Got pulled yesterday

[z head]

Driving conditions less than perfect in Lancashire/Cheshire yesterday. It took me three hours to get from Ormskirk to Northwich in the morning (left home at 05:30). On my return yesterday afternoon, more snow. I join M6 northbound from M56, Behind me, already on M6 is a marked police X5. I blend in and he remains behind me, I'm travelling at 50mph and all is well. We make progress over Thelwall Viaduct etc pass M62 junction, through road works near Haydock. In mandatory 50mph zone I slow to 45 on cruise control. 25 boring miles later after we have passed a few slower moving vehicles and been passed by a few faster ones, I notice in my mirror two marked police volvos over taking the X5. As they get to me one stays alongside me and the other pulls in front. I'm nicely boxed in! X5 behind me puts blue lights on and indicates left. I move onto hard shoulder (knee deep in snow, ice etc) and stop. Volvo ahead of me has also stopped, X5 is stopped right up my chuff, volvo alongside me pulls over a short distance ahead. I'm out of the car pretty quick in blizzard conditions and ask police-person exitting from passenger seat of X5, "Have I got a problem Officer?" "Please get in back of my vehicle sir," says he.

I then spent a very warm but tedious hour trying to convince the boys in blue that maybe it was just possible that the PNC computermebob they were using was telling porkies.

I used to have a Maldives Blue 2.2 Z4, I put a cherished plate on it. I traded it against a new 2.5 when it was three years old and transferred the plate across. TWO YEARS AGO!! Since then I have renewed my car tax on line twice.

Boys in blue then tell me that my number plate is no longer valid, it should be on a Maldives Blue 2.2, if anything, and did I recognise a post-code in Rochdale?

No I don't live in Rochdale but I guess my old 2.2 just might!

Luckily I had my insurance certificate with me as "Computer says, "NO" to insurance for my car. We then venture out of warm X5 and into Arctic conditions to lift bonnet and search for engine number, BTW where the f**k is it? No, don't say its stamped on suspension mount - that's the VIN number.

Eventually, they gave up and told me I should point out the error to (a) the dealer I bought the car from, and (b) the DVLA for permitting me to tax online a vehicle I no longer own! They used the argument that the reminders I had been sent referred to the 2.2 not the current car. Bollix.

When I eventually got back to my office and phoned the DVLA they confirmed that all the details they hold DO relate to the vehicle I own and also confirmed that my old one had reverted back to it's original number but has since had another cherished transfer.

Sooooo, Question, how do I get the Police to correct their computermebob, ANNNNND if you live in the Rochdale area and own a Maldives Blue 2.2 ES which was originally **54LVL but have put your own plate on it, prepare to be pulled!!

[dario]

People with cherished plates make me sick!

222 LJX
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M222 LJX


Dario

[pvr]

Always knew you were a dodgy character ...

[z head]

Always knew you were a dodgy character ...

don't sit on the fence Paul, tell it how it is.....

[Flamez]

People with cherished plates make me sick!

222 LJX
X222 LJX
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Dario

remember the police officer at the chunnel... I hope you have new legal plates now....

[pvr]

No chance ...

[PeteH]

Blimey Mike thats a bit of a nightmare! Its interesting to see where the police stand on this one. I thought they were hooked up directly to the DVLA, which I guess isn't the case. Its always highly amusing that they always think its every other person in the loop thats wrong and not them!

The best thing you can do is pop down with your log book and then see them weep. I'd also look into seeking compensation for you wasted time (just for the hell of it