Mud-club
Vehicle & Technical => Suzuki => Topic started by: larry on April 29, 2007, 13:49:37
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HI guys i got stopped late last night by traffic plod for haveing no doors on my zook sj and have been given a verbal warning about intention to prosecute if i do it again ,I thought it was legal as i had no doors on the last mot i sailed through and i have remounted the mirrors on the wings and have fitted 3 point harnesses and as you all know all the strength of the vehicle is in the ladder chassis plod spent 10 minutes going through his nick nick book which looks like war and peace trying to find a reason to book me he said if catches me doin it again he will let the judge decide
,Then he focussed his attention on the fact that my tyres stick out 3" passed my wheel arches and demanded that i dont drive again untill this is remedeed a******e
He completely missed the fact that i had fitted old zook indicators on the side as running lights and one at the back has a cover missing and can be seen from the side and back
If any body knows where i can look up on line the law on doors lol please let me know cheers
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I wish people like him would get a bigger problem.
Point him at any city and there's hundreds of chavy saxo's and punto's with just as many illegalities for him to pick up on. Except they are actually driving dangerously, breaking speed limits and being a nuisance to everyone.
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To right mate all i could smell along the southend seafront was wacky backy and i saw plenty of chavs driving with a beer between their legs ,speeding and doing burnouts is common but no plod to be seen there
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I thought doors didn't matter so long as you have re-mounted the drivers side mirror, you were lucky with your wheels sticking out past your body work though, 3 points each i think. I think he was just jealous
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Not sure about the doors but i know (or am fairly sure) that you can not have wheels protruding the arches. You need to fit arches or somethin g for them to be legal.
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a) 'called construction and use regs'if your evehicle was designed with removeable doors you are okay...an SJ isnt so you are illegal if he was to be really pedantic, also your insurance could be invalidated if injured in a side impact shunt where the door should have afforded you some protection.
i.e. couldnt legally go doorless on Caz's zuke but my series 1 Landy and Lightweight are no problem as they are designed to simply lift off and be used doorless.
b) its a common misconception that you actually need to have covered tyres, you must have coverage when viewed from above in order to prevent road dirt, water and crap being thrown up excessively when driving...on a perfectly clean road in theory you dont need arches....how covered is covered can be open to interpretation
problem is any excuse to check your vehicle to the n'th degree may show up another issue you were unaware of so is it worth the hassle... ???
Cheers Steve
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Being a member of Plod myself i can assure you there are so many points of law you cannot remember them all that’s why you need a book some times.
As a Traffic officer it is his job to make sure your vehicle and anyone elses is fit for the road and confirms with the road traffic act. That is the same for everyone not just the boy racer and his modded Saxo.
To be honest you were lucky he gave you a verbal warning, most officers I know would have given a Defect form and a HORT1 which means you have you have to have the vehicle checked over and rectified by an MOT inspector as well as produce your docs.
Or if he was in a real bad mood reported you for the offence disclosed. Its life we all have to abide by the law like it or not, and I agreed some parts of the law are an ass.
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The problem is a car can pass an MOT but youcan still be prosecuted under construction and use regs, the two are totally different, but both apply the cars.
If you really want no doors, read the regs and see if there is any way around it, you might be able to trim the doors so they are lower?
But you will draw police attention and must ensure every other bit of the vehicle meets both the MOT and construction and use regs and dont forget to inform your insurance!
Sticky out tyres, just stick a bit of rubber sheet to the arch so it sticks out and covers the tyre, use flexable stuff so as not to hurt pedestrians.
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Wow thanks everybody for your imput much appreciated ,i have been riding around withiut my doors for two years now and never been stopped before i will inform my insurance company to see what they say ,as they make my car in a soft top and mine is a tintop its still gona be stronger eh!
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Wow thanks everybody for your imput much appreciated ,i have been riding around withiut my doors for two years now and never been stopped before i will inform my insurance company to see what they say ,as they make my car in a soft top and mine is a tintop its still gona be stronger eh!
You'll be surprised how much strength comes from them doors.
IIRC this has been covered elsewhere and you can possibly get away with bars :)
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'How covered is covered' is pretty well defined by law, and the treaded area of the tyre MUST be covered regardless of road conditions.
If memory serves I seem to recall a 120deg arc of wheel being covered, but it's been a long time since I read the law.
I think the probelm here isn't the fact that plod was doing his job, but in the fact that one of us got caught. Sadly, it's very hard to argue what is more illegal, especially once we've been caught (don't get me started on dodgy number plates!).
So, I'm afraid yes, them tyres must be covered.
As for the doors, I don't know, but as pointed out, I'm sure the 'construction and use' regs will cover it. I do recall the post office having to stop drivers going 'round with the doors open - but that might not be related.
HTH
Cheers
8)
Eeyore