RichiW

g/f has just been give a vehicle retification form for a blown rear bulb, going to cost £20 to have it stamped at the local MOT place apparently.


Nice one, another hardened criminal brought to justice!



[img]images/smilies/mad.gif[/img]

XT

i'm not going to comment on the fact that she has to pay 20 quid for a bloody light bulb.

However, we all know that blown rear light bulbs are not easy to spot unless another driver tells us. Shouldn't the police have some with them in a box or something. Most of the cars use the same rear bulbs. Instead of giving a bloody fine and having a driver with blown bulbs in the middle of the night, should they 'sell' or give for free the bloody light bulb?

It may sound stupid, but it's a way to have safer cars on the streets.

akshay67

I totally agree with you mate. Police should let minor crimes and offences slip through the net. Never understood why anyone would want to enforce an MOT - its your car, you do what you like. You drive as fast as you want.

Suresh

A little off topic, but why don't all car manufacturers fit sensors that tell you when a bulb is blown? I mean they fit an ecu that will monitor your engine a hundred times a second, so why not fit something that monitors your bulbs for you? Would improve safety and avoid having to pay stupid fines.

I was in the UK last week and saw a shocking number of vehicles with blown bulbs - including a couple with no brake lights.

Suresh

PETENAUD

all motorists are criminals

When will plod learn - not until its to late

RichiW

akshay67, not sure where your heading?

Bald tire .. she would deserve to be fined/pointed.
Speeding .. .. she would deserve to be fined/pointed.
Blown bulb? .. advice would be alittle more apppropiate IMO.


The police officer i saw the other day certainly had no quarms about driving along with one blown headlamp, but there again, that was a copper that was breaking the law right? Different rules?

ianmiller999

If the lights are so important why do the HEADLIGHTS flash? If you have other flashing lights is there any need for headlights flash as well?

PETENAUD

What u have to understand is that she was commiting an offence, therefor, pc k ******* (not his real name) had to nick her.

Now he has solved a crime, and so the police can now say on their figures that its another criminal that has been brought to justice.

No doubt whilst he was being a complete **** 3 rapes occured, 7 burglarys (sp) and an old age pensioner robbed at knife point before being beaten up.

Remember tho, plod is so ******* thick he cant solve these crimes, so he just picks on a nice easy "victim"

RichiW

You may well have summed thing's up there Pete.


I must say it could be one bad apple, i personally know two coppers who are both really sound guys, but situations like the one my g/f encountered certainly do nothing for the polices reputation amoung all her family, colleagues and friends ...thats alot of people all shaking their heads. The police/goverment may have solved another 'crime', but it certainly did nothing for their already tarnished reputation.

Ralf

I Was standing at the traffic lights when a police officer got out of his car to come over to tell me one of my rear lights had blown and I better had it repaired. Some of those are out there too.

Sbradley

Hold on a sec.

How come nobody is having a pop at the ripoff garage that wants to charge £20 for something that should be FOC?

She changes the bulb, goes into the MOT centre, shows the work is done and they stamp the form.

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR THIS!!!

How do I know? Because I have had 2 recently. 1 in wife's car - blown tail-light and 1 in a mate's - illegal front plate.

No charge either time.

Somone is talking bollox or having the pish taken...

SB

AndiThompson

I was thinking the same thing..

£20

Go to another MOT test station

Sith

I am always complaining that people have missing brake lights or ones that don't work at all.

I agree the fine was very harsh. A polite chat to say it was blown and that a new one should be bought was the best way to do it. Public relations really.

And you can check your brake lights by reversing to something reflective or in a dark area and pressing the brake pedal. Or get someone else to check for you. That's what I do.

I had someone the other day that when they braked the hazards flashed and the rear lights dimmed. Obviously looks after their car.

BuRR

If its what Richie says, then its a VDRS, which IS NOT A FINE!

Its 14 days grace to get it fixed..... and prove you have done, by getting a MOT station to stamp the form... which rightly said above is done at MOST places free of charge.

I suggest your rant should be aimed towards the garage, and not the police.

Come on Richie... we've got enough bad press on here as it is, mate

class_A

Don't think it would be a fine from the Police as surely a bulb could blow whilst you are driving. Even if you had checked all lights before starting your journey, you'd be none the wiser.

Find another MOT man who isn't Scrooge

PETENAUD

YEAH but why didn't plod just say to her "get it fixed".

Then if she didn't and he saw her again, fine her.

I have been stopped years ago when i only had one brake light and plod said, get it fixed and went on his way, Next day new bulb and no hassle.

Tell me, who was the victim of this crime?

BuRR

Jeez....

Christ on a bike..... I've lost count the number of times I've had a quiet word in someone's shell-like about getting their car sorted, only for them to stick the proverbial 2 finger salute up when my back is turned, so this way is best for everyone.

You know your light is out (which is an offence in the Con & Use Regs)
I advise you - and require it fixing
I don't know that you'll a) know how to do it or b) will actually fix it anyway
I issue you with a form giving you 14 days to fix it - or get a garage to fix it
The form requires verification from a MOT-qualified garage, so I know its been fixed
Doesn't cost anyone anything (apart from the new part) - except some of the driver's time in getting it fixed.

What's the big deal? At the end of the day the Highway Code suggests everyone should check their lights b4 they set off. Now I know no one does, but that's what it says.

Also, sometimes we get the feeling "damned if you do, damned if you don't"

[Edited by BuRR - 12/30/2003 8:39:33 AM]

Godspeed Brakes

iTrader: (259)

I always try to check my brake lights before every journey , but as quick as I can run to the back of the car the little buggers have gone out

PETENAUD

"Christ on a bike..... I've lost count the number of times I've had a quiet word in someone's shell-like about getting their car sorted, only for them to stick the proverbial 2 finger salute up when my back is turned, so this way is best for everyone"

We are all criminals then.

If the local plod stop me and and tell me my rear lights gone i will fix it asap.

TRY TO UNDERSTAND some of us are law abiding reasonable people.

If you pull some one over and tell them a lights out and they give you the verbal etc, then do them as they deserve it.

Jesus why can't the police get the fact that their current policy is driving a huge wedge between them and the general public.

If plod continues tis way, you will see the BBC Crimewatch program filmed from a telephone box cos nobody is going to give a toss about helping the police.

Ian - pmsl


[Edited by PETENAUD - 12/30/2003 8:48:21 AM]

corradoboy

Yes, the Plod in question was overzealous and could have advised instead of following strict procedure. That should be used on the cars mentioned previously by some people which have bad earthing faults, and are therefore very dangerous.

Yes, the garage which charges £20 for a rubber stamp deserves to have their MOT license revoked. Thieving *****.

Yes, we should all carry a selection of replacement bulbs. It's not yet law here, but it is on the continent and so will come here eventually. They cost almost nothing, take up almost no space, take a few seconds to fit if required and the only reason we don't is lazy absent minded abject apathy.

May I suuggest that all Scoobynetters visit their local motorfactors in the next couple of days and stock up.

BuRR

Its called discretion. Some have more than others.

Remember - not everyone works in suburbia. The usual driver I would stop wouldn't necessary be the most law-abiding citizen on the planet. That's not to say that I would have done the same thing as the PC that issued the VDRS to Richie's girlfriend, but I'm trying to say that the VDRS is not the big-deal that everyone seems to be making it out to be. The only time anyone would be prosecuted would be if they didn't carry out the required work in the allotted time.

I've given people producers before and written an instruction on the producer for the officer receiving the documents to check that maintainance has been carried out. Is that fair? I would like to think so.

I am talking in general circumstances..... the VDRS was introduced to help everyone.

PETENAUD

Burr, granted, i know what u r saying. But, a little discretion as u say and every ones happy.

If i get pulled over i will gladly give a breath test and answer a few questions, "is this your car" etc. If i am polite and treat the officer with respect, why cant the said officer treat me with respect and discretion. If, on the other hand i start giving him or her a load of agressive behavour then fine, treat me with a producer etc.

Old saying, what goes around, comes around.

oh, question, if i see a police car with a bulb out what can i do?

Cos i have, could i inform the plod station and get them to go to the local garage?????????

I have seen the state of police cars at motor auctions, jesus, what do you do to them, half of them are so illegal its untrue.

BuRR

I (used to anyway) treat each driver on their own merits. If they gave me impression that the bulb was a genuine oversight or it had just gone, then I would tell them to get it fixed asap....

If it was a car I'd seen for some time running around like a cyclops, then it would probably be a VDRS (unless upon speaking to the driver, I decided it was like the first case above)

If it was one of our "regulars" then, well, I don't have to say do I?

Also - remember - probationers have tighter constraints put on them by the training programme they follow. they have to be able to show they are competent in most matters of police procedures during the relatively short time they are actually out on independent patrol. One of these is being conversant in the VDR procedure. We don't know that this is or isn't the case here.

Like someone else mentioned in another post. Its all like Batari's box (I could never spell that name) - its down to the attitude test on both parts. the driver's attitude affects the police officer's attitude which affects the driver's attitude.... etc etc.... with no start and no end to the circle.

I hope this makes sense, and I hope that we can now put this to rest. I'm sure Rich's gf will find a MOT testing station that will say "Yes, the light is changed OK" and we can all live happily ever after.

I promised myself that I wouldn't get stressed about these kind of posts again! d'oh!

Mercury

Scoobynet is becoming a laughing stock with all these pathetic whingeing anti-police posts about the slightest little injustice.

Just take a look at this thread title for a start I expected to read a proper travesty of injustice instead of something so piddling that it wasnt even worth taking the time and effort to post on a bb.

What did the copper do wrong? Was he rude and abusive or was he polite? He was just ensuring that your g/f got her bulb/wiring sorted and probably wasnt aware that your garage allegedly charges £20 to stamp the MOT.

PETENAUD

Mercury - discussions like this can actualy help because posts like burrs come on and put the police point of view. Whilst i still maintain the police need to learn a bit of pr it does make you stop and listen to a police point of view. If you cant have a discussion in a civil manner, dont bother.

Burr, thanks, understand your comments. Then again you sound a reasonable copper, a rare thing unfortunately nowadays.

Evening all

Badger Stuffer

Jeeeeeeeeezzzz.

You lot are like a load of old fecking washer women. Why is it that you have to get your point accross by slagging off the Police. Oh, poor you, you have a ticket for going too fast. Tough..slow down and you won't get one.

If your partner was mugged, raped or murdered then you would not be so quick to judge the Police would you.

We all know that there are too many speed cameras.
We all know that there are some power crazy Police officers.
We all know that the sky is blue.

I have met some rude and arogant bus drivers in my time but I don't see fit to start a thread on it.

I agree with the original poster in as much as a gentle reminder to get the fault rectified would have been more apropriate.

Please remember before you all spout off you should be aware that it is YOUR responsability to cheack your tyres, lights, etc before you set off.

Rant over.

Mercury

PETENAUD the topic doesnt even warrant a discussion mate, why should BuRR have to continually defend the police and get stressed. IMO I cant see why RichiW got so uptight about it, his g/f didnt get a fine, didnt get points on her licence, she isnt a criminal.

I know plenty of decent coppers and they outweigh the few that are b@st@rds, so they arent as rare as you imply

289

Strangely enough, I got pulled over (well, I was actually pulled over anyway) by a policeman in North Yorkshire last week.

Did I know that one of my brake lights was out? Er, yes, but it only went the day before, and I'd forgotten to change it. Did I have a bulb? Actually yes, I'd bought one as a spare, just been lazy.

In that case (and this is the one the anti-police brigade will hate) why don't we fit it now - I'll help if you like.

Result was one fully-legal car, one happy policeman, and one driver who was absolutely and totally satisfied with the police response in this matter. I was in the wrong, there were crappy driving conditions (so every light really is essential), the problem got fixed ... which is what the police officer is there to ensure.

StickyMicky

there will be a charge for the stamp next year aperntly

that came from my mate whos in the trade

V45DSM

They certainly do. Last January I was driving like a bit of a ****, letting off steam. I caught the attention of Plod in an unmarked focus. He gave chase. When he eventully stopped me I was sure I was fooked. He got out said 'that was a snazzy bit of driving' went on about the new Skodas his station were getting. He then gave me a producer, but only after checking with me that I had insurance and a MOT. Now that's discretion and he must have been in his 40s!