Authorities let into this poor guy. Can't say his car was roadworthy, but they could have cited him for faulty equipment. No door panels - big woop!
Authorities let into this poor guy. Can't say his car was roadworthy, but they could have cited him for faulty equipment. No door panels - big woop!
Wow, that's very silly. The reporting is very slick...
"..and not even the right size for the car!"
Oh the horror of it all.
I've done all of this stuff at the same time minus the door panels missing (as if that matters) and severe tire stretch. Heck none of my cars even came with ABS, and Samurais come from the factory with dangling under-dash wires!
MOT is a big deal over there.
Meh, dude knew things on the car wouldn't pass inspection...and most of Europe is far more serious than even Pennsylvania 
Chalk me up in the "There is probably more to this story" group
Wow!! It's amazing how harassed you can get because the C.O.P. is jealous of your ride! The tire wear, not size, is just stupid on the owner's part. But I think the rest of this story is based on shear C.O.P. envy!
I bought a blood red with blackout hood '69 Road Runner 440 6 Pack new. And I know how this guy is feeling. I was pulled over constantly regardless of the speed or manner of which I was driving at the time. If I'd ever been caught with the intake in the hood open, I'd surely would have been arrested too.
I've been a "sleeper" driver for many a year now. That included example of Wales' finest in action is exactly why.
In reply to Rupert:
The cop was "jealous" of a beat up E36?...Riiiiight. LOL
It was the mustache, definitely the mustache.
I like the comments on the linked article.
No mention of the legality of driving around with a pixelated license plate... Hmmmmm...
So the article wasn't very clear... How much of the things they took issue with were actually illegal? I could see a reporter being all bent out of shape about exposed wiring harnesses, but provided they're bundled and aren't damaged, that's 100% safe...
In reply to unevolved:
I think bearmountain answered your quandary....
Just from being a serial watcher of Wheeler Dealers, I'm glad I live in Massachusetts when you compare it to GB's MOT regulations!
Looks like he's IN A HEAP OF TROUBLE.
On another point:
"Car enthusiast banned from roads after he drove heavily pregnant sister in 'death trap' BMW that had faulty brakes, bald tyres and wires dangling from the glove box"
Heavily pregnant? As opposed to slightly pregnant?
So I keep reading "stretched tires are dangerous" and "negative camber" is dangerous" and now its "how dare you punish him for modifications"
Am I missing something? Dudes ride was dangerous to others, if he can't see that then he and it should be removed from the road.
slantvaliant wrote: Heavily pregnant? As opposed to slightly pregnant?
Buffalo Bill: "Was she a great big fat person?"
Agent Starling: "Yes, she was a big girl sir."
I do love those wheels.
Its in England. Who cares?
ebonyandivory wrote: No mention of the legality of driving around with a pixelated license plate... Hmmmmm...
Pixels are ok as long as non are missing.
yamaha wrote: In reply to unevolved: I think bearmountain answered your quandary....
I know MOT is a big deal, and maybe it's more apparent to someone familiar with the laws over there, but the article said he passed MOT inspection 2 months prior. It doesn't say what, exactly, was illegal besides the obvious tires being worn out (drifter, surprise!).
-ABS didn't work. Okay, but so long as the rest of the brakes do, is that a problem?
-Handbrake stops one wheel. Been there.
-Exposed wiring harness. Actually a problem, or just a cosmetic offense?
-No door panels. I doubt this crowd can really point fingers about incomplete interiors...
It sounds like from the article the only real issues were the non-functioning ABS and bald tires. Doesn't really seem like that's worth a year's license suspension to me...
In reply to Driven5: I agree about the safety issue, tires (tyres), but other than that, what real, not over regulated safety issue?
Two Points 1. You're looking at that ride from a North American point of view. In Wales where a lot of working blokes use public transport & bicycles to commute, that ride probably looks a lot better when you have to, not choose to, pedal. And it does look better, except for the silly standards violations than many I've seen there. 2. There is also attitude envy. In the US a lot of cops had it in for hippies, bikers, etc. Because they, the establishment, were nose to the grindstone & those they envied weren't.
moparman76_69 wrote: So I keep reading "stretched tires are dangerous" and "negative camber" is dangerous" and now its "how dare you punish him for modifications" Am I missing something? Dudes ride was dangerous to others, if he can't see that then he and it should be removed from the road.
Stretched tires and negative camber are safe in moderation, I wouldn't say he had a dangerous amount of either.
Unfortunately, those are the laws over there. They are not as liberal with their allowances as many of our states.
When it boils down to it, the exposed structure IS a safety hazard. I know you guys might not want to accept it, but it is when coupled with stock belts. Also, ABS counts as a safety system. Disabling airbags, also disabling a safety system (and you can get ganked for that here in some states on the road, I mean jibbers help you if you remove a cat in Cali)
We just give people more right to alter their cars in ways that might hurt them.
In reply to unevolved:
I know people who will move heaven and earth to return a car to nearly stock to pass inspections here.....or people here will find places who don't care and stamp approval for $50. I'm sure those places exist there too.
I can't point fingers at gutted interiors, catalyst deletes, ABS deletes(since I delete it from everything), or in some cases, airbag removal.
In other news, I want the red ti sitting next to his jalopy....
Dayum...if they hit an 'unemployed welder' with a year-long ban and 80 hours of community service, imagine what the fine would have been for a white-collar worker? Probably life in prison, or at least a lifetime ban. At least they have enlightened social services to support the newly-unemployed in that scenario. 
I guess his sister is less than impressed at being labeled as 'heavily pregnant.'
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