Rode shotgun in a polics car on pursuit

[Olly P]

My firend is a police officer and I've been tempted to join the force for many years. So I took him up on his offer of joining him in the patrol car for a few hours last night (10pm to 1am) in and around Lewisham, London.

Of all the things that I was impressed with the most, it was his driving. Wow! Talk about skills!

We were in a 2006 BMW 530d. 215bhp & 370lb.ft. Uprated brakes and suspension.

I used to think I was a pretty good driver. I feel I can handle a rear wheel drive car and am used to the performance of my 300bhp tubby. But this guy's skills were stunning. I'm not talking about exuberant and flashy skills, I'm talking about car control, anticipation and concentration.

The first time we got a call and he flicked the blue lights and siren on, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face. However, soon turned to as we raced through the town centre and residential streets. His cornering was especially impressive. You can see they've been taught like racing drivers. There is no breaking at all except in a straight line. When he turns, it's all about feeding the wheel and applying power. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

A few times the rear stepped out round longer sweeping curves at 40-50mph and it was all taken in his stride. His concentration for planning a route through traffic and pre-empting how vehicles in front will react left me flinching more than a few times as we whizzed past some cars with only a inch to spare Many times we'd approach slower moving cars in front at almost 50-60mph fatser than them. Hard on the brakes, manoeuvre through a gap, hard left through the lights with the rear tyres struggling for grip. Then 370lb.ft of torque kicks us up to 70mph through the high street, wrong side of the road - cars scrambling to get out of the way. Hard on the brakes, feed the wheel for a 90 degrees right hander, back of the power, overtaking a bus with only a few centimeters to spare on my side.

And he wasn't doing all this to impress me. He was just in the zone.

I just gave me a new level of respect for officers who drive on pursuit, and also highlighted that I'm not such a good driver after all.

Oh, and one more thing. For all you drivers who think the police use their lights and sirens to get through traffic even if they're not in pursuit of someone.... you'd be correct

[Steve Horrocks]

. You can see they've been taught like racing drivers. . . . . When he turns, it's all about feeding the wheel and applying power. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

...... left me flinching more than a few times as we whizzed past some cars with only a inch to spare Many times we'd approach slower moving cars in front at almost 50-60mph fatser than them. Hard on the brakes, manoeuvre through a gap, hard left through the lights with the rear tyres struggling for grip. Then 370lb.ft of torque kicks us up to 70mph through the high street, wrong side of the road - cars scrambling to get out of the way. Hard on the brakes, feed the wheel for a 90 degrees right hander, back of the power, overtaking a bus with only a few centimeters to spare on my side.


Oh, and one more thing. For all you drivers who think the police use their lights and sirens to get through traffic even if they're not in pursuit of someone.... you'd be correct

Good story, bet you enjoyed yourself, but i'm waiting with popcorn for the highlighted bits to be mentioned! lol

[Olly P]

. You can see they've been taught like racing drivers. . . . . When he turns, it's all about feeding the wheel and applying power. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

...... left me flinching more than a few times as we whizzed past some cars with only a inch to spare Many times we'd approach slower moving cars in front at almost 50-60mph fatser than them. Hard on the brakes, manoeuvre through a gap, hard left through the lights with the rear tyres struggling for grip. Then 370lb.ft of torque kicks us up to 70mph through the high street, wrong side of the road - cars scrambling to get out of the way. Hard on the brakes, feed the wheel for a 90 degrees right hander, back of the power, overtaking a bus with only a few centimeters to spare on my side.


Oh, and one more thing. For all you drivers who think the police use their lights and sirens to get through traffic even if they're not in pursuit of someone.... you'd be correct

Good story, bet you enjoyed yourself, but i'm waiting with popcorn for the highlighted bits to be mentioned! lol

It's a weird feeling when you're driving at those speeds, on the other side of the road and through speed cameras and red lights. 11 years of driving for me and then someone who's driving you around totally ignores everything you've been taught to obey. It didn't feel right

[JohnnyC]

Would loved to have joined the police force years ago to be in their traffic division

Not sure I could handle the responsibility of driving that fast on public roads though. It only takes pedestrians to not stop/look/listen or other drivers to not pay attention and there'll be a fatal accident, and you'd be suspended and up in court

Respect to the traffic cops

[pistol pete]

wicked story i bet it was a great night out..


but..

. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

you do that

[Ren0W]

wicked story i bet it was a great night out..


but..

. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

you do that

Exactly
Was suprised Steve didn't highlight that either

braking mid corner

None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

[willfinch36]

The police all seem to drive like total d1cks, it would appear... and no I dont ever break MID corner!

I have seen so many near misses between other cars and police cars racing about town centres

[Steve Horrocks]

wicked story i bet it was a great night out..


but..

. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

you do that

Exactly
Was suprised Steve didn't highlight that either

braking mid corner

None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

to be fair, I thought we all knew not to brake mid corner, I was more highlighting the trained like racing drivers bit with the notion of shuffling the steering wheel, something you won't see racing drivers do!

[Ekona]

No one shuffles the wheel after they've passed their test, until they hit the age of about 75 when for some reason they seem to start doing it again.

[dantheman]

No one shuffles the wheel after they've passed their test, until they hit the age of about 75 when for some reason they seem to start doing it again.

not true. at mallory park last weekend i found myself shuffling the wheel coming out of the hairpin. i saw i was doing it and i tried to stop it, but the corner is so tight you simply cant cross your arms. you'll end up with knotted arms in a tyre barrier

[rhamps]

Police using blue lights when not in a pursuit what idiots just show's they think they are above the law.

And trained like racing drivers LOL yeh they get trained but from what i have seen there are a few great police drivers but even more crap police drivers.

I nearly joined the police as well and been in Traffic car and well i wouldnt trust that driver driving normaly let alone on a Pursuit would be more scared of his driving than of the person he was chasing lol

[Olly P]

wicked story i bet it was a great night out..


but..

. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

you do that [/quote

I don't believe that you only ever apply brakes when going straight.

[Olly P]

]wicked story i bet it was a great night

. None of this crossing arms and braking mid corner that you and I do.

you do that

I don't believe that you only ever apply brakes when going straight.

[matt_mr2t]

Police using blue lights when not in a pursuit what idiots just show's they think they are above the law.

And trained like racing drivers LOL yeh they get trained but from what i have seen there are a few great police drivers but even more crap police drivers.

I nearly joined the police as well and been in Traffic car and well i wouldnt trust that driver driving normaly let alone on a Pursuit would be more scared of his driving than of the person he was chasing lol

You may think they're crap or dicks but the fact remains that all Police Drivers are trained, hardly any of the pubic are. So they are better trained drivers than the majority of people around.

What have you seen "crap" about a police driver?

Have you ever seen one fail to indicate left at a round about holding you up? Cutting down the outside lane then at the last minute, cutting in and turning left? Outside lane of a round about then going right? Sitting up your backside? Driving far too slow?

No. It's Jonny Public that do all those things. In all my years I've never seen a badly driven police car.

[Quigonjay]

i used to get regular rides in police cars in my yoof, never in the front though

[pistol pete]

i used to get regular rides in police cars in my yoof, never in the front though

[loudandproud205]

ive seen many badly driven police cars, ive been the back seat passenger in a few also.

every police drive is ADI accredited iirc therefore there all advanced drivers and have extensive training of predicting the road ahead.

i did the advanced driving bit for a while while i was working delivering renaults as they wanted all the people driving cars to have better road awareness, and some of the things they show you really opens your eyes on how to predict whats happening in front

[rhamps]

What have you seen "crap" about a police driver?

Have you ever seen one fail to indicate left at a round about holding you up? Cutting down the outside lane then at the last minute, cutting in and turning left? Outside lane of a round about then going right? Sitting up your backside? Driving far too slow?

No. It's Jonny Public that do all those things. In all my years I've never seen a badly driven police car.

I have seen lots or crap police drivers. One other day in front of my didnt indicate anywhere and was then breaking the speed limit too.

[Mike 'MR2' McHugh]

as evidence

[matt_mr2t]

What have you seen "crap" about a police driver?

Have you ever seen one fail to indicate left at a round about holding you up? Cutting down the outside lane then at the last minute, cutting in and turning left? Outside lane of a round about then going right? Sitting up your backside? Driving far too slow?

No. It's Jonny Public that do all those things. In all my years I've never seen a badly driven police car.

I have seen lots or crap police drivers. One other day in front of my didnt indicate anywhere and was then breaking the speed limit too.

Breaking the speed limit doesnt make any one a bad driver I'm sure you'll agree. In fact, if you can safely drive above the limit it makes you a better driver than some idiot who cant even match the limit.

As for indicating, well that does grind my gears. But only when it holds other people up, like turning left at round abouts. I usually yell and obscenity out the window at that point.