Police Drivers - a question
Discussion
This is not intended to be a 'rant' thread or a critical thread, I merely have a genuine question regarding police driver training.
Last week I was in a 50mph string of cars in the wet, and the car in front of me was a police car. I think it was a Fiesta. This car was driving about 10 feet from the car in front for the two miles that I followed it - in the wet.
The other day I followed a police Volvo estate down off a dual carriageway onto a 4-exit roundabout. The police car took the first exit left. He started to indicate just as he was leaving the roundabout.
My question is what level of training to different types of Police driver have? Also, what are these difference types of Police driver? I'm assuming that a traffic policeman involved in pursuits etc will have more training than an ordinary PC using their car to do their duty? Am i right?
Again, not a criticism, but I was just interested as this isn't an area that I know much about.
Last week I was in a 50mph string of cars in the wet, and the car in front of me was a police car. I think it was a Fiesta. This car was driving about 10 feet from the car in front for the two miles that I followed it - in the wet.
The other day I followed a police Volvo estate down off a dual carriageway onto a 4-exit roundabout. The police car took the first exit left. He started to indicate just as he was leaving the roundabout.
My question is what level of training to different types of Police driver have? Also, what are these difference types of Police driver? I'm assuming that a traffic policeman involved in pursuits etc will have more training than an ordinary PC using their car to do their duty? Am i right?
Again, not a criticism, but I was just interested as this isn't an area that I know much about.
IaHa said:
The other day I followed a police Volvo estate down off a dual carriageway onto a 4-exit roundabout. The police car took the first exit left. He started to indicate just as he was leaving the roundabout.
Sorry, I should have been more descriptive there. There was a queue of cars waiting to join the roundabout at the road he left by. If he had indicated in advance then they would have benefited because they would have been able to join the roundabout.
You could also make the argument that I would have benefited, as I was following him and also going left. I like to have a complete picture of what everyone around me is about to do, as I find this makes my driving safer. Of course, tou can never *know* what people are about to as people can do all sorts of crazy stuff, but it helps to have an idea of what they are most likely to do. As a matter of fact, I was turning left and had got ready to accelerate away up that A road. The fact that he unexpectedly turned off meant that I had to forget the idea!
No-one is perfect at observation as well, and the police driver may well have not observed a pedestrian waiting to cross the road on the road he was going onto. If that pedestrian thought he was going straight on they'd be in for a nasty surprise as he swung left into their road as they were stepping off the curb. Of course, you should never trust an indication, but what if the pedestrian *did* trust an indication - not everyone is experienced or wise enough to doubt everyone's actions - it may have been a child.
Whilst we're oin the subject (though I don't wish to diverge the thread too much), I'm of the opinion that indicating properly doesn't take much effort (you should check your mirror before changing speed or course anyway, so it is just a little movement of your finger to go along with that), and it is safer to do it and have it go to waste 30% of the time, than to not do it and contribute to an accident where someone you haven't spotted relies on your lack of indication to tell them you're going straight on. Not spotting someone is a mistake, for sure, but making sure you indicate is doubling up your safety.
Anyway, back to my original point, this was in busy traffic, so he was clearly not driving correctly.
polus said:
[quote]You only have to indicate if another road user would benefit from it. Sounds like Volvo driver was driving correctly.
Why did he bother indicating at all then?[/quote]
Good point. I've never understood why people indicate as they move, or after they move - I already know they're moving!!! It is just poor driving IMHO - people should PLAN what they're about to do and tell other people about their plan. Advanced driving, in my humble opinion, is all about planning.
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