Policing car meets . . .

[Duncodin]

Seat belt anchorages and airbags are the easiest and most common checks.

Rebodies where the v5 has been changed would prevent the police complaining about airbags.

What is the law regarding public vs Private land. Assuming a supermarket car park is private land do the police have jurisdiction to check cars for example if somebody arrived at the meet and, after arrival, they put something on or took something off the car just while on show at the meet.

 

[Pond]

Seat belt anchorages and airbags are the easiest and most common checks

Why would Police check those if the car has a valid MOT? They have been checked already.

 

[Duncodin]

Why would Police check those if the car has a valid MOT? They have been checked already.

I think he means ford focus boy, hat on backwards, after his MOT he took his stock steering wheel off and fitted a tiny racing wheel.

I'm sure lots of people go for their MOT and then afterwards they put their overwide spacers on and tiny steering wheels and, as you already admit you did, swapped the illegal number plates for the legal ones just for the test.

 

[Pond]

as you already admit you did, swapped the illegal number plates for the legal ones just for the test.

Yes I did. Then the MOT tester said he wouldn't have failed it with the metal ones on!

BTW my wife owns a Ford Focus ST.

 

[Toby]

Rebodies where the v5 has been changed would prevent the police complaining about airbags.

What is the law regarding public vs Private land. Assuming a supermarket car park is private land do the police have jurisdiction to check cars for example if somebody arrived at the meet and, after arrival, they put something on or took something off the car just while on show at the meet.

Although technically the supermarket carpark is private land, as its open to the public all traffic laws are applicable. Hence posted speed limits there can be enforcable. Would the police enforce a changed numberplate for example ? Doubtful tho in theory they could.

Something worth remembering, when folks take their kids for some underage / uninsured/ no licence driving experience.

 

[mmm-five]

Although technically the supermarket carpark is private land, as its open to the public all traffic laws are applicable. Hence posted speed limits there can be enforcable. Would the police enforce a changed numberplate for example ? Doubtful tho in theory they could.

Something worth remembering, when folks take their kids for some underage / uninsured/ no licence driving experience.

'Public' for the requirements of the Road Traffic Act (so for insurance, MOT, and other motoring offences), but as the posted speed limits in a car park are not usually implemented by way of a legal Speed Limit Order as per the Road Traffic Regulation Act, and are therefore usually just advisory (but if you have an accident in a car park then expect that your speed could be used as part of the case against you).

We have speed limits and driving behaviour rules for when the public attend track days (as spectator, passenger or driver) and decide to 'p*** around' in the perimeter roads or paddock. If they're signed on for the track day then they'll get a warning and then be sent home. If it's a group of scrotes then we may call the police.

Even the events where you have to pay to get in (and where the gates/barrier is only lifted when you pay/show ticket, there will still be parts that are considered 'public' areas...but during track days and races some areas will naturally not be 'public' under the RTA as race cars (and some trackway cars) are not road legal and won't have MOTs or road insurance on them and have to drive on the track and around the perimeter roads/paddock/assembly/pits.

 

[Pingu]

Why would Police check those if the car has a valid MOT? They have been checked already.

Speak to the guys on the Italian Car Club stand about it. They go to most car shows (Tatton Park this weekend). I think there may be a member on here.

Fiat 500 made to look like 1960s Arbath had seat modifications. He was given a Section xxx Order and told that a full seat inspection would form part of the next MOT. Inspection includes all fittings must be standard and all airbag pyrotechnics must be present and appear to be functional.

 

[Duncodin]

Speak to the guys on the Italian Car Club stand about it. They go to most car shows (Tatton Park this weekend). I think there may be a member on here.

Fiat 500 made to look like 1960s Arbath had seat modifications. He was given a Section xxx Order and told that a full seat inspection would form part of the next MOT. Inspection includes all fittings must be standard and all airbag pyrotechnics must be present and appear to be functional.

But if he'd changed his V5 to say "Phiat Frankenbarth" then the plod or mot would have nothing with which to compare their "Fittings must be standard". Except of course rules that apply to all cars of specific age such as seatbelts and collapsible steering column must be present on any car made after a certain date.

The USA made airbags an OE requriement on cars made from 1998 or thereabouts. No such rule was ever made in the UK though so a Phiat Frankenbarth made any time in the UK doesn't need airbags but it does need seatbelts etc.

 

[Pond]

The USA made airbags an OE requriement on cars made from 1998 or thereabouts. No such rule was ever made in the UK though so a Phiat Frankenbarth made any time in the UK doesn't need airbags but it does need seatbelts etc.

I seem to remember that in the UK it states "if the car was fitted with airbags from the factory, they must be in working order". The only way to establish this is via the warning lamp, as you can't 'test' an airbag.

Don't know how it works with cars where their SRS modules fail and are no longer made, though. I know there are cars which have had their airbags 'switched off' by wiring alterations due to modules failing and being unavailable. Second hand modules are difficult to code to the car IIRC.

Not sure if just re-registering a car with DVLA is a solution TBH. Hopefully I will never find out!