# got a grilling from a copper **URL:** \ **Category:** Off-topic\ **Created:** [8 July 2007 01:55 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830 "2007-07-08T01:55:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ninja\_kid](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@ninja\_kid](https://londonbikers.com/u/ninja_kid)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 01:55 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/1 "2007-07-08T01:55:33Z")
Hi room. was on my to southend while we had a bit of sun.going down the A127. me and 3 mates were sitting at the lights.we all took off like we was at brands hatch.acting billy big balls! Pr!cks came un stuck at the next set of lights though.i saw ma mate lift his bike so i thought fcuk it and did the same. what me and my pal didnt kno is that. there were a bunch of old bill standing behind a bus. they looked at us and pointed.we just thought b…loks to ya and punched on.little did we know there was a traffic bmw estate waiting half a mile up the 127.as u do we got stopped .got a grilling and taken back in the police car to were we done the wheelies. soon as the coppers see us 2. the smile on there faces [ERHHH] they said b4 anything that was some nice wheelies boys.we looked at each other in suprise. then the copper said what would u lads like £70 pound fine or 3 points.we said well take the fine please.we walked bak 2 get droped off by the other coppers we felt2 right w4nkers.and said to each other ohh that was lucky this is a day 2 remember. not bad coppers must i say myself ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/mad.gif "Mad") ---
**Author:** ![Nicky](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@Nicky](https://londonbikers.com/u/Nicky)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 02:37 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/2 "2007-07-08T02:37:29Z")
Morning, Well I must say that you all were very lucky. ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/smile.gif "Smile") ---
**Author:** ![blade1](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@blade1](https://londonbikers.com/u/blade1)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 04:01 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/3 "2007-07-08T04:01:56Z")
Prob the same coppers that stopped me and shewolf at southend just at the lights…shewolf got a £30 fine…and we got the riot act on how essex police have zero tolerance to number plates and how the met police are not worth listening to cos they aint “essex” police !! nice one chaps… Before i got my plate i asked a copper (met police) if it was illegal, he said, as long as the numbers and letters are same size…ie large, proper and not small and italic then it should be ok…7" x 5" size…not letterbox type…but essex police say “NO…ITS STILL ILLEGAL”…they say, it has to have the name of the dealer on it and the euro star whatsit on it…actually im not even sure my original plate HAS that on it??? (must take a look)…funny also, when i had my accident on my current bike? the cops gave it the usual MOT at the scene, and no one said anything about the plate…so WTF is going on? As we left, and after we stopped for petrol, we saw same cops had pulled over a car and was doing same, looking at the number plate !! They did tell us that they were just on their way to check out a camera that apparently flashes number plates as well, they said, that if u have small number plates, it cant read them properly…i said, well why didnt u just go on to check that instead of stopping us, he smiled…and continued writing out the ticket… BTW? i didnt get a fine… ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/confused.gif "Confused") ---
**Author:** ![Pat](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@Pat](https://londonbikers.com/u/Pat)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 05:12 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/4 "2007-07-08T05:12:32Z")
Well there’s legal, which is 9x7" ( It’s legal to have a smaller one if you’ve got one of the older reg numbers with less than 7 digits - A12 XYZ rather than A123 XYZ) anything smaller is illegal. Individual forces don’t have different regulations, it’s just down to what they can be bothered about enforcing, generally the Met tend to have better things to do & don’t really bother unless you’re really taking the p1ss, hence the Met copper’s opinion that 7x5" is OK. Also has to have the name & phone number of the plate makers & the relevant BS number stamped on it, but there’s no requirement to have the Euro symbol. DVLA website should have the full regulations on it. ---
**Author:** ![johnp](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/db5fbb/32.png) [@johnp](https://londonbikers.com/u/johnp)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 06:21 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/5 "2007-07-08T06:21:42Z")
Lucky you got away with a fine, other coppers would have nicked you good and proper. ---
**Author:** ![robski99](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@robski99](https://londonbikers.com/u/robski99)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 09:51 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/6 "2007-07-08T09:51:27Z")
Nice one, glad you got off ok. I’ve pretty much found the cops in these circumstances to be 50/50 over the years. Been let off by some when I was sure I’d have the book thrown at me (and probably had it coming) and been given the third degree, points and a fine for relatively minor things. All depends on your luck about who you get. Cops are people too, theres some really sound guys doing that job who know the difference between a safe rider having a bit of a rip when the opportunity presents itself and someone who’s endangering other road users. Then you’ve got the blokes who were probably bullied at school… All in all though as long as you’re being safe, at least you’ve got a bit of a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![BusaBaz](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/b782af/32.png) [@BusaBaz](https://londonbikers.com/u/BusaBaz)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 10:10 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/7 "2007-07-08T10:10:04Z")
Glad it worked out for you ninja kid. The thing is that in my circle of people that I know who rides on two wheels - both on here and elsewhere - not one of them is an angel all the time. As a result we can’t really moan about the consequences when we get caught. As for small plates, sorry, I don’t really have any sympathy, everyone knows they are illegal and they still get them done. Dunno why though, the county mounties do seem to be very keen on doing people for them, much more than the Met - thats from people who ride with small plates and not the cops ! ---
**Author:** ![Porkscratchin](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@Porkscratchin](https://londonbikers.com/u/Porkscratchin)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 14:33 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/8 "2007-07-08T14:33:59Z")
ACPO guidelines state the plate should be read from 20.5 metres. but these are GUIDELINES. If a force decides to enforce the exact law then there is nothing you can do. TVP are pretty much in the same mould as the Met…as long as the plate is readable we are not that fussed…although we do have clampdowns when the DVLA ask us to assist in enforcement and there is nothing we can do about it then. ---
**Author:** ![blade1](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@blade1](https://londonbikers.com/u/blade1)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 17:11 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/9 "2007-07-08T17:11:17Z")
Better get the original plate back on the bike then…ive not been stopped since i got my bike, and ive been in front of police before…and saying that, i wasnt stopped yesterday…they wanted shewolf! as i said, i didnt get a fine either…guess maybe if its small and thin and not 7X5 like mine is, then its blatent illegal…Weird that, cos ive seen some REAL illegal plates and the riders say they have never been stopped, lucky or what !! Guess its pot luck i suppose…as you say, if you get a tug, u have to take the fine and have done with it…other then that, ride around with a paddle plate on back of our bikes !! (well…thats what they look like, bluddy huge paddles) ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/crazy.gif "Crazy") ---
**Author:** ![SatanR1](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@SatanR1](https://londonbikers.com/u/SatanR1)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 20:51 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/10 "2007-07-08T20:51:22Z")
Me and Pete were down Southend today… about 4.30pm 'ish … ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/whistling.gif "Whistling") ---
**Author:** ![blade1](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@blade1](https://londonbikers.com/u/blade1)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 23:21 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/11 "2007-07-08T23:21:44Z")
And ??? ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/confused.gif "Confused") Me and Shewolf were down there Saturday till bout 8pm?.. ---
**Author:** ![ninja\_kid](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e95f7d/32.png) [@ninja\_kid](https://londonbikers.com/u/ninja_kid)\ **Post date:** [8 July 2007 23:46 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/12 "2007-07-08T23:46:46Z")
lucky tell me about it phewww ![](https://londonbikersarchive.blob.core.windows.net/forums/skins/classic/images/emoticons/biggrin.gif "Big Grin") ---
**Author:** ![Justine](https://londonbikers.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Justine](https://londonbikers.com/u/Justine)\ **Post date:** [9 July 2007 09:04 UTC](https://londonbikers.com/t/got-a-grilling-from-a-copper/70830/13 "2007-07-09T09:04:39Z")
The Gods must’ve been shining on you that day!