Suspicious white Skoda - M5 Cheltenham area
Discussion
I was going south through the road works 50 mph area near Cheltenham this morning when a white Skoda estate came past at about 60 mph in the outside lane. I was curious because there was some kind of a circular (but low and flat) LED light fitting on the roof - not the normal straight bar across the roof you usually see on a plod car. Strangely for a white car at this time of year it was immaculately clean. It disappeared into the distance and stayed ahead after the 50 limit ended but I later caught it up as it was filtering left to leave the motorway at Gloucester. As I passed I had a look at the driver - female wearing a black / dark navy blue coat or jacket. She was the only occupant of the vehicle as far as I could tell. Was this some kind of police car I wonder and what was its purpose? Are they using it to catch people exceeding the road works speed limit? Has anyone else seen it?
There were no additional markings of any kind on the car. Most highway maintenance vehicles have some kind of markings but this was without any. Also it was sparkling clean. I didn't become 'interested' in it until it had gone by and was mostly studying the lights on the roof, so failed to notice if there were additional mirrors. I frequently drive between Bristol and Tewkesbury and of the four sets of 50 mph motorway road works I go through only two have the average speed cameras. The works around Cheltenham and Tewkesbury have no obvious enforcement, with the result that most traffic does 55 - 60 mph and some of it nearer 70 mph. I half suspect this car was there for that purpose.
BTW, keep a lookout for a BMW 3 series estate, metalic grey / bronze paintwork. I had a little blast on the Avon ring road recently and suddenly saw a BMW 3 series eastate in a grey / bronze colour appear rapidly from the roundabout behind me (the one where the road from Pucklechurch joins). I was half way to the Emmersons Green roundabout - by Sainsburys. He accelerated rapidly to close the gap, which must have taken him close to 100 mph. Nothing annoys me more than people who want a race - or unmarked plod taking an unwelcome interest when I'm having fun. So, I kept within the limit including 30 mph on the roundabout (nobody does that!)and he followed me to the next roundabout - by the Premier Inn, where I had to stop for the lights. Only the driver was on board. I checked him careflly in the mirror -wearing a black or dark navy jacket and shirt. Very suspicious! I behaved myself to the next roundabout - by the Willy Wicket and stopped at the lights on the inside lane as I was intending to fill up at the Shell station. As soon as I signalled left I saw him do the same. When the lights chenged I turned left and signalled right,pulling to the centre. He then shot past on my inside and off towards Downend at a speed certainly above 30 mph. Possibly he was miffed because all my details checked out and he hadn't caught me doing anything wrong? I'm glad I saw him in time to avoid anything unpleasant.
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