When car geekery comes in handy
Discussion
I had the police turn up on the doorstep last night, which was quite unexpected. They wanted to speak to me in relation to a crime that had taken place yesterday morning. Naturally, I was curious and the conversation went like this (with huge swathes of it cut out)...
Plod: "Did you visit the Shell filling station at Cambridge services yesterday morning?"
Me: "I did, yes."
Plod: "And what did you buy?"
Me: "Erm, 20 Marlboro Gold and a delicious sandwich. It was a BLT. Quite nice."
Plod: "Ok, nothing else?"
Me: "Nope."
Plod: "Ok, can you confirm the registration of your vehicle?"
Me: "PY06 HMA."
Plod: "Can you describe the vehicle?"
Me: "You just walked past it on the driveway. It's a little blue Ford Ka."
Plod: "Ok, well you've been reported for filling your vehicle with £60 worth of diesel and not paying for it before driving off."
Me: "Interesting."
Plod: "Interesting?"
Me: "Yes. Every Ford Ka produced between 1996 and 2008 has a petrol engine. The first diesel Ka didn't appear until 2009 and that's the new shape one, which looks totally different to mine."
Plod: "....."
Me: "It's also worth noting that all of the first generation Kas had 36-litre fuel tanks so, even if you wanted to, you couldn't get £60 of diesel into it."
Plod: "Ok, well thanks for your time and sorry to have disturbed you so late in the evening."
Me: "Not a problem, if you need to know anything else, feel free to call."
I'm not sure if I proved it was impossible or if I just bored him to tears. Either way; result!
Plod: "Did you visit the Shell filling station at Cambridge services yesterday morning?"
Me: "I did, yes."
Plod: "And what did you buy?"
Me: "Erm, 20 Marlboro Gold and a delicious sandwich. It was a BLT. Quite nice."
Plod: "Ok, nothing else?"
Me: "Nope."
Plod: "Ok, can you confirm the registration of your vehicle?"
Me: "PY06 HMA."
Plod: "Can you describe the vehicle?"
Me: "You just walked past it on the driveway. It's a little blue Ford Ka."
Plod: "Ok, well you've been reported for filling your vehicle with £60 worth of diesel and not paying for it before driving off."
Me: "Interesting."
Plod: "Interesting?"
Me: "Yes. Every Ford Ka produced between 1996 and 2008 has a petrol engine. The first diesel Ka didn't appear until 2009 and that's the new shape one, which looks totally different to mine."
Plod: "....."
Me: "It's also worth noting that all of the first generation Kas had 36-litre fuel tanks so, even if you wanted to, you couldn't get £60 of diesel into it."
Plod: "Ok, well thanks for your time and sorry to have disturbed you so late in the evening."
Me: "Not a problem, if you need to know anything else, feel free to call."
I'm not sure if I proved it was impossible or if I just bored him to tears. Either way; result!
Dracoro said:
On the negative side, it sounds like someone has cloned your plates so expect more hassle (NIPs etc.).
I suspect what had happened is that their timestamps on CCTV were wrong. I was at the Shell station at 7:50am and the alleged incident took place at 10:50am, whilst I was at work.
ked up and didn't charge some else for their £60 worth of diesel, then blamed the 1st car that didn't pay for fuel at his till. 
Perhaps it's just me reading it wrong, or someone pissed in my cornflakes this morning, but you certainly came across as a recalcitrant smart-arse the whole way through that exchange, but then perhaps you cut out the bit where said plod earned that treatment, who knows.
I bet he wishes he'd just read the rest of the DVLA record that said 'Engine Type: Petrol' and not bothered...
I bet he wishes he'd just read the rest of the DVLA record that said 'Engine Type: Petrol' and not bothered...
Had an incident in an office i was working in a while back. Someone (a black "big" car) was seen doing a "handbrake turn" into the car park. It was decided this was not a fitting thing to do and my colleague, a well known office petrol head, was hauled into the office for "the treatment", since he was known for being into his cars, driving briskly and owned a big, black, Sabb 900.
He let the chaps do their worst, read him the riot act etc. Then pointed out that although he was in the Saab (not his mondeo) on the day in question, it could not possibly be him performing the auto testing, since the handbrake applies on the front wheels not the rear.
He let the chaps do their worst, read him the riot act etc. Then pointed out that although he was in the Saab (not his mondeo) on the day in question, it could not possibly be him performing the auto testing, since the handbrake applies on the front wheels not the rear.
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