Speeding Durham Police Driver Disciplined Over 140Mph

[interestrateripoff]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tees-25877943

A police driver has been disciplined after a prisoner he was transporting reported that he drove at 140mph.

According to the Northern Echo, the Durham Police officer was travelling from Leeds and began speeding when he was asked by his passenger how fast the marked vehicle could go.

On arrival at Darlington, the prisoner told another officer about the drive.

Durham Police said the PC's licence had been suspended and he had been removed from road policing duties.

'Driving school'

Supt Darren Ellis said: "We are aware of this complaint, which concerns an allegation of a marked police vehicle being driven at excess, and inappropriate, speed while transporting a prisoner back from Leeds into our force area.

"There were no other reports from members of the public reporting the police vehicle being driven at high speed, or dangerously."

He added that the PC had been formally sanctioned and was subject to "an action plan concerning risk management and decision-making".

"His licence has been suspended, including removing his pursuit capabilities", he said.

"The PC will also have to go through a driving school re-assessment before returning to full operational duties."

And if he was Joe Bloggs probably instant driving ban!

If it was a marked police car speeding you would assume it was travelling to an incident and nothing was amiss. My first thought wouldn't be I bet a prisoner has asked how fast it can go!

Can't wait for the inmate now to submit a claim for psychological distress.

[Guest eight]

Can't we just sack him?

[The Eagle]

Yawn, so what, here in Germany (where I am currently) I see people driving at that kind of speed all the time, I cruise at 100-120mph frequently too and despite that accidents don't seem more common here than in the UK.

Speed isn't dangerous by itself, distraction is the cause for most accidents.

---

[scrappycocco]

I was disciplined many years ago, I was young and took it like a gooden. I got 3 points for doing 36mph in a 30 on a empty road clear for a mile at 11:30pm, not one person saw me doing it except the bloke that had a speeding quota to meet. His exact words were "I heard you going fast" lol; scumbag didn't even see me as he was parked round the corner. Also scumbag had to make an illegal turn to get onto the road before even hearing me come by. Many disciplines followed until I moved to a place that I wouldn't need a car as much. Some classic ones:

1) Can I ask you what your doing here sir - Hold on let me just put my phone down, I stopped to use the phone.

2) I'm reporting you for doing 38 in a 40, you nearly killed me - he was driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding of course, I was sorry. No NIP ever received.

3) I pulled you over because your eyes looked strange, have you been doing drugs.

4) I pulled you over because you were weaving left and right - a single lane road because cars parked either side.

5) I pulled you over because your fog lights were on - the car didn't have fog lights

[worzel]

I was disciplined many years ago, I was young and took it like a gooden. I got 3 points for doing 36mph in a 30 on a empty road clear for a mile at 11:30pm, not one person saw me doing it except the bloke that had a speeding quota to meet. His exact words were "I heard you going fast" lol; scumbag didn't even see me as he was parked round the corner. Also scumbag had to make an illegal turn to get onto the road before even hearing me come by. Many disciplines followed until I moved to a place that I wouldn't need a car as much. Some classic ones:

1) Can I ask you what your doing here sir - Hold on let me just put my phone down, I stopped to use the phone.

2) I'm reporting you for doing 38 in a 40, you nearly killed me - he was driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding of course, I was sorry. No NIP ever received.

3) I pulled you over because your eyes looked strange, have you been doing drugs.

4) I pulled you over because you were weaving left and right - a single lane road because cars parked either side.

5) I pulled you over because your fog lights were on - the car didn't have fog lights

That's a lot of cautions. Do you look like someone the police would want to pull over?

I think I've only ever been pulled over twice, and whilst not fan of the police, I was driving like a bit of a nob on both occasions.

[ccc]

Yawn, so what, here in Germany (where I am currently) I see people driving at that kind of speed all the time, I cruise at 100-120mph frequently too and despite that accidents don't seem more common here than in the UK.

Speed isn't dangerous by itself, distraction is the cause for most accidents.

---

Not quite the point though

[MrPin]

That's a lot of cautions. Do you look like someone the police would want to pull over?

I think I've only ever been pulled over twice, and whilst not fan of the police, I was driving like a bit of a nob on both occasions.

Dressed like Batman?

I've only been pulled over about 5 times in 30 years. Usually when I was younger, and it was late, and the police have nothing better to do

[the gardener]

Yawn, so what, here in Germany (where I am currently) I see people driving at that kind of speed all the time, I cruise at 100-120mph frequently too and despite that accidents don't seem more common here than in the UK.

Speed isn't dangerous by itself, distraction is the cause for most accidents.

---

Germany's road death toll is over 50% higher than the UK.

[MrPin]

Germany's road death toll is over 50% higher than the UK.

I've always thought Germany was one of the safer places to drive, certainly round town, but you are correct, there are more deaths there! There are many Autobahn Arseholes.

[The Eagle]

Germany's road death toll is over 50% higher than the UK.

Most road deaths don't happen on motorways but rather in towns and on A or B roads.

See here for how German motorways compare:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn#Safety:_international_comparison

[the gardener]

Most road deaths don't happen on motorways but rather in towns and on A or B roads.

See here for how German motorways compare:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autobahn#Safety:_international_comparison

See here for the ETSC's verdict

empirical evidence indicates that all instances' of introduced speed limits on German motorways have caused very large casualty reductions.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/may/13/speed-limits-reduce-number-road-deaths

[DTMark]

I had a car which could do 149mph and we got 146mph out of it once. Just once, on a the M4 on a bright almost traffic free Sunday morning for a very brief "let's see how fast it can go" experiment.

The only other vehicle we encountered, an HGV doing around 60mph, appeared and vanished like it might in a video game.

Even with no traffic at all, it is ludicrously fast. I am not convinced that human beings can respond safely at these speeds in a dire emergency let alone "showing off".

[MrPin]

I had a car which could do 149mph and we got 146mph out of it once. Just once, on a the M4 on a bright almost traffic free Sunday morning for a very brief "let's see how fast it can go" experiment.

The only other vehicle we encountered, an HGV doing around 60mph, appeared and vanished like it might in a video game.

Even with no traffic at all, it is ludicrously fast. I am not convinced that human beings can respond safely at these speeds in a dire emergency let alone "showing off".

I'm sure many of us have been this naughty once.

That's a lot of "one half M V-squared", for your brakes to cope with! Even when I've driven in Germany, I've not been driving at this speed. Too tiring, and the tank empties rather quicky! Anything over the"ton" is a bit scary. You should try it on a motorbike. Certainly not like a video game!

[1929crash]

There are many Autobahn Arseholes.

Ah! So that's what ausfahrt means.

[MrPin]

Ah! So that's what ausfahrt means.

The declensions of the verb "fahren" are always amusing to British schoolboys.

[1929crash]

The declensions of the verb "fahren" are always amusing to British schoolboys.

[longtomsilver2]

I have maxed out an R1 on a motorway heading out of Shropshire towards Wales. I'd say above 140mph is when things really start to get hairy and I'm assuming the police car would have been capable of at least 155mph (my car will do 147mph on paper). He was stupid to do this in front of a prisoner that is all.

[MrPin]

I have maxed out an R1 on a motorway heading out of Shropshire towards Wales. I'd say above 140mph is when things really start to get hairy and I'm assuming the police car would have been capable of at least 155mph (my car will do 147mph on paper). He was stupid to do this in front of a prisoner that is all.

Pretty daft I would say! Give the man a 1970s Morris Minor Panda car!

[Guest eight]

I had a car which could do 149mph and we got 146mph out of it once. Just once, on a the M4 on a bright almost traffic free Sunday morning for a very brief "let's see how fast it can go" experiment.

The only other vehicle we encountered, an HGV doing around 60mph, appeared and vanished like it might in a video game.

Even with no traffic at all, it is ludicrously fast. I am not convinced that human beings can respond safely at these speeds in a dire emergency let alone "showing off".

It is in excess of two miles a minute. A mile every twenty five seconds or so. I can't believe anybody is defending him, he might be Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel but he's Andrea de Cesaris in the brains and judgement department. Would you also consider it OK for armed police to discharge their weapons on request so long as they don't aim at anybody?

[The Eagle]

See here for the ETSC's verdict

empirical evidence indicates that all instances' of introduced speed limits on German motorways have caused very large casualty reductions.

Well of course, because the Germans only introduce local speed limits on stretches that are accident black spots!

That article is so typical for the Guardian, they distort the facts to match their views, despite right at the beginning they admit that statistically there is no difference in fatalities between motorway stretches with speed limits and stretches without:

But do speed limits affect the number of deaths on motorways? A 2008 report by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) found that of the 645 road deaths in Germany in 2006, 67% occurred on on motorway sections without limits and 33% on stretches with a permanent limit. The fact that 33% of German motorways have a permanent limit and 67% have either a temporary limit or none means that these figures [...] show that having a speed limit does not the lower the number of fatalities on motorways.

Local speed limits on dangerous stretches are a good thing, but a general speed limit is an unnecessary restriction of personal freedom that doesn't have any benefits.

[The Eagle]

I had a car which could do 149mph and we got 146mph out of it once. Just once, on a the M4 on a bright almost traffic free Sunday morning for a very brief "let's see how fast it can go" experiment.

The only other vehicle we encountered, an HGV doing around 60mph, appeared and vanished like it might in a video game.

Even with no traffic at all, it is ludicrously fast. I am not convinced that human beings can respond safely at these speeds in a dire emergency let alone "showing off".

There is a big difference between driving a hot hatch at the limit or driving a large powerful car built to travel at high speed over long distances (such as a 5 series beemer or other similar cars) at 120-140mph. With large cars it doesn't even feel like you are driving that fast.

[MrPin]

There is a big difference between driving a hot hatch at the limit or driving a large powerful car built to travel at high speed over long distances (such as a 5 series beemer or other similar cars) at 120-140mph. With large cars it doesn't even feel like you are driving that fast.

It does if it's a convertible! My wig fell off! Now I have a car with a roof! I don't think police drivers should be "showing off" like that!

I've always had a liking for the "larger than is necessary" car, but I will say again, try it on a motorbike! 120 on a motorbike is quite scary!

[the gardener]

Well of course, because the Germans only introduce local speed limits on stretches that are accident black spots!

That article is so typical for the Guardian, they distort the facts to match their views, despite right at the beginning they admit that statistically there is no difference in fatalities between motorway stretches with speed limits and stretches without:

Local speed limits on dangerous stretches are a good thing, but a general speed limit is an unnecessary restriction of personal freedom that doesn't have any benefits.

No, it is you that is distorting. As the article says, the 67%/33% figure takes no account of traffic volumes. Thus the 33% of motorway with speed limits that accounts for 33% of casualties may actually carry 90%+ of traffic volume and thus the other 10% or less of traffic on the other unrestricted motorways have 67% of fatalities. Still sound good?

[The Eagle]

may actually carry 90%+ of traffic volume and thus the other 10% or less of traffic on the other unrestricted motorways have 67% of fatalities. Still sound good?

Making up figures doesn't help your argument...

[Guest unfunded_liability]

It does if it's a convertible! My wig fell off! Now I have a car with a roof! I don't think police drivers should be "showing off" like that!

I've always had a liking for the "larger than is necessary" car, but I will say again, try it on a motorbike! 120 on a motorbike is quite scary!

Day before it was sold back to the dealer I took my cbr sports bike up to around 130mph on the M4 just to see what it felt like. Bends came up frighteningly fast. Very scary, and acutely aware that any issues with the bike, road or other traffic (it was 2pm on a monday ) and it was all over (the road).