I was travelling home last night and spotted a police car pulling onto the main road and rather quickly up my exhaust pipe. He stayed there for 2-3 miles in which time I knew this was only ever going to end in me getting pulled over.

I changed my direction and went along a road where I knew the police would pull me over and soon enough his lights went and the two tone was going. I pulled over and waited for the very nice police man to come up to my window. He walked and asked me " Do you know what I pulled you over for" to which I replied.... "Driving with my fog lights on" (because I had come out of fog but still left them on).. to which he replied "No but we'll add that to the list - Do you mind stepping out of the car and stepping into the back of the police car"... Which is when I thought. Oh s**t haha.

Apparently I was speeding in two zones??? Which is absolute nonsence as I always set the cuise control to 75... But apparently I was doing over 80 in a 70 zone and over 50 in a 40mph zone. The officer wasn't arrogant but had a way of giving over that he was the law and what he said went. I didnt admit to anything I just listened and absorbed what he was saying. While all this was happening the other rozzer was walking around the car checking things were in order.... which they were

Basically he said I was doing 80 on the dual carriage way which isn't a much a problem but doing over 50 in a 40 was stupid???. To which I replied.. 1. "Well I wasn't doing over 50 in a 40 as I set the cruise control to 45" and 2. "You were behind me so I wouldnt push the speed limit anyway"...

After a long discussion about how much I would like to keep my license and keep the no points and blah blah he let me get on my way.

I considered myself very lucky. He could of been a complete and utter and gave me tickets to which I would have contested but in the end my charm wore off

Closest I've been to having 6 points lol. Only had the coupe 2 month and already i've been pulled over twice.

The future looks a bit daunting to be honest hahah.

If he did give me tickets and I wasnt actually speeding (which i know i wasnt)... where would I stand? Could I actually contest it?

think you were lucky. then again don't think you'll get away with it again after admitting on here to be doing 75 in a 70 zone and 45 in a 40

Did I write that??? Dam keyboard keys.. Always get them mixed up. I always mistake a 0 for a 5. I meant to say I always set my cruise at 70 and 40. I'd never set my cruise 5 mph above the limit??? Because like you said that would be naughty.

But yeh. Lady luck was watching me that day

normal panda plod cant do anything.

Only about 10% of patrol cars have the special calibrated speedos; which, if arent checked in scheduled times dont count either.

The have to prove you were doing the speed so it was all a scare for you

Thats exactly what it was for. But it was only because I was polite and respectful towards them that they didnt do anything. I think they expected some little stuck up chav to get out - But chavs dont drive coupes so they were barking up the wrong tree.

It was a lovely "09" volvo. Looked great!! Although I must admit the inside wasnt a touch on the coupe

heres a quick tip - next time you get pulled over and get the "do you know what im stopping you for" NEVER EVER give a reason as half the time you will just add another offense onto the list.

you were lucky this time tho

Well to be honest if you set your cruise control to 45 as seen on your speedo then pretty much you would have been doing 41/42 at most in real terms of speed due to the tolerances built into the speedo by the manufacturer to keep themselves out of the poo if you got caught speeding when your speedo said you weren't.

I'm pretty sure in that case noone would prosecute you for doing 1 or 2 mph over the limit at most, even if they did have calibrated speed guns, which as mentioned above most don't. I too have been pulled over in my younger driving days for speeding (I won't say how much but let's say you learn from your mistakes and it was 4am even though that isn't an excuse) and I was let off for that very reason - they had nothing to prove it, just one policeman in his landrover.

The moral of the story (yours too) is whether you were or weren't speeding, and whether they could/couldn't prosecute you if you were, take it as a lesson learned and be more vigilant regardless .



[and yes that's a good point, why offer up another offence on a plate whether it was obvious that was why they pulled you or not? Lol]

hahaha. I have certainly learnt my lesson. The "Do you know what I pulled you over for". Never say anything. Just smile sweetly and shake your head and wait for the lecture

Well touch wood I've never had a accident or ticket or points in over 5 years now... But yeh I completely agree with the tolerances in the speedo and their cameras... but these guys had no reason to pull me over... I think they were hoping they might of had something on me like no insurance or something.

I'm certainly not a speeder in the sense of lets do a ton along the road and hope I dont get caught... I do a comfortable speed in relation to the speed on the road but being extra careful in built up areas, when conditions (like the snow we've experinced) require less speed and around schools etc.

Lesson has been learnt though.. and I have slowed up on the cruise by 2-3 mph.... Helps on the mpg as well... funny that lol

Haha, slowing down will do that for you

The most fuel efficient way you can drive is 55-56mph in 5th gear (or 6th if applicable). One of my mates went through a spate of having little money, but lots to do so (and his reasoning was to save as much money on fuel as he could) he drover EVERYWHERE at 55mph in 5th. Yes this included 30 zones!
That said this is the same mate who drunk drove his mum's car, uninsured, for the sake of not walking 400m to the pub and back, and wrote it off into 4 parked cars (all subsequently also written off) directly outside his house and is now banned... go figure.

I'm not saying I always agree with "spot checks" as you were most likely a victim of, where the police find any and bizarre non-existent reasons to pull people over in order to asses their fitness to drive, and allow time for all documents and licences etc to be checked, as most often they just pull over young people as they have become the scapegoat these days. Yes it is the best way to determine if people are drunk or on drugs etc but if they are clearly driving perfectly well and the ANPR machines, that are becoming more and more commonplace, don't flag anything up then there is simply no need.

I once got pulled over, talked to like the scum of the earth and breathalysed with the confidence it would be well over the limit - purely because me and my mates came out of a pub and the police were parked up on the pavement (they park there every Friday and Saturday night) to watch the local pubs, and conveniently this is right next to the local car park.
I'm pretty sure this is entrapment, but as I often was back then, I was the designated driver. I drove us down to town and in return my mates bought me soft drinks all night.
I did absolutely nothing wrong driving wise, all passengers and myself were wearing seatbelts, my lights were on, I was obeying the speed limit and despite most drivers attitudes when there are no other cars about they don't indicate (I don't agree with that at all as people then get into the habit of not indicating and stop doing it altogether!) I was indicating correctly. I mean the police car was about 20m from us when we got into the car and it followed us as soon as we moved off, I'm not stupid! Lol.
The conversation went:
*Policeman: "Get out of the car."
*Me: "Erm, ok?" (I oblige)
*Policeman: "Get in the back." (points at the patrol car)
*Me: "Erm, ok?" (I oblige)
*Policeman: "You know why I pulled you over... DON'T YOU!?" (absolutely no need for that!)
*Me: "Well actually no, not really officer" (being extra polite to illustrate my point)
*Policeman: "Well! I actually SAW YOU and your friends leaving the bar, so now I'm going to breath test you! How much have you had to drink tonight!?"
*Me: "Nothing, at least nothing alcoholic officer" (still being extra polite the more he was being an arse
*Policeman: "Well then... IT SHOULD COME UP A BIG FAT ZERO POINT ZERO THEN, SHOULDN'T IT!!?" (getting quite irate)
*Me: "Well yeah, unless they started putting alcohol in cola!" (I admit I gave up on polite at this point)
* [policeman explains how breathalyser works]
* [I oblige in using it as he says, all the time him yelling "BLOW! BLOW! BLOW!...." at me like I was going to stop to try and weasel my way out of a DWI, I'm used to this in the army though so I don't ;et it phase me. Also those things require an inhuman amount of breath!]
* [Policeman turns the breathalyser to face him, I try to see it, he tilts it a bit more so I can't, but I manage to see it come up when the beeping stops and it says "0.0mg/ml" or whatever the units are]
* [Cue sheepish policeman trying to explain exactly WHY he pulled me over andWHY he believed I was drunk so much to justify why he was talking to me the way he was.]
* [Cue me explaining to said policeman exactly WHY that's a load of bull, then me going off on my merry way laughing with my mates]


I'm sorry but you can smell on someone if they've been drinking, it's a good first indication and I hadn't had a drop, also my driving was fine, I walked straight and didn't slur etc. Any idiot would have twigged there is a real possibility I may actually be sober! Lol.
Spot checks are sometimes useful but what happened to innocent until proven guilty? And what is so wrong with the concept of "designated driver" that police will refuse to accept it's existence and decide anyone leaving a pub is plastered and shouldn't be allowed anywhere near their car for the next few days?

I do, however, think car ignitions should be fitted with breathalysers, as well as cash machines lol. Cars that won't start if over the limit, and cash machines that will only dispense "Taxi Fun Dollars" if intoxicated and after 1am, that are only redeemable with taxi firms.

'Fun taxi dollars' is such a good idea!!!! i like it haha

Police are very commonly over-heavy handed especialy with young-young/middle aged people. They won't touch grandad whos just had 3 whiskeys and is doin 40 on the motorway with no lights on though.

I always used to get pulled in the magane twice-3 times a week just for 'spot checks', but as soon as i got the coupe that stopped instantly, which i've always thought was wierd. I've been told that there is a 'black list' of local vehicle reg's in the patrols local area that they look out, not sure on the validity of this but seems feasable.

the last one that stopped me said "has this car been checked?"
i said "no its always been this red colour"

Most traffic cops would prefer to educate rather than throw points and fines at you.

be polite, accept the advice they give and if they think you've taken it on board then a good percentage will leave it at that.

of course this only applies for minor speeding, not driving like a propper tool

(disclaimer: I'm not saying anyone here, including the original poster was driving like a tool. This statement is intended as a general obversation and is not aimed at any member or members, present or past.)

well the previous owners were a copper and a doctor, so don't know.

just drive safely and not like a spanner and you'll have nothin to worry about...no matter how often you get pulled over

like the guys have said before, a normal police car cant do anything to you, especially if they have just been tailing you because they havent got a record of your speed and its one of those, your word against theres with no proof, and they just try to send the s***ers up you.

Once i actually got caught speeding by a proper car doiong 38 in a 30..(150 yards from a 40 zone). not crime of the century but speeding none the less i guess,

Anyway, i got off with it, even though they had it on the "hairdryer". How i hear you ask ? ha ha.... cause i know the law enough on it, and i know they have to have a calibration certificate for those radars which is checked on an hourly basis, signed and checked. If they cant produce it, then it will not hold up in court and you will be laughing. i made my point clear to the guy that i wasnt going to accept it with out the certificate (entirely because they guy was being an arrogant w****r. low and behold they couldnt produce it, and i got away with a warning, all be it my registration probably on the watch list from a couple of extremely unhappy policemen ha ha:fingers

Well this is the second time i've been pulled over and I bought the car in late November. But I agree with all of you. If you drive like a then you expect to get pulled over. But its just annoying when they pull you over and do nothing, but sith there and think there are high almighty.

Looks like its a coupe thing though hahaha But to be honest.. I was driving with my lights on as I just came out of fog... but when I was getting close to home I had to put my sun glasses on as the glare was awful.. Plus the police were 4 cars behind when pulling onto the dual carriage way and I reckon they were doing about 55 mph.. and to have someone go past doing the speed limit with sun glasses on and lights, I think I would have pulled myself over hahah

Its a good job I'm a good boy and has everything perfect for his car . Meant they had nothing on me.

ah bad luck mate... Sounds like you got done over completely there...

All that because of a sneeze! I'm going to panic when i get a sneeze behind the wheel for ever more haha!!

"trying" being the key word....but it really does take big balls to argue your case.

Thats ridiculous though, i can totally understand what your saying though, and to be honest, in your situation with the army and that... i think most people would just accept it. i would have anyway.
its just like "we are the police!, you will agree with everything we have to say, otherwise your wrong and we'll **** you!"

Even one of my old mates became a policeman, and he has just completely changed, now thinkin he is all high and mighty, with all the so called "power" needless to say he doesnt have much mates anymore. ha

p.s. its the scariest thing when you have to sneeze while driving.... try keep your eyes open and they'll blow themselves out the socket ha ha

Yeah people change with power...

anyway.. try sitting waiting to turn right at a junction and have a copper who is speeding, overtaking on a zebra crossing and not wearing a seatbelt, hit you and flip his focus on it's roof which then scrapes across the pavement towards a nurse...

guess who's fault that turns out to be. and guess how many times you get brethalised, thrown in the back of a police van, dragged into interview rooms, and dragged through court.

bloody hell, that is ridiculous... but they just make you feel powerless and its .

i like a good rant about it every so often sorry heh, but its unreal,... everyone seems to have similar experiences, but what can you do

I still have a lot of respect for traffic cops, they get a lot of crap for making our roads safer..

The thing that annoyed me was that there were 2 of them, an obviously experienced guy, and a clearly new-to-the-job woman. The woman was fine with me on her own, seemed like she genuinely cared for my well-being, but around the guy she was obviously pressured into being as holier-than-thou as he was.
E.g. on her own she was asking if I was getting a new car etc, and general chatting. At first while everything was calm I'd told them all I'd ever wanted to do since I could remember was be in the police. After the whole ripping to pieces in the interview, they both returned to being nice for some reason. I told them I'd already bought and insured a V6 coupé and they seemed a bit disheartened, as if they thrived on the idea of getting me off the roads like I was some sort of menace to society, then when she asked "do you still want to join the police one day?" so I looked them both up and down and said "You know what? I really don't." and walked off smiling.

I do believe that "power" like that can corrupt a lot of people and all of a sudden they feel they are somehow better than everyone else, and that's one thing that's actually put me off the idea of the police because I like not being a total ****.

LiDL - whatever happened with that? Did the police finally admit fault or was it recorded as your fault for the rest of time?

Accident which was 85% my fault.. aparently

CPS never provided any evidence in court after failing to send a representative 3 times (I turned up all suited every time) so the driving without due care and attention got thrown out. that's after they tried to do me for dangerous driving and that got thrown out too.

I got hammered on insurance.. compounded by going through a third party no win no fee, that went tits up and they chased me for over two years for 11k they think I owe them, police claimed from my insurance, the woman the cop slid into claimed on my insurance, I didnt see a penny from any insurance but my premiums went through the roof.

Got clocked fopr speeding on a motorway in Scotland. they must have different rules up there.

Driving Renault Megane in centre lane having just overtook a truck, on a bend in the road. there was a camera van on a bridge who allegedly clocked me at 97 mph. My speedo showed 80, my satnav showed 74. confirmed by witness in car.

Knew they were there as I came round the bend as there were a few cars in front of me breaking hard when they saw it.

As I passed under the bridge, i noted the view window in the van was closed (it was a cold day) and as I was under (or a little over) the speed limit, i never gave it another thought & carried on my way home to Northampton.

4 weeks later a Northants copper showed up on my door to find out why I hadn't responded to the NIP (which I never had). I was given an aditional 7 days to respond or off to court (in scotland) I would go.

I asked to see the photo, the calibration report, confirmation that the speed gun was NOT being operated through glass and that the speed trap was NOT on a bend in the road (it throws the speed detector off, slippage I think it's called).

the Scottish courts response was to accept the 3 points & £60 fine or see you in court when any evidence will be available.

When I phoned them to tell them I was entitled to see the evidence against me i was verbally told by a court official " take the £60 fine or it'll cost you a lot more than that & that's not including the cost of you getting up here"

I accepted the £60 fine & 3 points.