PDA

View Full Version : Police over-enthusiasm!


Maria
18th October 2003, 20:21
What do you guys think of this (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_yorkshire/3203310.stm)?

Driver's anger over fluid fine

An angry driver has pledged to fight police in court after being fined £60 for having no windscreen washer fluid.
Richard Jeffrey, 46, of Park Lodge Lane, Eastmoor, Wakefield, was also given three penalty points on his licence after officers arrived at his home.

They spent 30 minutes inspecting his 11-year-old Vauxhall Cavalier which was parked outside his house, said Mr Jeffrey.

They found a loose battery connection and an empty windscreen fluid reservoir and Mr Jeffrey received a fixed penalty notice for having dangerous parts on his car.

Mr Jeffrey said he had never even had a parking ticket in 30 years of trouble-free motoring.

He said: "I'm in shock. I actually thought they were trick-or-treating at first.

"I've been driving for 30 years. I have never had a point on my licence and I'm really proud of it.

"I don't speed and I'm a law-abiding citizen."

"I want the police to feel very embarrassed about what they have done."

Despite calling out a mechanic to tighten up the loose connection and refilling his washer fluid while the officers were there Mr Jeffrey was still given a ticket.

He has refused to pay the fine or give police his licence to be endorsed by the DVLA.

He added: "It's ridiculous and I'll go to court to prove it."

A police spokesman said Mr Jeffrey had been fined as part of a local clampdown on unroadworthy vehicles.

What the....???!! :rage: :banghead: :confused: :eek: :censored: :rolleyes:

topgear
18th October 2003, 20:41
Hi there! Thanks for the post of the article there.

I read it earlier in the paper and it all seems a little strange to me. Why on earth would 3 policemen pounce on his home for no reason and inspect his car for faults?

I suspect theres some other factor involved in this one! This guy may not be as innocent as he is trying to make out! I know the Police have some strange ideas sometimes, but this is really far fetched without "some" logical reason!

I may be wrong.. but, what does everyone else thing?

---
Bring on the sun, my heaters Broken.

Maria
18th October 2003, 20:53
Well, that's a possibility, I guess. Then again, maybe they had a quota to fill as part of this "clampdown on unroadworthy vehicles" and thought "There's an old car, bet we can get him for something." *shrug*

SimonR
19th October 2003, 13:38
That's just madness!

I'd better not let them get their trotters on F153 - the battery lead is very loose indeed, and the washerbottle is also probably illegally absent:

http://pages.zoom.co.uk/wonkeydonkey/F153JUE/Big/No%20Engine.jpg

Guess what I've been doing this weekend...? :eek:

Mind you that engine bay is criminally clean now.....

D87 SMW
19th October 2003, 17:47
Originally posted by F153JUE
Guess what I've been doing this weekend...? :eek:


Errrrm, gardening? ;) :laugh: ;) :laugh:

Alan the Vanner
19th October 2003, 19:51
That's looking a bit like mine at the moment.
Oh no!!! I forgot to renew the SORN!:eek:
Oh well, the DVLA can't exactly do me for driving without road tax!:laugh:

tony
19th October 2003, 20:06
i allway thought the police had to have a reson to pull you over,and a lose battery and empty washer bottle are not the 1st things that come to mind to be pulled over for,as for spending 30 mins on it that must be near for police harrasment,there has to be more to this surly,hopefully:(