Police car chases

[lalaland 10]

The police do what they have to do. They're very well trained in high speed driving and so long as people pay attention when sirens are blazing, things tend to run smoothly.

 

And if not then the driver is trained to take that in to consideration and act appropriately.

 

One thing that is worrying is when you get behind a car with blues and twos going and they are completely unaware of your presence. Obviously you have to act accordingly and can't force your way past them or get too close but I often wonder what on earth these drivers are doing on the road if they are unaware that we're behind them.

[lalaland 10]

I don't say they should back off in all instances but I think that they should take it a bit more easy when the offence is only a minor one, exciting though driving fast with impunity is for them.

 

Believe it or not but bluelight runs aren't that exciting.

 

Perhaps for the first few a new officer may think they are exciting but when you're making 15 grade ones in a shift you tend to get used to them quickly.

 

As for the driver, they are anything but exciting. There's a hell of a lot of responsibility. You need to get where you are required, but you need to do it safely. If you hurt or kill someone else you'll be in for it.

[Tipex 10]

How can South Yorks. police defend their actions in chasing a car at high speeds through a residential area (Sheff Star 17/6/2008). Yes the driver concerned was totally irresponsible, idiotic and a danger to society but for the police to exacerbate the situation by starting a high speed chase is surely as bad as the drivers actions. On Monday evening, on our journey home, A patrol car decide to switch on his blue lights and run a definite red light causing three lanes of traffic to brake and swerve, this was to apprehend someone using a mobile phone. As a advanced driving assessor I am becoming increasingly worried about the attitude portayed by many, not just police, driving under blues and twos. Any comments by other road users.

 

Are you serious?

[wizadooo 10]

How can South Yorks. police defend their actions in chasing a car at high speeds through a residential area (Sheff Star 17/6/2008). Yes the driver concerned was totally irresponsible, idiotic and a danger to society but for the police to exacerbate the situation by starting a high speed chase is surely as bad as the drivers actions. On Monday evening, on our journey home, A patrol car decide to switch on his blue lights and run a definite red light causing three lanes of traffic to brake and swerve, this was to apprehend someone using a mobile phone. As a advanced driving assessor I am becoming increasingly worried about the attitude portayed by many, not just police, driving under blues and twos. Any comments by other road users.

 

 

I would be interested to know your qualifications, IAM or ROSPA perhaps ? Both of which are on a par with students having completed week 1 out of a 2 week standard Police Course. The word advanced in both of these civilian courses relates to observations primarily and has nothing whatsoever to do with handling a vehicle at speed or safely negotiating traffic at speed, both are which are skills learned with excellent training.

 

Your comment that the Police are as bad for starting any `high speed chase` really doesnt deserve an answer ! I assume you would rather the Criminals rule and the Police only deal with those who surrender at the first intervention.

 

Back to the real world...............

[wizadooo 10]

Would any of you care to explain to the relatives of innocent road users killed/maimed due to low standards of emergency vehicle driving the importance of catching mobile phone users or seeing how many medical emergency vehicles on one call at the same time.

 

I assume you have examples of this ?

[wizadooo 10]

That's just it, through the police training and the guidelines involved in a pursuit the police driver isn't having to justify driving more dangerously then the person they are chasingthey are driving more safely the majority of the time.,

 

Im sure if you read this back you will see it needs correcting, I would like to think that during a Police Pursuit the bad guys may be driving dangerously due to their lack of experience, however, a suitably trained Police Officer can follow at similar speeds and maintain safety and control without being dangerous, if this is not the case then they should abort.

 

Remember, once a Pursuit reaches a Tactical Phase Officers are told....."Do not put yourself or any member of the Public in Danger....". Clearly most pursuits are inherently dangerous, however, an assessment of facts should dictate a proportional response.

 

If you do anything against your training, it is you the individual who should and will justify your actions.

[wizadooo 10]

seen and know better taxi drivers we r the guys with the experience on the roads im sure when that blue light comes on its only cause its break time and there bacon sanie goin cold

 

Made me chuckle in a sorry for you way !

[Darbees 10]

impunity noun

exemption or freedom from punishment, harm, or loss

 

Hardly.

The officer was cleared in that instance, quite rightly too.

[StarSparkle 10]

Would any of you care to explain to the relatives of innocent road users killed/maimed due to low standards of emergency vehicle driving the importance of catching mobile phone users or seeing how many medical emergency vehicles on one call at the same time.

 

I admit it worries the hell out of me that there are so many high-speed car chases involving the police. I'm really concerned at the level of danger it puts members of the public in.

 

It is a complex question, as of course the police should be apprehending wrong-doers, and trying to catch car-thieves before they cause any harm to anyone. But I can't think it's a good idea for the police to get into an adrenaline-filled, all-out car chase with what is likely to be a group of irresponsible young men, who are desperate to get away, and are panicking, and who will take the most outrageous risks with their own lives, and potentially those of passers-by, in order to get away.

 

There must be a better way of catching criminals surely...

 

And chasing after someone using their mobile while driving - of course it's illegal, and I hate seeing drivers doing it, it is SO irresponsible - but surely by chasing in a situation like this, the police are simply putting the public in more danger?

 

I don't have an answer or anything, but these high-speed car chases seem a very dangerous way to go about things.

 

StarSparkle

[Darbees 10]

Believe it or not but bluelight runs aren't that exciting.

 

I don't believe it and since I presume you enjoy your job I presume you will enjoy that part of it with your new found skills. I've seen officers shaking with excitement from adrenalin rush after car chases.

[Darbees 10]

And to DIVA i understand your point, but believe it or not, when your driving a white and orange car people see you a mile away and stop talking on their phone.

 

One thing that is worrying is when you get behind a car with blues and twos going and they are completely unaware of your presence. Obviously you have to act accordingly and can't force your way past them or get too close but I often wonder what on earth these drivers are doing on the road if they are unaware that we're behind them.

This is why no matter how highly trained you are there will be idiots who make the situation dangerous if you approach at high speed.

[StarSparkle 10]

I don't believe it and since I presume you enjoy your job I presume you will enjoy that part of it with your new found skills. I've seen officers shaking with excitement from adrenalin rush after car chases.

 

 

You can see that in some of these 'car chase' programmes. It has GOT to be an adrenaline buzz for the traffic cops, whatever they say - it's human nature.

 

Surely the police must be able to deal with catching these criminals in a less utterly dangerous manner? I'm horrified by some of the things you see on these 'police in action' programmes, so very irresponsible.

 

StarSparkle