How many times have you been stopped by the Police, why and
Discussion
Interesting question.
Early seventies. Helmet nicked, stopped riding home on Moped with no helmet. Nothing happened.
Stopped around this time on same Moped for illegal front L plate. Ended up with 2 pound fine, and a lot less respect for police. (L plate was on side of wheel cover)
Late seventies, Nottingham - 45-55 in a 30 - motorbike. Fined 20 quid.
A year later , 40 in a 30 (Cortina 1600E) Had to drive very carefully as at the time another speeding would have seen loss of licence. 22 quid.
Stopped about 2am in same car in the wilds of Fife - doing 30 in NSL. Couldn't sleep.
Eighties, drove past police on M69 at 70. Stopped and police tried to claim there was a central database of insurance and they were going to check - idiots.
Coming out of Leicester, followed by Police, sticking to 40 as I thought it was the limit. Turned out to be 30. No action.
Coventry - police tried to claim wheelstuds were too short as they didn't protrude through wheelnut! (That's how early Triumph Heralds were made). No action
Coventry. Stopped again by same policeman, indicator switch failed as I stopped. (no action) Had a word with policeman next door as the locals were staring to target SWMBO as well. Targetting stopped.
M54. Tatty looking Herald van. Police walked round car shaking heads saying they couldn't work out how it was all legal. They drove off.
M6 sliproad, desperate for a slash. Triumph Herald (again), claimed I thought it was overheating. Car was fully legal but Police couldn't work out why it didn't appear on DVLC database - it had been off the road for 25 years and hadn't been registered. No action
Early nineties, speeding in a village near Coventry. Bang to rights. Let off as I lived locally.
Stopped on M69. Policeman claimed I hadn't indicated for long enough when exiting motorway. No action.
Deepest Warwickshire near Christmas, about 11 pm. LHD Spitfire. Policeman went to what he though was drivers side and said to the passenger "do you know what speed you were driving at?", to which the reply was "no idea, I'm not driving". The copper saw the funny side and said to me, "you've only got one brake light by the way, not that you use them very much". No action.
Lithuania. Stopped in a village for speeding. Policeman didn't speak English. I think he wanted me to go and get some money and go back to him. Eventually he waved me away.
Romania. Policeman at the side of the road. Ten pound fine for speeding (actually I was the passenger).
Moved to NZ in 2000. From memory been stopped four times for exceeding the national limit of 100 kph. The last three times the court case has been dropped the day before the hearing (paid the other one). Been luckier for the last few years.
Been breathalised three times I think at checkpoints. No problems.
Stopped a total of over 20 times, and I may forgotten some more - average of once every 2 years. Only been prosecuted 3 times, so pretty good record.
SWMBO has only been stopped once for speeding. In a Triumph Spitfire around Cambridge. Turned out the policeman who stopped her had bought parts of me for his Spitfire a couple of years earlier, and let her off when she gave her name!
Early seventies. Helmet nicked, stopped riding home on Moped with no helmet. Nothing happened.
Stopped around this time on same Moped for illegal front L plate. Ended up with 2 pound fine, and a lot less respect for police. (L plate was on side of wheel cover)
Late seventies, Nottingham - 45-55 in a 30 - motorbike. Fined 20 quid.
A year later , 40 in a 30 (Cortina 1600E) Had to drive very carefully as at the time another speeding would have seen loss of licence. 22 quid.
Stopped about 2am in same car in the wilds of Fife - doing 30 in NSL. Couldn't sleep.
Eighties, drove past police on M69 at 70. Stopped and police tried to claim there was a central database of insurance and they were going to check - idiots.
Coming out of Leicester, followed by Police, sticking to 40 as I thought it was the limit. Turned out to be 30. No action.
Coventry - police tried to claim wheelstuds were too short as they didn't protrude through wheelnut! (That's how early Triumph Heralds were made). No action
Coventry. Stopped again by same policeman, indicator switch failed as I stopped. (no action) Had a word with policeman next door as the locals were staring to target SWMBO as well. Targetting stopped.
M54. Tatty looking Herald van. Police walked round car shaking heads saying they couldn't work out how it was all legal. They drove off.
M6 sliproad, desperate for a slash. Triumph Herald (again), claimed I thought it was overheating. Car was fully legal but Police couldn't work out why it didn't appear on DVLC database - it had been off the road for 25 years and hadn't been registered. No action
Early nineties, speeding in a village near Coventry. Bang to rights. Let off as I lived locally.
Stopped on M69. Policeman claimed I hadn't indicated for long enough when exiting motorway. No action.
Deepest Warwickshire near Christmas, about 11 pm. LHD Spitfire. Policeman went to what he though was drivers side and said to the passenger "do you know what speed you were driving at?", to which the reply was "no idea, I'm not driving". The copper saw the funny side and said to me, "you've only got one brake light by the way, not that you use them very much". No action.
Lithuania. Stopped in a village for speeding. Policeman didn't speak English. I think he wanted me to go and get some money and go back to him. Eventually he waved me away.
Romania. Policeman at the side of the road. Ten pound fine for speeding (actually I was the passenger).
Moved to NZ in 2000. From memory been stopped four times for exceeding the national limit of 100 kph. The last three times the court case has been dropped the day before the hearing (paid the other one). Been luckier for the last few years.
Been breathalised three times I think at checkpoints. No problems.
Stopped a total of over 20 times, and I may forgotten some more - average of once every 2 years. Only been prosecuted 3 times, so pretty good record.
SWMBO has only been stopped once for speeding. In a Triumph Spitfire around Cambridge. Turned out the policeman who stopped her had bought parts of me for his Spitfire a couple of years earlier, and let her off when she gave her name!
Been driving 7 years or so and pulled over somewhere around 50 times, all barring one (78mph on motorway) I've been on my way.
Sounds a lot but:
15 or so when I was 17-19 y.o and had the number plates stolen from my car - "reports of stolen plates"
5 times in my Astra when the front plate "fell" off (nothing to do with the 25 miles a day of spec's cameras on my commute)
25 or so when I was 21-23 in my 335i, living in SE London "is this car stolen"
3 times in my dad's old Jag S-type, both at 4:30am taking my brother to work, again "is this stolen"
1 time in my track prepped EP3 (and for the first time was talked to like something on the bottom of a shoe)
2 times in my current 540i - "look in a rush"
Plus a few more to boot, worst was 3 times in 36 hours....
Sounds a lot but:
15 or so when I was 17-19 y.o and had the number plates stolen from my car - "reports of stolen plates"
5 times in my Astra when the front plate "fell" off (nothing to do with the 25 miles a day of spec's cameras on my commute)
25 or so when I was 21-23 in my 335i, living in SE London "is this car stolen"
3 times in my dad's old Jag S-type, both at 4:30am taking my brother to work, again "is this stolen"
1 time in my track prepped EP3 (and for the first time was talked to like something on the bottom of a shoe)
2 times in my current 540i - "look in a rush"
Plus a few more to boot, worst was 3 times in 36 hours....
Once in about 8 years.
Was this summer, driving back from work.
PC: "Excuse me sir, is this your car?"
Me: "Yes officer"
PC: "That's fine sir- just a making sure this vehicle hasn't been stolen. There's been a lot of BMW's stolen recently, and you were driving like you wanted to avoid suspicion"
Me: "Thank you for checking. Out of interest, how does one drive to avoid suspicion?"
PC "Not speeding and using indicators. Drive safe!"
Was this summer, driving back from work.
PC: "Excuse me sir, is this your car?"
Me: "Yes officer"
PC: "That's fine sir- just a making sure this vehicle hasn't been stolen. There's been a lot of BMW's stolen recently, and you were driving like you wanted to avoid suspicion"
Me: "Thank you for checking. Out of interest, how does one drive to avoid suspicion?"
PC "Not speeding and using indicators. Drive safe!"
I've been driving 7 years and been pulled over once.
The attitude of the traffic cop was shocking but at 16 I didn't know how to react being new to the roads.
I had bought a black derbi gpr 50 (geared motorbike as apposed to scooter).
Having just recently presented my interest in a rugby club I went along to view a match a few miles away. Returning home I went through the town centre to call at a mates house.
After about 30 seconds drive into the town centre I hear police siren and see the lights, I pull over into a bus lane to get out of his way but he follows behind.
Calls me over into his car for a discussion.
The conversation went like this:
P: So then what was that all about?
M: what was what about?
P: dont mess about, you know what you did.
M: no really, I have no idea what you're on about. I have just come from a rugby match and I will give you the phone number of my coach who will this back up.
P:.......... what bike do you drive?
M: A derbi gpr 50
P: go turn your bike to the side so I can see this.
M: went and turned it and sat back in the car.
P: right, I'm looking for a red and yellow aprilia who just blocked me from chasing someone then sped off.
M: (in my head I'm thinking what the f
k is going on) I say I know there's a lad around this area that drives that bike but that's all I know. (I actually knew who it was but wasn't grassing as he was a mate).
P: you may leave the car.
Not once was there a please or thank you. He was an utter arse to me and I had no idea what I'd done.
Also I've no idea why his attitude was so bad and he tugged me full well knowing my bike was a completely different feking colour!
This was my bike:
bike he was looking for:
The attitude of the traffic cop was shocking but at 16 I didn't know how to react being new to the roads.
I had bought a black derbi gpr 50 (geared motorbike as apposed to scooter).
Having just recently presented my interest in a rugby club I went along to view a match a few miles away. Returning home I went through the town centre to call at a mates house.
After about 30 seconds drive into the town centre I hear police siren and see the lights, I pull over into a bus lane to get out of his way but he follows behind.
Calls me over into his car for a discussion.
The conversation went like this:
P: So then what was that all about?
M: what was what about?
P: dont mess about, you know what you did.
M: no really, I have no idea what you're on about. I have just come from a rugby match and I will give you the phone number of my coach who will this back up.
P:.......... what bike do you drive?
M: A derbi gpr 50
P: go turn your bike to the side so I can see this.
M: went and turned it and sat back in the car.
P: right, I'm looking for a red and yellow aprilia who just blocked me from chasing someone then sped off.
M: (in my head I'm thinking what the f
k is going on) I say I know there's a lad around this area that drives that bike but that's all I know. (I actually knew who it was but wasn't grassing as he was a mate). P: you may leave the car.
Not once was there a please or thank you. He was an utter arse to me and I had no idea what I'd done.
Also I've no idea why his attitude was so bad and he tugged me full well knowing my bike was a completely different feking colour!
This was my bike:
bike he was looking for:
Edited by smiffy180 on Saturday 30th August 23:45
HTP99 said:
Once soon after I had passed my test, 20 odd years ago; I was in my dads Morris Minor and had just left the girlfriends (now the wife), they pulled me over as there had been a spate of car thefts and car related trouble recently in the area.
It was a car and a van who stopped me, when the Policeman approached he noticed in the windscreen a black rat sticker; tha Black Rats are the Surrey Traffic Police, my dad was one at the time; now retired.
The Policeman and I had a quick chat, he knew my dad and let me get on my way.
More recently; a few weeks ago, I was running late for work and was in a bit of a hurry and I stupidly undertook a very slow car on the Burpham to A3 sliproad, I knew there was a police bike behind however this guy was doing 40 on a sliproad in lane 2 which takes you to a 70 limit 3 lane A road.
I then pulled into lane 2 to pass a slower line of traffic in lane one and sat at an indicated 75, the Police bike pulled alongside, showed his mild displeasure by shaking his head and giving me a slow down hand signal then he shot off and that was that.
A Surrey Traffic plod + Morris Minor, is your dad Alan H. by any chance ?It was a car and a van who stopped me, when the Policeman approached he noticed in the windscreen a black rat sticker; tha Black Rats are the Surrey Traffic Police, my dad was one at the time; now retired.
The Policeman and I had a quick chat, he knew my dad and let me get on my way.
More recently; a few weeks ago, I was running late for work and was in a bit of a hurry and I stupidly undertook a very slow car on the Burpham to A3 sliproad, I knew there was a police bike behind however this guy was doing 40 on a sliproad in lane 2 which takes you to a 70 limit 3 lane A road.
I then pulled into lane 2 to pass a slower line of traffic in lane one and sat at an indicated 75, the Police bike pulled alongside, showed his mild displeasure by shaking his head and giving me a slow down hand signal then he shot off and that was that.
In the late 60s. Driving home from the north west of the country - Stratford on Avon. The route I took was through the City of London as it was around 3am and I assumed there'd be little traffic. I stopped in Cheapside so that the girls in the car could look in the shops.
Two foot units turned up to ask why we'd stopped. They were pleasant, professional and, once they realised we were OK, one wandered off and the other stayed to talk motor racing as there were a few motor racing mags, including the British GP programme, in the car.
Very professional, very polite: I was impressed. We actually thanked the two as they took their leave.
So when I was looking for a force to join some six/seven years later the CoL came to mind.
Two foot units turned up to ask why we'd stopped. They were pleasant, professional and, once they realised we were OK, one wandered off and the other stayed to talk motor racing as there were a few motor racing mags, including the British GP programme, in the car.
Very professional, very polite: I was impressed. We actually thanked the two as they took their leave.
So when I was looking for a force to join some six/seven years later the CoL came to mind.
Maybe a dozen or so. Half the time i was doing something wrong, the other half i was accused of doing something wrong but wasn't doing anything abnormal...
Best one was when i was "stopped" in the street to search my car and me for drugs and weapons because i was acting "suspiciously".
I was washing my car outside the front of my house.
Best one was when i was "stopped" in the street to search my car and me for drugs and weapons because i was acting "suspiciously".
I was washing my car outside the front of my house.
About 5 times in my teens/early 20's. One occasion around 2001/02 I was a passenger in my mates mk2 Golf 1.3 when I was 18. We were coming back from another mates house one evening and we noticed a panda car had come out of a side turning and was behind us. We weren't speeding along, around 27 in 30. We both knew that they were going to pull us over and sure enough half a mile down the road the lights came on. So my mate pulled over and two officers got out and approached the car. One was a very pretty, young wpc and the other a middle aged overweight chap. Obviously trying to look the big man he proceeded to search us, while suggesting we must be drug users and or dealers and that he was looking for our stash!
Finding nothing on us, we had about £2.50 between us and some lint, he proceeded to thoroughly search the car even removing the steering wheel boss cover to check for illegal contraband. Ofcourse there was no illegality going on but in a series of remarks by the male copper he suggested we must've sold all our "gear" tonight and were headed home. Clearly he was trying to impress the pretty young female officer who remained silent the whole time.
All I was thinking was, 'yeah, we're dealers in a 12/13 year old golf 1.3 with zero cash and no stash! If it wasn't so laughable it would've been quite scary. Anyway he gave my mate a producer, (remember those) and sent us on our way with still bits of the interior trim hanging off in the car after his search.
Another occasion I got pulled over myself and the PC was convinced he could smell alcohol on me, I passed the breathalyser ofcourse as I hadn't touched a drop. Curiously his colleague was sat in the passenger seat of the panda car doing paperwork. I think I was only detained for the breath test and taking of details to allow them to fill time. Again there was no specific reason given for stopping me other than I looked a bit shifty! Lol.
Finding nothing on us, we had about £2.50 between us and some lint, he proceeded to thoroughly search the car even removing the steering wheel boss cover to check for illegal contraband. Ofcourse there was no illegality going on but in a series of remarks by the male copper he suggested we must've sold all our "gear" tonight and were headed home. Clearly he was trying to impress the pretty young female officer who remained silent the whole time.
All I was thinking was, 'yeah, we're dealers in a 12/13 year old golf 1.3 with zero cash and no stash! If it wasn't so laughable it would've been quite scary. Anyway he gave my mate a producer, (remember those) and sent us on our way with still bits of the interior trim hanging off in the car after his search.
Another occasion I got pulled over myself and the PC was convinced he could smell alcohol on me, I passed the breathalyser ofcourse as I hadn't touched a drop. Curiously his colleague was sat in the passenger seat of the panda car doing paperwork. I think I was only detained for the breath test and taking of details to allow them to fill time. Again there was no specific reason given for stopping me other than I looked a bit shifty! Lol.
Retroman said:
Maybe a dozen or so. Half the time i was doing something wrong, the other half i was accused of doing something wrong but wasn't doing anything abnormal...
Best one was when i was "stopped" in the street to search my car and me for drugs and weapons because i was acting "suspiciously".
I was washing my car outside the front of my house.
Best one was when i was "stopped" in the street to search my car and me for drugs and weapons because i was acting "suspiciously".
I was washing my car outside the front of my house.
Next time, get your lairy Lambo valeted somewhere off the sink estate
I have only been stopped once, completely my own fault.
I was 18 and I had just got my first "big" bike, a Kawasaki GPZ500. I came off a roundabout and pulled a pretty nice wheelie. Whilst I was up in the air I noticed that the car coming towards me was a fully marked up T5 Volvo. I still remember the look of "What the fk are you doing" on the two officers faces. I do not know how I did not see them before I pulled my little stunt.
I pulled over instantly, looked in my mirrors to see them spinning round back to me. I was sure I was going to get points or a fine, I really worked myself up about it!
Officer walks up to me, gives me a bit of a bking about it, I was let off with a warning. I did the rest of my journey driving like Miss Daisy!
I was 18 and I had just got my first "big" bike, a Kawasaki GPZ500. I came off a roundabout and pulled a pretty nice wheelie. Whilst I was up in the air I noticed that the car coming towards me was a fully marked up T5 Volvo. I still remember the look of "What the f
k are you doing" on the two officers faces. I do not know how I did not see them before I pulled my little stunt. I pulled over instantly, looked in my mirrors to see them spinning round back to me. I was sure I was going to get points or a fine, I really worked myself up about it!
Officer walks up to me, gives me a bit of a b
king about it, I was let off with a warning. I did the rest of my journey driving like Miss Daisy!At least 60 times in the 6years I've been driving.
My experience is very good, they're almost always friendly and usually up for a laugh. Some of their policing is very poor though. My latest car has a tiny sticker for a number plate, is very obviously illegal and my registration has been noted down 3 times from said number plate... Not one comment had been made on its legality never mind giving me a fine (jinxed myself now )
My experience is very good, they're almost always friendly and usually up for a laugh. Some of their policing is very poor though. My latest car has a tiny sticker for a number plate, is very obviously illegal and my registration has been noted down 3 times from said number plate... Not one comment had been made on its legality never mind giving me a fine (jinxed myself now
)Derek Smith said:
Driving home from the north west of the country - Stratford on Avon. The route I took was through the City of London as it was around 3am and I assumed there'd be little traffic.
Do you mean you were driving from the North West of the country, to home in Stratford on Avon, via the city of London?Or were you driving home from Stratford on Avon which you consider the North West?
More times than I can remember between the ages of 17-22ish.
I could of wallpapered my bedroom with all the Producers I got.
None of my 'pulls' were for any reason other than I was "a young lad driving a car like that"
Had my car searched for drugs and all sorts.
I have to admit, the first few times I took it in good humour, but after that it really, really wore thin and I got quite annoyed when it happened.
Other than that I have been pulled for speeding once, (46 in a 40) got 3 points, and got pulled for not wearing a seat belt and the officer that pulled me over informed me that it was "3 points on my licence" for not wearing a seatbelt... I had to argue that one out until he radioed a colleague, was corrected, then pretty much stormed off with a parting shot of "don't let me catch you again".
I was pulled very recently at the ripe old age of 33 for "driving a car like that through an area like this" what ever the fk that means. It was just like the good old days...
I could of wallpapered my bedroom with all the Producers I got.
None of my 'pulls' were for any reason other than I was "a young lad driving a car like that"
Had my car searched for drugs and all sorts.
I have to admit, the first few times I took it in good humour, but after that it really, really wore thin and I got quite annoyed when it happened.
Other than that I have been pulled for speeding once, (46 in a 40) got 3 points, and got pulled for not wearing a seat belt and the officer that pulled me over informed me that it was "3 points on my licence" for not wearing a seatbelt... I had to argue that one out until he radioed a colleague, was corrected, then pretty much stormed off with a parting shot of "don't let me catch you again".
I was pulled very recently at the ripe old age of 33 for "driving a car like that through an area like this" what ever the f
k that means. It was just like the good old days... Mk3Spitfire said:
Worst "I drove a nice car when I was still only young" thread ever.
Believe it or not, many people on here did.And to get repeatedly stopped for that 'offence' is really quite annoying.
As I said above, I got stopped recently at the ripe age of 33 for 'driving a car like that through a place like this' which didn't make any sense to me at all, and I could have done without wasting 30 minutes standing on the side of a road.
Once while doing the obligatory 'laps' of the town centre in a convoy of mates we had a copper step out in front of us, had a word with the two cars in front of me then came to my window where I was told it had been caught on camera with me spinning my front wheels, I was in an e34 520i at the time so on pointing out it was rear wheel drive was sent on my way!
On the whole though I was stopped plenty of times back then and normally was dealt with in a professional and polite manner
On the whole though I was stopped plenty of times back then and normally was dealt with in a professional and polite manner
2-3 times, once legitimately for speeding. On that occasion they were sanctimonious, patronising and admitted to pointing the gun at "flash" cars. Lectured my OH all the way down the motorway for chosing to travel with a dangerous individual like myself. She wasn't impressed.
Other time that sticks in my mind I was admittedly traveling fairly briskly through a rough part of town (say 37mph in a 30).
Young cop leans into my cabin and actually rubs the steering wheel saying "ooooo this is nice" in a deliberate attempt to get a reaction. Then goes on to tell how he was a little disappointed I didn't hoof it as, I quote "we like a bit of a race" - tell something I dont know! Bell end. I dearly wish I'd had him on tape/camera as it would have been a career altering statement im sure.
I've been pulled by more mature Policeman for standard DD checks around holiday season and they've always been polite and reasonable but its the bad experiences that colour ones view im afraid.
Other time that sticks in my mind I was admittedly traveling fairly briskly through a rough part of town (say 37mph in a 30).
Young cop leans into my cabin and actually rubs the steering wheel saying "ooooo this is nice" in a deliberate attempt to get a reaction. Then goes on to tell how he was a little disappointed I didn't hoof it as, I quote "we like a bit of a race" - tell something I dont know! Bell end. I dearly wish I'd had him on tape/camera as it would have been a career altering statement im sure.
I've been pulled by more mature Policeman for standard DD checks around holiday season and they've always been polite and reasonable but its the bad experiences that colour ones view im afraid.
Got stopped once when I was 16. Driving my 1.1, top spec Nissan Micra SRI in silver. Cop Saw me doing donughts round the local Asda and chased after me. When he finally caught up, he lectured me about how, just because I was driving an expensive, nice car, that I shouldn't let it go to my head. He also said that such nice cars were rare in this part of the country (I was living in Mayfair at the time) and that he was going to search me for drugs as he couldn't see how I could afford such a nice car at my age. Searched me, but didn't find anything and was let on my way. His eyes were literally green with envy as I booted the Micra and left him in my dust.
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