Polite Hi Viz

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Follysmum

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Just found this for anyone that was interested in the debate about hi viz

The following statement has been released by Equisafety. It is very reassuring for those of us that wear the Polite range, that we are in no way in breach of any laws by wearing it.



Equisafety -
POLITE STATEMENT.
We have just been sent an email by a Police Officer about the POLITE range and we thought you would like to read it.
It says exactly what we have always stated. The sportswear range is not and never has been illegal. It was shown to ACPO in 2010 and given the all clear by Commander Broadhurst. Head of the Mounted Police section. He stated – Assuming they have no items of police uniform it is unlikely the public will mistake them for us but if they do it will just be another High Visibility Patrol which should add to the reassurance picture.
Just because a new ACPO member decided he doesn’t like it, does not mean it’s illegal.

Dear Sir/Madam

I spoke to you whilst at the Royal Bath & West Show and stated that I was an off duty Police Officer and that I would email you with my personal views regarding your clothing.

I would like to pass on my thoughts regarding the recent press coverage on your reflective clothing designed to warn other road users that horse riders are visible and hopefully slow down drivers when they pass.
The design pattern is fantastic and works. The simple blue and silver squares which is not a logo patent to the Police although it may give the association that it is, makes drivers take their foot off the accelerator and think about their actions as they negotiate round them.
The word Polite is a different word to Police and just makes your eye read the word you associate with the blue and silver design. There is no special font or logo used.
This type of reaction is no different to seeing any person wearing a reflective coat whilst on foot, a bicycle, a lollipop person or a road worker.
This could also work with any driver seeing a blue light or siren. Its just making other road users aware of potential hazards or making things visible in low lighting.
I certainly would not think that some hairy cob or pony on a country road was a mounted Police Officer or that they were impersonating one if they were wearing one of your jackets.
It would simply make me think 'Arhh horse, slow down'.
If the clothing makes me aware of a horse prior to getting round the next bend due to its clever design, then its worked.
Keep up the good work. Don't let your customers be intimidated by drivers that think they know the law. Be polite and don't encourage them to get into any debate. They have done nothing wrong. I'm sure the same people would think that Police have better things to do anyway!!

Read more: http://ihdg.proboards.com/thread/127459/polite-range-recent-update-equisafety#ixzz2WrMzFkvD
 
It's all just been scare mongering. Like the person on a different thread said unless you start turning up at football matches and directing crowds or such like then you aren't impersonating a police officer.
 
I read this earlier. I don't really see why it's reassuring, all I see there is one policeman's personal opinion on the Polite range. It's hardly definitive.

He's obviously pro the range, others will not be, but anyway it's not up to individual police officers to make laws just enforce laws that are in place and I'm not really sure it's this officers place to be issuing advice (is this off his own bat as it seems to be, as he states these are his personal views, or is it sanctioned?).

It will take a case to come to court imo before it's decided if this range is legal or illegal and I can't see that happening really, can't see it even getting to court.
 
Capriole said:
I read this earlier. I don't really see why it's reassuring, all I see there is one policeman's personal opinion on the Polite range. It's hardly definitive.

He's obviously pro the range, others will not be, but anyway it's not up to individual police officers to make laws just enforce laws that are in place and I'm not really sure it's this officers place to be issuing advice (is this off his own bat as it seems to be, as he states these are his personal views, or is it sanctioned?).

It will take a case to come to court imo before it's decided if this range is legal or illegal and I can't see that happening really, can't see it even getting to court.
Click to expand...

I agree, people are still none the wiser really !!!:)
 
I used to work for the constabulary in a civilian capacity, and TBH am very surprised indeed that an individual police officer has seen fit to peep around the parapet and felt him/her-self in a position to comment on anything like this without consulting a senior officer and/or the relevant Force's PR dept first, much less let anyone use what they've written as a quote or even endorsement of any given product.

Personally I would regard this as merely what it is, no more no less: which is an opinion by an individual police officer, perhaps foolishly expressed TBH as it is obviously being taken as endorsing this particular product which is the focus of controversy at the moment, and may even be deemed by ACPO as unacceptable.

I think we should wait for the Association of Police Officers to comment officially on this; it will be passed to their Traffic Committee for consideration.

In the meantime, there's plenty of hi-viz stuff without the "Polite" wording that everyone can wear isn't there??

And interesting to say the least isn't it, that Equisafety are the ones releasing this statement now??? Personally I wouldn't trust them one jot. The confusion over this product is basically their cock-up from the word go after all.
 
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite said:
And interesting to say the least isn't it, that Equisafety are the ones releasing this statement now??? Personally I wouldn't trust them one jot. The confusion over this product is basically their cock-up from the word go after all.
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly.

I do have one of their jackets (not Polite, I never liked those) and it is utter utter crap, so would be unlikely to order from them again anyway, BUT I am feeling less and less trust in them the more they come out with about the whole Polite range thing.
 
I wear an unmarked long sleeved Hi-Viz jacket and I am sure that it has the same effect on road users as marked ones.
It is the long sleeves which make it easier for other road users to see our hand signals which is the advantage of jackets over tabards.
 
I personally prefer pink hi viz, I think it gives off a I'm-a-girl-and-fragile-please-don't-run-me-over vibe and people generally seem to go slower and wider.
 
Agreed I got a lovely hi-vis jacket from the running section in sports direct for £12, it's fab, really lightweight and has lots of useful pockets! I also picked up a high-vis tabbard from there for £3.

The polite stuff is a bit cringe.
 
I was told a while ago by a representative of POLITE how this whole scherade begun...

A policeman who had aparently thought up a similar idea to polite, complained when the range became such a success, claiming it was illegal/small print/legislation... he was basically just a bit p*ssed off because he didn't get there first.

Amongst that and all the gossip that is ever common in the horseworld, we find ourselves back where we begun and able to still use our hi viz.
:D
 
The police can't say whether this gear is legal or not. The only person who can is a judge/magistrate.

However one item of clothing is highly unlikely to be sufficient to constitute the offence of impersonating a police officer.

If the police are really unhappy about polite gear then they need to lobby for legislation to restrict the use of checkerboard designs on the road.

In the meantime I suspect that the officer who wrote this unofficial endorsement will be facing a disciplinary (if he/she exists).
 
I've continued to use my Polite tabard, and we've had patrolling police cars pass us wearing such gear on more than one occasion. I've not been stopped or warned as of yet, so I plan to keep using it.
 
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