[AWSAWS]

(This is more of a rant I suppose)

I was driving today when I noticed a white van approaching the round about I was on quite quickly. I had entered the round about from the junction one to his right so I had the right of way. He wouldn't have seen me coming due to the angle etc. Anyway it turned out to be a police van (one of the Vauxhall pieces of garbage) and low and behold he followed me and then put on the lights pulling me over. He definitely followed me, leaving his original intended route because had he taken this route he'd have been going in a circle from where he'd come from.



Now I know for a fact that he was grumpy about having had to brake and slow down. I pulled over and turned off my ignition. Then I lowered my window and waited for what this prick was going to do. He asked me to step out of the car so I did. Then he walked to the front of my car and asked me about the illumination I had in my grill. I have a strip of LEDs which light up the area behind the grill. As you can see in my avatar. I can change the colours and today I was running purple.

He asked me something like, "who said you can run lights like these in the front of your car?"

Now I know for a fact that the law states you cannot run red lights at the front of any vehicle because it could be confused for the rear and cause accidents. You cannot also run flashing lights.

I acted naive and said I'd seen trucks running green, blue and white lights on roads many times at the front so I assumed it wasn't a problem. As I say I know for a fact it isn't. I've been running these lights in my grill for over a year. I've often been behind traffic police on the road (marked and unmarked cars) and I've never been stopped.

He then made up some bullshit that I couldn't have this particular colour but I could have blue or white. What a load of bullshit, I thought to myself. I wasn't going to argue because next thing I know he'd be making my life difficult. They'd find a way. You know them. Search the car for drugs (I don't do drugs), breathalyse me (I wasn't drinking anyway) or start measuring tread on the tyres or something.

Anyway I played the fool and said I'd just turn them off. Pretending I was believing his nonsense. For a start. He's a police man. He should know the law and should be able to tell me the law. It's not his job to ask me what I know about it.

Another thing. I believe that not being a traffic officer, that he had no right to pursue me and pull me over. Can anyone confirm this?

As I say he just had a tantrum because I wasn't speeding. My lights were on etc.

So anyway he then walked back to his vehicle and said I could go. While opening his door he then said. 'I assume its your vehicle and you're insured'. Well yes it is and yes I am and of course I said yes but so would any uninsured driver or thief of the car.

He wasn't a traffic officer so he had no ANPR or anything to tell him whether it was the case. So I left.

All I can say is. What a bell end.

[Itsabdi]

If you did not do anything wrong I'd be a proper sarcastic bastered to him looool.
Me being a proper Darth Vader ( black guy black car black clothes black everthing) I always have em following me just for a eye contact lol

[AWSAWS]

I figure they'd find a way to make my life difficult.

Say they smelled weed (I don't use weed) or something similar. Oh look for a weapon in the car. Say I was driving dangerously.

I mean I wasn't asked my name, address or for insurance or anything. Wasn't asked for a driving licence. He was a complete tool. Just upset that he'd looked like a shit driver in front of his mates.

[AWSAWS]

It's quite straight forward.

The Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989
1989 No. 1796 PART II

PART II
REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE FITTING OF LAMPS, REFLECTORS, REAR MARKINGS AND DEVICES
Colour of light shown by lamps and reflectors

11.—(1) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front, except–

(a)a red and white chequered domed lamp, or a red and white segmented mast-mounted warning beacon, fitted to a fire service control vehicle and intended for use at the scene of an emergency;
(b)a side marker lamp or a side retro reflector;
(c)retro reflective material or a retro reflector designed primarily to reflect light to one or both sides of the vehicle and attached to or incorporated in any wheel or tyre of–
(i)a pedal cycle and any sidecar attached to it;
(ii)a solo motor bicycle or a motor bicycle combination; or
(iii)an invalid carriage; or
(d)a traffic sign.


(2) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing any light to the rear, other than a red light, except–...


http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1...ppet&wrap=true

[The0pportunist]

I was pulled over almost weekly when i was between 18-20 - i'm not exaggerating. It was always the same reason, you look like quite young and your in a black bmw with tints etc etc. Even one time i was pulled over and the copper asked me to open the boot, he took one look and then got back in his car and drove off. Heck I used to think it was normal for the police to treat us like this... I should also say the 100+ times i've been pulled over on a routine check the coppers have never charged with me anything, not even speeding which is the only thing i may have been guilty of back then..

Few years later i've grown wiser to my rights and am just itching to have a copper pull me for no good reason - funny thing is i've not been pulled over yet! It's like they can sense the ones that know their rights.

Point is, i think your absolutely right to have this rant, kids need to be educated on their rights. Pulling out a camera too if your stopped is a must these days.

Also i must say i'm not anti-police, majority i imagine are just fine but the ones i've met have been in hindsight incredibly unlawful.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by The0pportunist

I was pulled over almost weekly when i was between 18-20 - i'm not exaggerating. It was always the same reason, you look like quite young and your in a black bmw with tints etc etc. Even one time i was pulled over and the copper asked me to open the boot, he took one look and then got back in his car and drove off. Heck I used to think it was normal for the police to treat us like this... I should also say the 100+ times i've been pulled over on a routine check the coppers have never charged with me anything, not even speeding which is the only thing i may have been guilty of back then..

Few years later i've grown wiser to my rights and am just itching to have a copper pull me for no good reason - funny thing is i've not been pulled over yet! It's like they can sense the ones that know their rights.

Point is, i think your absolutely right to have this rant, kids need to be educated on their rights. Pulling out a camera too if your stopped is a must these days.

Also i must say i'm not anti-police, majority i imagine are just fine but the ones i've met have been in hindsight incredibly unlawful.

Yes I thought my dash cam with the windows down would have recorded him but wouldn't you know it, it hadn't turned on. I have video from earlier in the day and then from when I turned the car back on after talking to him.

They are public servants in public places. So every right to film. It's good for protection if accusations are made.

I have front and rear dash cams but at the time my rear dash cam was removed from the car.

[Chappers 71]

Jack, he should have arrested you & impounded your car for having those lights in your grill

In 29 years of driving I have only been stopped 4 times, twice in my beetle, once in the M5 with myself & 3 mates in the car driving back from a nightclub in the early hours of the morning, I think they just wanted to check out the M5 & once in the 540i. None of these times was I breathalysed or asked to produce any documents, I was polite all four times & each time we ended up chatting about my car

[Icekube]

Originally Posted by AWSAWS

It's quite straight forward.

11.—(1) No vehicle shall be fitted with a lamp which is capable of showing a red light to the front

Being SUPER pedantic here, but just pointing it out to you in case you do go getting into bother trying to use this for a defence.

Your multi coloured lights are CAPABLE of showing red, and therefore are illegal, regardless if they weren't showing red at the time, if they can, they are against that particular law.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by Icekube

Being SUPER pedantic here, but just pointing it out to you in case you do go getting into bother trying to use this for a defence.

Your multi coloured lights are CAPABLE of showing red, and therefore are illegal, regardless if they weren't showing red at the time, if they can, they are against that particular law.

Yeah I can see where you are coming from. I'm sure in 1989 when the rules were written it was to make sure no bulb was behind a red housing that when turned on could produce red light. Of course they have no idea these can change colour.

I know really the best policy is to be friendly and bring them over to your side but he was being a p**k.

Luckily my hostage in the boot didn't make too much noise

[BMW Steve]

I just hope as a carful driver you did the following

•Acknowledge the officer by turning on flashers. ...
•Pull over to a safe area. ...
•Stay in the car. ...
•Turn off engine, roll down window, and turn on your int lights. ...
•Stay calm. ...
•Stay still and keep your hands on the steering wheel.

Police can't pull you over without probable cause. They can't just randomly stop you and look for drugs etc in your car. They need a reason, or "probable cause," like the extra lights in your grill's.....

He was probably board and had nothing better to do....


Its a lot worse when being stopped by the German Police during a terrorist alert just because you have BFG plates.... They pull there guns out, one covers the car while the other walks towards the driver, that driver being Me....... Not a feel good moment.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by BMW Steve

I just hope as a carful driver you did the following

•Acknowledge the officer by turning on flashers. ...
•Pull over to a safe area. ...
•Stay in the car. ...
•Turn off engine, roll down window, and turn on your int lights. ...
•Stay calm. ...
•Stay still and keep your hands on the steering wheel.

Police can't pull you over without probable cause. They can't just randomly stop you and look for drugs etc in your car. They need a reason, or "probable cause," like the extra lights in your grill's.....

He was probably board and had nothing better to do....


Its a lot worse when being stopped by the German Police during a terrorist alert just because you have BFG plates.... They pull there guns out, one covers the car while the other walks towards the driver, that driver being Me....... Not a feel good moment.

Was in Florida last month driving a rental. The stops there are no joke. Luckily I was never stopped with an officer pointing a gun at me but I saw plenty of stops.

[Danstrolie]

To clarify some of the above, in the UK, section 163 Road Traffic Act 1988 gives a Constable in uniform power to stop any vehicle (including bicycles) on a road. Doesn't have to be traffic Police.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by Danstrolie

To clarify some of the above, in the UK, section 163 Road Traffic Act 1988 gives a Constable in uniform power to stop any vehicle (including bicycles) on a road. Doesn't have to be traffic Police.

Yes it's only if I had failed to stop that I could not have been pursued. Obviously that's not going to happen

"Response cars are not authorized to pursue a failing to stop suspect: an area car, traffic car or advanced blue light trained officer will take over the pursuit."

[makkan00]

Without being funny, why do you think that your beamer require those funny lights...?
IMHO, it ruins the front of your car.


Yes, officer might be a tool but you gave him an excuse to stop you.

I will not out anything on my car which may give an officer an excuse to stop me.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by makkan00

Without being funny, why do you think that your beamer require those funny lights...?
IMHO, it ruins the front of your car.


Yes, officer might be a tool but you gave him an excuse to stop you.

I will not out anything on my car which may give an officer an excuse to stop me.

Because in my opinion it doesn't ruin the car, I like it and coloured lights which are not red are not illegal is why.

Plus if we are being pedantic, the purple colour is a reflection off my radiator from inside my engine bay. The lights are fitted in the engine bay.

[The0pportunist]

Why do car manufacturers install those dangerous auto dip headlights on cars. The system is never quick enough and i have been blinded many times. Even some of the new daytime running lights are too bloody bright!

It's crazy that we just accept it from car manufacturers but a DIY illuminated grill offends us.

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by The0pportunist

Why do car manufacturers install those dangerous auto dip headlights on cars. The system is never quick enough and i have been blinded many times. Even some of the new daytime running lights are too bloody bright!

It's crazy that we just accept it from car manufacturers but a DIY illuminated grill offends us.

Well the whole point of a DRL is to mimimise accidents.
It makes people around the car more aware of it's presence and reduces the chances of them stepping out in front of the car as a pedestrian or turning in front of it etc. as a road user.

We see plenty of trucks with coloured lights on the front these days. Absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I just like the effect in my grill personally.

[RENT-A-GOAT]

Haha this just cracks me up a post winging about coppers and being pulled with a line like this in it "I have a strip of LEDs which light up the area behind the grill" of course they're going to pull you in you invited it to be fair with flashing lights too so you can't really be that surprised can you.

As for the flashing lights in the grill is your name Micheal and do you call your car Kitt!

[AWSAWS]

Originally Posted by RENT-A-GOAT

Haha this just cracks me up a post winging about coppers and being pulled with a line like this in it "I have a strip of LEDs which light up the area behind the grill" of course they're going to pull you in you invited it to be fair with flashing lights too so you can't really be that surprised can you.

As for the flashing lights in the grill is your name Micheal and do you call your car Kitt!

They don't flash.

I have an illuminated grill. Like many other vehicles on the road. It's not illegal.

I was stopped because the prat was in a bad mood. Then he lied to me about the law and then he drove off.

Next time you are on a motorway count how many vehicles have non white lights on the front of them. Mainly the lorries.