So this is the third time this week I have been pulled over for driving normally home from work.

If there is already a similar discussion on this point me in the right direction.

This time they made me strip the front windows of all tints which I feel I will do on the back end to avoid any other po po attention.

Apart from the tints and breaks all the main work ha been done under the hood tuning the engine so it looks standard so don't understand bein pulled over everytime I step into the car.

Please share similar stories an any advice

Front tints make it look like you've got something to hide, that and the fact that they're stupid. You wouldn't drive around at night wearing sunglasses would you? Not surprised you get pulled over.

Ever seen traffic cops etc? How many times do they pull someone over for one thing, only to find a whole multitude of things wrong with the car and driver?

They won't pull you for rear tints - else they'd be pulling every van driver on the road.

Front tints are dangerous mainly and I wouldn't say the po-po are unjustified pulling you over for them. Surprised you weren't asked to rip them out the first time, because if they did, I bet you'd have had no trouble after.

Oh, and once a car is pulled over you do become "marked" on the database. Stupid question but you don't have other things like barryboy wheels / misspaced number plates etc that could put you at risk?

Tinted rear lights (stipidly dark tints) and tinting windows in front of the B pillar is asking for a tug, along with non legal plates.

As said, once you keep getting pulled you'll be marked enhancing the chances of getting pulled again and again.

What does your car actually look like? Any pictures? Because it seems to me that they are stereo typing it based on what it looks like and associating you to be a barry/chav type driver - which you necessarily aren't.

Any side window in front of the B pillar has to pass 70% light transmission, and many traffic cars now carry meters to test this. You can be made to remove them immediately, or be given a Rectification Notice, which means you might have to get an MOT tester to sign you have done so, or take the car to a Police Station to be checked.

Ditto applies to any tinted lights.

They also now have the ability to speak directly to your insurance company to check that any modifications fitted to your car have been declared. I presume you have done so?

And as said, you are now "marked" so be careful.

I'd have told them to do one tbh... you could have legitimately claimed that you are being harassed by the police, all their fancy computerised systems means they don't even need to bother stopping you nowadays to ask if you are insured..

All that talk of being 'marked' is rubbish tbh, you only earn a marker if you are cautioned with something. if they tug you again go into your local filth station and demand to speak to the inspector about being victimised.. A few years back, myself and a couple of mates used to get stopped virtually every other night right to the point where I told them they could have a photocopy of my insurance certificate to keep at the station, it was bordering on obscene! I got 3 producers in the same day once! that soon changed after having a few choice words with the senior officer..

as for the tints on the front, what llanigraham has said above it spot on, maximum 30% but any reputable window tinting firm should have advised you of this when they installed it, in the old days when I used to get all covert like.. With tints I used a company over Southampton who actually gave you a printout of the relevant legislation to keep in your car along with a test document from a calibrated light meter confirming the light transmission opacity of the window film used on the vehicle.

Quite often the front windows are already tinted and buying legel tint pushes it above the limit.

I was pulled atleast 4 times a week for 2 months, just stayed respectful and after 2 months it slowly stopped altogether and haven't been pulled since. Funny thing was it was the same time as I started going out with swmbo and her dad's an ex copper ......

I have some kind of marker on my car. I get sooo much attention from the Police, it's unreal...

Admittedly I do drive hard on the road, but I rarely get stopped because of it, I can only think I've been reported or whatever so now they do a radio check on my car and realise something...

I'm on a section 59 so I have to be careful. It was given to me because they apparently saw me driving badly on CCTV but couldn't tell me when or where. They don't need to provide any proof so they could be full of ****...

I did have front tints too, instantly they gave me 3 points for those, put my car in a paid car park, invalidated my MOT, etc. I had to pay overnight parking then get my car recovered to a MOT station (which didn't even check the tints). It ended up costing me something like £250...

I also got £300 in fines in one night. I had no postcode on my numberplates, so they gave me £60 per plate (£120 total) and sent me on my way. An hour later I got stopped again and I told them I had just been stopped, showed them the tickets so they'd let me go without doing massive checks again (it was at the same time of the riots so searched my car for weapons) but he instead gave me another £120 in fines, and a further £60 because my number-plate bulb was flickering (damn LED's).

I've been quite lucky since mind, but during that week or too I felt like quitting driving and selling my car, I got harassed sooo much. Yes the tints and plates were technically illegal but they could have just told me to change them, I've never heard of them being so hard before.

I overheard on the radio before to do me for whatever they can, I don't think I was meant to hear it. I don't know why though, all I can presume is I've been reported as I said.

I'm perfectly legal now, all mods declared, no tints, legal number-plates, removed the headlight tinting (Lamin-X), etc. I wanna see what they do now...

Just about any tint fitted to the front side windows will make them illegal, pretty simple really ... if you car looks like it is obviously illegal because of this then expect to be pulled.

Why anyone would want to make a car look so obviously illegal is beyond me as they are likely to go through the whole car looking for anything else.

Only ever been stopped once and that was for going stupidly fast. Cars and bikes have always been legal and pretty much stock though. Been past numerous checkpoints but never been waived in, always the car ahead or behind.

Starting to feel unloved :(

Keep the car looking standard

Keep the car sounding standard (i.e. Quiet)

Don't rev the nuts off of it or squeal the tyres

if you are driving "briskly" do so smothly, don't make it obvious.

those four things will help a lot and it's suprising how good a pace you keep up at the same time without attracting attention

I think the Americans call it Stealth

I'd have told them to do one tbh... you could have legitimately claimed that you are being harassed by the police, all their fancy computerised systems means they don't even need to bother stopping you nowadays to ask if you are insured..

All that talk of being 'marked' is rubbish tbh, you only earn a marker if you are cautioned with something. if they tug you again go into your local filth station and demand to speak to the inspector about being victimised.. A few years back, myself and a couple of mates used to get stopped virtually every other night right to the point where I told them they could have a photocopy of my insurance certificate to keep at the station, it was bordering on obscene! I got 3 producers in the same day once! that soon changed after having a few choice words with the senior officer..

Ha ha, I chuckled at this reply, it's a bad idea telling the officer to do one as theyll just report you for summons for the offences you have disclosed instead of giving you the option to put it right within 14 days.

And with regard to the 3 producers and senior officer story, I would say they probably left you alone because you proved to those 3 sets of officers that you have mot, insurance and a driving licence, hence they won't pull you again.

To the op it's simple, just drive sensible and don't have illegal modifications on your car, there is no marker on your car.

I have some kind of marker on my car. I get sooo much attention from the Police, it's unreal...

Admittedly I do drive hard on the road, but I rarely get stopped because of it, I can only think I've been reported or whatever so now they do a radio check on my car and realise something...

I'm on a section 59 so I have to be careful. It was given to me because they apparently saw me driving badly on CCTV but couldn't tell me when or where. They don't need to provide any proof so they could be full of ****...

And you wonder why!? A couple more 59's and it's bye bye car! I would drive careful if I were you.

Had my vRS over 2 years now, drive it at all hours.

Occasionally quickly, it's clearly modified, I do have

rear light tints and a big shiny 7x3 exhaust pipe.

Never been stopped in it except once on the way to work one morning

when I dropped my other half off at the station and used a buses

only area next to the station to turn the car around.

Just as I did it a Police car went past and clocked me.

Quick name and document check and I was on my way.

Also with long hair I'd expect Mr Plod to assume I have

also made certain lifestyle choices :p

The police do put markers on cars (My sister is a copper...)

but only usually if they have good reason.

Give them attitude though and they sometimes accidently mark

your car

The police do put markers on cars (My sister is a copper...)

but only usually if they have good reason.

But not for traffic offences like tinted windows or seen driving like a boy racer.

I overheard on the radio before to do me for whatever they can, I don't think I was meant to hear it. I don't know why though, all I can presume is I've been reported as I said.

You don't know why? Really?

Well from what you have said your driving alone is enough to attract attention.

As said above. There are ways to keep up a good pace without attracting attention or even breaking the law!

If you rev the knackers off your car and drive hard as you say then you are bound to attract attention.

I was pulled over once in Hull as they were doing random checks.

That was in my felicia. The funny thing was that morning I had physically checked ALL the lights on the car and they were all definately working. Anyway I had a side light and brake light out by the afternoon when they pulled me over. About to issue a £60 fine but I just said hang on a minute I checked this morning and they were working and that I do actually carry spares. So they let me stick some new bulbs in and sent me on my way!

I've had a couple of run in's with the Police, all in my Rapid. Each time it was because I was driving naughtily - sideways round a roundabout and racing a Mini. Silly really. I have since learnt, via Section 59 (!), that if I want to drive quickly then I will do it at the right place and the right time, when I will only hurt myself, and I'll live with the consequences of being caught by the Police.

Saying that, I haven't been stopped for 2 years, when I was 19... go figure!

The fines for the numberplates are a bit harsh. My naughty plates were never noticed

That was in my felicia. The funny thing was that morning I had physically checked ALL the lights on the car and they were all definately working. Anyway I had a side light and brake light out by the afternoon when they pulled me over. About to issue a £60 fine but I just said hang on a minute I checked this morning and they were working and that I do actually carry spares. So they let me stick some new bulbs in and sent me on my way!

I was stopped in Tescos once because my rear numberplate light was out. I explained to the Officer that the reason I had gone to Tescos was to get a new bulb! He was understanding and let me on my way.

I always carry a full set of spare bulbs in the vRS

and the van. It's a small expense to avoid the fine

as bulbs do just suddenly go and you don't always notice it

straight away. Particularly if you happen to be driving along

at the time. I've lost count of how many cars I've seen lately

with a headlight bulb out. The trouble is the majority of

people wouldn't know where to start changing a bulb so I guess

they just leave it until their car is in the garage for something

else.

It's what some police refer to as a 'foot in the door'.

last time I was stopped was in my fiat uno turbo! this was around 1991, Christmas time, because I was out and about at 2am, was breathalised, and sent on my way

about five years ago a copper pulled up next to me and said "you've got a brake light out.." thats about it!

none of my cars have ever shouted about performance though... my fiat looked like a 1.2, my 220bhp lancia looked like a knackered old sierra saphire ect

Some interesting reading in this thread!

RE: the lights and bulbs though - I am like you guys, if a bulb is out I change it within a day or so. I wouldn't say I'm pedantic enough to carry the bulbs with me as I'm sure all I would get is a rectification notice and it doesn't matter if they find a "foot in the door" to check the rest of my car - it's only 8 months old so there's nothing wrong with it.

But what I would say is that it's annoying how many other muppets have defective bulbs yet carry on driving round without them, even past police cars, who just don't bat an eye lid. But they are likely to receive less attention because they haven't been "flagged" on the PNC like younger drivers who are enthusiasts and have a passion for cars, which is in turn misinterpreted.

George512, you make a very good point!

Cheers all for the feedback the tints on the front were just over (only let 65% light through) so I was happy enough to take them off, the car it self is completely standard except the tints which were done for my 1 and 3 year old kids ( so I dont have to have them ugly cat screen shades on). I'll get some picks up as soon a I can, I'm just worried as it seems this car attracts far to much police attention even though I'm driving it safe and 80% of the time I have my family in it.

The main thing that gets me wound up is the fact that last night there were 3 larger and louder cars racing alon the coast and obviously they hadn't been stopped.

I ha to laugh at how many times they asked if I owned the car but never asked for any ID, seems strange to me and I would have preferred to be grilled if they suspected me of stealing the veichal.

I think places that tint your windows professionally shoul provide you with a certificate of what grade they are as I wouldn't have had it done otherwise.

I think places that tint your windows professionally shoul provide you with a certificate of what grade they are as I wouldn't have had it done otherwise.

The problem I see with that is that it is like an MOT test, only good for the moment it is done. If the police rely on that then people will get a dodgey certificate or then go and get further tinting done but keey the original.

However no reputable window tinter should tint the front windows beyond what is legally allowed. I would go back to them and complain!

Having read other threads whcih centre around lack of Traffic Police I really have no problem with them stopping people for minor things, it may mean that they actually find something big wrong (as can be seen numerous times on the various Traffic Police shows). Remember that the only way they got Al Capone was for Tax Evasion!!! (I think anyway :S )