A friend of mine told me,

Basic Plod - local general purpose driving course of 3 weeks, keep to speed limits, can't drive nothing over 2ltrs engine size.
Traffic Plod - local traffic course in addition to above, above speed limit, over 2ltrs engine, no pursuit driving.
Traffic Plod Plus - advanced driving course at the Scottish police college. Graded fail, pass 1 or 2. Pursuit driving.

So as you can see, there is a lot of variation between Plods re driving skills. That said, I was told some of the worse Police accidents involve Traffic Plod Plus drivers. Makes sense, if they make an error at speed, it ain't going to be anything you'll walk away from.

Sorry I should have been more clear - I was referring to traffic cops. Not the average PC Plod on his way to investigate a letter box falling off someone's house! haha

Plod plus that's terrible

Scottish Police College advanced course is 4 weeks, one of the most intense courses I have done. There is a manoeuvre that does involve driving up close behind the car in front (momentarily) to get them to pull over but this can only be carried out on duel carriageways or motorways.

Legoman wrote:

A friend of mine told me,

Basic Plod - local general purpose driving course of 3 weeks, keep to speed limits, can't drive nothing over 2ltrs engine size.
Traffic Plod - local traffic course in addition to above, above speed limit, over 2ltrs engine, no pursuit driving.
Traffic Plod Plus - advanced driving course at the Scottish police college. Graded fail, pass 1 or 2. Pursuit driving.

So as you can see, there is a lot of variation between Plods re driving skills. That said, I was told some of the worse Police accidents involve Traffic Plod Plus drivers. Makes sense, if they make an error at speed, it ain't going to be anything you'll walk away from.

Badger1970 wrote:

Any particular reason why you removed the video at 21:07? Just curious.....

"I'm pretty sure Basic Plod can exceed speed limits on response"

Speed limit +20mph

Just watched the video, overtake looks OK to me.

Simplified: Before starting the overtake, Drop back a bit to see more of the road ahead past the veh in front. Pull across onto opposing C/W if safe, this gives you a better, further view ahead. If clear? carryout overtake.

There is other things to take into account before overtaking such as junctions, hidden dips, road surface, your veh performance, speed of veh being overtaken + their manner of driving.

Not really a fan of police driving as a rule, but that looked fine to me

Flycop, are they still down at the old stables? I believe they used to get up to all sorts of shenanigans to distract the driver commentary.

Anyway I heard some would deny the driving is the hardest course, they made their minds up who's getting what before the final drive, more over the TPO course is worse despite giving you the questions you'll have in the final exam.

Yes, they are still down there. The three exams for the driving course are made up externally by the college exams unit, all questions picked randomly by computer. Thankfully I'm not in roads policing and don't have to do the TPO course.

I hear the TPO course is like watching paint dry. Great if your into the technicalities of air brakes, tachos and the like. They combined it with a SCOTVEC on light motor vehicles examination, got carried away unscrewing nuts on really obscure things during the final timed practical and wondered why people were panicking trying to find that last fault with 30 seconds to go.

Oh, and I believe the students got a talk from a senior traffic officer at the beginning of the course, telling them they were the creme de la creme of the Police and far superior to those CID W rs.

"creme de la creme "

Well seeing your not in a dedicated Road Policing unit.

I believe the talk was for real, no Micky take, guy was deadly serious, also consisted of being told how much more money was spent on their training compared to lesser mortals, the w rs comment was a direct quote BIW, how much more intelligent they were, then the creme de la creme comment. I also believe it was a former Strathclyde Traffic Chief Superintendent, who shall remain nameless, that gave it.