Coppers on M8..

[bertieduff]

Just a shout if anyone is on the M8 west of glasgow.

2 unmarked dark blue and silver BMW 530d's have been pulling people over all week like they're on commission..

Also seen a number of roadside checkpoints....be careful out there

[Dominic]

Just a shout if anyone is on the M8 west of glasgow.

2 unmarked dark blue and silver BMW 530d's have been pulling people over all week like they're on commission..

Also seen a number of roadside checkpoints....be careful out there

TA for the heads up.

[dezzy]

Cheers Bertie.

I've been driving in that area today and yesterday . . . thankfully didn't come across them! Although I did see two coppers on motorbikes pull someone over today, just before the 40mph restriction for the roadworks at the airport.

D

[pete]

errm not ure if I have mentioned this already but there was a silver unmarked Pan European parked outside teh Sheriffs court in Killie last week. Vascar and light units on the wing mirrors (bolt on and kind of stood out).

Also last noght I passed a black new shape CRV with a light unit on top (the type MWay maintenance have, not a roof bar but a magnetic unit with 4 lights in) at the lights by B&Q in Darnley jsut as I was coming onto the M77. It was dark so I presumed it was a flashing orange light, no marking on the vehicle.

I undertook him in traffic at the lights then pulled in front to turn right onto the M77. He flashed his headlights as I pulled into his lane (a good 6 car lengths in front of him) then ran a red light to keep up with me as I pulled onto the Mway.

That bit is always a bit congested so I pulled into the outside lane and accelerated up to 80ish tuts to clear the traffic then pulled back into the inside lane, he used what turned out to be blue lights to clear the traffic and catch up with me then paced me (I was doing 58 in a 60) for about a 1/3 of a mile with his lights turned back off. He then turned off at Newton Mearns (phew).

Very strange car to use, not really unmarked with the lights on top, and a starnge choice of vehicle, almost had me wondering if it could be neds but an unlikely car for them too...

[robin]

I wonder how it works legally if you refuse to pull over, but rather drive to a police station and say "these guys were chasing me on the motorway with a rather ebay-looking blue flashing light, flashing their headlights and gesturing at me; I thought they were neds trying to hijack my car so I've come here for protection." If everyone did that, they would soon revert to properly marked traffic cars rather than mobile tax raisers

Robin

[pete]

I wonder how it works legally if you refuse to pull over, but rather drive to a police station and say "these guys were chasing me on the motorway with a rather ebay-looking blue flashing light, flashing their headlights and gesturing at me; I thought they were neds trying to hijack my car so I've come here for protection." If everyone did that, they would soon revert to properly marked traffic cars rather than mobile tax raisers

Robin

-

When he initially flashed me i thought he was the sort who either get road rage or are a bit, shall we say, self righteous in their driving.

When he ran a red to get onto the motorway behind me it crossed my mind that he was chasing me - the sort of driver who likes to shake their fist. His lane choice joining the motorway was odd, he ran a red then sat behind me, suddenly not in a hurry.

His behaviour makes sense if he is a traffic cop, and I should have guessed sooner than I did (especially as he had gone to all the trouble of putting flahing lights on the roof), but you are spot on: his behaviour is EXACTLY the same up to this point as the mercifully few road rage incidents I or friends have been the victim of.

(Have printed that off to keep in my pocket. Next time I am pulled over by an unmarked car I'll just flesh out the road rage incidents, complain I still get flashbacks and if I can, cry. If it works I'll pay you a small royalty for the idea...)

[CSK_423]

Spotted the new shape 530d a few weeks back on the M8, I had been travelling back from Leeds and due to the length of time driving, everyone does it, your speed creeps up I was hovering around the 85/90 mark, just before the larkhall cut off I spotted a Silver car on the hard shoulder, foot on the brake to 70/75, passed it and pulled to the inside, it pulled out and sat behind me for about 3/4 miles, felt as if I had stopped with doing only 70mph.

[dezzy]

Does the blue 530d have blue flashy lights on top or are they inside the car? I was in Barrhead today and I'm sure I saw a dark blue BMW with blue police lights on top pull into a driveway. The copper might live up there, so worth watching out if you're in that area too!

[tenkfeet]

I wonder how it works legally if you refuse to pull over, but rather drive to a police station and say "these guys were chasing me on the motorway with a rather ebay-looking blue flashing light, flashing their headlights and gesturing at me; I thought they were neds trying to hijack my car so I've come here for protection." If everyone did that, they would soon revert to properly marked traffic cars rather than mobile tax raisers

Robin

Years ago I was chased/ raced by a Pug 306 with two neds in the front at about 3am in a bad part of town . As a good coward I bolted and when they followed closely even at lots of Tuts I decided to make for the petrol station so they could call the police or record my kicking on cctv. Guy ran forward and put his warrant card against the window and I was escorted to the car .

They said they had called a marked car to stop me . I was unhappy about their very aggressive driving to which I was told " this is not the Broncs". To cut a long story short I made my point and the lecture turned into dont do it again, all rather pointless really. I assume they must have rules to stick to when using unmarked vehicles.

[k12chu]

I wonder how it works legally if you refuse to pull over, but rather drive to a police station and say "these guys were chasing me on the motorway with a rather ebay-looking blue flashing light, flashing their headlights and gesturing at me; I thought they were neds trying to hijack my car so I've come here for protection." If everyone did that, they would soon revert to properly marked traffic cars rather than mobile tax raisers

Robin

i would think u could get away with that legally. well thats the law in few of the common wealth countries.
do we have any lawyers or experienced law breakers on SE?

[j2 lot]

unmarked cars are not permitted to stop vehicles and will invariably radio for a marked car to do stop while they keep in touch/follow/chase the target. If you stop they can then approach and identify themselves (warrant card).

[bertieduff]

The blue one has triangular grille lights that are pretty visible (they're at elise eye-level ) and a foot tall LED sign on the back parcel shelf. Nothing otherwise, but not hard to spot.

The silver looked the same, but have only seen this from a distance.

Saw someone pulled over today by the blue one at Hillington ...