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I sometimes wonder if Inspector gadget, well, isn't. 'There' instead of 'their'. A trivial mistake perhaps, but if you're publishing on the 'net, surely you'd proof read, in order to retain some credibility?
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It's easily done, all too easy to read what you thought and not what you wrote.
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Same goes for the ambulance world. Our new vehicles are a converted van, rather than the modular vehicles that are more expensive.
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When I worked at a Merc dealership in 98 there was a big problem with the modular Sprinter ambos DB, we had several brand new ones in the yard for weeks and weeks awaiting major rewiring work. The full-height cantilevered stretcher lifts at the back were never right either.
The current converted vans look better to me as an untrained observer, the red LEDs down the door edges show that some thought's gone into the conversion. I could of course be wrong.
Re the Inspector Gadget article about Focus 1.6 diesel estates, I can't see police response work and DPFs being especially good bedfellows.
Last edited by: Dave_TDCi on Thu 23 Feb 12 at 08:24
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>> I sometimes wonder if Inspector gadget, well, isn't.
I think he is. I've read his book, was spot on IMO, even though he's a rural officer and I wasn't I could relate to virtually everything he wrote.
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I think he's just peeved that TPTB won't buy them XJ12s any longer.
Unusual police cars seen over the years:
1) Th aformentioned XJ12 (On the motorway in Dorset going like the hounds of hell would, if you put bulldog clips on their scrotums).
2) Plain, red Sierra Sapphire 1.8L on the M1 around Northampton. Well, it *said" "1.8L" on the back, but as it had just overhauled a Vauxhall Carlton doing well over a ton with ease[1], I reckon it was actually a Cozzie with "Q car" badging. The parcel shelf that flipped up to display four flashing lamps and the word "POLICE" in the rear window was a nice touch.
3) MG Maestro Turbo. Operating out of Ponders End nick to catch the lads with nicked hot hatchbacks on the local council estates. As there were only three vehicles in production at the time that could top it for 0-60 acceleration and exotic supercars aren't usually used for joyriding it worked rather well, according to the Plod driving it that I spoke too.
[1] Yes, this did cause a serious jaw-drop moment from me while I was Carlton-avoiding in the middle lane at 80+.
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From the OP's link
"The new red and blue strobes on the roof of the vehicles are so bright that they disorientate drivers on the motorway who are trying to pass an accident scene at night, and create a second accident right on top of the original one."
Not just on the motorway. Last month I came upon an accident on the 'B' road out of Richmond to Brompton on Swale attended by a Police van with retina-toasting flashing lights. It was on my side of the road but I couldn't see ahead, even the Merc with HID dips that must have thought I was trying to ram it.
I didn't post at the time in case I got a rash of "get yer eyes tested" replies.
Perhaps such bright lights should have an 'after-dark' setting like traffic lights.
Last edited by: hawkeye on Thu 23 Feb 12 at 11:58
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>> Perhaps such bright lights should have an 'after-dark' setting like traffic lights.
>>
They do.
Trouble is there's so much stuff in the vehicles nowadays, half the time you don't know what does what....and there's no training...and no manual.
Just before I left, I covered the 'duty officer' role for someone else (working a shift in charge of the people covering '999' calls).
The new Ford Focus that had just been delivered, had a set up for putting on/off the emergency equipment that was not at all intuitive and despite some fiddling trying it out I couldn't get it right....so thinking it was just me being old and a technophobe...I asked three separate PCs in the back yard, people that used the cars every day...and they didn't have a clue either.
It is common practice for decisions like that to be made by people with no reference whatsoever to the end user.
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>> and there's no training...and no manual.
That surprises me, as I understood (from reading IG) that officers are given endless training in the use of every other tool and technique available to them.
Do you have to be a trained / enhanced driver to be allowed to use the blue lights? I saw a StJA van fitted with a blue light bar (albeit switched off) in traffic today.
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>> Do you have to be a trained / enhanced driver to be allowed to use
>> the blue lights? I saw a StJA van fitted with a blue light bar (albeit
>> switched off) in traffic today.
>>
There are also private courier vehicles in London, contracted to shift medical supplies/samples, which carry blue lights.
I'd assumed they were just for visibility etc and that drivers had no speed red light etc privileges.
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What's the deal with green lights - I thought they were for doctors, but say one on the top of a clapped out looking Vx Frontera carrying a small label on the back saying 'Animal Veterinarian' (What other sort is there ?)
I'd have raised the issue with its occupants, but they looked like they'd just been drummed out of Bouncer school for conduct likely top bring it into disrepute
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>> are given endless training
>> in the use of every other tool and technique available to them.
You get plenty of diversity training.
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>> Do you have to be a trained / enhanced driver to be allowed to use
>> the blue lights?
In the police, 'yes'...although non trained drivers can still drive the cars with the lights on, but they aren't allowed to use them. Guess what they do for some emergency situations....
When I say 'non trained', I don't mean not enough training or limited training...I mean no training whatsoever, just a DVLA driving licence. Can you believe a newish employee or a Special Constable can hop in and drive a marked police car with warning equipment.... with no training in the slightest?
I saw a StJA van fitted with a blue light bar (albeit
>> switched off) in traffic today.
>>
There are many other outfits that have blue lights etc...I have no idea what training they have.
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I had a connection with a mountain rescue team many years ago. They got a sponsored LWB "County" Land Rover once (they probably still have) - 5 burly chaps and their gear doesn't actually complement the handling of one of those. With the best will in the world a lot of them are egotists. One of them was driving this on blue lights, doing crazy overtakes on solid white lines on the way to a rescue. They were seen doing it and a number of complaints made - there were questions. They may be ace crag monkeys but untrained in driving beyond DVLA - The local Police had something to say about it.
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Inspector Gadget - motoring related - Woodster
