Pulled over by the police for a routine check

[Tiddlypom]

Got pulled over by the police today! I was taking youngest mare to the vets, but luckily we had allowed plenty of time. Looks like the police were particularly looking for overloaded or stolen vehicles and trailers, and illegal waste dumping.

The horse had had an uncharacteristic wobble in the trailer after I‘d loaded her, so I asked if the police sergeant would mind not opening the jockey door to check the interior in case it upset her. Then I thought, how suspicious does that sound ?!

He was great, he said he could see it was a horse as he could see her ears through the window , so no need to open up, phew. He did check the trailer serial numbers carefully though, and that the number plates matched, then waved us on our way.

I thanked him for his time and for keeping tabs on things, and told him that I follow the local police and the rural crime team on Facebook - true, not sucking up. It did help knowing that all our details were in order - insured, lights working, good tyres etc.








This is the suspicious looking outfit that they pulled in!




Youngest mare behaved well for her final round of joint medications, and is resting back at home. I had to hand her over in the car park as owners still aren’t allowed round the back in clinic (Covid). She and I know the vet team (all too) well, though.

 

[Chuffy99]

I think any initiative against rural crime is brilliant but you could have had a trailer full of stolen tack!

 

[The Xmas Furry]

V glad for you that you were not off fly tipping this time ????

 

[shortstuff99]

I got pulled over in the horse box for a routine check once. They were very disappointed to see that all I was travelling was a large marquee that wouldn't fit in a car ?

 

[Equi]

I really must get my number plate changed. I don’t think “this is a new car” works after a year...

 

[adamntitch]

Glad there keeping tabs but if they had asked to look inside our trailer i would of had a real problem horse does not load well or travel don't think he would of loaded again or he would of freaked with strangers peaking in

 

[Shay]

I'm glad to see checks. I don't think we are pulled over as often as we should be. (Not us individually - but generally.) Tailer safety - and horsebox safety - isn't a high priority.

Couple of curious stories.... when DD was compteting BS we use to pop over to France to compete there. We are south east -its closer to get to Pas de Calais than Scotland. And you can stock up on the way home... Not once did any border official get into the trailer to verify the horse I had documents for was the one on board....

But 3 or 4 times we have been pulled over on the way back from Hickstead to check our tow weight. (There is a conveniet weigh bridge) An Ifor 505 towed by a defender 110. What might we have back there? A very compact shire horse?

 

[Tiddlypom]

V glad for you that you were not off fly tipping this time ????

I think any initiative against rural crime is brilliant but you could have had a trailer full of stolen tack!

I could have been doing both of those things, couldn’t I?! Plenty of space available on the other side of the partition!

The police will be well used to being spun a yarn, but I’m very glad that he took me at at my word today. She had settled down by then after her earlier upset, but whether she’d have stayed settled if an unfamiliar and non horsey person in a black face mask peered in through the jockey door, I’m not sure...

 

[Dexter]

Did they check you had the right licence to tow? So many people near me are driving illegally and dont ever seem to get checked out.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Did they check you had the right licence to tow? So many people near me are driving illegally and dont ever seem to get checked out.

No, they didn’t ask for any details. It is, though, self evident at one glance that I am old enough not to have needed to take the trailer test .

 

[doodle]

Robin would have invited them in and asked if they had any sweeties

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The only time I got pulled over was when the police were waiting for a horsebox to arrive to collect some abandoned horses and thought I was that lorry. Apologised and sent me on my way

 

[irishdraft]

I got pulled over a couple of years ago they tested the diesel to make sure I wasnt using red .

 

[Bernster]

Yes it’s good to know they are doing random checks. So many posts about stolen tack, trailers and the odd lorry.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I got pulled over a couple of years ago they tested the diesel to make sure I wasnt using red .

I was expecting the diesel to be checked, but it wasn’t on this occasion.

We do use red diesel, but strictly only in the SORN’d 4x4 which is only now used on our own property for arena levelling, collecting hay etc.

 

[dogatemysalad]

Good work by the police there and that's a great vet practice too.
I've never been pulled over for a check when transporting the horses but daughter and husband were stopped by the police one night as they were driving to hospital for the very imminent arrival of their baby. Apparently, driving a BMW in the early hours of the morning through the city is most commonly the habit of drug dealers.

 

[MidChristmasCrisis]

I was hoping they d check the horse was yours too...via passport.

 

[sunnyone]

Police, soldiers, border control agency staff, we've been checked by the lot over the years, never once has any of them actually looked in our trailer or lorry. Once they see or hear a horse moving around they just want to get you on your way asap.
The nearest we've come to a physical check was on a French motorway, we had pulled into a rest area when my OH saw a customs van drive around, as I checked the horses. At the next pay booth, they deliberately pulled us over. I think they thought he was travelling them on his own which would not have been legal. Once I'd told them that the horses were our own, they just lost interest, they didn't even bother to check their passports to verify the truth.

 

[scruffyponies]

Did they check neddy's passport? Interested in what happens if (when) they stop someone without one.

 

[Xmasha]

Great to see that the local force are doing their bit . Somethings definitely going on, theres been a real increase in police presence over the last couple of weeks. Last week we've had them parked up in our drive way and then the other day a police helicopter was flying lower than usual and landed in the field at the end of our road, but it took off again within minutes.

The vets have been brilliant havent they, when ive taken Aria for her scans they take her off me in the parking area and then bring her back, plus they text you photos of the scans so you dont miss anything. Brilliant service

 

[Berpisc]

I got pulled over a couple of years ago they tested the diesel to make sure I wasnt using red .

Ha! this used to happen to me regularly when I had an defender 110 and then an Isuzu trooper. I must look dodgy.
Mind you I got stopped a couple of times in my old Peugeot 309. I was always legal but tatty looking as it was a farm car.

 

[Gamebird]

I was hoping they d check the horse was yours too...via passport.

They can't do that as passports are not proof of ownership. Plus there are a million reasons why you might legitimately be travelling with someone else's horse!

Anyway, as someone who sees 10-15 passports a day I'd say that barely 50% are registered in the current owner's name anyway.

The only passport-related thing that they could do would be ensure that you had the passports with you.

 

[MiJodsR2BlinkinTite]

I've only recently started towing with horse in the back but I think if I was stopped and asked to open the Groom's door I'd ask if I could be the person to actually open the door rather than someone strange who the horse didn't know??

 

[laura_nash]

Being pulled over by the Garda is totally routine here, happens about once a month. They set up on the main road to Galway, or occasionally on the road to Connemara. Cars are waved through after checking tax, insurance and NCT in the window but anything towing is pulled over for a proper check.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Did they check neddy's passport? Interested in what happens if (when) they stop someone without one.

No, they didn’t, though I did have it with me. This was more of an illegal waste dumping stop/stolen trailer stop than an equine specific stop, though. It seemed to be us plus white van men who got stopped. I think once they saw the horse, they realised we weren’t quite the target, but they carried out the checks, anyway.

There’s been a lot of illegal waste dumping round here recently, even though the licensed tips have been back open a while.

 

[Keith_Beef]

View attachment 52782

In order to combat soaring rates of rural crime, Police in the UK have recently been issued with invisible guns...

 

[Tiddlypom]

Posted on Facebook. This was the operation that got me stopped and checked.

 

[Dexter]

No, they didn’t ask for any details. It is, though, self evident at one glance that I am old enough not to have needed to take the trailer test .

How did they know when you had taken your driving test though? Age doesnt guarantee the length of time you have held a licence.

 

[Tiddlypom]

How did they know when you had taken your driving test though? Age doesnt guarantee the length of time you have held a licence.

True, but it wasn’t what they were after on this occasion. I normally have my driving licence with me, but didn’t this time due to carrying a minimal amount of stuff atm due to Covid.

I passed my driving test in 1978, so am ok for grandfathers rights to tow by 19 years, I think.

 

[HappyHollyDays]

I’ve only been stopped once with my trailer, it was at the scene of an accident and all the cars were being turned around. I was on my way to pick a horse up from being broken so was empty at the time but the officer took one look at me and said You aren’t going to be able to turn that round are you. I happily agreed that it would be difficult on a single country road and he let me through with all the large lorries ?