Discussion
Friend of mine was stopped by the Police tonight and reported for having ''4 x Euro look tyres''. The tyres are all Dunlop XL and the sizes are 195/45/16 on 8'' front rims and 215/35/16 on 9'' rear rims. Evidently the Officer concerned had a Google print-out that suggested these tyre/wheel combinations were dangerous/illegal?
Should he accept the 3 points and £100 fine, or attend Court and fight his corner?
EFA
Should he accept the 3 points and £100 fine, or attend Court and fight his corner?
EFA
Edited by e21Mark on Sunday 16th February 01:52
looking on a couple of tyre width sites it would appear that the wheels are at best 1/2 inch too wide at worst an inch.
If he takes it to court, the police will get the specifc tyre data from the manufacturer and use that as proof of being unsuitable.
I am not a lawyer so if he wants to take it on then he needs to get legal advice.
If he takes it to court, the police will get the specifc tyre data from the manufacturer and use that as proof of being unsuitable.
I am not a lawyer so if he wants to take it on then he needs to get legal advice.
More to the point, what does 'your friend' gain from driving a motor vehicle on a road, amongst the general public - especially given the weather conditions we've been having lately - with a potentially dangerous wheel / tyre combination???
It's mental IMHO. And I am glad he was stopped too, before he caused an accident.
Far from contesting the fine, he should take it like a man, and stop being such a tit and risking his own life and everyone elses, no?
We are all responsible when using public roads for not just our own safety but that of everyone around us too. I get mildly irritated when I look across at other cars next to me at traffic lights, to see cheap Chinese ditch-finder tyres running at the limit - but that's usually because the driver is one of life's dimwits and don't know any better.
That's bad enough, but to knowingly fit a dodgy wheel / tyre combination is not really on is it?
If I was injured, or a friend or relative was injured - or worse - by someone losing control of their car from something they had knowingly fitted without regard for others, in the names of fashion and looks - then my wrath would descend upon them.
All IMHO of course.
It's mental IMHO. And I am glad he was stopped too, before he caused an accident.
Far from contesting the fine, he should take it like a man, and stop being such a tit and risking his own life and everyone elses, no?
We are all responsible when using public roads for not just our own safety but that of everyone around us too. I get mildly irritated when I look across at other cars next to me at traffic lights, to see cheap Chinese ditch-finder tyres running at the limit - but that's usually because the driver is one of life's dimwits and don't know any better.
That's bad enough, but to knowingly fit a dodgy wheel / tyre combination is not really on is it?
If I was injured, or a friend or relative was injured - or worse - by someone losing control of their car from something they had knowingly fitted without regard for others, in the names of fashion and looks - then my wrath would descend upon them.
All IMHO of course.
The reason I said I wouldn't contemplate going to court over it is that I would expect any reasonable judge / expert advisor to say pretty much what Ray said, and then incur a harsher penalty than I had to start with!
It's pretty simple. Are the tyres within manufacturer spec? No. What is your reason for ignoring manufacturer's spec, set to ensure proper performance and safety? I thought it would look cool.
How's that going to go?
It's pretty simple. Are the tyres within manufacturer spec? No. What is your reason for ignoring manufacturer's spec, set to ensure proper performance and safety? I thought it would look cool.
How's that going to go?
McSam said:
The reason I said I wouldn't contemplate going to court over it is that I would expect any reasonable judge / expert advisor to say pretty much what Ray said, and then incur a harsher penalty than I had to start with!
It's pretty simple. Are the tyres within manufacturer spec? No. What is your reason for ignoring manufacturer's spec, set to ensure proper performance and safety? I thought it would look cool.
How's that going to go?
Agreed. What a twunk. The stupid 'fashion' of stretched tyres needs to end. It's pretty simple. Are the tyres within manufacturer spec? No. What is your reason for ignoring manufacturer's spec, set to ensure proper performance and safety? I thought it would look cool.
How's that going to go?
I believe it says 'dangerous parts' RT88253 and 4 x euro look tyres on his ticket. As I said, it isn't actually me, despite some implied cynicism. I would also agree, that were the tyres hugely stretched and dangerous, one would be deserving of a ticket and should just accept it, as a consequence of their actions. I'm not sure that half an inch qualifies in this case, hence my question? I only saw a recent photograph myself and it certainly didn't appear to be running excessive stretch.
Out of interest, would this also be considered a dangerous wheel / tyre combination where there is deliberate sidewall stretch?
Will someone please, please think of the children though.
Out of interest, would this also be considered a dangerous wheel / tyre combination where there is deliberate sidewall stretch?
Will someone please, please think of the children though.
When a 9J would normally fit 255 or 265mm tyre widths, a 215 tyre is quite some ridiculous stretch - in other words, it's two inches undersize for the rim (and at 35 profile, the sidewalls will be splayed like roadkill to accomodate it) Well done Plod.
What's the betting this friend was in a 'Scene Dub' at the time ...
What's the betting this friend was in a 'Scene Dub' at the time ...
Edited by Huff on Sunday 16th February 00:11
calibrax said:
e21Mark said:
Friend of mine was stopped by the Police
e21Mark said:
sizes are 195/45/16 on my 8'' front rims and 215/35/16 on my 9'' rear rims.
Hmmm... "friend" you say? 
My my, we really are a cynical bunch on here aren't we?!
Huff said:
When a 9J would normally fit 255 or 265mm tyre widths, a 215 tyre is quite some ridiculous stretch - in other words, it's two inches undersize for the rim. Well done Plod.
What's the betting this friend was in a 'Scene Dub' at the time ...
You see this illustrates my question. In just a couple of posts we've gone from half an inch, to 2 inches and it was my simply not knowing which is accurate, that prompted my question. If you are correct, in that the tyre is 2'' undersized I would agree with you. However, at 0.5'' I would not be convinced of any real risk. In fact, a slight stretch of the tyre wall seems quite common on many cars and not just VW's.What's the betting this friend was in a 'Scene Dub' at the time ...
(By the way, he wasn't)
SlipStream77 said:
Presumably one's insurance company would have to be told about stetched tyres when taking out a policy, because it would be regarded as a modification would it not?
Correct. By the letter of the rules, the presumably changed wheels and out of spec tyres should both be declared to insurers. I'm not certain because I've never been daft enough to find out, but I imagine most would decline to insure someone fitting tyres both unsuited to their wheels and non-standard for their car.McSam said:
SlipStream77 said:
Presumably one's insurance company would have to be told about stetched tyres when taking out a policy, because it would be regarded as a modification would it not?
Correct. By the letter of the rules, the presumably changed wheels and out of spec tyres should both be declared to insurers. I'm not certain because I've never been daft enough to find out, but I imagine most would decline to insure someone fitting tyres both unsuited to their wheels and non-standard for their car.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff