Advice on legality of a police car.....

[Dargie]

Just got a ticket for speeding, no real complaints on that part, i just got to thinking about the legality of the patrol car that pulled me over as they only had 1 headlight working, it was at night so very obvious. Does anyone know how i would stand IF i was wanting to complain about it?

My point of view would be the car is not road legal so shouldn't be able to pull me over. The officer driving mumbled something about maybe having switched it off inside the car when i joked about it but i'm guessing it's a big technical issue for a solicitor like Mr Loophole? Anyone have any ideas?

Oh yeah, i don't have any points so not that bothered if nothing comes from this post, many thanks.

[SSC!]

Take the points and let it go dude

I ended up in court many years ago and was charged in excess of 120mph on the A9 (believe it or not I was actually doing 60 as I saw them start to follow me when leaving town). After I challenged it and it was thrown out of court I used to regularly get police escorts home, all good for me tho as I got to trade in my GTI for a Fireblade as it made me "less" noticeable

[klimakool]

i've complained about it before, nothing more comes than a red faced police officer tho, its their own duty to make sure the lights work before taking the car out, the only way a complaint would stand is if you can prove it wasnt working at the start of the shift, as a bulb can blow at any time

[istoo]

if you were speeding, then you were speeding, we are all guilty from time to time.
Personally i dont see the point in slipping out of it. If you get off with it on a technicality you may find a vendetta could arise. Take the points and have an endorsed licence, makes you seem more rebelious anyway!

[FamilyDub]

Who needs a clean licence anyway...

[onlynik]

Dargie said:

Just got a ticket for speeding

Where did you get stopped?

[Dargie]

istoo said:

if you were speeding, then you were speeding, we are all guilty from time to time.
Personally i dont see the point in slipping out of it. If you get off with it on a technicality you may find a vendetta could arise. Take the points and have an endorsed licence, makes you seem more rebelious anyway!

Yeah, you're right Istoo, it's only 3 points, i had just got it clean as well! I guess it's more out of curiousity than anything else seeing as i got off on a technicality before, the Camera Van was parked on double yellows

onlynik said:

Where did you get stopped?

In the 'new' 50mph limit between Kingswells and Westhill, i was doing a respectable 66.....well it would have been 6 months or so ago!

[scz4]

Dargie said:

In the 'new' 50mph limit between Kingswells and Westhill, i was doing a respectable 66.....well it would have been 6 months or so ago!

Nightmare...Will need to keep an eye out for them. Where abouts were they sitting? What direction were you traveling? They must make a killing on that road now! Must admit not seen them on it yet, perhaps you got unlucky?

Have to say, 60mph would of been a much better compromise. Or they should have extended the existing 50mph to just past the Esso garage and left the rest as a 70mph.

Edited by scz4 on Monday 7th February 13:27

[matthewg]

I use this road a lot, and during commuting times, most people stick the limit.
Legally, I am not sure if they would be able to sit in a van there due to the lengths of the 'straights' ie, there isn't many.

But easily can do you in a police car if they have been following you for the correct amount of time.

Sitting at an indicated 58mph in my car is fine and not too much of a hardship.

Certainly not as bad (for those of you who knows the Westcoast) between Killie and Ayr, huge stretch of road from 70mpg to 50mph.

[Dargie]

matthewg said:

I use this road a lot, and during commuting times, most people stick the limit.
Legally, I am not sure if they would be able to sit in a van there due to the lengths of the 'straights' ie, there isn't many.

But easily can do you in a police car if they have been following you for the correct amount of time.

Sitting at an indicated 58mph in my car is fine and not too much of a hardship.

Certainly not as bad (for those of you who knows the Westcoast) between Killie and Ayr, huge stretch of road from 70mpg to 50mph.

I use it daily as well, this was 6.30 on Saturday night after work, sitting at the Smiddy Brae catching people as they come round the corner

I just want to point out that i'm not complaining, was just curious about the legality of the police car, pretty sure if i had been going at 50 with a missing headlight i would have been pulled over.

[matthewg]

Did they catch you with a laser gun or what was it?

[Dargie]

Sitting in their 5 series with a laser gun

[paul450]

Dargie said:

Just got a ticket for speeding, no real complaints on that part, i just got to thinking about the legality of the patrol car that pulled me over as they only had 1 headlight working, it was at night so very obvious. Does anyone know how i would stand IF i was wanting to complain about it?

My point of view would be the car is not road legal so shouldn't be able to pull me over. The officer driving mumbled something about maybe having switched it off inside the car when i joked about it but i'm guessing it's a big technical issue for a solicitor like Mr Loophole? Anyone have any ideas?

Oh yeah, i don't have any points so not that bothered if nothing comes from this post, many thanks.

hi mate, you could pm mv6 on here. he is a lawyer for road traffic offences.

i'm sure he will be able to tell you.

[jaf01uk]

Dargie said:

Sitting in their 5 series with a laser gun

More likely to have a shout if they were actually "sitting in the car" as I believe it might not be type approved to operate it in this manner? Might be wrong?
Gary