Traffic Cops = "Law Enforcers"

[neilrr]

Being a mercedes forum, i'd half expect this forum to have some maturity and a mature manner to other members of the forum?

You're getting the other half.

 

[ypkx]

You're getting the other half.

haha. i guess a bit of banter wouldn't hurt. fire away boys.

 

[A210AMG]

Quote "Being a mercedes forum, i'd half expect this forum to have some maturity and a mature manner to other members of the forum?"

I would if you had the same regard and saftey for yourself and more importantly other road users having a car that you know is illegal.

Sometimes yes sir, no sir and listen is better than arguing your case at the roadside with a police officer. From what I watch on the police programs it does seem to be the people that argue more back just end up worse off..

Your car is not going to be difficult to spot and while I'm sure you look after it if I were you I would revert the easy changable 'mods' as sure a penny is a penny your going to be stopped again.

 

[ypkx]

I really have limited sympathy. It sounds like you knew you were skating on thin ice, in which case you really are lining yourself up for however the officer is feeling on the day.

I'm not really asking for sympathy really.
I knew i was skating on thin ice about the front tints, inevitable that I'd get caught again. Not a problem.

I just hope officers use a better tone and speak to us like the general public...

 

[This is Pete]

Being a mercedes forum, i'd half expect this forum to have some maturity and a mature manner to other members of the forum?

If you read the rest of the forum, you'll see that we treat each other with a large amount of maturity and respect.

But, if someone seems intent on digging a hole for themselves, we'll just stand around and lend our shovels; threads like this are a spectator sport, after all.

The tone of responses here to your threads has been largely unanimous. I'd advise that you just take it on the chin and work on getting the car fully police friendly (regardless of your impression of what's legal/safe or not) and get the car sold, if that's your intention.

 

[ypkx]

Quote "Being a mercedes forum, i'd half expect this forum to have some maturity and a mature manner to other members of the forum?"

I would if you had the same regard and saftey for yourself and more importantly other road users having a car that you know is illegal.

Sometimes yes sir, no sir and listen is better than arguing your case at the roadside with a police officer. From what I watch on the police programs it does seem to be the people that argue more back just end up worse off..

Your car is not going to be difficult to spot and while I'm sure you look after it if I were you I would revert the easy changable 'mods' as sure a penny is a penny your going to be stopped again.

I wasn't really arguing my case, take this as an example, he was saying how I would need £150 right now for a tow truck and me being me I said 'right, okay, thats okay, I can just use my credit card, so whats the next step? You're going to call the tow company, and then I'll need to get my car re-MOT'd...'

But for the police officer, he genuinely thought i was taking the mick. I wasn't arguing, i was questioning, and this I dont understand WHY im getting so much **** for?

Mind you, he was nice enough to tip me on how to remove the residue off the windows after. haha.

 

[ypkx]

If you read the rest of the forum, you'll see that we treat each other with a large amount of maturity and respect.

But, if someone seems intent on digging a hole for themselves, we'll just stand around and lend our shovels; threads like this are a spectator sport, after all.

The tone of responses here to your threads has been largely unanimous. I'd advise that you just take it on the chin and work on getting the car fully police friendly (regardless of your impression of what's legal/safe or not) and get the car sold, if that's your intention.

aye, but i was expecting a discussion in which I could possibly learn or discuss my problems with, in regards to my vehicle. If some of you fancy a dig, then dig. If some of you fancy banter then banter..

I have taken it on the chin, and incase i didn't say; he actually let me off for the offenses, and just fined me for my tints.
If my tinted headlights, tyre, plates and rear suspension was THAT MUCH OF A RISK TO OTHER MOTORISTS, wouldn't you think he WOULD'VE done something about it?

During the space of this thread, the car has been in the garage getting cleaned up. Couldn't be happier to rub it in some of your faces that theres absolutely nothing wrong with it. its currently being inspected by one of the 'legal inspectors' or something and he seems happy with how it is..
While i sit on my laptop in the corner admiring a nice 3m polish coming along on it.

 

[Mr E]

Is there a read up on the tinted headlights?

Yes, check out the EU conformance pages - UNECE Regulations

In order to remain compliant, you cannot modify in any way an item fitted to your vehicle with a conformance mark. The MOT test does not check this, it basically checks that the lights are there and working, and that the aim on the dipped beam is OK.

 

[ypkx]

Is there a read up on the tinted headlights?

Yes, check out the EU conformance pages - UNECE Regulations

In order to remain compliant, you cannot modify in any way an item fitted to your vehicle with a conformance mark. The MOT test does not check this, it basically checks that the lights are there and working, and that the aim on the dipped beam is OK.

thank you!

 

[Sp!ke]

Is there a read up on the tinted headlights?

Any product on the lense or light source is an MOT failure.

 

[This is Pete]

aye, but i was expecting a discussion in which I could possibly learn or discuss my problems with, in regards to my vehicle.

To be honest, had you said this up front, we would be far more helpful. But we got sidetracked by your arguments with the said police officer and his/your attitude. And we got further sidetracked by your attempts to justify the modifications to us.

 

[ypkx]

Any product on the lense or light source is an MOT failure.

Then I must question the MOT garage as to why they let me have the tints on it...

To be honest, had you said this up front, we would be far more helpful. But we got sidetracked by your arguments with the said police officer and his/your attitude. And we got further sidetracked by your attempts to justify the modifications to us.

Maybe, but i guess we all got there in the end.

Could someone actually enlighten me about the pressed plates? More and more vehicles on the road have them, and I still don't see why i was stopped for them. unless he was just being picky?

 

[poormansporsche]

Ypkx, mate, you are correct in a way, I drive a van with "blinging rims" as it were. I do get pulled a fair bit and they do go over my van with a fine tooth comb. When they cannot find anything wrong with it they always start on my alloys. I personally will not be told by a jumped up traffic warden what is legal or not. I have had several rows with traffic cops about load bearing capacity , do they really think I would spend over a grand on my wheels without doing the proper research ? I always say to them, if you have a problem take off my wheel and check the markings. Funnily enough they never do. But they always like to have the final word "we will let you off this time" etc etc and I say no you are letting me off because I've done nothing wrong.

 

[BTB 500]

Could someone actually enlighten me about the pressed plates? More and more vehicles on the road have them, and I still don't see why i was stopped for them. unless he was just being picky?

I think pressed plates got a bad name because they generally used an illegal font (aping European ones, typically German).

But AFAIK they are ok provided they meet all the standard requirements for colour, font, spacing, reflectivity, etc. and have all the correct markings.

A few years ago M-B dealers were selling steel numberplates, albeit flat ones rather than pressed.

 

[martin_a]

Any product on the lense or light source is an MOT failure.

not so sure on that.... I had a bike with an import headlight (didn't know until after I'd bought it).

Tester stuck tape to it so the beam was flat and didn't flare the wrong way, passed no worries but tintign the things is askign for it.

As a biker, I also have to ask the OP - have you realised why you can't tint the front windows and should have taken them off straight away? I assume you did but for some reason don't give a stuff...

Something like that is just asking for a stop and given the paper work involved they are going to give you a good going over to make it worth the time.

That back end looks terrible although the all black thing is nice.

m.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Fear not! You aren't alone!

I agree with your assumption of traffic cops; they're all fascist pigs employed by the secret service to erode our human rights and take away our liberties.

You'd think they'd be a bit more gracious when doing so.

 

[Sp!ke]

Then I must question the MOT garage as to why they let me have the tints on it...

They should have failed you on the headlight tints and the windows tints.

They should also fail you on your HID fitment as they are illegal too as are your numberplates and perished tyre.

I would also want to take a closer look at your rear suspension too as that looks very much like it would be a fail from what I can tell in the pictures.

I think the officer was spot on myself.

What MOT station passed your car? Maybe VOSA should have a word with them.

 

[Sp!ke]

Tester stuck tape to it so the beam was flat and didn't flare the wrong way, passed no worries but tintign the things is askign for it.

In this instance you are OK as the tape only obscures light in order to comply with regs.

In the OP's instance it reduced light output all round although probably increased scatter and would therefore be a failure.

The thing that frustrates me with this thread is that each and every mod done to the car actually made it worse, not better. The OP has been driving around in a car he cant see out of, with lights that dazzle other road users with dodgy second hand tyres, limited suspension travel at one end of the car and not the other, likely to completely ruin the handling capabilities of the car and destroy the brake bias. The rear track looks to have been narrowed too so I suspect coupled with the suspension issues, the car handles like a pig.

 

[This is Pete]

License plate regulations

UK Number Plates Display Regulations

Which in part states

The colours and reflectivity of number plates are also specified in the regulations, and there is a British Standard (BS AU 145d) which describes the physical characteristics of number plates, including: visibility, strength and reflectivity. Front plates must have black characters on a white background, while rear plates must have black characters on a yellow background. The British Standard also requires that a number plate must be marked with the following information: the British Standard Number, the name, trade mark, or other means of identification of the manufacturer or component supplier, the name and postcode of the supplying outlet. A non-reflective border is optional. There may be no other markings or material contained on the number plate.

The bolded part of which, I don't see on your rear plate (unless it's in an incredibly small font). It might be that your plain-looking rear plate is what drew the police's attention (along with the very low rear suspension).

 

[Troon]

The bolded part of which, I don't see on your rear plate (unless it's in an incredibly small font).

Of course, if the plates were made before 1 Sept 2001 (plausible on a 1996 car), that's not required.

I'd just like to state for the record that I am also totally against front tints and HID kits in reflector assemblies, and I would have pulled this car over were I a copper. I'd like to think I would have been more polite than the OP's account of his adversary, although I wouldn't have let the car proceed with tinted fronts still fitted...