What do solid blue lights on a police car mean?
Posted by LawabidingKhajiit@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 50 comments
Currently a passenger and on a dual carriageway, doing about 68 and overtaking a truck a police car sped up behind us with just the very tips of their emergency lights on, a solid blue. Once we were past the truck and moved left, it passed us and turned them off as it sped away. No flashing or sirens at any point.
Is that just a 'making sure you can see me hint hint' signal? Don't remember anything from the highway code about it.
MixerFistit@reddit
Just seen this on 2 bikes and came back to this post. Definitely looked like they were on an operation and didn't want to alert anyone except those around them. They weren't riding like they were on blue lights exactly but were exceeding speed limit (NSL Single carriageway) in bursts to overtake a long line of cars in stages when safe ironically a bit like civilian bikers would do if there weren't coppers about. They ignored a towing vehicle with shorting reverse lights so likely had more important issues than bothering to advise them.
The_Final_Barse@reddit
That's not a thing.
It's a faulty emergency vehicle. Or some twat with illegal blue lights.
Aware_Common_4179@reddit
It is a thing. They're called cruise lights. Our ambulance response cars had them. If you hit the wrong button, they came on and were a faff to turn back off.
No-Housing810@reddit
It is a thing but generally on only newer roads police vehicles
incredibubblez@reddit
Either EEEEEEE or NORRRRRRR
Not both
Ricky_Martins_Vagina@reddit
Please tell me you mean "NEEEEE / NORRRRRR" because otherwise it means one of us has been lied to our whole fucking life and I'm really not ready to be told that
Competitive_Test6697@reddit
Nee - naw
CulturedClub@reddit
I had nonidea some areas called them anything other than nee naws
ScaredyCatUK@reddit
So not Woo-Wah-Wee-Wah then ?
PanicStil@reddit
It’s definitely NEEEEE
Key_Plum_99a@reddit
I’m from the Midlands and it’s Nee Narr here - Police cars obviously have regional accents.
CountingRocks@reddit
When they do have the two tones going, why is it Neee / Naww and not Naww / Neee?
wosmo@reddit
"ablaut reduplication" - Naw Nee sounds wrong for the same reason tock-tick, flop-flip, dally dilly, all sound wrong.
LawabidingKhajiit@reddit (OP)
Is that intrinsically about the words, or just because we're so used to the regular order that they just sound wrong inverted?
PersonalityWinter382@reddit
It's the sounds. The back vowel comes before the front vowel.
LawabidingKhajiit@reddit (OP)
Isn't it important to know which though?
heyitsed2@reddit
Crucial.
Lorkanus@reddit
It is so that the lights will show on a speed camera. They were having issues with the pictures being caught between the flashes of the blue lights, and then having to contest the tickets. So constant lights were added so the tickets can be automatically canceled.
Objective_Sea787@reddit
you sure it was a police car? not just some idiot in a bmw with blue led's
iffyClyro@reddit
Never heard of that, been a police officer for nearly ten years as well.
The rear or the light bar has a solid blue light these days as a way to communicate that the car was travelling on blues even if it’s captured by still photographs.
No-Housing810@reddit
Our newer Volvo's/rp Cars solid blue lights on the end. I don't know why though.
Some countries like Spain will drive as standard with their bars illuminated but not flashing and not using exemptions so maybe it's a crossover from the manufacturers?
Jazzlike_Grocery49@reddit
Its normal only a solid blue if the rest are on as speed cameras sometimes get a picture between the flashes of the blues. This is to help prove the vehicle is responding to a call
shadow-season@reddit
"My lights are stuck on"
Pedantichrist@reddit
I drive a response vehicle and have done for a number of different services. This is not a thing I have ever experienced. It is not how the light panels are set up at all.
Are you sure it was not some super bright LED lights from a car behind shining through the coloured light bar?
IndigoQuantum@reddit
Back in the '90s some of the cars I drove had a 'cruise' setting which permanently lit a couple of the lights in the bar - never used though, think it was a feature designed for some European countries like Spain where I've seen it used a lot. At least it's better than France where they used to just potter around with their flashing lights on all the time, not that anyone moved out of their way even when on their sirens anyway.
IndigoQuantum@reddit
Some blue light manufacturers provide a 'cruise' setting as in some countries, police cars not on response calls have their blue lights permanently lit but not flashing to increase their presence and deterrent value.
ketchup246@reddit
Traffic cop here, they are cruise lights. I won't go into the why/what/where as it'll undoubtly causing confusion and arguments. But they are fitted to our traffic cars and bikes.
ketchup246@reddit
Traffic cop here. It's called the cruise light. Fitted to our traffic cars but none of the other cars in the force, so understandable why a lot of current cops would have no idea they exist. We generally only use them for keeping in convoy on a motorway if circumstances dictate. Stops people pulling in between us when we need to remain together. Also, per our forces motorway training we generally have 2 motorway cruising speeds, 50-55mph to stop traffic forming behind as if we did 65-70 no one would pass and it'd cause traffic chaos, Or 85-90mph as it allows us to make progress when needed without emergency equipment on. The cruise light is basically used for the latter when in convoy.
Siliconshaman1337@reddit
I think it means the police car has an electrical problem..
Dapper-Lab-9285@reddit
It's for when they are breaking traffic laws. If they are an emergency call they can break traffic laws and when the fine is sent it makes it easier to see if they where on an emergency call or not, with the flashing lights they often missed the emergency lights in the pictures so a solid light was the solution
LegoVRS@reddit
Sounds like a subtle "get out of the way I'm in a rush but I don't want to turn my flashy blue lights on in case it alerts the person I'm trying to follow"?
iffyClyro@reddit
Don’t think so, never heard of a car being fitted with a forward facing solid blue light.
If I wanted you to move out the way but wanted to try and keep a low profile I’d give you a flash of the headlights or the grill lights.
Evening-Tour@reddit
Pretty sure ive seen them mounted on the front of some cop cars in scotland,
iffyClyro@reddit
Been in various units during my time, in Scotland and never had a car that’s fitted with a front facing solid blue.
In fairness I’m sitting in the drivers seat of the motor so wouldn’t see it, although even during vehicle inspections it’s not something I’d aware of.
Evening-Tour@reddit
Im maybe thinking back to the 70's or early 80's, in my mind the car seems very box like at the front end, and its the more vintage colour scheme without the high vis stuff.
eww79@reddit
Cruise blues as they were called on the terminal, are fitted to a number of vehicles around the country, very much depends on your outfitter though.
Its the ability to have the blues as a solid bar instead of flashing pattern. Driving school weren't overly fond of them but i found them quite handy for road closures on non major roads, and the like where it gets annoying having the constant flash
Parcel-Pete@reddit
It's the ends of the light bars. Think it's possibly only on the RPU cars.
-Rhymenocerous-@reddit
It means get the fuck out of the way in any configeration of the blue lights.
Wheresmymindoffto@reddit
There Is a light that goes on at the back of an ambulance to indicate it needs to exceed speed limits or road restrictions without having to go full blues and two's. This is picked up on speed cameras and the like and is the get out of jail free card for the driver. Maybe the wombles have one too?
mcrrob@reddit
The steady light is on when blues are in, it's steady to ensure it is visible incase of camera activations, the flashing lights may not be cought by the cameras. Can't normally be on on its own, although there is a way if you know the hack. 999 mode then deactivate all lights individually instead of cancel all but this only works on some vehicles.
Wheresmymindoffto@reddit
Ah it was mostly a guess. Cheers.
justsomerabbit@reddit
Cruise lights. Quite rare, only ever seen them a handful of times.
https://www.reddit.com/r/policeuk/comments/170pjmt/solid_blue_lights/
LawabidingKhajiit@reddit (OP)
Looking at the responses there this does seem to be the closest. I didn't pay too much attention but it could well have been an XC90 like several mentioned in there. The light bar looked like the photo at the top of this article, but on a fully marked UK rozzermobile.
takingphotosmakingdo@reddit
I've seen US police do this or flash once after passing as a "I saw that, don't do it again" type thing (new EV so passed a slow car in the center lane by going 8 over on a motorway), the trooper spotted me, moved past then hit their light bar like that.
chewmypaws@reddit
LED drivers failed in the beacon?
annies999@reddit
Greggs about to close
RecentTwo544@reddit
Never seen this in the UK.
In Spain it's normal for marked police to have a steady blue light on at all times even if not responding to emergencies.
Alternative-Emu2000@reddit
Probably trying to make progress through traffic without tipping off whoever they're following. Usually because they're waiting for other units to get in position in case the suspect vehicle tries to do a runner when they pull them over.
jonpenryn@reddit
I've had 'em do this to get me out the way or give one blue flash with no siren.
AutoModerator@reddit
Please help keep AskUK welcoming!
When replying to submission/post please make genuine efforts to answer the question given. Please no jokes, judgements, etc. If a post is marked 'Serious Answers Only' you may receive a ban for violating this rule.
Don't be a dick to each other. If getting heated, just block and move on.
This is a strictly no-politics subreddit!
Please help us by reporting comments that break these rules.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.