'Polite' range

orionstar

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This must be why you can't buy used police hi viz jackets on whole sale from e-bay with the police labels removed, oh hang on you can, so who's selling the companies on e-bay used hi viz jackets if it isnt the police?
 

YorksG

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Which police force has issued the publication? I am pretty sure that this is not a national directive, as surely it is an interpretation of the law, sounds as if this is one force area?
 

Springy

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Erm the police..

which Police there are lots of different forces

I know the police dont endorse it as previously claimed... however I doubt they could get them to change the wording or design as it isnt impersonating a police officer....

:confused:
 

Toby_Zaphod

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If you actually take the time to read the Act & Section referred to by the OP you will see that it does not relate to the 'Polite Range' of Hi Viz or anything of a similar ilk. The Act & Sections refers to someone basically saying he is a Police Officer or doing some act to infer that he is a Police Officer when he is not a member of that organisation. The rest of the sections relate to having in your possession items of uniform normally issued to Police with intent to deceive someone into believing you are a Police Officer. The 'Polite Range' is not issued as equipment specific to the Police & therefore could not fall into this category.

The 'Polite Range' does not purport to be Police any more than Polite Notices on walls regarding parking infront of gateways etc purport to be issued by the police. The company had to amend their advertising as they said they were approved by Police Forces when at the time they were not. As for any prosecution, it is unlikely that any CPS would waste money instigating a prosection which would have no chance of being won.
 

lastchancer

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If any driver were to complain that they thought it were an actual police officer then they should be charged with careless driving - after all if they'd slowed down enough they'd have had time to read what it really said....:)
Besides if they ARE driving appropriately then it wouldn't matter if it was or wasn't a copper now would it..
Having said that I used to know a squaddie that hated non-army peeps wearing combats(!) so maybe it's just the police whingeing.
 

nieghham

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90 Impersonation, etc.E+W.(1)Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable, shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both. .
(2)Any person who, not being a constable, wears any article of police uniform in circumstances where it gives him an appearance so nearly resembling that of a member of a police force as to be calculated to deceive shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. .
(3)Any person who, not being a member of a police force or special constable, has in his possession any article of police uniform shall, unless he proves that he obtained possession of that article lawfully and has possession of it for a lawful purpose, be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale. .
(4)In this section— .
(a)“article of police uniform” means any article of uniform or any distinctive badge or mark or document of identification usually issued to members of police forces or special constables, or anything having the appearance of such an article, badge, mark or document,


This isnt my decision so please dont jump on me. Just thought you would all like to know.

AS I said I would love to see this tested in court ,and love to see CPS show where the public interest was in prosecuting it.

Me too...considering the word


**Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable,**

Would love to see the lawyer who could prove "intent" on a bunch of hackers and how your court system would judge it
 

Mongoose11

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Ridiculous. This is like me going out in a black suit and hat, carrying a walkie talkie and a notebook.... Am I impersonating a Police officer?
 

MagicMelon

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I actually did wonder about this when this range came out. I think its a brilliant idea though and should be allowed to continue. What would it matter if people thought for a split second that they were police? Surely their clever enough to realise they're not on closer inspection!
 

Goldenstar

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Me too...considering the word


**Any person who with intent to deceive impersonates a member of a police force or special constable, or makes any statement or does any act calculated falsely to suggest that he is such a member or constable,**

Would love to see the lawyer who could prove "intent" on a bunch of hackers and how your court system would judge it

Yes I can just see the hackers with bags of purple/ pink breeches , jeans mixture of various fleeces and smelly gilets assorted chaps wellys etc showing off the rest of their 'disguise' to the magistrates.
I don't think theres any way ITENT to deceive could be proved.
 
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TheEngineer

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Mmmmmm "How interesting", having watched several companies try to "rip off" the "Polite" range over the past few years it does not surprise me that some"mud slinging" is taking place. I have owned a "Polite" high viz waistcoat for some 6 months and have found it to be the best aid to safety I have ever worn.....and guess what, sadly I don,t own or ride a horse. I purchased mine from the great people at C.L.I.P.P.E.R.S.H.A.R.P after seeing them on sale at the Westpoint Equestrian fair. I cycle and motorcycle and having a "Polite" hi viz, is akin to wearing a "force field". Cars actually slow down, proving the eyesight of the average British driver is probably akin to that of a blind person! They pass me wide and slow when cycling and actually see me when motorcycling. Many horse owning friends have seen my high viz and asked where to get one, so obviously the item is popular and an aid to safety. As to "impersonating a police officer"...........if I wanted to do that I would volunteer as a special constable! Well done to the company concerned, lets hope the Police have better things to do than harass people for wearing jackets with "Polite" written on them.........like catching criminals for a change.
 

Waffles

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I'd be very sorry to see the POLITE range go. I changed to a polite tabard after a year of wearing a normal builders type Hi Viz and found it made a tremendous difference to the reactions of drivers and walkers alike. I've been mistaken for a police officer a number of times, including riding my 14.3 long maned, muddy welsh cob with me wearing a bright pink snow boarding suit with the polite tabard on. Just goes to show how effective they are. Also, when I have shown one or two non horsey friends and my mum the tabard, (in the same room, feet away) they actually thought it said "Police". Brilliant.
 

MrsB

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I have the vest which I wear, purely to be seen. Only once has someone said "I thought you were the old bill for a second!" but they weren't annoyed by it, just made an observation.

Personally I think the exercise sheet is a bit much along with the leg wraps, but the whole idea is to be seen and to encourage drivers to pass you slowly and with caution...

I know that some people on Pistonheads forum despise the range, mainly because on first glance they think it is the police, therefore making them slow down too much for their own liking, regardless of the fact that they are in fact passing a horse and should show consideration ;)
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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I wore my "gear" on my traddie cob one day and two walkers really DID think I was the mounted police!!! Ha ha ha :). I then said OK so read what the writing is SLOWLY and they did so and then said, "ohhh, right". BUT I have found that it does slow down traffic - and is particularly effective with boy racers!

I used to work for the constabulary in a civilian capacity; and IMO the words "polite" and "police" are basically in the eye of the beholder, so if a tear-ass motorist approaching too fast, sees "polite" in a split second and thinks its "police", then personally I can't see this would hold up in court, although in this stooopid litigatious society we're living in then yes anything could happen.

I would have liked the company concerned to have got this right BEFORE they put the range on the market though; there's no point in putting the backs of the police up and a little consultation beforehand might have been more sensible methinks?
 

wench

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I do not like this stuff. When I have seen it in the shop, it looks like you are trying to impersonate a police officer.

As for security vehicles marked up like police cars - they wont quite be the same, but will be marked up under "chapter 8" markings so they can go slow on the road
 

weebarney

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I do not like this stuff. When I have seen it in the shop, it looks like you are trying to impersonate a police officer.

As for security vehicles marked up like police cars - they wont quite be the same, but will be marked up under "chapter 8" markings so they can go slow on the road

no thats not what i was talking about, that is highways maintenence type stuff, im talking private security firms with vehicles that look like police cars.
 

Hippona

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I sure do look like 'the law'.....on my flouncy prancy arab, with my pink musto jacket and my Polite waistcoat on top....

Even more so on my daughters small hairy highland....

The only people its ever fooled was a load of illerate chavkids busy dumping a chair down a lane....... and even they figured it out and had an argument amongst themselves after I had passed by..:D
 

HollyWoozle

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Never been a fan of the range. To be honest I'd be embarrased going out wearing it and I'm sure once a driver's seen it more than once they will just take the p****. I'd rather go out with my yellow plain hi vis!

Precisely this. If I was a driver and thought someone was imitating a member of the police then I think I'd be pretty annoyed about it. I appreciate that drivers should slow down for riders anyway, but I'd rather wear plain high-vis and not run the risk of aggravating people who are bound to realise the first time they see it up close.

I know that some say "I don't wear it to look like a member of the police" but as far as I can see, that is the whole point of the range. I see how the range came about and I'm sure it has worked well in getting a lot of drivers to slow down, but I'd be concerned about drivers losing respect for me when they realised that I was effectively trying to trick them.

I'm sorry to be critical about something which I'm sure has lead to a lot of people having a safer ride on the roads, something I'm all for, but I've just never felt it to be a good idea in the long run and so decided to stick with my plain high-vis gear. :)
 

Spiritedly

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I had a lady ask me if our local station now had a mounted branch one day whilst I was waiting outside a village shop with my sons 13hh, hairy black and white cob x, I was wearing 3/4 jeans, trainers, a vest top and a 'polite' tabard :-/ I told her it was government cutbacks :D. I did then explain it actually said polite.
 

JFTDWS

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I thought the Police were behind them with this !!

No that was a case of false advertising whereby the company claimed it was "Approved by Police" when it was just conversationally approved in theory by an officer without jurisdiction to approve such items.

Furthermore, the amount of crap that these things have on them obscure the hi vis material so that they no longer meet safety standards. The certificates relating to safety standards they circulate refer to the base material, which would be fine if it were not obscured by pointless "Polite notices" :rolleyes:

It's also overpriced and low quality, and personally I wouldn't buy any of it on account of the shameful advertising campaigns (e.g. "police approved") which are dishonest.

Don't you have a polite waistcoat?? They are brilliant and no your not breaking the law if you wear one, gee some people!!!!:mad:

I presume you are an expert in this field of law to make such a sweeping statement? There may have been no convictions, but that isn't actually the same thing as it being legal. Why do you ask if the OP has one? Many horse owners don't own Polite tat - as far as I'm aware, that is also not a criminal offence.
 

OWLIE185

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I would suggest that if you wear a long sleeved Hi-Viz jacket then other road users will see you just as well as the Polite Range one. More importantly it is far easier for other road users to see your hand signals if you are wearing a long sleeved Hi-Viz jacket.
I should also advise you that if you are riding out in a professional or work related capacity then your employer needs to ensure that you are wearing a Hi-Viz jacket to the correct PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) standard.

I would be interested to learn if the Equisafety jacket complies with the PPE Professional standard.

In other words employers should ensure that anyone employed by them and riding out a horse as part of their employment should always wear a Long Sleeved Hi-Viz Jacket to the correct professional PPE standard when riding out. If an accident was to occur and Health and Safety investigated and found that the jacket(s) was/where not up to the PPE professional standard then action could be taken against the employer for failing to provide the correct corrective items.
 

moana

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I understand that the majority of Police/Police Forces back the use of this range. Thinking of getting some stuff and won't be put off, do appreciate the warning though
 

056775

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I thought it said Police when I first got mine and without exception every time I ride through the local village people ask me if I am a Police woman. Some one even followed me in their car to ask a question!!!

I still wear it - I like the fit!
 

lula

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oh for god's sake, how silly.

the Police really so bothered that a motorist might mistake someone for a policeman and are putting this over preventing RTA's involving cars and horses on the roads?

if this is the law then the law is an ass
 

lula

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On the subject of the Police I had a stupid woman, who told me horses had no right to be on the road, report me as impersonating a police officer as I was wearing a plain hi viz jacket :rolleyes:


did she go on to say, not only that but you were impersonating mounted police too b/c you were on a horse? :D
 

Nic

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did she go on to say, not only that but you were impersonating mounted police too b/c you were on a horse? :D

Oh probably! But no horses should be allowed on any road as "horses are scary"!

At which point I told her the fact she was loose on the roads was scary...
 
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