pulling, speed pressure and Q plates.......
Discussion
I'm normally on the VX220 forum but I would like to ask peoples help/ask their opinion on my drive home yesterday....
Driving back from N.Wales to B'ham, about 6 miles from home (after and excellent A5 drive) and a car starts driving VERY close behind me, the headlights were so bright that when I looked in the mirror I had white spots in front of my eyes and nearly crashed (thought bus lane stop was my turn off). I flicked the rear mirror nob (never had to do before), turned onto a country road for final blast home - car follows me.
He was driving very oddly, I was worried, thought police, but thought no police car would tail so close with headlights like that, so though - highjack/finding where I live/boy racer.
Decided they werent going to ruin my drive so blasted home (fast round country lanes-never over 59mph though), car staying with me, always VERY close (once he'd caught up - of course ).
Now I'm worried, so worried that I don't go home and drive past my house, enter 30 zone and make sure I'm doing 29 before I get to it.
After more tailgating the blue lights go (was expecting/almost pleased with this). G/f of course bursts into tears.
Turns out the plates I had made at the mph show are non-flash (I knew this but didnt believe they would work). Not only are they anti flash but their night vision couldn't pick them up.
They were not happy, threatened me with speeding ticket (I KNEW I hadnt sped) peeled off my front 3/4 plate (I'm sure they are not allowed to do that).
Now I have to replace my plates, no 3/4 size, no nice 220VX spacing (of corse no anti flash!) and get they verified by MOT place.
If I "re-offend" they said that the DVLA would revoke my liciencing and make the car have Q plates!!! I'm going to research this - sounds dodgy to me.
They never mentioned the speeding again so I'm assuming that this will not be followed up (no ticket given at time)
Lessons learnt:
Non-flash plates work.
They are also non-night vision, thus v. obvious to plod
Beware of some plod - I'm certain they were trying to pressure me to speed
DVLA can make your car a Q plate (Allegedly)
I did complain about there driving at the time but everything they/you say is recorded so they just acted like robots, no "chat" at all.
I'm gunna miss my 220VX spacing and 3/4 plate!!!
Anyone know anything ref this Q plate thing? I was going to wait a while then ring DVLA to see what they know about me, poss consider going back to my spacings.
Sleepless night with all this going round in my head (did I do anything wrong?Should I have pulled over and at the start?Should I have noted all there details for complaint?)
Mainly pleased not to get a ticket, so didnt say anthing more to them. Getting pulled is horrible, I deal with pressured situation all the time (Queen and country etc etc) but I was shaking with adrenalin.
>>> Edited by da_murphster on Wednesday 14th April 13:44
>>> Edited by da_murphster on Wednesday 14th April 13:44
Driving back from N.Wales to B'ham, about 6 miles from home (after and excellent A5 drive) and a car starts driving VERY close behind me, the headlights were so bright that when I looked in the mirror I had white spots in front of my eyes and nearly crashed (thought bus lane stop was my turn off). I flicked the rear mirror nob (never had to do before), turned onto a country road for final blast home - car follows me.
He was driving very oddly, I was worried, thought police, but thought no police car would tail so close with headlights like that, so though - highjack/finding where I live/boy racer.
Decided they werent going to ruin my drive so blasted home (fast round country lanes-never over 59mph though), car staying with me, always VERY close (once he'd caught up - of course ).
Now I'm worried, so worried that I don't go home and drive past my house, enter 30 zone and make sure I'm doing 29 before I get to it.
After more tailgating the blue lights go (was expecting/almost pleased with this). G/f of course bursts into tears.
Turns out the plates I had made at the mph show are non-flash (I knew this but didnt believe they would work). Not only are they anti flash but their night vision couldn't pick them up.
They were not happy, threatened me with speeding ticket (I KNEW I hadnt sped) peeled off my front 3/4 plate (I'm sure they are not allowed to do that).
Now I have to replace my plates, no 3/4 size, no nice 220VX spacing (of corse no anti flash!) and get they verified by MOT place.
If I "re-offend" they said that the DVLA would revoke my liciencing and make the car have Q plates!!! I'm going to research this - sounds dodgy to me.
They never mentioned the speeding again so I'm assuming that this will not be followed up (no ticket given at time)
Lessons learnt:
Non-flash plates work.
They are also non-night vision, thus v. obvious to plod
Beware of some plod - I'm certain they were trying to pressure me to speed
DVLA can make your car a Q plate (Allegedly)
I did complain about there driving at the time but everything they/you say is recorded so they just acted like robots, no "chat" at all.
I'm gunna miss my 220VX spacing and 3/4 plate!!!
Anyone know anything ref this Q plate thing? I was going to wait a while then ring DVLA to see what they know about me, poss consider going back to my spacings.
Sleepless night with all this going round in my head (did I do anything wrong?Should I have pulled over and at the start?Should I have noted all there details for complaint?)
Mainly pleased not to get a ticket, so didnt say anthing more to them. Getting pulled is horrible, I deal with pressured situation all the time (Queen and country etc etc) but I was shaking with adrenalin.
>>> Edited by da_murphster on Wednesday 14th April 13:44
>>> Edited by da_murphster on Wednesday 14th April 13:44
You don't have to have a full length plate if you have few characters, as long as they are spaced correctly and their is the right gap round from memory its 11mm top and bottom and 11mm between characters and 22mm between the groups and at each end that is fine.
If you get them done at say Halfords just ask them to put all the letters to the right so that when you cut it down you don't cut off the bit with the BS number on as that is also required.
Hope that helps.
If you get them done at say Halfords just ask them to put all the letters to the right so that when you cut it down you don't cut off the bit with the BS number on as that is also required.
Hope that helps.
If you plate is a cherished one in some way then they have the right to revoke those plates which is where I think the Q plate confusion comes from.
What I think will happen though rather than getting Q plates (car of questionable origin) you just go back the reg on your car or get one of that age.
What I think will happen though rather than getting Q plates (car of questionable origin) you just go back the reg on your car or get one of that age.
Cheers for the help peoples!!
Yep cherished plate, its..... (letter)222OVX, so would really like to stick a space between the first and remaining 2's - I'm assuming any "legit" plates people will not be able to do this.
The Police bloke mentioned the cherished bit and the DVLA. Returning to original plate sounds less scary than Q plate, but he did specifically mention this.
If I wait a bit and contact the DVLA will they tell me if I have "black mark" against me, I think there is a good chance that he will not see reporting me as a "constructive use of his time" (far too many people to pressure into driving at 61mph on empty county roads for that). How many strikes do you have with the DVLA?
He did not give me any points/fine for this, could he have? what could I have been looking at?
Yep cherished plate, its..... (letter)222OVX, so would really like to stick a space between the first and remaining 2's - I'm assuming any "legit" plates people will not be able to do this.
The Police bloke mentioned the cherished bit and the DVLA. Returning to original plate sounds less scary than Q plate, but he did specifically mention this.
If I wait a bit and contact the DVLA will they tell me if I have "black mark" against me, I think there is a good chance that he will not see reporting me as a "constructive use of his time" (far too many people to pressure into driving at 61mph on empty county roads for that). How many strikes do you have with the DVLA?
He did not give me any points/fine for this, could he have? what could I have been looking at?
I was once followed closely by a police car for several miles with blues flashing. On a pitch-dark tree-lined A-road with just blue flashes all around it's quite frightening and disorientating.
When he did finally stop me with flashed headlights he criticised me for driving too close to the car in front. To be honest I think he was closer to me than I was to the car in front, but I was so disorientated by the blue flashing plus the adrenaline of it all that I couldn't say much.
I do sympathise with your situation. I don't think some police really understand the pressure they put law-abiding people under because they're used to dealing with hardened criminals.
When he did finally stop me with flashed headlights he criticised me for driving too close to the car in front. To be honest I think he was closer to me than I was to the car in front, but I was so disorientated by the blue flashing plus the adrenaline of it all that I couldn't say much.
I do sympathise with your situation. I don't think some police really understand the pressure they put law-abiding people under because they're used to dealing with hardened criminals.
Frankly, if you're such a numpty as to mis-space your number plate you deserve little sympathy. Also, the Police COULD seize an illegal plate. It is rare, but I've seen it done. Driver started down the line, "My mates a barrister, I'm going to sue you, it isn't illegal, haven't you anything better to do...blah...." The old school trafpol replied, "Well, if you mates a barrister and you're going to sue me, then it is clearly in the interests of justice to preserve best evidence." And promptly unscrewed the number plates.
If you do have a Police car driving right up your backside, I'd consider slamming on the brakes, depending on the circs. If it was clearly on a response and looking for an overtake then no. But if it was trying to pull me for speeding? Extreme, but it could help your case. One thing is for sure, the Police driver would almost certainly be prosecuted for Careless Driving. And rightly so. Police drivers are trained to do it how it should be done, and driving inches from the car in front is not it.
If you do have a Police car driving right up your backside, I'd consider slamming on the brakes, depending on the circs. If it was clearly on a response and looking for an overtake then no. But if it was trying to pull me for speeding? Extreme, but it could help your case. One thing is for sure, the Police driver would almost certainly be prosecuted for Careless Driving. And rightly so. Police drivers are trained to do it how it should be done, and driving inches from the car in front is not it.
xxplod said:
8< 8< snip snip
The old school trafpol replied, "Well, if you mates a barrister and you're going to sue me, then it is clearly in the interests of justice to preserve best evidence." And promptly unscrewed the number plates.
8< 8< snip snip
another classic coffee meets monitor moment thanks!
[/quote]If you do have a Police car driving right up your backside, I'd consider slamming on the brakes, depending on the circs. [/quote]
Thats intresting from a BiB, I understand that if I had done this and he has run into me (unlikley as I'm not that necky and such hassle getting car fixed) then he would have been at fault, prob prosecuted.
But if slammed on, leads to near miss then that would have lead to one unhappy copper, my £1000 fine for plates and points for possibly doing 61mph at some stage etc etc.
If I had been on a bike and slammed on brakes, then the cop car would definately have hit me, is that not me driving dangerously if I unnecessarily brake??
Thats intresting from a BiB, I understand that if I had done this and he has run into me (unlikley as I'm not that necky and such hassle getting car fixed) then he would have been at fault, prob prosecuted.
But if slammed on, leads to near miss then that would have lead to one unhappy copper, my £1000 fine for plates and points for possibly doing 61mph at some stage etc etc.
If I had been on a bike and slammed on brakes, then the cop car would definately have hit me, is that not me driving dangerously if I unnecessarily brake??
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