just an excuse?
Author
Discussion

clive f

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

263 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
my 21 year old son is getting fed up with being pulled by BiB and being told he was stopped on suspicion of not carrying his documents with him.
since when has any law been passed to say that all relevant docs must be carried whilst driving your car?
sounds like an excuse to find something else to nick you for to me!
I can certainly understand being pulled if acting suspicious at night, dodgy driving etc, but with a clean licence, and no record, and bearing no resemblence to the Yorkshire ripper, it seems a flimsy excuse to pull over youngsters.

phillvr6

3,785 posts

290 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
I was once involved in a minor RTA and was asked to produce.

At the time I'd already been given a producer a couple of weeks earlier so still had all my docs in the car so showed them to the bib there and then.

He then gave me a minor bollocking for keeping my docs in the car. Quite rightly pointing out that if the car was stolen the thieves would have the V5, insurance docs etc which would only serve to help them.

So in short theyre talking bollocks!

Phill

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
Unfortunately its a factor of his time in life, I'm afraid. Its a phase that will pass. Don't you remember getting pulled? I do.

1) I drove a right old heap - was it roadworthy?
2) I drove late at night - not usual to be out at 3:00am?
3) I was a fresh faced youngster at night - been out partying?

I remember being stopped at 4:00am on a deserted country road in North Wales. I was still in my suit because I'd been at work until 3:30am. I got stopped....boy were they taken aback - rusty old Renault 12 TS and a young bloke - who claimed to have been working????? Oh aye - they say winking - what's her name?. No no officer....WORKING!

Perhaps a quiet word about how to "blend in" a little more might help him. (I know it could have done me...). Making unobtrusive progress. Thst sort of thing.

Everything from choice of car (Stealthmobile vs Modified Screamer) could help get him...errr...unnoticed.

kevinday

13,837 posts

310 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
The law says that a policeman may stop you to check your papers at any time. It does NOT say you must carry them with you. There is no such 'offence' as 'not carrying your papers'. If given a producer and you do not produce them within the time limit, then you have committed an offence. You may well get an official caution at the time of being given the producer (explained by one of the resident trafpol in another thread).

How often is your son being stopped?
What car does he drive?
Is the car 'standard' or 'maxxed up'?
Whereabouts is this happening?
Does he drive sensibly?

It may be that your son is driving a car that may not appear to fit the profile (eg a Ferrari at age 21) that may give the BiB reason to believe the vehicle may be stolen. Or, he may be driving in such a fashion as to draw attention to himself.

Dependent on the answers to those questions it may be worth a friendly chat at the local police station.

clive f

Original Poster:

7,259 posts

263 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
the nipper is 20, and drives a 1996 peugeot 306 diesel turbo, its not maxed- up, has the usual loud bits in the boot, I`ll laugh when he needs his spare wheel!
I can perfectly understand being stopped late at night, we`ve all been there, but I`ve never been asked to produce my documents unless they thought the car was a bit rough, or I seemed like an iffy character, good old commen sense style policing really, but it seems to be a bit of a trend with local BiB at the moment to pull over lads with this so called reason for stopping them, after following them and observing nothing untoward in their driving ability, or appearance etc, and during daylight hours.
I think this attitude is bad public relations on bills part.

cptsideways

13,884 posts

282 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
Borrow some IAM badges from someone, that usually helps & or one of those fish stickers (they get on my *its)

That should place him in the "Numpty immune from police attention" catergory though I'm not sure what it'd do for his street cred

einion yrth

19,575 posts

274 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
cptsideways said:
... or one of those fish stickers...

Surely counter-productive, all those say to me is 'I drive like a complete knob, but it doesn't matter for the Lard will save me; halleluiah!'

minimax

11,985 posts

286 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
clive f said:
seems to be a bit of a trend with local BiB at the moment to pull over lads with this so called reason for stopping them, after following them and observing nothing untoward in their driving ability, or appearance etc, and during daylight hours.
I think this attitude is bad public relations on bills part.


just a phase IMHO, it'll pass. I don't think it's anything unusual for coppers to pull over young chaps, when I was 17 I got 23 producers in one year..I kept all of them (still got them!) and mailed a copy of them to the chief at scarborough where I was living at the time - got a nice letter back saying can't be too careful etc etc and it didn't happen again

harry miller

137 posts

297 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
cptsideways said:
Borrow some IAM badges from someone, that usually helps & or one of those fish stickers (they get on my *its)



A Victor Meldrew style flat cap could also come in handy...

Cat

3,134 posts

299 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
I thought that it was a legal requirement that you carry your licence, insurance and MOT whilst driving, but because that was not practical (or sensible) that you can be given a producer to allow you to take the docs to a police station within 7 days.

Even if this is the case then it sounds as though it is being used as an excuse to get a better look at the car/driver.

Targarama

14,785 posts

313 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
I used to get stopped all the time in my early driving days too. Mk1 Escort in about 10 colours driving around the local town/villages between sCUNThope and Epworth after midnight quite often. I worked in several local pubs and would also be dressed up smartly and 100% sober. Guess it does make you a bit of a target. Funny that once I painted the car I never got stopped again. I certainly didn't drive any more slowly/carefully.

I was never once given a producer. The officers just believed me the times I didn't have my docs on me. They certainly followed me and tried to make me do something illegal several times though ...

Plotloss

67,280 posts

300 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
My best mate got pulled 36 times in 8 months in Henley.

Always had to produce never got a ticket for anything.

Wouldnt have been so bad but he was 25 at the time.

Don

28,378 posts

314 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
clive f said:
the nipper is 20, and drives a 1996 peugeot 306 diesel turbo, its not maxed- up, has the usual loud bits in the boot, I`ll laugh when he needs his spare wheel!

Remind him to keep the volume sane whilst driving along. I remember the rear parcel shelf quivering with the bass on my first Cavalier. Always turn it down in town... I know its not cool - but it does avoid attracting attention.

clive f said:

I think this attitude is bad public relations on bills part.


And well it may be. But if your lad takes it calmly and it happens over-often (keep the producers as mentioned earlier) he can go and ask for a bit of slack.

Something else that may help is chatting with the Bib being nice and helpful when stopped. Eventually the local Bibs will know "its only young Bob - no point stopping him he's a good lad" etc etc

I know its annoying now and I sympathise with him (and you) greatly but it will pass and in the mean time he might as well do everything he can to help himself...

trooperiziz

9,457 posts

282 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
clive f said:
bit of a trend with local BiB at the moment to pull over lads with this so called reason for stopping them, after following them and observing nothing untoward in their driving ability, or appearance etc, and during daylight hours.


He is getting stopped because he isn't driving like a normal young guy

Streetcop

5,907 posts

268 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
If he has all his documents with him...there will be no reason to be given a producer.

I know you might lose them, I know they might get stolen....etc etc...

markmullen

15,877 posts

264 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
My brother got pulled 5 times in 3 weeks, no charges, just a producer each time. He was driving an Astra GSi in dog cock red which drew attention to him.

The he joined the BiB and now he works with the guys who pulled him

stubydoo

259 posts

261 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
My nephew, aged 22 now, quite a sensible sort,drove a 406 for the last 2 years, not a whif of a producer in sight.
Swops his 406 for an Impreza - 1st day out gets pulled and a producer, along with a friendly quote from BiB:

"Look after that car, it used to be mine !!!!"

Not been touched since, big bore exhaust and all

Dibble

13,276 posts

270 months

Thursday 10th February 2005
quotequote all
S163 RTA 1988 gives Constable in uniform power to stop vehicle on road/public place.

It is an offence not to produce DL/Ins/MOT, but normally dealt with by issue of HO RT 1, rather than report for summons.

jolley

465 posts

265 months

Friday 11th February 2005
quotequote all
clive f said:

I can perfectly understand being stopped late at night, we`ve all been there, but I`ve never been asked to produce my documents unless they thought the car was a bit rough, or I seemed like an iffy character, good old commen sense style policing really, but it seems to be a bit of a trend with local BiB at the moment to pull over lads with this so called reason for stopping them, after following them and observing nothing untoward in their driving ability, or appearance etc, and during daylight hours.
I think this attitude is bad public relations on bills part.


Personally, I do not think the BiB can really win. We all moan about how little they do to stop people driving around without tax and insurance, and yet we all complain if we are pulled. Of the 15 times I have been pulled over, only one of the times did they have no real reason to (and the guy was a complete arse about it!).

gone

6,649 posts

293 months

Friday 11th February 2005
quotequote all
clive f said:
my 21 year old son is getting fed up with being pulled by BiB and being told he was stopped on suspicion of not carrying his documents with him.
since when has any law been passed to say that all relevant docs must be carried whilst driving your car?
sounds like an excuse to find something else to nick you for to me!
I can certainly understand being pulled if acting suspicious at night, dodgy driving etc, but with a clean licence, and no record, and bearing no resemblence to the Yorkshire ripper, it seems a flimsy excuse to pull over youngsters.


Why does your son seem attract the attention of Bib so often?

Could it be something he is doing which is drawing attention like the manner of his driving or the state of his car?