3 points and £60 fine for brake lights

vaporate

CopperPlate wrote: »

Or mows someone down whilst driving a defective car...?

These are the endorsable offences from direct.gov.uk:

CU10 Using a vehicle with defective brakes 3 points + fine

CU20 Causing or likely to cause danger by reason of use of unsuitable vehicle or using a vehicle with parts or accessories (excluding brakes, steering or tyres) in a dangerous condition 3 points + fine

Before the car has been prohibited there must've been a justifiable concern that it's not roadworthy - i.e. no-one can tell if you are braking or not, and been examined before the prohibition is made.

In terms of the 'friendly warning' - consider what would happen if the OP had driven round the corner and knocked a pedestrian down...it later coming to light that officers had stopped the car (which is actually not roadworthy if there are no brake lights) a few moments earlier but had knowingly then allowed the driver to drive off...

And, sorry, the OP says he hasn't had a 'ticket' in 20 years...says nothing about him not having any 'previous offences' of any kind.

As opposed to giving him a ticket and letting him drive away anyway?

still petty. Also, what's previous offences got to do with it?

CopperPlate_2

scotsman4th wrote: »

It's ignited my interest but heres a thread on another site virtually the same (might even be the same copper lol). http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=77800

Just finished reading that just now.

Viper_7

I think this is a bit harsh.
There is a difference of knowing driving a vehicle which is not road worthy, and driving a vehicle where for example the brake circuit actuator has just failed.

Police should have advised, the driver would then pull the vehicle over, and if cannot remedy the problem, then it stays put until it is A: either fixed, or towed.

Same goes for driving to a garage to rectify something, as long as you show you are driving the vehicle to the garage and it's not in a dangerous condition that is fine.

How many lights were out? All of them?


I've got my own back once on this though. I was pulled over once at 2am on Millenium morning, and got a random breath test ( I was actually on my way to work)
Passed of course but they also went around my vehicle to check it.

So when they sent me on my way - I pointed out they had a front light out. The blokes face was a picture when I said that they cannot continue to drive the car in an un-roadworthy condition and trust they either get a replacement bulb sent out or have the car towed.
guess what they did - drive off. Go figure.

vaporate

Viper_7 wrote: »

I think this is a bit harsh.
There is a difference of knowing driving a vehicle which is not road worthy, and driving a vehicle where for example the brake circuit actuator has just failed.

Police should have advised, the driver would then pull the vehicle over, and if cannot remedy the problem, then it stays put until it is A: either fixed, or towed.

Same goes for driving to a garage to rectify something, as long as you show you are driving the vehicle to the garage and it's not in a dangerous condition that is fine.

How many lights were out? All of them?


I've got my own back once on this though. I was pulled over once at 2am on Millenium morning, and got a random breath test ( I was actually on my way to work)
Passed of course but they also went around my vehicle to check it.

So when they sent me on my way - I pointed out they had a front light out. The blokes face was a picture when I said that they cannot continue to drive the car in an un-roadworthy condition and trust they either get a replacement bulb sent out or have the car towed.
guess what they did - drive off. Go figure.

Like I said, sadistic police :rotfl:

Abuse of authority and 'what you can get away with'.

The 'justice' system is no different either. You can only get justice if you have the money.

sebdangerfield

I'd like to point out that the Police can only ever recind an MOT when they 'PG9' your vehicle. That is only ever done when a very highly qualified officer checks the car at the roadside and puts it through a basic MOT checking everything that is able to be checked. If a number of things are also wrong with the car, they then tell you to get another MOT.

Are there any other things the car has failed on? No brake lights working after it failed not long ago for the same thing may be a more serious electrical fault and it's quite poor to have all the lights go before you noticed.

terryya

sebastianj wrote: »

Dear all,
I hope someone can help me, I had an MoT done at the end of July, they found the break lights not working and charged me £150 for fixing it. This afternoon I was stopped by the police because my lights were not working, they have terminated my MoT as well.
Not sure what to do, I think it is a bit harsh, no warning etc. Is there any thing I can do, I have never had a ticket for over 20 years and all of a sudden this Person really shows his authority on me instead of catching some real criminal. Mind you I do believe in obeying the law which I have been doing.

I'm only guessing but I don't think this attitude helps you 'get off' with a warning for anything when stopped by the police. I'm not sure how some people think the best course of action when stopped is to give them stick about catching real criminals!

sebastianj

Thanks, sebdangerfield,
No they did not check any thing else, just the stop lights All other lights were perfect but they did not check any thing. I think one of them did not want to write a ticket but the other one over ruled him. One officer wanted to take my license for endorsements, I told him that I want to consult my solicitor, which he did not appreciate.I don't know what to do next, have already sent a mail to IPCA. I have 7 days to pay the fine and get my license endorsed.

Should I be talking to Legal cover providers? I am with Barclay's.
seb

CopperPlate_2

sebdangerfield wrote: »

I'd like to point out that the Police can only ever recind an MOT when they 'PG9' your vehicle. That is only ever done when a very highly qualified officer checks the car at the roadside and puts it through a basic MOT checking everything that is able to be checked. If a number of things are also wrong with the car, they then tell you to get another MOT.

Are there any other things the car has failed on? No brake lights working after it failed not long ago for the same thing may be a more serious electrical fault and it's quite poor to have all the lights go before you noticed.

But the OP hasn't given any other information other than that in the original post, despite a lot of questions (that would help inform our opinion) being asked. It's all very well making judgements about the rights and wrongs of this, but when you're presented with a narrow account of events it's almost impossible to come up with rational responses. Before a vehicle is prohibited , it will have been examined by the officer concerned (who must be a qualified examiner). To simply do it out of pettiness risks the officer being chucked out of the traffic department if a complaint is founded against them. Simply not worth it.

Vaporate - you strike me as having had an unwelcome experience with traffic police

Hintza

sebastianj wrote: »

Should I be talking to Legal cover providers? I am with Barclay's.
seb

Why? As long as the ticket was issued correctly the easiest and cheapest option will be to pay up now.

The only debatable point is can they recind your MOT, sounds unlikely and I would have thought you would be OK once brake lights were working.

sebastianj

terryya wrote: »

I'm only guessing but I don't think this attitude helps you 'get off' with a warning for anything when stopped by the police. I'm not sure how some people think the best course of action when stopped is to give them stick about catching real criminals!

I am one of the most plight person you will ever meet, I respected the officers addressed them as Officers, even when they were writing the ticket, I was showing them receipts of the garage charging me to fix the brake lights.

In the privacy of my home, the least I can do is show my feelings.
seb