Motorway + Police = Dilemma

[carvell]

I was out riding down the motorway today, at 80mph, the same speed as the rest of the traffic, when I spot a traffic police car (rather nice Mercedes as it happens) bimbling along the inside lane at 70mph.

Along with the rest of the traffic I slowed to 70mph, and just pulled in behind the police car, because as they were going 70mph I wasn't about to over take them for obvious reasons. My exit was coming up anyway so I just turned off.

You obviously don't want to be sitting behind them for your entire journey, you want to go faster than 70mph! Someone told me that they won't care as long as you're under 80mph, but I obviously don't really want to test this out.

What would you do in this situation?
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Yamaha TDM 850

[GSXR]

I usually cruise past at an indicated 75-80 as I always think it looks far more suspicious if you brake and pull in behind.

I've never been pulled for this behaviour but maybe I'm just lucky....
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GSXR | Ian
| 1991 GSX-R 1100M | 1994 XR600R | 1965 BSA C15T | 1970 Woman | 2001 Daughter | 1989 Leathers |

[Kickstart]

Hi

Slowly wander past at about 75. For a start your speedo over reads so at an indicated 70 you are probably doing about 65.

All the best

Keith
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[Smoto Bob]

Strangely I undertook a police car coming up to traffic lights lucky spotted him as I ducked in front of the traffic at the front of the lights

Anyway let him overtake so he thought he was winning and followed him down the duel carriage way at 85 mph along with all the other traffic?? Then in the 50 he slowed to 70, just like I do sweet.

Don’t think there that bothered when in a marked car, there just creating a little moving legally driving bubble.
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Titz wrote: "..and my 3rd accident was when this police car....."

[Visitor Q]

Lol smoto bob couldnt put it better myself, i love seeing police cars (in hindsight of course, at the time its a pain in the arse) cos youll be ragging the nuts off your bike quite merrily, racing some hooligan nova boy in a baseball cap down the duallys, ooooh shit its a panda and suddenly its like that scene from the ali g movie, watching the speedos up to 30 etc, and EVERYONE does it. I mean true i am of the perception police are alright people, and i want to join them at some point, possibly the bike police (would they let me have an R1 i wonder... id paint it white lol ) and i just get talking to them if pulled/in trouble.
Is it just me tho, but isnt it lovely to see them when you are completely legal and have done nothing wrong in the past week or so that they would want to chase you up for and you seem them out. Even give them a little wave sometimes . Always a good laugh.
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[Frost]

unless seriously bored the police are just out and about to keep things running smoothly be removing trouble makers.
the police want the traffic to keep flowing just like you do and are unlikely to pull you over for doing 75 when allmost everyone is doing it. the police normally use their own judgement so long as your within 10% of the speed limit.

your only really likely to get pulled if your speed is vastly greater than everyone elses, or that your being unsafe.

still its advisable to be safe rather than sorry!

[Ninja]

they'll think less of you if you only realise they are there and match their speed just as you approach them and then end up making a rolling roadblock . . . they'd far rather see a reasonable flow of traffic as long as you're not taking the piss.
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL

[T.C]

Having spent many years Policing the Motorway, I can assure you that if you cruise past at 75 - 80 you will be pretty well left alone.

The normal cruising patrol speed of a Motorway car is 55 - 60 and anyone who is braking from excessive speed will be spotted some distance back and they are the ones they are usually after. The plain car usually leaves those under 100 alone.

What you have to be aware of is when passing a junction and they do and "Up and Over"!
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It is better to arrive 30 seconds late in this world, than 30 years early in the next

[Adam_P]

While on the way to get my bike serviced the other week I saw a Mercedes traffic car on the A1. Same thing happene with me, I pulled in behind him and followed him. I stayed with him for about 20 miles or so. It was actually quite cool, felt like I had my own personal police escort!

All the rest of the traffic slowed right down and daren't overtake it, so it got to the point where I realised that I'd be late if I stayed at his pace, so I got up to between 75-80 and cruised past him, even got a wave from him.

It helped me because with still being fairly new to riding I wasn't really looking forward to the blast up the A1 against the lorries and arsehole reps. But everyone behaved while it was there, gave me a decent amount of learning time too, and he did eveything corrctly (indicate etc) I reckon he must have thought I was checking up on him!
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
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God is imaginary

[Frost]

just before christmas a friend barrel rolled his car a few times after hitting some ice. it was an a reasonable stretch of country road late at night. An unmarked police car came to our aid. whilst it was parked next to the mangled wreck cars and bikes sped past well in excess of 70-80mph.
yet as soon as a marked police car turned up everyone crawled by at 50ish.

Basically the police aren't stupid, they know exactly what we get up to on the roads, and unless were taking the piss, they have better things to do.

I would class overtaking a police car as taking the piss, most normally keep up a decent pace, and cannot easily be overtaken without breaking the speed limit

[carvell]

Thanks for the input guys.

In future I'll just cruise past at 75mph.
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Yamaha TDM 850

[Bendy]

I've always thought the key to speeding (on the motorway anyway) was to be going at about the same pace as everyone else. You can be coming down the M4 at night and the folk in the inside lane are doing 90, you're doing 100, it's all cool. It's when you're going blatantly faster than the rest of the traffic that you have to start worrying.

Twice I've had a cop car come up alongside when I've been 'making progress' and they just gave me a look (as I duly slowed down) and buggered off. Both times I've been over the ton, but it's been quiet and I haven't been riding like an arse. Goes to show they're not out to do everyone for every little thing.

[Adam_P]

Are you sure its not been because they've come up behind a girl on a bike in black leathers Bendy?
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Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[Ninja]

[Bendy]

[dainesefreak]

I usually just slide past about 5mph faster than they are travelling, that is until I get a decent distance ahead. Then I just make progress as normal.

I actually came past a police Nissan 4x4 thing the other day. He doubled back on an island on a dual carriageway is was on. I was waiting to cross and he turned in front of me, as I came over and up behind him I had to decide what to do. It was obvious that I could quite easily out accelerate him up to the speed limit and I'd look a twat if I just pulled in behind him.

So I pulled out and pulled past him at about 75mph, as the gap stretched out a bit I upped it to about 80 and carried on as normal.

On route we passed the police station and I though that's where he'd be heading, but there in my wing mirrors was approaching police Nissan.

Hmm, I thought, is he going to come up along side me and give me a knowing look or a slow down signal. No, he pulled through the central reservation and doubled back to a small accident on the other side (truck pulled out of a layby into a car).

If that was him on a shout I wouldn't like to see him taking his time!

[GFK]

Do you not think that could possibly because the speed limit is 70mph? If you're 'sitting at 90/95mph', and there's nobody else on the road except for you and a traffic cop, you *will* get pulled.

The speed limit doesn't change just because the roads are empty.

[Danny]

[T.C]

[Bendy]

Damn.

My car's red.

[Danny]

As long as it's red car not bike I'm fine.

[dainesefreak]

[Ninja]

[Luke_Retrofly]

Hi
I had a police biker overtake me when I was doing 70, on a contry road, i didnt know he was there. I think he wanted to race or something because he nearly decked out his Pan on the coners afterwards . I followed his lines though theyw ere a bit extream. He was going so wide to get a view of the corner he was over the white line . He was fast though and on a PAN .

Luke

[Ninja]

there's nothing wrong with using the other side of the road to give you better viewpoint and positioning for maneouvring. People are generally irrationally scared of placing themselves on the 'wrong' side of the road - do with a bit of common sense tho'!
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James
4 wheels transport the Body ... 2 wheels transport the SOUL