Whats the story with fake police markings/lights etc

mike65

I managed to snap this today, its not the first vehicle I've seen with a pseudo-police look. I have to say I find it pretty dubious to say the least.

Maybe I should buy a fridge white Saab 9-3 and kit it out!



Mike.

Hagar

On a similar note I remember reading about some guy in England who imported a US Police Cruiser in full livery including working gumball lights and siren and got UK police approval for it to be driven on the road as there was no possiblity of it being taken for a real police patrol car. The guy said he was always being stopped by cops, not for any offence, just out of curiousity.

digitaldr

Is that a Health Services Executive van? Maybe it's some sort of ambulance/emergency response vehicle?

mike65

It is HSE but the van has the look of a maintainence vehicle rather than being chock full of lifesaving gear and lets face it if you were in a hurry its not a VW Caddy 1.9 you'd select.

Mike.

qz

Now this I think I could live with.

$Leon$

I'd say it is some sort of ambulance. Couldn't see the HSE paying for the blue lights unless they were needed.
Always wonder how rent-a-cops are allowed kit out their vehicles like garda cars with orange lights.

Hagar

I read about these in the French version of Auto Plus recently.
Here's an English language version. http://www.motoring.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=3184324

5500

I think that vans used for organ and blood transport hence the blue lights.

As said above ive noticed alot of rent a cops with jeeps looking simular to garda traffic corps,i must take a few snaps.

They generally seem to be "specialised" units like "public order unit" or "quick response team" :rolleyes:

JohnCleary

mike - its an organ/blood transportation van.

Got a lift in one during the summer when working for the HSE.... Just fridges in the back

franksm

Blue lights are illegal except on official/emergency-response vehicles

drdre

thats some sort of ambulance or emergency transport.

Dooom

The Sentry Security vehicles have a habit of looking like police cars.

Sparky

franksm wrote:

Blue lights are illegal except on official/emergency-response vehicles

Thats exactly just what i was thinking, ive seen various van etc with the yellow high glare strips etc, and orange lights but never the blue flashing lights.

Edit: It must be some sort of medical equipment transport van.

Heres the logo off the Hse website.

seamus

Weren't their plans a few years back to ban security companies from having certain colours and/or designs on their vehicles so they couldn't be mistaken for Gardai?

Sparky

Im not sure, but I know there is a Transit up the road from me and no matter how many times I have passed it knowing its a security van, I still instantly think, Oh Garda transit.

vector

there is one of those vans in cork city, its transports blood beween st finbarrs hospital and the university hospital, and probably the others

the key point is that is has a rotating blue light, that is definately regulated, it could be argued that a van of that type should use a green rotating light but for some reason those have not been used that much in ireland, they are only seen on the "DOCTOR" type ford focus estate

stoneill

The legislation in Ireland is very similar to the UK, except the UK is easier to read.
Blue for emergency vehicles - including organ and blood transportation. Civil Defence, RNLI, Mountain Rescue and Coast Guard also have blue lights, the Coast Guard go one better in that volunteers can have blues on their private cars, the only organisation allowed under legislation. Although it means vehicles driving under blue lights can have certain leeway with road rules, (breaking red lights, using bus lanes, driving above posted sped limit) if they then go to cause an accident they may be liable.

Green - Doctors and First Responders, although I have seen it on private ambulances for the transportation of the dead to the coroner. This is a visual indication only and does not give the vehicle any special dispensation on rules of the road.

Amber - work vehicles, over sided loads and recovery vehicles.
Also - slow moving vehicles are supposed to have amber - tell that to all the farmers!

Red flashing can be used but only to the rear - red lamps showing to the front is illegal.

In the States and now more common in the UK is purple for funeral cortege... havent seen it here yet though.

bazz26

Holy zombie thread Batman, this is over 3 years old.

G Luxel

vector wrote: »

there is one of those vans in cork city, its transports blood beween st finbarrs hospital and the university hospital, and probably the others

the key point is that is has a rotating blue light, that is definately regulated, it could be argued that a van of that type should use a green rotating light but for some reason those have not been used that much in ireland, they are only seen on the "DOCTOR" type ford focus estate

They use all sorts of vehicles, a Suzuki Vitara and a Jap-import Landcruiser.

Wishbone Ash

stoneill wrote: »

slow moving vehicles are supposed to have amber - tell that to all the farmers!

It is illegal to display a flashing amber beacon on an agricultural tractor on a public road. Many are fitted with them as standard but the dealers often disconnect them as they are illegal. The IFA have been campaining for years to have the law changed.

Voodoomelon

Theres a ridiculous amount of Navaras and similar vehicles with orange cherrys on top as if they have some kind of authority, when in fact they just belong to landscapers and builders.

Cookie_Monster

There's an old US police cruiser around Dun Laoghaire / Killiney area I've noticed recently. One of the real stereotypical black and white ones.

Eoin

zombie thread closed