Metropolitan Police Driving School on Youtube

[JamesAllport]

I was very interested (and very impressed) by this new video from the MPMDS showing part of a demonstration drive through central London:



Even if (like me) you think comparing civillian and police driving standards is a pretty sterile exercise most of the time, it is interesting to see. I also think there are lessons for those of us who demonstrate to associates in this instructor's commentary, which I thought was a really good example of an instructional (as opposed to an evidential) commentary.

Was it you Von?

James

[Horse]

There used to be a video on-line taken by a journo from inside the lead car of a convoy being escorted by the SEG bikes through Lahndun.

It was boring, very slow and boring. Then the penny dropped: for escorting VIPs, boring is good :)

Seen this?

[Eutopia]

That video is around 9-10 years old but has been resurrected for the recent Met video's.

It is outdated now, shows old fleet, but it does at least portray the driver hierarchy and give you a sneak peak inside Hendon.

The commentary you are talking about is from a person called Damien Finbow who works there as a PS. For the purposes of today's standardsm that commentary is actually quite basic and has been watered down to make it managable for the public. It is also only a snippet.

What is accurate is the snippet of the advanced drive commentary, with the student delivering a decent commentary but being lambasted and interrupted mid way by the instructor.

[Horse]

Anyone have a copy of the Met's '999 Final Drive' they can chunk up and post on Youtube?


I lent my copy and never got it back . . .

[JamesAllport]

That video is around 9-10 years old but has been resurrected for the recent Met video's.

It is outdated now, shows old fleet, but it does at least portray the driver hierarchy and give you a sneak peak inside Hendon.

The commentary you are talking about is from a person called Damien Finbow who works there as a PS. For the purposes of today's standardsm that commentary is actually quite basic and has been watered down to make it managable for the public. It is also only a snippet.

What is accurate is the snippet of the advanced drive commentary, with the student delivering a decent commentary but being lambasted and interrupted mid way by the instructor.

I know the video you mean, which is indeed dreadful. But my link is to another video, which I think is much more interesting.

James

[Flexibase]

One of the comments on this video on You Tube is:
"How about a short video with advice for what to do if you see a police vehicle on a run?"

There is such a video, on VHS tape. 10 minutes made by, which was available from AIRSO ( http://www.airso.org.uk/ ) for £10, but there appears to be nothing on this on their website.

A full copy is reproduced, with their consent, on my Advanced Driving/Motorcycling CDs (http://www.flexibase.freeserve.co.uk/po ... tions.html) but I have asked they if they, or I, can put it onto You Tube.

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Nice link, James. Thank you. Nice to hear the calm in the driver's voice, the lack of red mist, consideration for the public (especially foreigners who may be spooked by the blue lights) etc. One does have to wonder, if there was a target vehicle up ahead, if quite the same calm would prevail, but impressive anyway.

[GJD]

Nice link, James. Thank you. Nice to hear the calm in the driver's voice, the lack of red mist, consideration for the public (especially foreigners who may be spooked by the blue lights) etc.

Yes, thanks James. Interesting to see the patience and considered use of the sirens, particulary in traffic where the drivers around them had nowhere to go. I liked the reference to walking iPods too

Gavin

[hanse cronje]

[quote="Eutopia"]That video is around 9-10 years old but has been resurrected for the recent Met video's.

.[/quote]

the cars are 09 reg 5 series bmw

[Horse]

Nice link, James. Thank you. Nice to hear the calm in the driver's voice, the lack of red mist, consideration for the public (especially foreigners who may be spooked by the blue lights) etc. One does have to wonder, if there was a target vehicle up ahead, if quite the same calm would prevail, but impressive anyway.

The '999 Final Drive' includes that

Supposedly a candidate's test drive, the first half is a simulated emergency call, then they swap cars (from auto to manual), and the driver gets told to look out for a 'bandit' car . . . an unmarked auto SD1 and away they go in pursuit.

Each half roughly 12 minutes, both done with ful commentary.

[Eutopia]

Nice link, James. Thank you. Nice to hear the calm in the driver's voice, the lack of red mist, consideration for the public (especially foreigners who may be spooked by the blue lights) etc. One does have to wonder, if there was a target vehicle up ahead, if quite the same calm would prevail, but impressive anyway.

The '999 Final Drive' includes that

Supposedly a candidate's test drive, the first half is a simulated emergency call, then they swap cars (from auto to manual), and the driver gets told to look out for a 'bandit' car . . . an unmarked auto SD1 and away they go in pursuit.

Each half roughly 12 minutes, both done with ful commentary.

Not quite...

The Hendon final drives now consist if a Level 2 drive in week 3, which they have to prove competence in to even be allowed to do. That drive consists of a 25 minute non blues and twos run on all types of road with full commentary. No bandit, no two tones or lights - but exemptions used as per normal. If that is passed, a 15 minute blues and twos run is done afterwards. As advanced drivers are already response drivers, this is pretty laid back.

If they are successful at all that, they then have to prove competence again in weeks 3 and 4 to be put through for the week 4 final drive. This is one drive lasting 25 minutes and is solely a pursuit. In this drive, the candidate "comes across" the bandit within around 5 minutes of starting the drive, and the pursuit begins. The whole point is for the candidate to drive their own drive with full commentary, not get drawn in by the bandit, read information beyond the bandit whilst simultaneously monitering the options for the bandit, and also not play the safety card.

[Eutopia]

Horse your swapping cars bit refers to the course itself, sister cars go out together and one car pursues in the morning in a manual (drivers swap around in the manual so they all get a go) then in the afternoon what was the pursuing car crew swap to the automatic and "get pursued". They still have to drive an advanced drive with commentary in both cases, so get lots of practice and input at all times in both "lead and follow" roles.

[Eutopia]

Just sen video posted by James.

This is a specific video made for the youtube channel, for some reason they have also used a Trojan (firearms) vehicle (indicated by the yellow circles).

Driver training does not involve using a marked vehicle at any time, response or advanced, so this is not a sneak peak of any driving course. 99% of driver training is covert at Hendon, the only time a marked vehicle is ever used is for one day at the end of a response course which is when students drive on blue lights for the very first time, and thats in a van.

[Horse]

Horse your swapping cars bit refers to the course itself

No, it refers to the video which, as I said, was supposedly a final drive. Apart from the fact that, IIRC, the driving and commentary was being done by one of the instructors (a Sgt, I think) who also - again, IIRC - featured in the Top Gear coverage of police training about the same time.

Which was in the days, as I mentioned, of SD1 Rovers.

[jbsportstech]

That was a very good demostration and better from the driving in the same bmws I have seen in london. There really is a world of difference between a police advanced driver and police advanced driving instructor. The driving I have seen is less controlled more brisk acceleration less progressive driving not to say say that it wasn't still safe just not as controlled and structured.