blues and twos

[pitstopbunny]

the other day I heard sirens approaching so prepared to pull over. The car that passed me was totally unmarked apart from it's sirens blaring and small blue flashing lights ....is this a legitimate emergancy vehicle and what is it - police?

[Ethel]

It may have been police, but the fire service and ambulance crew can also use this.

For example, a fire service chief can be out on duty in an unmarked car, and get called to a major fire alert. If he can get there quickly he is in an excellent position to assess the situation and liaise with headquarters.

Likewise with doctors.

[curlyfilm]

was it london, theres been loads of them, since the tube bombings, could be mi5 or sas

[almcd007]

Same thing happened to me a few years ago in Maida Vale. Three big Vauxhall Senators came flying along, sirens and small lights - the funny thing was that they were each packed with five very big (in girth) coppers obviously flying squad or something. It was just out of the Fast Show when they did a skit about the two fat coppers. The cars on this occasion were leaning over as it went over the junction - it was hilarious !!

It could have been an unmarked traffic car - you would not know them from any other car where we live - until they turn their sun visors down which have blue lights on them and lights in the grilles. You can often see their cameras in the passenger side front windscreen area.

[Buenchico]

You obviously don't live in Suffolk, PSB ;-)

Suffolk police keep a minimum of 2 unmarked vehicles operating on the A14, between Newmarket and Felixstowe, 24 hours per day. Additionally, they're widely used throughout the rest of the county. These vehicles only become noticeable when they turn on their sirens and their well-hidden blue lights. Anyone who regularly drives on main roads around here will encounter these vehicles, with their lights on and sirens sounding, several times a week.

As well as the unmarked traffic vehicles, we sometimes see other unmarked cars (often with plain clothes police in them) on an emergency call. The difference is that these vehicles have a magnetically mounted blue light stuck on the top of them, rather than the built-in lights of the traffic vehicles.

As Ethel says, senior officers from the other emergency services may also have magnetically-mounted blue lights to attach to the tops of their vehicles. Doctors cars can also have emergency lights but the regulations prohibit them from using blue lights. They have to be green.

Chris

[pitstopbunny]

I saw mine in Southampton, hardly crime centre of the UK!

[shero101]

Unmarked police cars patrol motorways. In the Southampton area this would include M27 / M3.

[BigDogsWang]

Trouble is, they use such a diverse range of cars. I saw a Skoda Octavia on the M11 some time back, which had pulled over a Subaru.

Now who would suspect a Skoda???

[Caladon]

Actually the Skoda Octavia is a very fast car and it has been shown on the BBC police show that used to be on at 9 on a monday, i think.

Years ago... and I mean years ago... it would have been a Vauxhall Senator, but the police haven't used those for 15 years as they are old and naff.
Then it would be the Cavaliers and Vectras.

These days it could be anything from a jag to a volvo to a range rover.
The only way to tell is by looking for the forest of antennae on the roof!

[sharkymoran]

Saw 2 vectras the other day in Maidenhead, Berkshire. One black and one silver with the blue lights flashing behind the front grille. Also saw an unmarked BMW on the M6 just north of Birmingham.

You just never know what unmarked vehicles local authorities use. As mentioned previously a forest of aerials is the best thing to look out for.