little rant

[ReamviThantos]

Or "not guilty m'lud."

 

[bilmo-p5]

Only if he impersonates a Policeman whilst he's wearing it.

 

[decorum]

what can i say? we all have our pet peeves

Indeed we do . Why do you think these vests exist at all? It's to make some* road users pay a bit more attention to other users. If someone decides to slow down and / or give a bit more room when doing so because they thought it was a Police hi-viz vest shouldn't they have done so anyway?




* Not a crack at car drivers, it's about not reading the road ahead and not respecting other users and their right to be there ~ a bicycle suddenly zipping past a horse can have much the same effect as a car would .

 

[Bushwhacker]

Only if he impersonates a Policeman whilst he's wearing it.

That could be possible. He looks older than some of the ones I've seen!

 

[santaman2000]

wearing army clobber/surplus and not being in the army isn't illegal whereas (potentially) impersonating a police officer is.

I understand impersonating a police officer is illegal. But "potentially?"

 

[Bushwhacker]

If I wear a suit am I potentially impersonating a CID officer, thus breaking the law? No wait, I'm wearing my normal clothes. Am I now potentially impersonating an undercover officer?

 

[Ichneumon]

In your flat cap and tweed coat, with a ferret under your arm, I now realise you were impersonating a game-keeper Paul. Silly me!

 

[presterjohn]

I think the vest is quite clever. Clearly you are meant at first glance to think it's the police so you slow down. By the time you are close enough to see you were mistaken you have indeed slowed down to a safer speed. Everyone is a winner!

 

[Niels]

I want one! Good for walking the dog at friday night when drunk 18 year olds are driving around.

 

[Bluezephyr]

I'd like to see it compulsory for horse riders to have to use high vis vests on the road, I don't see the need for ones that make riders, cyclists or pedestrians appear (until you get closer and read it properly) to be police orificers.

 

[Paul_B]

Same effect as my dad's old sierra sapphire. Back in the day traffic cops on the motorway used to drive these white sierras with the saloon boot just like my dad. He could drive at speed up to cars sat in the middle or outer lanes and they'd move in quick as you like. Made journeys a bit quicker!

I actually think these vests can be used in a slightly fraudulent way. You do see on local news occasionally where villagers on a busy road wearing them as part of a campaign to get cars to slow down. Tricks like pointing a hairdryer at motorists whilst wearing vests like these. Also, whilst not illegal and possibly beneficial to riders they are getting a response from motorists due to the way people misread / mis-interpret these vests. I personally dislike that almost as much as drivers and riders who do not respect other road users. Dislike cyclists riding on pedestrian pavements a hell of a lot more. That's my main rant subject.

Although I do have a problem with traffic officer vehicles on motorways. You're traveling within the motorway speed limit (OK, you're speeding a bit). Then you see these sat on those motorway spots where police used to park with hi viz markings and the word "officer" on the side. Could be mis-interpreted as a traffic cop. When they're mobile going abt 60-65mph they cause other motorists to likewise slow down suddenly thinking they're cops. Causes bunching of vehicles which can a potential hazard. Perhaps their vehicles could be made hi-viz but less police-like.

 

[santaman2000]

I'd like to see it compulsory for horse riders to have to use high vis vests on the road.....

Next they'll try to make it mandatory for horsemen to wear some kind of helmet!

 

[ebt.]

Theres a few sites selling them, some of whom have statements about police consultations.

I dont see the issue myself, if you change your driving as a result of seeing one, surely that means you dont think your driving was appropriate to the conditions?

 

[joejoe]

if you cannot tell the difference betwen polite and police you are not driving sensibly

 

[rik_uk3]

Its a polite notice, handy in certain circumstances and I can't see any issue with them to be honest. I checked the date this thread was posted as my first thought was its an April Fools' day wind up.

 

[spandit]

I saw them for sale at the bike show a few months ago. They're blatantly supposed to look like "Police" but you'd have trouble trying to impersonate a copper by wearing one. Clever idea, really

 

[decorum]

So you're saying that when my boy starts riding soon, on a very tiny pony, in some country lanes,

For a bicycle rather than a horse ...

Found here ~ available elsewhere too.


.

 

[Tristar777]

Get a life. Anything that makes drivers slow down and take care is a good thing! What we need is more police bumps and cameras about the place and make em pay for there law breaking habbits! And as for those that talk on thier phones while driving... Instant ban and retake the test is appropriate!

 

[Lister]

For the record, i don't speed, never have and see no point in it, just one of them things, in a similar ilk, there was this:
http://www.blowe.org.uk/2012/08/how-is-this-not-impersonating-police.html humorous really.....

 

[wattsy]

bit off topic but does anyone else feel that horses have no place on the roads? they move really slowly, leave mountains of cr#p everywhere and then randomly kill/injure people when a bird flies past too close. great in fields and maybe quiet country roads but not A roads and busy cities/towns. at the least the riders should pay road tax to pay for their 'emissions' to be cleared up.