Driving along with police car behind me

[Iloverain]

I did not know here to post it. Am probably absolutely Aibu to worry?
NC.
I’m fairly newish driver in late 40s I would say not much confident.
I was driving yesterday from work.
A police car gave me a way on a busy roundabout and drove all the way behind me across quiet town where I live- about 3 miles- behind me all the way.
I was keeping the speed 30 ( got to 31 for a split of a second) but was nervous, thinking are they observing my driving, am I too slow, should I give way too oncoming vehicle in a narrow road if the vehicle was too still far..
Tell me I got nothing to worry about- as I said I don’t drive often, once a week maximum really.
I am now worry that I will get some fine for wrong kind of driving.
In the end I turned into my road and they kept driving but still.

[DeclineandFall]

I always think police cars are fucked off when they get behind someone, as everyone slows down to the speed limit. I was behind a police van yesterday and they'd lost me by the next roundabout as they were going over the limit by a fair bit ( no blue lights on)

[idontlikealdi]

I've driving for 25 years, I hate having a police car behind me even though I have never done anything wrong.

[amusedbush]

@0blio

When I started driving I was given this advice - 'Drive as though a police car is behind you and your children are in the car in front.'

It sounds as though it was just a coincidence they drove behind you, if you've done nothing wrong you've nothing to worry about.

I always think of the TV adverts that say "drive like your granny's in the car"

I've been driving for years and I still feel like a criminal when a police car is behind me!

[LadyJaye]

For what it's worth, OP, I've held a license for more than 20 years (I also have a Class 1 license and regularly drive a 12T lorry). I'm a confident, competent driver, and I get a bit nervous when a police car sits behind me for any length of time.

We've all been there - as PPs have said, if you'd done anything, they'd have pulled you. You're fine.

[poppycat10]

@DontGoIntoTheLongGrass

You'd have been pulled over if you were doing something wrong. Likely they were following you and running your plates to check insurance and such. Could have been just driving around and gone same way as you.

Very unlikely that they were checking details - they were just going the same way.

[poppycat10]

@DeclineandFall

I always think police cars are fucked off when they get behind someone, as everyone slows down to the speed limit. I was behind a police van yesterday and they'd lost me by the next roundabout as they were going over the limit by a fair bit ( no blue lights on)

They must laugh when they get onto a motorway and everyone sticks rigidly to 70!

[InTheNightWeWillWish]

I think most people get nervous when they are being followed by a police car.

DH was pulled over by the police (mid twenties male, leaving the pub at Christmas time in VW golf so he was pulled for suspected drink driving, he’d only got 500m down the road before they pulled him) and he was still so nervous that he forgot to put the handbrake on while they breathalysed him. They didn’t make him get out the car for the test and he just kept his foot rammed on the foot brake. He’d only had a Pepsi and coffee with the meal so was obviously fine to go on his way. It was my works Christmas do and we’d both taken our own cars but I was giving a male colleague a lift home first. The police were watching the pub car park and went after DH as he was the only male in the car by himself, every other car had a clear designated driver.

I was driving to work and the police had a road block to catch drunk drivers. They were stopping all cars. The police asked me when I last had a drink and I became so flustered and couldn’t remember. I stammered and the police just waved me through before I’d actually remembered when my last drink was (couldn’t smell any alcohol in the car or on my breath).

If they had reason to stop you, they would have done.

[wesowereonabreak]

If you were keeping the speed, they must have been very grateful!

So many drivers slow right down when followed by a police car, and it's infuriating for them .

[Bluedeblue]

You've got nothing to worry about. I was an Officer in the past and my DH is one now. This isn't something the Police do.

[rainbowthoughts]

Next time just find a suitable spot and pull over.

[Northernsoullover]

I always shit myself when the police are behind me too! Don't know why. I don't drive like a dick.

[Woeismethischristmas]

I’ve been pulled over a lot during lockdown, drive a camper van in a tourist area, police make me nervous. I know my vehicle is taxed, insured,mot’d etc and I’m driving normally but it still makes me nervous.

[IliveonCoffee]

I think everyone gets a little nervous when a police car follows them. I mean they have to get from A to B somehow, without always been trailing / chasing after a criminal.

It amuses me greatly when I see them on the motorway. I think they drive at 60 in the inside lane just to laugh and everyone pussyfooting around with overtaking...You are allowed to overtake them, I just wouldn't recommend doing so at 85mph

[mam0918]

It does happen, my brother has been obviously followed before (hes young and has a modified 'show' car) by police so they assume he will be a boyracer and its wierd to see but you hardly sound like the kind to be profiled.

Im a fairly new driver and only drive a few times a month and If I got followed I would just assume co-incidence.

[Iloverain]

@wesowereonabreak haha think they were actually frustrated with me, it looked like they wanted to drive faster than me and I kept the speed so we all going slow..

[KatherineOfGaunt]

They would absolutely have stopped you, OP, if there was anything worrying about your driving.

I've been driving over 20 years and still get a bit nervous with a police car behind me. Especially as my sister is a police officer with the local force; the last thing is want is for her to hear about me being a ticket 😆

It makes me laugh though when you see police cars doing 60mph on dual carriageways/motorways and everyone also slows down because they think they're doing the limit. Many times I've sailed by doing 70mph with a clear lane in front in dry conditions, overtaking the police car sitting in the inside lane with a long queue of drivers behind them too worried to overtake

[Abracadabra14]

Don't worry OP, we all get nervous in this situ. It will be fine.

In the airport when there's sniffer dogs, I always panic I've got a kilo of cocaine on me or something. I don't take drugs

[FallingStar21]

Trust me, if you were doing anything "wrong" they would have stopped you right then and there.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe]

I've been driving for 30+ years but even so, whenever a police car is behind me, I look for escape routes. Even though I've never had cause or a wish for any sort of gettaway driving in my life.

It's blue-lights syndrome, OP. Even if they're' not on.

[Sarahandco]

I don't think the police stop drivers these days - they have cameras to do that job now (I mean catching speeders etc).

[SoupDragon]

I've been driving over 30 years and having a police car behind me still makes me nervous.

[peak2021]

Which police force? Probably nothing to worry about for most of them, unless you are a young black man.

[Icequeen01]

I think the think to keep in your mind is they are not "following you" they are merely driving behind you. They have to be driving behind someone and unfortunately at that point it happened to be you! 😀

[RedactedTaeFeck]

I've been driving for 35 years and never had as much as a parking ticket and I still get a wee bit wary when I have a police car behind me. Driving too perfectly can also be a trigger to be stopped I believe, they think that you have something to hide! You honestly just need to drive like a normal human being :)

[lorca]

Next time just find a suitable spot and pull over. - Why? They are jsut another car on the road (ok, one that is probably watching your speed, but not always) . Even police cars have to be somewhere on the road.

I'm not sure what you mean - 'gave you a way' on the roundabout? Roundabouts have clear rules, and your 'right of way' is set in the HIghway Code. If it's your 'right of way' then take it, if it's theirs, I would be suspicious and reticent.