Wednesday 6th June 2007

Sun 'Gotcha' VXT driver

VX220 driver in trouble after forum posting

---

A Vauxhall VX220 Turbo owner has found himself at the centre of controversy following a posting on the enthusiast site www.vx220.org.uk.

Anthony Coyne posted on the forum photos of the speedometer in his VXT reading 150mph and the view out through the windscreen during the run. The Sun newspaper has picked up on the posting and referred the incident to the Police.

The paper claims of “tracking him down in hours” and talks in its report of how it “identified the exact spot” the high speed run took place on the M20 motorway from the photos posted on the site. Referring to Coyne as “a dummy”, it talks of how it obtained the owner’s phone number and car registration from his earlier postings.

It is not known whether The Sun discovered the posting themselves or if they received a tip off – possibly from within the forum itself.

Inspector Paul Sellwood of Kent police said: “Drivers who commit offences will be dealt with. We are grateful to The Sun.”

The general voice of opinion on the site’s forum has set against the nature of the event and the subsequent promotion of it. Nevertheless, with ever more video content being posted on car enthusiast web sites, the story raises some interesting issues around exactly who might be watching any such material posted.

[alanc5]

The dirty rat bastards.

[cp02ter]

well what can i say, we have all broken the speed limit, but those speeds are just plain stupid. deserves the book thrown at him IMHO

however i dont think this is the first time the likes of this has been brough up, wasnt there a motor bike posted up recently.

[Gooby]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007260136,00...

Quality reporting from the sun...

[SS HSV]

It's one thing to find a window of opportunity to stretch your cars legs; normally at 05.30am, but to post a picture of it on a public forum is asking for trouble IMO.

As for the Scum, well I guess they need all the friends they can get in the police

[SS HSV]

My post dissapeared!

[NormanD]

Plonker


Only do such runs in 'Germany' where is is legal!

[RobPhoboS]

Well, stupid on his behalf but who the fk is the beanspiller !



RAT

[Zaim]

Well if you will break the law on a public road, brag about it and provide the evidence what do you expect?

Still, bloody unlucky.

[florian]

So what? Put the pedal to the metal, I say!

[guydw]

I magine exceeding a speed limit ....

I feel sure that all PHers will join me in expressing surprise that any car enthusiasts would do such a thing... (posting evidence seems a bit dumb though...)

[TOOFM]

Its strange how the police will go to great lenghts to pursue and find the drivers in this sort of incident. Yet when an expensive tool kit was nicked from the boot of my car (it was placed out of site) The policewoman at the station where I reported the theft said I was 'daft' for leaving a toolkit in my car and that 'I'd seen the last of that'. When I eventually noticed my toolkit was gone a day or so later, I did recall some scrotes taking a close interest in my car (a caterham 7)in a pub car park, in a 7 Its usual wherever you park it, and so was trying to keep an eye on the car as much as possible for most of the time, I was able gave the police a fair description of their purple rusty Fiesta and they may have been the tea-leaves, but needless to say, I never heard one other thing about it from the police or whether they even bothered to look for the Fiesta.
They really couldn't care less as there is no cash win it for them.

[JonX2C]

OOOOPPPS1

Silly boy!

[DBSnappa]

I'm sorry, but stupid as it is to do it, it's bordering on being dumb enough to need watering if you post images on an internet forum of you doing it. Cretinous, truly cretinous and we can all do without drivers like that on the road.

[GingerNinja]

A still shot of a cars speedometer and a shot outside will never be enough to lead to a conviction.

More pointless chestbeating by the police.

[martaay]

oh dear are campaign groups like brake going through forums now grassing people up? still will teach him a valuable lesson in the accessability of the internet.

[Truckosaurus]

No-one Likes a Grass.

[smele]

Hmm, I don't see how it could be eveidence. What's to say he has not rigged his speedo to read double, asked some friends to drive at 35 mph and speed up the film to look like he was doing 150.

[R666 TUS]

“Drivers who commit offences will be dealt with. We are grateful to The Sun.” Except for Police drivers obviously ?
This driver was probably familiarising himself with his vehicle ? Stupid thing to do though really wasn't it
Col

[Tony*T3]

Wow, this guy isnt very popular on his forum.....

And thinking about it, I dont think I've ever seen so many sanctimonious posts in one thread.....

Obviously, all VX220 drivers stick to the speed limits....

[UH-Matt]

Love it!