Weird Police car

[SlingsbyKindaDay]

Why would a police car do this?

I was driving down what used to be the A1. I had my cruise control set to 60mph. I notice a police car behind me, do the mental panic even through I'm not breaking any laws that I'm aware of.

It pulls into the other lane (only 2 lanes) as if it's going to overtake me which I think ok but weird as it's not flashed at me to pull over or does it have it's blues and twos on.

It then stays there for probably 20 seconds until a lorry appears on the other side of the road so approaching the police car,then it pulls back in behind me. Stays behind me for maybe 10mins then pulls into a lay-by.

Thought you were on the phone, so taking a look?

It might have looked weird to you, but I'm sure they knew exactly what they were doing.

Probably checking your index, etc then having a look inside to see who the occupants are.

I'm sure the did know exactly what they were doing but I didn't. Hence the post.

The car didn't pull next to me or seem close enough to see if I was on my phone.

Are you sure it was a legitimate police car?

And how would the OP know to retrospectively ensure her assumption it was a police car, was in fact correct?

should she mentally run the markings and numbers she captured against a database of known police livery?

sorry but comments like these add so little

Hahaha no idea if it was legit or not. I assumed so.

What you have described happened to me a few years ago, at night, but it wasn't marked like a police car. Very frightening. I think it must either be a scam or something potentially more sinister.

What is frightening about a car matching your speed for a bit, then pulling back in behind you, then veering off somewhere else?

in OP’s case this was a marked police car. It drove alongside her for a bit - I’d wager this is because OP’s car may have matched a description of something, or they wanted to run a check.

or they were scanning the road ahead due to a potential threat unknown to us , but they were assessing. Or they’re looking for someone (most likely.

they then pull into a lay-by. Police do this, so they can safely access their computer - or to wait for the intended target, or any manner of reasons.

How do you automatically get that it’s a “scam” (what’s the suggested scam element?) or something “more sinister”??

if that was the case, every muppet I see dawdling next to me in lane 2 on the M25 before sheepishly pulling back in behind me, is a potential sinister scammer

It might not have anything to do with you. If you watch any of the numerous police reality shows then this is a normal observational thing for a sting, ie looking for a specific car coming from the opposite direction possibly. Pulling into a layby could be them waiting for the sting car to come past. They will be talking to other cars, possibly even the helicopter. It could have been a stolen car refusing to stop 10 miles away, could be a tip off about a drugs runner. Anything.

Try watching a show esp the motorway ones. Fascinating.

Well said @Pixiedust1234

Ah, so I just told DP and he said they were probably checking my reg plate. It's private and when I was younger I did used to have it illegally spaced and was pulled a few times and told to change it until the last time it happened she said she would fine me if it's not spaced properly. So I did.

This is all very exciting for this sleepy town!

Never assume. Your own safety comes first.

I think it must either be a scam or something potentially more sinister

Oh for heavens sake, dont be ridiculous 🙄 MN can always be relied on to make a drama out of absolutely anything

What kind of scam could a police car driving beside you be involved with

I'm surprised noones suggested 'logging it with 101' 🙄

I had a similar thing on a dual carriageway yesterday. I was doing 60 in the inside line, police car races up behind me in the outside lane with blue lights but then pulled in behind me. I thought they were going to flash at me to pull over. They turned off the blue lights and sat behind me for a couple of minutes before taking an exit. I was in a bit of a panic by the end (even though I hadn’t done anything wrong!)

Retired cop here. So if it was single carriageway and 60mph. Me driving, you might have slowed down a bit, enough fir me to want to overtake but then it turns out that our speeds are matching, I can't put the foot down to overtake as I'm in a marked vehicle with no blues and twos so instead of incrementally speeding up there's an oncoming vehicle so I pull back behind. I may have no actual job to go to so pull in a lay-by or whatever, hopefully a parking area, to do whatever, check vehicles/monitor traffic/check my outstanding crimes etc. Happens all the time

@IodineQueen sounds like they got cancelled from a call

@BluebellsareBlue ah that makes sense, I feel silly now!

Ah okay, this also adds up as I only put my cruise control on once I saw them to make sure I didn't go over 60. Could well have been doing a bit under before hand. Thanks

Iodine Queen - They were probably on an emergency call but then radioed to tell them another police car was nearer hence why they suddenly turned off blue lights.

Sarah Everard.

I would be scared. I would never stop for police, I would call 999 on my hands free if a Police car tried to stop me & ask their advice & log with them reg of car. It advised to stop,

If a car was following me, I would do the same.

I would inform police who stopped me that I had logged their info.

The met police are not fit for purpose.

They are systemically
Corrupt
Racist
Sexist
Violent.

A scam?! How???

As you say, it's possible they were checking your reg plates.

It's also possible they were just on a training exercise, practising techniques and so on.

When I was a lot younger and hadn't long passed my test I way followed home from our local town centre to my home at 2am after working by a police van. I know they were following me as they did a U turn afterwards. It was terrifying as a 19yr old girl!