Got pulled over today :(

**xjkx** · 4th March 2010 10:09 PM

apparently:

my dubmeister pressed gb spec plate is illegal
i'm not insured
i have no driving license

it took time to explain that none of this was true, but an hour of my time. thank you so much!

perhaps my front vinyl silver on black plate is a bit illegal, but nevermind!

the guy said a strange thing to me, i imagine he was just a beat officer in a car (i dont know how the police operate)...but he said he wasnt bothered about the plate so much, but a traffic officer would probably give me a £30 fine. what's a traffic officer? one of those fake police in the 4x4's you see cruising at 50 on the motorway, or one of those [REMOVED] in the bmw's which are always unmarked and - in my experience - the biggest pricks i've ever had to speak to?

**R32OC AdBot** · 4th March 2010 10:09 PM

**The Womble** · 4th March 2010 10:20 PM

Less of the language mate

**AdzC** · 4th March 2010 10:32 PM

You will have spoken to a police officer who is as you put it a general beat officer, ie not in a specialist role/department.

By traffic officer he will have been referring to a Road Policing officer who specialises in education/enforcement of road traffic matters.

The 4x4s on the motorway are HATOs (Highways Agency Traffic Officers) who do not have powers of enforcement but do have certain designated powers although the list escapes me.

Hope that clears things up for you

**xjkx** · 4th March 2010 10:35 PM

womble - oops! at least i kept the latter slur subjective!

ahh road policing officer, so this is a specialist task? i.e. the road policing officers perform this role daily, rather than alternating between other roles?

might explain their attitude, i certainly only turn mine on after the sulking doesn't work and the points are issued.

**rs85** · 4th March 2010 10:47 PM

keep going mate i echo your sentiments

**Age.** · 4th March 2010 10:52 PM

Traffic officers are quite often in dark blue Volvo's. They also pack heat. So don't mess with them!

hhahahaa.

If you know a little about the law, you'll know a "normal" police officer can't give chase, so you could have just driven off...not that i'd encourage that (i used to be in the police).

Only traffic officers have the correct driver training to engage in high speed pursuits. They also have a bad reputation for being well...like you already said. But they're human beings really aren't they? i met some and they're very nice. Of course, I've never been pulled over because I'm a good boy.

shame about the pressed plates, they really set off a car, but it's not worth the extra attention from the law is it? real grey area it seems.

**Paulie** · 4th March 2010 10:55 PM

He doesn't know what he is talking about regarding the plates...dubmeister plates are 100% legal

**xjkx** · 4th March 2010 11:08 PM

exactly paulie, that's what i said. he was pretty quiet after that!

**Paulie** · 4th March 2010 11:17 PM

just point out the BS mark and the post code/makers name....Illegal ones won't have that

**DougalR** · 4th March 2010 11:24 PM

Also he will already known if you was insured or not before he even pulled you over, he would have done a vehicle check before hand, the Dub plates are legal.. if it was because they are metal, well it doesn't matter, plates aren't required to be plastic...

**simonmac** · 4th March 2010 11:30 PM

some traffic cops are very nice, i still have my licence because of a very understanding one, so they aren't all bad. and i had non dubmeister pressed plates which didn't bother him. i only got pulled because i'd taken out insurance the day before and the database hadn't caught up.

**AdzC** · 4th March 2010 11:31 PM

As long as the plates conform to 2001 regulations as set by the DVLA they should be legal as there is no mention in the regulations that they must be manufactured from acrylic.

Obvioulsy I wasn't there when you were stopped but if you got a ticket you have your right to have the matter heard at Magistrates court should you so wish.

Number plates are a big thing at the moment due to increase in ANPR use hence the increase in fine from £30 to £60 recently.

**xjkx** · 4th March 2010 11:53 PM

oh no points or a fine or anything, just a big waste of an hour of work time, and no apology for their system being incorrect....on three counts!

**AdzC** · 4th March 2010 11:58 PM

The system is only as good as the data input onto it. Although during office hours shouldn't take too long to confirm the situation with insurance and licence.

I'm annoyed because my motorbike is still not showing on the MID despite taking the policy out 6 weeks ago and making numerous calls to my insurer. Guarantee I willl have the same problem if I get stopped on that.