Police "Winter Vehicle Checks"

[glojo]

"if halfords do the repair then we will not take it any further" - and this is the part I find wrong because the officer is imo pushing the driver into using halfords and paying money at the roadside when it is not necessary.

I can understand where your coming from.

Lets say the vehicle was stopped b y the police without Halfords being present.

It appears the police can either issue a VDRS, or deal with the matter by reporting the driver for the offence?

No Halfords, just paperwork.

On the occassion we are now discussing Halfords have seen an oppurtunity to get some publicity\marketing and are now present with a van full of spare bits. The officer states you can either have a VDRS or let Halfords carry out the repair.... Your choice? I would assume that if the driver said, "Thanks for pointing out the duff light, I've a spare one in the glovebox!"

Hopefully that would also see a happy ending? The police appear are stopping vehicles with defective lights (plus other offences) and offering a solution. I assume the driver can say they don't want to use Halfords, or they have no money and the VDRS will be issued?

Thanks very much for clarifying it as it sounded a bit iffy and gave me the impression the police were being heavy handed?

Hopefully they will stop a few burglars, disqualified drivers, no insurance etc

Regards
John

 

[Muppetz]

The officer states you can either have a VDRS or let Halfords carry out the repair.... Your choice?

That (in my eyes) is the problem though, as they did NOT say that. They said "if you have halfords repair it here and now then we will not take the matter any further" - they were not forthcoming in explaining that "taking it further" would be a VDRS and 14 days to repair it either yourself or at a place of your choosing.

 

[Mr E]

That (in my eyes) is the problem though, as they did NOT say that. They said "if you have halfords repair it here and now then we will not take the matter any further" - they were not forthcoming in explaining that "taking it further" would be a VDRS and 14 days to repair it either yourself or at a place of your choosing.

Judging by the statement in the paper clipping, the police were not issuing a VDRS as a matter of course on this occasion. Also remember that a VDRS is not the end of the matter - if it isn't repaired then a prosecution would follow. Hence the officer's statement is correct, taking the matter further would include issuing a VDRS or the appropriate reporting while getting it fixed there and then sorts it.

This is a pure assumption on my part, but is there a particular issue in this part of the world with these types of infringements as I've done a quick search and can't see that any other police authority are doing this at the moment. I wouldn't mind seeing it around here as a good percentage of cars and vans seem to have faulty front or rear lights.

 

[CrysAk]

That (in my eyes) is the problem though, as they did NOT say that. They said "if you have halfords repair it here and now then we will not take the matter any further" - they were not forthcoming in explaining that "taking it further" would be a VDRS and 14 days to repair it either yourself or at a place of your choosing.

[EDIT]
blah guy above me just posted what i had to say lol

 

[johnkyte]

In 1956 I was fined £3 for not having my nearside rear lamp lit--yet many motors had a rear light only on the offside which was ,at that time,legal

In France one is obliged to carry a set of spare bulbs--and guess what?--
A couple of weeks ago I saw a patrol car with nearside rear light missing

 

[pammy]

Mmmmmm - I will be asking Mr P about this when he gets home!

 

[GrahamC230K]

Mmmmmm - I will be asking Mr P about this when he gets home!

What have I missed now?

 

[pammy]

What have I missed now?

lol - trust you

There is a new Mr P

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=45782&highlight=happiness

 

[Swiss Toni]

I don't have any questions about the legality of the operation per se, but I am not clear about the link with a commercial interest.

On the face of it I like the idea - getting minor motoring offences dealt with, publicity that might make a few of us check our bulbs more often, but on the other side I see a clear need to make sure drivers understand that it isn't "Use Halfuds or get prosecuted".

As a rule of thumb, if a driver has one light out, that can happen to any of us, if they have 2 faults, thats not taking the safety issues seriously and action (VDRS/FPN?) is appropriate. Anything more or anything more serious and it is time to consider prohibiting the vehicle.

Rather sadly, I have a mirror on the rear wall of my garage and check the lights every time I get in the car (it also means I check brake pressure, but thats another story).

 

[Parrotman]

I think a bloke on t'internet would say it verges on the 'demanding money with menaces' type scenario and we only have one version of this incident.

What would have happened if the driver had no money?

What would have happened if the driver had a spare bulb sorry lamp?

What would have happened if Halfords was shut?

What would have happened if they did not sell the correct item?

What would have happened if the driver wiggled the lamp and it worked?

Ceratinly an interesting story but I would love to hear both sides of it.

Carrotchomper
If a driver gets lippy over an event like this could they simply be reported for the offence\given a fixed penalty, or is this VDRS thingie mandatory? Thanks in advance

Regards
John

This reminds me of an incident when living in ( West ) Germany during the early 70s'. On the way home after a night out at a disco I was pulled over for only having one rear light. At that time it was pay fines on the spot although one could barter with the Polizei. I was told the fine would be DM20 and during the ensuing conversation I found a bottle fuse had popped out from it's holder. Replaced the fuse and rear light working ok. Polizei still insisted I pay the DM20 fine ( about £10 )and whilst trying to plead poverty ( to get the fine either reduced or waived ) I was told that if I did'nt pay the fine they would take my car keys which would be returned to me once I'd paid up!

The rub is, my keys would not be held at my local police station but their police station which was some 30km away! So had to pay up there and then as also lived miles from nowhere ( first bus 06.30 second and last bus 16.00 )!

Don't know if this 'policy' still exists in Germany but makes our Police look like Pussycats....

John

 

[andy_k]

After years of driving on the continent I'm used to carrying a spare set of bulbs with me - if one blows (the warning light on the dash informs me immediately) I just replace it at the next garage I pass.

I wonder though what would have happened iff your driver was carrying a Halfords Trade card - bulbs usually get something like 70% discount on them

Keeping unsafe cars off the road is one thing, looking for excuses to stop cars and make a few quid is immoral.

Andy

 

[Colin_b]

I carry spare bulbs in the car, much simpler

Which is fine if you can actually change them without having a tool kit so that you can dismantle half the car - Impreza o/s sidelight, for example

 

[robert.saunders]

Which is fine if you can actually change them without having a tool kit so that you can dismantle half the car - Impreza o/s sidelight, for example

That is a fair point, I carry small tool set also - the headlamp has to be removed to access the bulbs, which isn't exactly expedient

 

[glojo]

I don't have any questions about the legality of the operation per se, but I am not clear about the link with a commercial interest.

On the face of it I like the idea - getting minor motoring offences dealt with, publicity that might make a few of us check our bulbs more often, but on the other side I see a clear need to make sure drivers understand that it isn't "Use Halfuds or get prosecuted".

It appears a damned if you do, damned if you don't type situation. To some it might be this is there idea of a very minor piece of trivia that is not really breaking the law, but to others they would get irate if the police ignored these one eyed bandits. How many folks have illegal number plates and cannot be bothered to change them? Likewise, how many drivers decide to drive around with defective lights? The police don't appear to be intimidating anyone, they have the option of either fixing the problem imediately, or getting some sort of ticket. We are, or some of us might be assuming the police are ordering drivers to use Halfords; or else! BUT.... if a driver has the correct spare lamp then it is only fair to assume they would be allowed to carry out the repair.

Just my thoughts
John

 

[GrahamC230K]

Mercedes owners are lucky to have bulb warning lights. I thought it was normal until I realised it's a feature completely missing on our VW Golf.

 

[pammy]

Right - direct from the horses mouths!! People who are stopped and found to have a fault/defect or something in need of attention are being offered a VDRS as an alternative to a fixed penalty notice(£30) if that's what they prefer or the services of Halfords. Halfords are charging the shelf price for the bulbs and no labour charge.

So people do have the option but many will I guess choose to get it fixed there and then if it's possible.

This is not Traffic Dept driven(excuse the pun) but Neighbourhood Police Teams - looking out for the community!

 

[DansSlk]

That sounds fair enough to me, you either have the choice of going off fixing it yourself and having that fix verified or having it done on the side of the road.

So long as people have the option it sounds fine but as others have said it does not seem to be getting conveyed to the owners that they have the choice.

 

[Swiss Toni]

"Spar" sponsored a local series of "Youth Activities" over a school summer break that had been organised by the local cops (keeps the kids off the streets etc) in our very rural community - some good publicity in the local rag but somewhat over shadowed by a Police Operation to target off-licences selling to under-age kids.
In the operation the Police sent cadets into stores known to sell to kids and then prosecuted the assistants who made the sale. They only went to stores where locals complained about under-age sales and after sending a warning letter to the manager telling them they would be running such an operation...

..of the 12 stores checked, 2 sold to the kids, both "Spars"

Now the cops are linked by association/sponsorship to the same outfit that sells booze to kids - not a good situation.

I see a risk of something similar if Halfuds are on site for motoring checks.

 

[Dryce]

My question is aren't random checks illegal?

If you have a bulb out at 7.30PM at this time of year then it's not really random.

 

[recycled]

Just wait till they start aticking probes up your exhaust for emmissions.
Happened hear 2 years ago.
Some members will say , oh the police are great and are doing a great job, and it gets rubbish cars off the streets, but a bulb can fail on any car, even a brand new one, and not all have warning lights to tell you of a failure.
i am sure he bulb will be cheaper in asda/tesco