fwd vectra. I do have an issue with him doing 84 in a 30 tho, that is bang out of order regardless of condittions or time of day, he is then risking other peoples lives by virtue of being in a built up area. I think this guy may encourage others to do the same now, maybe other forums will be posting stuff like, "I just did 170 on the m54"

[BigTartanJudge 0]

dazzyvr6

 

sorry to take it slightly off topic..so what your saying is if you bolt on a supercharger to a vr6 which has a book speed off 146mph your only gaining 4 mph??dont think so mate!!ive had 140+ out of my vr6 which is standardish which is verified by my sat nav

 

Again, sorry to go off-topic, but what I said that he wasn't able to verify his actual speed accurately as speedo's are notoriously inaccurate and over-read, everyone knows that.

 

Just because the vr6 was supercharged doesn't necessarily mean that the top speed suddenly increases to 15 mph+ more than the top book speed. Top speed is governed by gearing and the rev limiter mate.

 

Cheers

[dazzyvr6 0]

ive done about 150 and wasnt on the limiter,was racing a scooby at the time,and as kev says the vr6 gearbox can handle quite a bit more,again verified by 2 gps devices,and my speedo is pretty accurate,its only reads about 4mph under

[rado-steve 0]

Mmmm...

 

Check this out:

 

http://img62.echo.cx/img62/9430/dsc026827fy.jpg

[dazzyvr6 0]

lol nice one

[samm_cvr6 0]

I'm not sure, I have "only" been up to 130 in my vr and I seem to remember the rev needle around 5k, I think the limiter would have to be raised to hit 160, and hasnt the vectra got a 6th cog that is obviously much taller?

[G60Jet 1]

The fact is he was speeding without due reason, he wasnt responding to a call. We all speed be it one or two miles above the limit, but how many of us do that speeds. If we get cought so be it, thats the price. the fact that he is an upholder of the law and speeding without due reason on public roads is unbelievable.

 

To me the honing the skill was an excuse that he cam up afterwards, lets face it you would if your lively hood was at stake.

 

As for getting to know the car, he has basically said he's driving at hi speeds in a car he doesn't know how will react to certain situations, therefore he should of been on a test track. The can be no justification for speeding without reason for police. the only reason is responding to an incident.

[Joe M 0]

This cop driving at 160 is probably safer than 90% of the drivers on the roads today travelling at 60, I dont have a problem with it.

 

 

A vr6 hitting a 7000rpm limit in 5th with the chip that comes with the vf-engineering kit on chrisvr6nos's car will mean its going at 169mph. 8) If it hits the limiter that is.

[Yandards 0]

Yes this copper was a trained pursuit driver and he was using a section of the countrys motorways for his top end 'testing'. While not the smartest thing to be doing at least it was a motorway even if it is just 2 lanes.

 

BUT I have to say that twice the limit in a 30 is just reckless, there are people around at 4am in the morning and he could have easily flattened a milkman before he knew what had happended.

 

I do speed, but at the same time I drive in an appropriate manner for the conditions and not at all in built up areas.

 

2p

[dr_mat 0]

Did I mention that TWO independent police officers REFUSED to describe his driving as reckless or dangerous? Despite the 80 in a 30-zone.. (We all know how 30 zones get plastered around all kinds of big roads with no reason sometimes...)

I'm sure I mentioned that...

We need more facts to judge for ourselves. Preferably his in-car camera footage.

[andy 0]

Most people speed, I know I do. The point is I only do it in appropriate conditions, I don't do 84 in a 30 ever. However I do regularly travel in excess of the limit on de-restricted roads when the conditions are good. I am more than capable of deciding for myself when the conditions are good enough. It's very sad to see people elevate police drivers to some kind of god-like status, they're human just like the rest of us. They are not the only people capable of making a decision about appropriate speed. If any of us were clocked at 35mph in the middle of the night in a 30 limit, do you honestly think that you could get away with it. 35 in the middle of the night could well be safer than 25 in the day. (But obviously the police are the only ones capable of making that decision)

[Walesy 0]

i agree....just because police officers put themselves on a higher level doesn't mean thats where they belong!. This is all ridiculous IMHO......i find it beyond comprehension that they are so blatently sticking together in an effort to let this officer get away with it so that he doesnt loose his job... corrupt!. Like everyone has said...we all speed now and then...and maybe the motorway is the best place for it ...but 160 on any public road at any time is just stupid ...if you ask me.

 

This cop driving at 160 is probably safer than 90% of the drivers on the roads today travelling at 60

 

........................eh?

:wink:

 

 

they're human just like the rest of us

 

hmmmm...not entirely sure about that one though?...... :wink:

[dr_mat 0]

It's very sad to see people elevate police drivers to some kind of god-like status, they're human just like the rest of us.

 

And human beings are capable of amazing things. Like flying planes 100 feet off the ground at 600 mph. I would imagine that driving on the M54 at 160 mph is a doddle by comparison. Good job there's no speed limits in the sky, isn't it?

 

I agree that on the evidence I have in front of me (i.e. anecdotal reports in the newspapers and tv) that I think 84 in a 30 zone was too fast, and I think he should get a major bollocking from his senior officers over that alone (even if just for bringing the service into disrepute), but since I do not possess all the facts, I do not deserve to state an opinion.. I certainly don't consider that I have a RIGHT to an opinion, since I don't know all the facts.

 

I will therefore leave it up to the judge and the prosecuting officers who DO possess all the facts.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I don't think what he did was so bad, but the more the morality of it i.e. the rest of the nation are penalised for breaking speed limits whilst he can saunter onto the M54 and do 160mph with no reprocussions, when not in pursuit of anything. Some people even lose the jobs for going over the speed limit, but he gets nothing more than free publicity as his punishment. He'll be on "Worlds naughtiest cops" next month....

 

That's like me barging my way to the front of the Post Office queue just because I work there, but am not working on that day.

 

If he wants to 'test' his car, what is wrong with Silverstone, or bentwaters, or bedford motordrome, or countless other circuits and tracks....let alone the Forces' OWN testing grounds.

 

I think it is right he is persecuted for it because it's not setting a good example to the rest of us. We are supposed to look up to the law.

[dr_mat 0]

You mean persecuted or prosecuted??

The other side of the morality argument is to say: when *do* we want these guys to do their vehicle familiarisation? Should it be announced in the local papers? They surely need to obtain some experience of driving at speed on public roads, cos that's what their job demands of them. Better they get that experience in a controlled manner at 4am on empty roads than have to learn quickly at 11:30 pm on busy roads...

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Persecuted by the press and made to feel he's done wrong...

 

It's obviously an highly emotive topic otherwise it wouldn't have found it's way into the headlines, would it?

And it's because the nation quite rightly feel bitter about being watched with Gatsos and fined for doing 35 in a 30 when knobber here can do it at will with no repros...

 

As I said....they are paid to be alert and ready for action should the need arise....they DO NOT need to do 160mph on public roads as a TEST because they have their own test facilities as I keep saying. Do you see the army firing live rounds near built up areas just incase urban warfare might ensue, or for practising weeding insurgents out?

[coolrado 0]

if people are saying its ok for them to travel at such ridiculous speeds on a public highway because they are trained experienced drivers, then why do rally drivers get stopped and given fines and points on their licences for going 3mph over the limit when driving between rally stages?

i doubt very much that any traffic copper is a better driver than any of the wrc drivers who got screwed for slightly breaking the speed limit.

and if they are saying its ok because they where driving on deserted roads at 4am then why not use a race track shurely that would be the safest option.

there is no excuse for this really, i freely admit i speed on the motorway on a daily basis to and from work but i accept the fact that i may get caught and penalised for doing so and have been in the past,

but i certainly would never even think of doing the same sort of speeds as the "flying pig" in 30 mph limits or built up areas

[Storm Warning 0]

I'm ashamed to admit this but I have often reduced my speed from 85 to 75 (yes i know its still speeding but be reasonable) because i've worked out that i'll add a couple of minutes to my journey but save a hand full in fuel (not to mention a more relaxing drive).

 

I moved this week and I have gone from having a 16mile twisty run to work to a 32 mile mainly dual carriage way run. My VR has gone from 300mile per tank to more like 400. I have now also reduced to 75mph and I think I will push it to 450mile a tank.

 

My approach to driving speeds is that 20,30,40 and 50 are 'limits' for a reason, breach of these laws should result in being penalised. If they are breached near schools in school hours you should be shot IMHO. I have a problem with the "national limits", the dual/motorway limit is just a throw back from someone getting pi$$ed about a bloke gunning it up the new A1 many years ago and they should be re-considered on a road by road basis, and depending on driving conditions.... the trouble is it won't happen, there is no discipline on the UK roads. On the autobahn's people gun it everywhere..if there is a 40 limit due to roadworks everyone slows to 40..not that hard is it?

 

It is a long long long way from acceptable for this guy to exceed the 30 limit so badly when not in an emergency. The 159 he hit if it was empty I would probably let him off as he only endangered himself. The fact in one 'session' he ragged it all over on many roads makes me think he was just playing about, not testing so he should have been punished. And if he was testing, did he fill out a test report? or was ordered to Test? Do the engineers a Vauxhall not do the tests already?

 

..my 2p over.

[dr_mat 0]

coolrado: the fundamental difference is that we actually pay this copper to drive fast on public roads, it's his job. Rally drivers are not paid to drive on open public roads. Skill is not the issue.

 

I agree with Kev to some extent - this story should generate *persecution* which will make this guy's local constabulary put in place proper procedures to deal with their practice sessions. Even if he'd radioed back and said "mark me as being on a practice session for 30 minutes" he would have had some protection from all this fuss because there would be corroborated evidence that he was on an official practice session. That at least would have diverted the focus away from his actions and on to the broader issue of police driver training.

(Which is really what this is all about.)

The headline grabbing approach is too tempting for the tabloids, however, obviously.

[andy 0]

And human beings are capable of amazing things. Like flying planes 100 feet off the ground at 600 mph. I would imagine that driving on the M54 at 160 mph is a doddle by comparison.

 

 

Of course it's a doddle. It takes no skill whatsoever to drive at 159mph on a deserted motorway. Exactly the point. If I drive at 101mph on a deserted motorway it requires entirely the same lack of skill. Yet....I will be banned, then lose my job. He has lost nothing, the smug t*sser.

 

I've known two Class 1 advanced police drivers and been in their cars on many occasions. They both demonstrated above average car control but if you think that they are immune to making mistakes you very wrong

I've seen both of them get it wrong. Anyway at 84mph in a 30 limit, your own skill is not the only factor. The road safety television campaign focuses on how many more people die at 35mph than 30mph etc. For the specific reason that other peoples actions come into the equation too. You can't possibly react to the unexpected at 84 in a 30, end of story.