Blue lights on ex police vehicles petition... please sign!

[lynda]

The short version of the story, as I understand it from the ex Police Car club I'm a member of (PVEC), is that one member was arrested for driving with a blue light fitted on their ex police vehicle, and found guilty in court, though just released afterwards. The PVEC are now recommending that you don't even have a blue light / roof box / police lettering attached when driving, even if it's covered over. There's a petition now running to change the law so historic vehicles aren't subject to quite such major restrictions.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/blue-lights

Quote from the email they sent me: This issue does not only affect the small number of members of PVEC that own and run
preserved vehicles, but emergency vehicle preservation as a whole. By creating this
petition, we have a very small chance of getting the issue noticed by the people that
count, our Government, that are elected to serve us, the British public. By publicising
this petition to everyone that we know, we have more chance of getting even more
signatures, and the more of those we get, the higher up the list our petition moves.

One idea that has been muted, is that PVEC organise a large event involving as many
preserved emergency vehicles as possible. And while the Management Committee cannot
condone the waving of placards, or illegal blue light protests, we do support the idea of
a large organised gathering of preserved emergency services vehicles on private land,
perhaps with the ladies and gentlemen of the press in attendance, so that we can put our
side of the story, and inform them of the good that can be done with our mutual hobby.

[alex_holden]

I seem to see plenty of ricers driving around with blue underbody lights and all sorts of bright blue accessories being ignored by the police.

[aupickup]

well i personly think that ex police cars and the like should be driven with the full livery
someone may think they are real service vehicles at this time

[Alec]

Hello Lynda,

have you spoken to anyone in the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs? Their sole function as a club is to monitor legislation with regard to older vehicles and lobby Parliament and the International bodies on behalf of all vehicle clubs.
Have a look at www.fbhvc.co.uk, which should give you someone to contact on this question. I believe it would be beneficial.

From a personal view it is one more thing the police do to earn even less respect than they now enjoy?

Alec

[aupickup]

I seem to see plenty of ricers driving around with blue underbody lights and all sorts of bright blue accessories being ignored by the police.

yes but they are not imitating police or service vehicles, which is what we are talking about

[alex_holden]

I seem to see plenty of ricers driving around with blue underbody lights and all sorts of bright blue accessories being ignored by the police.

yes but they are not imitating police or service vehicles, which is what we are talking about

They are breaking the same law and getting away with it.

[aupickup]

well actually they are not breaking the same law, they are breaking the law for having blue underneath lights, but not imitating a police car

[leyther8008]

Some time ago in Classic van and pick up was a fire service Anglia van whose owner was running a blue beacon legally using a little know law about carrying fire extinguishers, or something similar might be worth contacting them to see if it could be envolked for police cars.

[dunketh]

I'm amazed anyone could mistake a proper 'old' classic for a modern operational police vehicle anyway!

I can see there might be room for confusion with things like SD1s and old Granadas but no-one in their right mind is going to mistake a Morris Minor for a modern panda car.

[MoggyTech]

This is just another example of the law being an ass. What do other drivers do if they suspect there is a Police car near them? They slow down and behave themselves, so there is no harm being done, unless someone is deliberately trying to pass themsleves off as being an actual Police Officer. I really hope the guy didn't get a hefty fine and penalty points.

[alex_holden]

I really hope the guy didn't get a hefty fine and penalty points.

Apparently the judge said he had no choice but to convict them of driving a vehicle fitted with a blue light because they were clearly breaking the letter of the law, however he did issue an absolute discharge.

[mal]

Just to add a slightly different angle.....
I wonder what the law says about the likes of cars being parked on a public road with full Police livery, also obviously driven along a public road to get to the parking place....
I know that the area in question is used as a film set, but I'm talking about the weeks when they are not filming and just drive the car there for the public to have their photo's taken with and make donations to charity, via a collection bucket.... Don't get me wrong.. I have no objection to this and it happens to be at my favourite place over the moors, but if they can do it why not everyone



Mal

[lynda]

My Dad used the police car for a wedding over the summer, and drove quite a lot of miles with the blue light and signs on... at the request of the police officer couple who were getting married! They didn't arrest him In theory I suppose they ought to have done, though it would have messed up their transport arrangements...

[aupickup]

as in life not what you know but who you know

[XDB]

no problem covered up surely. good luck with your petition, but if past experience is anything to go by i wouldn't bother wearing your keyboard out.

[Robins]

Afraid I'm with the law on this one, ex police vehicles should NOT be driven in full livery. Ok, you'd have to be pritty dim to think a minor police car is in service today but you can't have one rule for us and another for the rest can we. 80's cars are getting quite big in the classic scene and could be mistaken, even early 90's stuff is getting the restoration treatment now.
Put yourself in thought for a moment, your a thief and have an old car, a range rover for instance. The law is now changed and ex-police cars are aloud to drive around in full livery. Just think of the havoc you could create, impersonate the police and burgle old ladies. Be honest, if a policeman pulled up in a proper looking police car and flashed a fake ID how many of you would actually ask to examine it? Very few if any, especially if in uniform as well. And who are the only strangers people tell their children they are aloud to speak to? Think I've made my point.

[alex_holden]

But the law in question doesn't refer to impersonating a police vehicle. It simply applies to any vehicle fitted with a blue light or reflector that could be mistaken for an emergency beacon (which is open to interpretation - blue wiper ornaments might look like an emergency beacon if you caught a glimpse of them in your rear view mirror through the rain). It also applies to retired fire appliances, ambulances, mountain rescue Land Rovers, etc. It still applies even if the light is non-functional and/or securely covered. You can (probably) get around it by replacing the blue filter in the beacon with a clear one.

[Robins]

But having a blue light on an ex police vehicle IS impersonating a police vehicle. Thats the whole point! Why else would you want a blue beacon other to impersonate something you are not weather it be police, fire, amublance what ever??? it should still not be aloud on anything.

[Nadir]

...and, indeed, isn't, except for the real thing

[aupickup]

well said robins, i agree intirely