Pulled by the police today

Not my day. My project van was pulled by the police. The followed me all the way to Sainsburys without lights of course and apprehended me after I parked up with my daughter.

They said I had a bald rear tyre. And yes I did not notice myself because it was right in the inner side almost down to the plys. So I thanked the officer for this and said I have it booked for the front tyres, so I will get them to do the rears on Friday too.

Sadly this is where the fun ends. They did a check over of my van and told me any tyre over 6 years old must be changed and should fail an MOT. All my tyres were from 2002 and yes they were worn hence why I was changing them. However he has stuck a prohibition on the van and said I must have it flatbedded from now. I cannot drive the van and must take it for a new MOT and then go to the police station to have the prohibition removed.

And a £100 fine to the joy. They were not a fan of campers. He told me campervans have no safety features and are a coffin on wheels. He told me he does not see the appeal in the old death traps.

They deliberately tried to be argumentative and provoke me, but I just agreed and said well done, completely agree. No points though, so I guess they were being nice!

 

Old death traps? You could have asked him for the stats on how many people are killed or injured in vintage vehicles compared to modern but you’d probably have got into more trouble. Chalk it up to experience. You might get pulled by one who loves classic vehicles next time. Fingers X’d. Was it, out of interest, a traffic cop, or a general cop do you know?

 

The tyre thing doesn't sound correct to me. As far as I'm aware, there's no age limit on tyres (although there might be a common-sense one).

Bays are no more death traps than any other older vehicle, and the fact he doesn't like them shouldn't affect his judgement, IMO.

Sounds like you got pulled over by Johnny Arse. Just let it wash over you...

 

Bad luck looking for brownie points and you unfortunately were a soft touch.
Well done for keeping your cool..

 

I believe he's talking rubbish about tyre age and failing an MOT https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...FjAMegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw3xzSqqs8qLkZ6gpcBcwMjB

 

He said to me I drive classic Land Rover Defenders because he said they are solidly built. They were traffic cops I think as they were in a BMW with all the ANPR stuff.

He also complained about the paint tins and compressor I had in the back of the van. He said a paint tin would hit me on the head when driving and that the MOT tester must see the notes he had written about the loose items in the rear of the van. They went around and jotted the brand and make of each tyre and warned me he had taken my mileage and would use it as evidence against me if I did not get it flatbedded home.

 

I suspect his wife/girlfriend/boyfriend got fed up of old land-rovers and ran off with someone with a camper van, maybe he thought it was you....

 

^this. He sounds like a right knob.

 

I’m quite shocked I didn’t think we had any police doing this sort of thing anymore , where are you ? Spose speeding was out of the question

 

Rather than get a flatbed to the tyre place, you could get a mobile tyre person to come out to the van. Probably cheaper

 

Yes he comes on here didn’t you know

 

With a prohibition notice I cannot drive the van even after I have the tyres changed he told me. My bus is about 800 metres from my home, but in a time limited car park. I am going there to put the spare on and keep my fingers crossed.

And I live in Lee, South East London

 

Just unclip the speedo cable out the back of the clocks if he’s looking to be a complete dick and is potentially going to check your mileage.

 

Excerpt from that ROSPA sheet:

"There is no law governing the maximum age at which tyres may be used on the roads for cars. ..."

I thought traffic cops were supposed to be the knowledgeable cops. Really irritating when they pick on classic cars, when in general these are the best looked after and driven the most carefully as the owners care about their beloved machines. I've only experienced the opposite to you Patrick and even had cops pull up next to my buggy and show genuine interest. Guess you were just unlucky and got the cop at the end of a long shift.

 

I’m sure if you had gone to McDonald’s instead of Sainsburys you could have shook him off

 

I would of just bribed him with a curlywhirley or something

 

coffin on wheels...