This sounds like a right piss take to be honest.

Basically, just a random stop and he's fired a load of crap at you which you seem to be have been gullible enough to just accept.

It's always best to know your rights. For example, as soon as he mentioned about the plates I would have returned with a "Sorry officer. I have my other set in my boot." Change them and accept the £30 fine. As for the poke, I would have before-hand had a document in the car stating the laws on the matter, as is available on the internet from many sources. Thirdly, I would have questioned him on how he can determine stiff suspension on 2 different cars. It was obvious it had been lower and the travel from the shock from the tyre to the coil to the car shell, will obviously be less on yours, so the car is therefore going to rock less. Not only this, but I would have questioned his methods stating they are not a tried, tested or approved method of measuring "stiffness" of the suspension.

On the other note about the "dangerous weapons" if a police officer has any reasonable suspicion that you have, are doing or are going to commit an offence, they can legally stop you and question you. They can also search, but 9/10 times, if they find something like a wheel brace or a screwdriver in a car, it is not a legible offense, considering that they sole purpose of those items was not to injure another person.

Also, if he wouldn't have had any of that, it's better to know your rights. You should have asked for his name, police badge number, and police station. You should have also asked for a copy of the document of the stop and the reasons for the stop, including laws broken.

Edited 1 February, 200917 yr by DubDanny

this happend to my boss , mk4 golf tints inside and out , black front windows , its 80 recovery 12 storage a day and 56 pound inspectors report , thats not to mention if u need work doin , saw u had a nice car and decided they wanted to put their hands in you are wallet , they can put you are car back to standard at you are expence and keep you are parts

No they cant

they can i have seen it done , took the suspentioin , tints , even the wheel brace out of the door card as its a dangerous weppon aparantly

If thats true I'm gonna become a copper (just for a day or 2). so i can run around and get some part for my car!

This sounds like a right piss take to be honest.

Basically, just a random stop and he's fired a load of crap at you which you seem to be have been gullible enough to just accept.

It's always best to know your rights. For example, as soon as he mentioned about the plates I would have returned with a "Sorry officer. I have my other set in my boot." Change them and accept the £30 fine. As for the poke, I would have before-hand had a document in the car stating the laws on the matter, as is available on the internet from many sources. Thirdly, I would have questioned him on how he can determine stiff suspension on 2 different cars. It was obvious it had been lower and the travel from the shock from the tyre to the coil to the car shell, will obviously be less on yours, so the car is therefore going to rock less. Not only this, but I would have questioned his methods stating they are not a tried, tested or approved method of measuring "stiffness" of the suspension.

On the other note about the "dangerous weapons" if a police officer has any reasonable suspicion that you have, are doing or are going to commit an offence, they can legally stop you and question you. They can also search, but 9/10 times, if they find something like a wheel brace or a screwdriver in a car, it is not a legible offense, considering that they sole purpose of those items was not to injure another person.

Also, if he wouldn't have had any of that, it's better to know your rights. You should have asked for his name, police badge number, and police station. You should have also asked for a copy of the document of the stop and the reasons for the stop, including laws broken.

If you're in a car on a public road a cop doesn't need to state his grounds for stopping you and doesn't need to issue you a stop form if you've been stopped under Road Traffic Act legislation, and you don't have to have broken any laws.

The stop form you're thinking of is only for stops under s.1 of PACE, which this wasn't. A police officer can also stop and ask you anything, regardless of whether he thinks you're connected to an offence. In most circumstances this also requires the issuing of a form but these are slowly being done away with. None of the stop search powers you refer to are applicable in the OP's case since he was stopped under s.163 of the Road Traffic Act.

All this "get his name and collar number" business is an absolute waste of time. Police complaints are dealt with independently of the police and although the officer in this case has clearly made life miserable for the OP he hasn't technically done anything wrong and such complaints generally get nowhere.

Usually cars are seized for no insurance, no licence, driving without due care and attention, causing harassment or distress to other road users, or failing to stop. Bear in mind that if you're not named on the insurance or your mods aren't declared then that could also be grounds. Also when you're stopped if you can't prove there and then that you're insured for that car then technically it could be seized on that basis.

I'd guess that the OP's car was seized because the mods and suspension etc mentioned might have made the vehicle technically unroadworthy from a VOSA point of view. It might not be, but a cop at the roadside doesn't have to have 100% proof there and then, but the vehicle can be seized and inspected by a trained officer who will go over it with a fine toothcomb although it's very unusual for this to happen.

Let us know how you get on.

Off topic (thats a first )

Where in Manchester are you working blitzdonkey?

Hope youre not one of the noobs at cheethim hill

@ blitzdonkey - you work for the police? Sounds a very detailed reply! Lol.

I always get the officers name and number. Makes future enquiries easier if nothing else.

Youd never make a detective John

Hes said a few times now

Off topic (thats a first )

Where in Manchester are you working blitzdonkey?

Hope youre not one of the noobs at cheethim hill

Can't really say where I usually work, but I do work in Cheetham Hill on a few rare occasions. You'll hate me for syaing it but I seized Polo there last month (no licence, no insurance, no MOT, and rear bumper and exhaust scraping the floor!) :-)

i cant belive this!

i phoned this morning to get an update on what is going on with my car & to seek advice, i phoned the traffic department in my area, was told i could speak to the head officer person ao i was put on hold, waited over 20 mins when i finally got through to someone, who wasnt even the head, and the phone line was dull & i couldnt hear very clear what they were saying, so i said 'sorry I'm having trouble hearing, can you speak up' next think i know they jsut hang up on me!!!!

wtf

my local bobby said i should make a complaint purely on the way i was treated & the manner in which i was spoken to by the officers who took my car!

iv spoken to plenty of proffesionals, some of which are MOTers, police officers, mechanics & friends in the trade & they all agree my car shouldnt have been siezed, purely on the fact there is no law or requirements about sidewall or lip purtruding!

I'm confident on the coilover aspect as there legal as fuck, and the only illegal thing that is possilbe is if they wobble when jacked up, or if springs have been cut!

iv decided if i get done for the wheels i will jsut get arch work done & fuck em off out of here

but thats worse matter

i phoned the traffic department to find out when my car is being inspected so i can be present while its being checked, armed with all the documents & information everyone on here has linked me to

iv got a feeling tho if they dont manage to fault the wheels of sus they will jsut do me for the plate so they can still get 60 quid out of me & give me 3 fucking points

i can jsut see this not going my way what so ever

I'm so pissed off, down & fed up, all this money & hassle, makes me want to sell up & buy a fiesta & fuck off with modding hahahah

document everything, write it all down, and just persue them and annoy them

daft as it sounds, if they can take your car, make money, without a fight, they will do

put up a fight and they will eventually down the doughnuts and give in (hopefully)

but the all important fact is as to why he seized your car, if he seized it for "stiff suspension" like you said, then changes to "wheels sticking out"

then you get a fine for your plates

they are clearly taking the piss

I'm arresting you for murder, wait sorry, a parking ticket, wait no I'm wrong, you ran that red light, oh infact no, you dropped a crisp wrapper as we saw you

they are just making it up as they go along

document it all, and supply to them over and over again

everytime you speak to someone ask for name number, then at least you have a paper trail, and the old "we dont know who you spoke to" line can go piss

I say go pick up DK and make a visit to the police station

DKnight jsut want to say thanks, your advice is spot on & your being well supportive, you seem jsut as pissed as i am! lol

well iv got there sholder numbers & names etc

yerr when they interviewed me [which was all written down] there was no mention what so ever on the plate mind you so I'm guessing i should be lright with that if i jsut stick it on when i go to collect [if thats the outcome!]

but untill i recive any paper work or a phone call I'm pretty much stuffed, waiting to hear the exact reason why it was taken, he purely said its dangerous & gave me no black & white reason.

I'm guessing he was saying the car in general with the combination of the current set up made it un road worthy

iv been driving for less than a year & the 1st time iv ever been pulled so its all like wtf, i dont know where i stand & i guess I'm an easy target

some of you probly think I'm a mug but when your sat in the back of a cop car watching your car being put on a low loader & being taken away its all a bit shocking lol

its easy to look back & say if only i ahd said this or done that etc but at the time its a bit wtffffffffffffff???? lol I'm hating this

I say go pick up DK and make a visit to the police station

thats what i thought

hes immense!

hahaha

dont be fooled I'm no great knowledge on this stuff, but i just see it at face value really, they have the power, but not the reasoning.

Kick off about it and they will surely have to "look into it"

you do need to ring citizens advice tho and see what their take on it is, stick with all the facts, tell them your car was taken on the reasoning the suspension was too stiff, dont complicate things with the wheels and plate issue, as thats irrelevant really.

Go to the police station aswell, and say you are just seeking advice, dont mention you have had your car taken, just ask for some paperwork in relation to car seizing, and ask, can my car be seized if an officer claims "stiff suspension"

if they say "dont know" that isnt good enough, they cant say that, apart from looking like a nezbit.

if they say "no they cant seize it for that" then get their name and number.

if they say "yes they can, as we have a stiffyness mcnewton meter that we measure it in

its quite clear what the outcome will be lol

again more help for your case...

just read this and carnt believe they have done this to you the dickheads iv got a cl saloon on coilies and once got pulled coz its slammed and stiff as hell and copper dint actually know what he was on about he was just asking me if it was legal lol what a goon but you should defo go down and go mad they have no right to take your car not give you any paperwork and not even give you a proper reason sounds like they just been coppers up there own arse thinking they are the law appsolute dickheads hope it all turns out ok for you mate

Its this sort of bullshit that destroys peoples confidence in the police...

I've met some really sound police who were helpfull sensible and reasonable at the same time as doing there job.

The fact that this little idiot of an individual has wasted all this time and money on a car that had insurance tax and MOT and (will have to take your word for it) was driving sensibly, is so infuriating.

What about all these little shits you see who have been banned from driving TWICE before they even pass there test...

Or those who just dont bother with insurance.... and all they get is a slap on the wrist!!

Its just another example of our society shitting on those that play the game properly.

well I've just spoke to my police man friend (who for the record isnt a nob head lol)

and he says that if they deemed the suspension as "too stiff" and thats the grounds in which they have seized the car, then they have to stick with that

and test it somehow?

if it comes back fine (again i have no idea how they can possibly test it) then you have full rights to claim the costs back

he said they should not stick a fine on for the plates or the wheels sticking out, this should have been issued at the time,but...

as you have no paperwork to back up exactly why you were stopped and seized, they could say it was for the plates and wheels...

i am curious to see what paperwork you are going to get!

I've said it before but i would be down at that station kicking off like a bastard

I'm really sorry to hear ths mate, its a bit of a worry this as nearly every car on te forum s going to be simlar, ihave supersportcolies on mine which are over 3 years old, had mot about a mont ago, the back is ok but the front is solid passed mot without a problem

Have been looking around about this, about the wheels protruding, as has already been said, this is all I can find..

Final answer - - -

Council Directive 78/549/EEC of 12 June 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the wheel guards of motor vehicles

2.1.2. The rear of the wheel guards must not terminate above a horizontal plane 150 mm above the axis of rotation of the wheels (as measured at the wheel centres) and furthermore the intersection of the edge of the wheel guard with this plane (point A, figure 1) must lie outside the median longitudinal plane of the tyre, or in the case of twin wheels the median longitudinal plane of the outermost tyre.

2.1.3. The contour and location of the wheel guards shall be such that they are as close to the tyre as possible ; and in particular within the part formed by the radial planes referred to in 2.1.1, they shall satisfy the following requirements: 2.1.3.1. the projection - situated in the vertical plane of the tyre axis - of the depth (p) of the outer edge of the wheel guards, measured in the vertical longitudinal plane passing through the centre of the tyre, must be at least 30 mm. This depth (p) may be reduced progressively to zero at the radial planes specified in 2.1.1;

In short, the wheel must NOT protrude more than 30mm past the edge of the mudguard.

The suspension issue seems like utter bull to me though, can't find anything, but as said MOT law and police law seem to be two seperate things.

Might be worth putting a post up on http://www.ukpoliceonline.co.uk/ if you're respectful enough I'm sure you can get a helpful answer (maybe lol), good luck mate

I say go pick up DK and make a visit to the police station

He carnt pick him up.... the police have confiscated his car.....

Keep up lovee

Hahaha

Sorry to hear about this tho mate, seems like a case of just a stuck up his own arse copper

Edited 2 February, 200917 yr by Dub_Jack

I'm surprised no-one noticed that, me included

ahha i didnt even notice that myself!

RIGHT CAR HAS JSUT BEEN TESTED, WAITING FOR THE COP TO RING ME BACK WITH THE OUTCOME

i phoned the compound, there not at liberty to say what the result was but the guy recons i havnt anything to worry about

I'm not getting my hopes up but I'm praying like a nun

the wait is so painful!

I'm hating this

I'm going to be wishing and praying

I'm SHITTING MYSELF

I say go pick up DK and make a visit to the police station

He carnt pick him up.... the police have confiscated his car.....

Keep up lovee

Hahaha

Sorry to hear about this tho mate, seems like a case of just a stuck up his own arse copper

Keep us posted mate, fingers crossed for you

Just one to say hope all goes well for you mate!

Good luck mate, keep us updated!

best of luck mate!!!

expecting a phone call today or tomorrow?