London Olympics - what a waste!

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Message 1198487 - Posted: 22 Feb 2012, 14:43:49 UTC - in response to Message 1198477.  

refers to drivers having been trained to drive emergency vehicles at high speeds with the Blues & Twos operating.

I don't think any ambulance of fire engine driver is trained to drive at high speeds through heavilly populated towns or cities like London. An ambulance driver is a medical officer who does not go into Ferrari driver mode when driving an ambulance. He is subject to all laws and speed limits the any driver in London. If a fire engine driver exceeds the speed limits he is subject to causing death by dangerous driving the same as any London driver. He has no right to go through red lights and is breaking the law if he approaches a zebra crossing with people nearby too fast, the same as anyone driving recklessly. The same applies to police car drivers. They are not above the law.

There is one exception, who train to drive vehicals at high speed through towns. They are the motor cyclists who get VIPs at high speed from, e.g., Heathrow to Buckingham palace without the VIP vehicals stopping even once, racing past the VIPs again and again to bar the traffic for the continually moving VIP vehicles.


Just goes to prove that old maxim... "one law for us & one law for them"
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Message 1198506 - Posted: 22 Feb 2012, 16:41:53 UTC - in response to Message 1198477.  

refers to drivers having been trained to drive emergency vehicles at high speeds with the Blues & Twos operating.

I don't think any ambulance of fire engine driver is trained to drive at high speeds through heavilly populated towns or cities like London. An ambulance driver is a medical officer who does not go into Ferrari driver mode when driving an ambulance. He is subject to all laws and speed limits the any driver in London. If a fire engine driver exceeds the speed limits he is subject to causing death by dangerous driving the same as any London driver. He has no right to go through red lights and is breaking the law if he approaches a zebra crossing with people nearby too fast, the same as anyone driving recklessly. The same applies to police car drivers. They are not above the law.

There is one exception, who train to drive vehicals at high speed through towns. They are the motor cyclists who get VIPs at high speed from, e.g., Heathrow to Buckingham palace without the VIP vehicals stopping even once, racing past the VIPs again and again to bar the traffic for the continually moving VIP vehicles.


Not quite:

While using blue lights, drivers are exempt from a number of motoring regulations, including

treating a red traffic light as a give way sign
passing to the wrong side of a keep left bollard
driving on a motorway hard shoulder (even against the direction of traffic)
disobeying the speed limit (police, fire and ambulance services only)
[...]
There is no requirement for people driving emergency vehicles to be trained beyond a normal driving licence. Drivers of police, fire and ambulance vehicles who wish to be exempted from speed limits will be required to be officially trained. This rule has been included in a 2006 Act but it has not yet been made law.


UK Law has these provisions in various traffic acts, for example, the Section 87 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 states:

No statutory provision imposing a speed limit on motor vehicles shall apply to any vehicle on an occasion when it is being used for fire and rescue authority, ambulance or police purposes, if the observance of that provision would be likely to hinder the use of the vehicle for the purpose for which it is being used on that occasion.

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that ...

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Message 1198532 - Posted: 22 Feb 2012, 18:15:13 UTC

Police exemption from speed limits.....

Police RTI's

Bent cops.....there is quite a lot to focus on in this link, however scroll down about 20% for traffic offences...

featured Cops

The 2012 Olympics is going to be a "Happy hour" for the type of incidents in the links provided....

...just wondering how many will be published? Probably ZERO as it would be bad publicity for London at that time & when the games are over, watch them get brushed under the carpets......
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Message 1198549 - Posted: 22 Feb 2012, 19:41:13 UTC - in response to Message 1198532.  
Last modified: 22 Feb 2012, 19:46:15 UTC

Police exemption from speed limits.....

Police RTI's

Bent cops.....there is quite a lot to focus on in this link, however scroll down about 20% for traffic offences...

featured Cops

The 2012 Olympics is going to be a "Happy hour" for the type of incidents in the links provided....

...just wondering how many will be published? Probably ZERO as it would be bad publicity for London at that time & when the games are over, watch them get brushed under the carpets......


That is a lot of deaths!! I did not realise they were so high...thank goodness
that Police cars use sirens and blue flashing lights else these figures would be far-far higher?
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Message 1198562 - Posted: 22 Feb 2012, 20:13:49 UTC - in response to Message 1198506.  


While using blue lights, drivers are exempt from a number of motoring regulations, including

treating a red traffic light as a give way sign
passing to the wrong side of a keep left bollard
driving on a motorway hard shoulder (even against the direction of traffic)
disobeying the speed limit (police, fire and ambulance services only)

No quite. It's got nothing to do with blue lights and no statute specifies that you can do the above if you have a blue light. What the law say is the you must not do certain things (like those you indicated above) unless "where there is an emergency". And you don't have to be a policeman, fireman, ambulance man or even an ordinary man. Even an ordinary woman can exceed the speed limits "in an emergency". No blue light or any kind of light is mandatory or necessary. For example highway code 264 (highway codes are based on law) says "You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police". The 'you' could be anybody without a blue light.


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Message 1198811 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 15:19:24 UTC

"it's a great show". Armed officers from the Metropolitan police and the Royal Marines hammering along the Thames in speedboats and helicopters, ground-to-air missiles scanning the skies, hovering spy drones scanning the land, security services scanning the internet for nascent plots or cyber attacks – it's all being co-ordinated by a bevy of Olympic-themed security agencies.

"security costs now stand at £553m." [link]


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Message 1198853 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 17:12:19 UTC - in response to Message 1198811.  
Last modified: 23 Feb 2012, 17:12:47 UTC

"it's a great show". Armed officers from the Metropolitan police and the Royal Marines hammering along the Thames in speedboats and helicopters, ground-to-air missiles scanning the skies, hovering spy drones scanning the land, security services scanning the internet for nascent plots or cyber attacks – it's all being co-ordinated by a bevy of Olympic-themed security agencies.

"security costs now stand at £553m." [link]


Well, at least we all can feel safe whilst the Olympics are on.

Metropolitan police and the Royal Marines hammering along the Thames in speedboats and helicopters


Good, that should keep the Somali pirot's away...don't wont them trying to cash-in on events.
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Message 1198990 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 21:23:30 UTC - in response to Message 1198562.  


While using blue lights, drivers are exempt from a number of motoring regulations, including

treating a red traffic light as a give way sign
passing to the wrong side of a keep left bollard
driving on a motorway hard shoulder (even against the direction of traffic)
disobeying the speed limit (police, fire and ambulance services only)

No quite. It's got nothing to do with blue lights and no statute specifies that you can do the above if you have a blue light. What the law say is the you must not do certain things (like those you indicated above) unless "where there is an emergency". And you don't have to be a policeman, fireman, ambulance man or even an ordinary man. Even an ordinary woman can exceed the speed limits "in an emergency". No blue light or any kind of light is mandatory or necessary. For example highway code 264 (highway codes are based on law) says "You MUST NOT drive on the hard shoulder except in an emergency or if directed to do so by the police". The 'you' could be anybody without a blue light.

From my experience an unmarked police car does not have to obey the traffic laws (within reason) if they are (for example) following another vehicle as part of an operation.

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Message 1199000 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 21:39:17 UTC

I just feel that it is a shame that some sections of the left wing press seek to denigrate it. Still I suppose we shouldn't expect much better from the open toed sandal brigade should we.


Do this lot still drive around in "Saabs"??


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belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message 1199020 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 22:17:20 UTC - in response to Message 1199005.  
Last modified: 23 Feb 2012, 22:18:05 UTC

From my experience an unmarked police car does not have to obey the traffic laws (within reason) if they are (for example) following another vehicle as part of an operation.


I don't know for sure Es but I would suspect so. It's all about common sense isn't it. If we want emergency vehicles to do their job, then we have to accept that certain rules that apply to the rest of us will not apply to them.


Of course the police and drivers of emergency services have to obey the law and are not above the law. But as Es points out "(within reason)". If there is evidence that a police or any emergency service were breaking the law when they had no sufficient reason to do so they get prosecuted the same as jo public. The police cannot just speed and flaunt the law because they are police and just because they are driving an unmarked police vehicle.

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Message 1199024 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 22:22:19 UTC - in response to Message 1199005.  

From my experience an unmarked police car does not have to obey the traffic laws (within reason) if they are (for example) following another vehicle as part of an operation.


I don't know for sure Es but I would suspect so. It's all about common sense isn't it. If we want emergency vehicles to do their job, then we have to accept that certain rules that apply to the rest of us will not apply to them.


I remember when an unmarked police are drove into the front of a local cafe during a police chase. Fortunately no one was hurt, but there were a lot of very angry people who'd been sitting there with children when it happened. It could have been very bad. I don't know what the outcome of that was, and whether the police were found to be behaving recklessly.
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Message 1199029 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 22:29:51 UTC

I'm trying to formulate our Prime Ministers post Olympics speech for him.
I have started to list a few good pointers for the P.M. to emphasise upon.
Yet doing so has lead to a reality check on my part.


Pointers:-

1). A resounding success
2). Robust security measures proved crucial
3). Massive benefits to the community as a whole
4). Came within budget
5). A legacy for future generations to benefit from
6). Put Britain back on the face of the map by showing the world what we can do


Reality:

1). Seemed just like any other Olympics held in the past.
2). al-Qaeda groups take their holidays this time of year plus their not into sport anyway, but only in the drugs that they sell to the participants.
3). No one lives there yet, so no community to consult upon any benefits experienced
4). Which budget, the first one set or the last one.
5). A legacy of extra tax's to pay to subsidise/maintain all the leftover unused facilities
6). Were called the London Olympics so at best only put England back on the map

I think I best give up on writing political speeches....to damned painful.



The Kite Fliers

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Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message 1199038 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 22:51:50 UTC - in response to Message 1199029.  


Reality:

1). Seemed just like any other Olympics held in the past.
2). al-Qaeda groups take their holidays this time of year plus their not into sport anyway, but only in the drugs that they sell to the participants.
3). No one lives there yet, so no community to consult upon any benefits experienced
4). Which budget, the first one set or the last one.
5). A legacy of extra tax's to pay to subsidise/maintain all the leftover unused facilities
6). Were called the London Olympics so at best only put England back on the map

I think I best give up on writing political speeches....to damned painful.



You missed 7). Britain won a shed load of medals and don't we all feel so proud


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Message 1199041 - Posted: 23 Feb 2012, 22:57:59 UTC - in response to Message 1199038.  
Last modified: 23 Feb 2012, 22:59:23 UTC


Reality:

1). Seemed just like any other Olympics held in the past.
2). al-Qaeda groups take their holidays this time of year plus their not into sport anyway, but only in the drugs that they sell to the participants.
3). No one lives there yet, so no community to consult upon any benefits experienced
4). Which budget, the first one set or the last one.
5). A legacy of extra tax's to pay to subsidise/maintain all the leftover unused facilities
6). Were called the London Olympics so at best only put England back on the map

I think I best give up on writing political speeches....to damned painful.



You missed 7). Britain won a shed load of medals and don't we all feel so proud


I would feel much prouder if the UK was able to maintain it's tripple A rating status within the financial comunity at large. Should then lead to more people here keeping their jobs, the Olympics wont feed them what ever the results gained by the UK.
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belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message 1211939 - Posted: 30 Mar 2012, 15:38:59 UTC

Everyone might as well go on holiday for a few weeks as it seems we're going to be gridlocked, not just on the roads but on the Internet as well......

Net Gridlock/Capping?
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Message 1211992 - Posted: 30 Mar 2012, 16:58:32 UTC - in response to Message 1211939.  

Everyone might as well go on holiday for a few weeks as it seem......


A move I've already taken, Sirius. With Woodrow Wyatt's Journals to read over
this period to keep me well occupied and away from the traffic congestion that
we may have to suffer.




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Kite fliers: An imaginary club of solo members, those who don't yet
belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message 1212031 - Posted: 30 Mar 2012, 18:38:04 UTC

Does this mean my dial up ISP account will suffer from contention?
It's good to be back amongst friends and colleagues



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Message 1212455 - Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 18:09:23 UTC - in response to Message 1212441.  

A move I've already taken, Sirius. With Woodrow Wyatt's Journals to read over this period


Well why stop there? I'm sure Sirius can supply you with a load of well thumbed back copies of the Mail to take with you :-))))



Oooohh....back copies. What are they? I'm an up to date old fart...I go online..
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Message 1212503 - Posted: 31 Mar 2012, 19:18:57 UTC - in response to Message 1212481.  

No problem. I'm a gracious old fart, I let the young enjoy the same pleasures I did at their age, rather than inhibit them like many old fogeys are doing at the moment.
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Message 1212714 - Posted: 1 Apr 2012, 6:58:41 UTC - in response to Message 1212441.  

A move I've already taken, Sirius. With Woodrow Wyatt's Journals to read over this period


Well why stop there? I'm sure Sirius can supply you with a load of well thumbed back copies of the Mail to take with you :-))))

Sirius, can you loan me some back copies of the Mail, please...


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belong to a formal team so "fly their own kites" - as the saying goes.
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Message boards : Politics : London Olympics - what a waste!


 
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