That's because he's a Traffic Policeman. Most are interested in cars. It's the ordinary cops with no special training that stop people for silly things.
@@paulholla Yes the fiesta rs turbo which is an 80’s which was an rust bucket from factory and still a rust bucket due to the shit metal used from factory buddy!
@WhyOWhy no but he seems reasonable and probably will only give points if he was right too not just handing them for tiny minor things. He comes across better than most officers I've been pulled and dealt with.
A police officer is never going to stop you and congratulate you about your car. His initial stop is to get more information of you where he can then prosecuted you further or for more serious things. Only answer specific questions, do not engage in any civil chit chat. And always record every interaction with police. Make sure your phone does not have finger print or facial recognition on as if your phone is seized this is how they will delete any footage. Use a pattern lock . Also if you have insurance details on your phone, never hand it to an officer. Legally you gave it to him and he can go through it. Tell him you can show him the document but you will hold your own property. Its your own responsibility to know the law and legislation for driving. Remember this, the road traffic act / legislation is not law. If it was it would be called road traffic law. Laws apply equally to everyone. No one person is above another, if that was the case we would have slavery.
100% , Problem is police will look after their own in most cases. i got pulled over for "giving a dirty look" undercover police refused to give their name or a reason for the stop after i told him if i did "give a dirty look" then it isnt against the law and what is the real reason he threatened with arrest. They didnt care about causing distress to a special needs person. This is couple days after a BMW got stolen by someone impersonating police officer with flashing lights. Made a complain to the chief of police and all that plonk said was "i suggest you talk to a legal advisor"
i must say this is the coolest, most real cop. He himself admits to owning modified cars himself which is so cool to hear being so honest and he knows what can be and cant be done to a car etc. Never knew about half the stuff like the tinterd windows, thought that would get you stopped, the k braces and bucket seats but they said that isn't any issue as long as its done right. real cool. more of these..
Officer Owen is the shining example of how they all should be, polite, knowledgeable and articulate. In the real world there are many that are just plain nasty bordering on vile, and no matter how you try and deal with them they’re out to make your day unpleasant. So please don’t give us this “if you’re nice to them they’ll be nice back” that’s certainly not always the case. Finally hats off to Officer Owen!
All the time, insurance is brought up. I'd like to hear Owen's thoughts on those insurance companies that state they are for modified/performance/classic cars, such as Sky Insurance.
all those companies like sky, adrain flux, pace ward, etc, are just brokers that work with insurance companies that won't deal directly to you and only through an intermediary. they simply have much better access to lots of companies and give you the best quote they are given.
Its refreshing to know the force is working hard to level with the public on what is right to do before we make the mistakes out on the road, Rather than learn the hard way. Please note: not all of us have police interaction before we bravely bought all them mods to go light speed. We're all in a job, we all need to get somewhere. (In one way or another, brave words). Brilliant channel 👏
This strange old man once told me something that at the time (20yo) I was like pfffft yeah whatever old man STFU. He told me that, No matter how much I'd managed to get away up until now, no matter how smart I was,or my meticulous preparation, I'm incredibly cautious and always really careful, one thing and one thing only was an absolute 100% certainty in life YOU WILL GET CAUGHT IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNAVOIDABLE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.
Good sensible advice .... Thank you to the police officer for his time & explaining his reasoning behind his job .... His own car interest shows through 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Literally gives me respect for UK traffic cops. Love these videos. If you've ever been to Ireland, it's a different story. They use it to generate revenue. These chaps here use it for SAFETY. They don't want to see some poor family devestated when they're 19 year old lad with cut springs had the car suddenly land on the offside wheel at high speed and launch into a deadly flip. Please keep these videos going. Excellent work.
Deffo another fab video. Ive been stopped many times over the years for being a little silly. And always given the police respect and listened and 99% of the time i have been told to go on my way with a simple warning. Bad attitude gets you no where.
I just want to thank you so much for giving the police a voice and the time to explain their side. I think UK police are brilliant. It just goes to show there is more to why they stop people than first thought.
this is a classic example of why you should never talk to a man wearing a novelty costume. he will be looking for things that you have bought since you took out you insurance policy. but not from a safety point of view, merely that the mod may have invalidated the policy and so he can nick you. the insurers only use modding as a way of invalidating insurance policies so that they can avoid paying out on claims it has nothing to do with safety (as is claimed by the rozzers).
Actually, I am one of the small number of Special Constables who are Road Policing Qualified. In most modern vehicles the VSS and or the ECU tend to be the first thing to check in an excess of speed FPN. However, as Allan rightly points out the VSS takes data from the system based on gearing and wheel dimensions. I drive an Audi S5 (personal) and although generally bulletproof in quality terms a worn cable for example can throw the system off. Like most modern cars they are deeply dependent of algorithms and when a parameter is off its throwing the teddy into the corner time. Speed kills is an awfully simplistic statement but unfortunately true based on the physics of velocity aka kinetics and mass. The most important element to stay safe is an accurate reporting of your velocity.
This has been an eye opener. I don’t have any mods but I have a few friends that do and some of this I didn’t even know about. Watching you bids is educating a whole lot of people. Thanks for your input. Much appreciated.
If you do another, you should ask him whether Japanese glow number plates are legal. I'm pretty sure they're not, but I love them and would love them on my car. Also, another reason cops stop you is because they are car guys. When I was 15, a cop stopped my buddy in his Max Power'd Mk2 Escort convertible complete with bodykit, engine mods, the works and the cop admitted instantly that he did nothing wrong and just wanted a look as he liked it. He even ignored the fact that there was a 3 skin spliff ready rolled on the centre console and just asked us to hide it. Let us go with no issues.
These videos are really helpful. The police guy seems like a nice genuine guy. Thinking of upgrading to a sporty mod car soon. Private plates the lot but don’t rightly know what’s legal and what isn’t. These videos really help. Especially in explaining things like wheel spacers. 4d plates. Front splitters. … for some one like me that’s not of a mechanical background and only knows how to drive cars it’s really good info
Congratulations you have gained more then 5k subscribers in two weeks You are one of the best youtubers in my opinion Keep up the hard work and please don’t stop (Your my only source of entertainment during this horrible pandemic)
Owen got my respect straight away he had a fiesta rs turbo 2 questions 1 Does Owen wish he still has his fiesta rs turbo with the prices of them now 2 are performance pursuit police cars tuned or factory fresh nice to see a Owen has so much respect for the modified cars that people should show the same respect
Very informative videos. I really enjoy them. I've been driving over 40 years and it's great to learn all these things that PC Owen is telling us. Thanks a bunch Hallelujah, to good old UA-cam.
Work for myself for many years, used to drive a LWB white van for a living,probably on average 80,000 miles a year. I have been pulled a few times, mainly for weight checks, routine checks, and one when the tax disc had fell off the window. Every traffic cop should be made to watch this officer, as the majority' I've had interactions with were officous, arrogant to the point of being rude. Respect to this officer, we need many more of his calibre and intelligence out there. Good on you officer.
Goodness - this Police Officer knows his stuff - and explains why the legislation is there to make all of our cars safe - for ourselves and others. Very impressive and helpful
I would luv to see Owen's take on muscle cars, more specifically what mods are street legal i.e. Hood intakes, Short Shifters etc and what kind of engine noise would be acceptable( given that a BB is naturally very loud). Thanks guys, really enjoying the content.
This is really helpful, nice to see an honest bobby, it's always the traffic cops that seem alright, never had an issue with you lot. You guys can drive.
A little common courtesy and manners takes you a long way with the police. They are just people like us doing their job to keep people safe. Quality video and Owen is a great Police Officer, a real asset to his constabulary. Honestly more videos with Owen on anything would be great; really informative and enjoyable to watch.
Very informative video about modified cars. I am a petrol head but I was very impressed how much information the traffic officer imparted to us. Thank you top marks.
These videos are absolutely brilliant and I couldn't agree more with your closing sentiment. Car people and cops are just people, there's good and bad. But if you approach life with a "why me" chip on your shoulder or an aggressive vibe, then really what do you expect back? act sound, be treated sound, and then at least if you're not treated well, you know its not your fault and you can keep your head high. Basically #dontbeadick
It's a pity that Owen wasn't around 30 years ago ! This is an important video and needs to go to as many young fellas as possible - I was always stopped by uneducated Gardai here who had personality disfunction! Years ago the RUC and later PSNI officers were always courteous polite and straight up with you (The odd humerous quip always broke the tension) Well done for bringing this subject to the fore - The Police don't go out to purposely harass the modified community but sometimes they are left no choice ! Well done !!
Good to see a good cop that knows his stuff. Reckon if he pulled you he would be fair not like some. Is that RS the police officers car. Remember him saying he likes modified cars and I am sure he said he had one.
Thankyou mate. My point exactly. Everyone seems to be scientists these days because they watched a UA-cam video or googled something. Hopefully sgt owens points get taken on board
This is absolutely top notch content, I've been sharing these on a couple of groups I'm in and the responses have been nothing short of fantastic. I do have one suggestion off the back of this vid though, could you do a little more regarding plates? More specifically 4D? We've had a few members reported and fined etc. For them, but some look just fine whereas the daft two or even three colour (but still stamped with the postcode & bs marks) ones have had no issue so its seeming more down to the person inspecting at the time and just adding to the confusion and hostility when these things get scrutinised.. Keep up the good work!
Another reason the plate needs to be easily readable is to protect you. If your car gets stolen the first thing they’ll do is look to see where it last triggered ANPR cameras to get an idea of location/direction it’s headed. If the plate can’t be read then they’re already at a significant disadvantage trying to find it. The other reason is if members of the public need to note your registration for any reason then it won’t be visible to them.
I need to say this. I was driving on A23 and spotted a mobile cam van on a bridge directly above a junction. I was in a pod of traffic in the nearside lane of 2 traveling at 70 mph with a vehicle joining the main road who seemed or was whilfully neglectful of the traffic it was joining. I couldn't brake, I couldn't change lanes. The only thing that saved us all from a major accident was that I was driving a very fast car and was able to accelerate when passed what I can only assume was out of the cameras field of view. It was the closest I've ever come to a wipeout. Thanks camera safety guys. 35 years of experience driving as as a professional. 1 minor accident. Risk was I loose my licence...
Amazing content, and a great team up. From watching police tv shows based in other countries, they have laws which state that when a car has been lowered, the lowest part under the car has to be a certain height off the ground, and they use measuring devices to check. Is there such a law in the UK regarding minimum heights of subframes/chassis/sump etc. ?? Keep the great content coming guys
Just the language he uses to say 'it's fine'. A lot of people have strange phrases that they use. He knows they aren't issues but saying major issues doesn't necessarily imply he still thinks they're issues.
Apart from the "wrapped car" part, where it was said about the ANPR showing a different colour than that in real life; a wrapped car does NOT need to be declared with DVLA unless the door shuts are wrapped too. If it's just the exterior that's wrapped, or a half wrap for example, you do not need to notify DVLA. However, it's probably advised to notify insurance, as they'll class it as a modification 9/10
I used to get stopped regular as clockwork when i worked in a night club and would be driving home at 2-3am in my Nova SR. But every interaction i have had with the traffic police has been fine. Always polite and friendly etc.... Normal police, not so much - but that's another story.
Once got stopped on my 100cc bike by 2 police motorbike - they were not happy with the angle of my stand and helped me straighten it! - excellent experience.
George, a bit of an heads up on your camera work. All the possible reasons Pc messenger might stop you for, you need to zoom in with the camera to show us exactly what he is pointing out. Rear lights, we couldn't see them light up properly from that angle. Rear diffuser and exhausts, same again. Spacers, bigger brakes, it would have been nice to see them. Under your bonnet, same again, a close up shot would have been nice to see. He mentioned some mods on your interior, same again... I know you are having to social distance, but shots could have been taken after the mods were pointed out and edited into the video. Just a bit of positive criticism. Other than that, the video was very informative. thank you for sharing.
I will be investing in a zoom lens however at the moment my prime lens doesn’t allow any zooming at all. I also have a stabiliser on order so that I can get some beautiful B roll to add in as you mention
We are very lucky in the UK to be allowed mods our cars. I made a tray to go on the towbar of my car which can hold an extra suitcase (it has extra lights/number plate on it) but I was told by a Dutchman that this would be illegal in Holland if not TuV approved. Also I have non standard size tyres on my car (standard is 235/50R18, I went up to 255/45R18 on slightly wider rims) and a Romanian friend told me that in Romania that the police have books of data on OEM tyre sizes and if someone has fitted something not in the book then they are in serious trouble. Our regulations and police seem far more pragmatic them most of the EU.
Great video, keep it up mate. Would be good to have a dedicated video to speeding inc. tolerances, reasons for locations of cameras and also accuracy of car speedo compared to what the camera picks up.
Some car manufacturers had type approved licence plate placement which allows this to be in a non-standard position. I don't think you will see this on modern cars from the factory unless they are imports. I'd like to hear what Owen has to say about the JDM number plates - to the side and square (had one on my Eunos) is it legal if it was factory fitted or should all imports conform to standard fitting?
@@rickyg1247 If the construction doesn't allow the fitment of standard oblong plates, you can have the two line style plates with smaller letters. Tbf you'll get away with it in any JDM car really, even if it can house a standard plate, as it would be too hard to prosecute. It's when they see German cars with the smaller plates that they'll probably prosecute. There's no reason for them to have them.
Commented on the last one not sure if its maybe still to come but would be good for him to cover how an officer like himself should conduct a traffic stop and what the driver must do/is not obliged to do under the road traffic act when being pulled over. Things like what information the officer himself & the driver has to provide, when the driver has to enter the traffic car and when they dont. Things like that👍🏻
I was a trainee motor trader when I was young and I got stopped in everything I drove regardless of how nice it was. Now I'm old, I never get stopped, regardless of how nice the car I'm driving.
Trouble is the minority of modified cars like hot hatches drive like knobs so a more likely to get stopped. 4x4s are generally just trucks beefed up for off road use for work like farmers who generally drive like grannys
@@ruralarmory4871 so you never hear of: pb-customs,urban-automotive, ... i can reel loads off... we have 4x4s that would piss over sti's be aware of the sleeper defender 90s
@@angrycyclist9387 I have massive respect for ALL road users and conditions... there's a right place and time to throw muscle and attitude , the public highway ain't one of them. track and off road. (that's me anyway)
i once got stopped because my left brake light wasnt working and i didnt have a factory 3rd light, the officer was a awsome guy, i had no idea about itand first thing he said to me was "are you aware your brake light is out" i said no but i said i could "borrow" my fog light blub to put that in the place, after fitting i asked him to check and i had my 2 lights and all he asked was "go get a new set for both just in case and one for your fog light, be polite to police you get politeness back :)
After an FA cup final in the Millennium stadium on the A449 they had one parked in the back of a curtained HGV and the warning sign obscured by a roadside bush.
Stunning Cars to say the least! One question for him would be about LED conversions, Headlights, rear and even interior. Keep up with the quality content 🤙🏻🤙🏻
To be fair my mrs was pulled by Owen in Exeter in my mk7 R for the front tints. He was fair about it and I took them off that weekend. Was an eye opener to realise the front windows and the windscreen already had a tint from factory
I liked how that white RS looked so ended up looking at them on Auto Trader, the first one I clicked seems to be that exact car! The exterior, engine bay and spec all match up. £18,000 currently.
Good video, If the lads listen and take advice from the Police and the manufacturer, especially Ford. You can find help from all main dealers about mods to cars and the safe way to do it. It costs nothing as well. My Son deals this way which makes me sleep better at night! As you can see with those vehicles. You don’t have to be outlandish with your mods Less is more.
You're right. Most Alfas are the same. As long as it's not too far over then you're fine. It's something that will attract a copper's attention but not something they're gonna try to do you for.
can you ask PC Owen, why I get pulled over in my Mk4 Supra RZ, its mint condition, only mods are spring, wheels, and shiny exhaust tips, everything else is OEM. I got it when I was 19, I'm now 28 and I've been pulled over 30-40 times all over England. Never given a ticket just a polite you've only got 2mm left on the rear tyres and another time I had a brake light out literally 15 minutes after it passed an MOT.
Not sure if covered already but have a few questions. Do you have to inform insurance for changing rim colour (not style)? Inform for brake caliper colour change? Any mods that are solely cosmetic - such as engine cover colour change or the bmw front strut brace colour change? Must you inform insurance for de-chroming any body parts on the vehicle? Thanks in advance.
@@WiseWik definitely isn't that obvious, in the states cutting springs is a completely acceptable way to lower certain corvettes and nobody has ever said otherwise until i saw this video
@@dazasc3994 I guess for a tractor like that it's not such a big issue. Still kinda stupid. Problem comes when a dickhead in his cherrybombed 1.2 corsa does it and decides to race his mate from the council flat next door, hits a bump on a B-road and the collapsed wheel jolts him into oncoming traffic. Dumb, just don't do it.
It depends. Take out a single coil from a straight spring then it's fine... assuming it's done cleanly. But many springs nowadays are pigtail design, where there's a smaller coil at one or both ends. These are used to locate the spring in the cup, cut them and they no longer locate properly. Add to that not matching with shorter dampers and life gets... interesting. All in all it's often cheaper and safer just to buy a proper kit.
This cop knows his stuff. I don’t think half the cops out there are as knowledgeable as him. Big respect to you officer ✊
I really like Owens white RS
Harnesses need a red button to be road legal.
That's because he's a Traffic Policeman. Most are interested in cars. It's the ordinary cops with no special training that stop people for silly things.
Hes in to cars! He had an rs back in the day!
@@paulholla Yes the fiesta rs turbo which is an 80’s which was an rust bucket from factory and still a rust bucket due to the shit metal used from factory buddy!
If all coppers were like this there wouldn’t be any hatred towards them. This officer is a credit to the force.
He's probably an actor then.
if he chose to be a copper then he is sub
No such thing I'm afraid.
Bullocks.... Soon still do ya so no different than the rest 🤦♂️
Seems like the nicest copper I’ve ever seen
Literally so true!
Seems like he’ll take your licence in a heartbeat
I was thinking the same ive never met one like this
@WhyOWhy no but he seems reasonable and probably will only give points if he was right too not just handing them for tiny minor things. He comes across better than most officers I've been pulled and dealt with.
A police officer is never going to stop you and congratulate you about your car. His initial stop is to get more information of you where he can then prosecuted you further or for more serious things.
Only answer specific questions, do not engage in any civil chit chat. And always record every interaction with police. Make sure your phone does not have finger print or facial recognition on as if your phone is seized this is how they will delete any footage. Use a pattern lock . Also if you have insurance details on your phone, never hand it to an officer. Legally you gave it to him and he can go through it. Tell him you can show him the document but you will hold your own property.
Its your own responsibility to know the law and legislation for driving.
Remember this, the road traffic act / legislation is not law. If it was it would be called road traffic law.
Laws apply equally to everyone. No one person is above another, if that was the case we would have slavery.
They should use this in police school to stop people who are un-educated being unnecessary pulled over.
100% , Problem is police will look after their own in most cases. i got pulled over for "giving a dirty look" undercover police refused to give their name or a reason for the stop after i told him if i did "give a dirty look" then it isnt against the law and what is the real reason he threatened with arrest. They didnt care about causing distress to a special needs person. This is couple days after a BMW got stolen by someone impersonating police officer with flashing lights. Made a complain to the chief of police and all that plonk said was "i suggest you talk to a legal advisor"
What if the uneducated are doing the pulling over?
i must say this is the coolest, most real cop. He himself admits to owning modified cars himself which is so cool to hear being so honest and he knows what can be and cant be done to a car etc. Never knew about half the stuff like the tinterd windows, thought that would get you stopped, the k braces and bucket seats but they said that isn't any issue as long as its done right. real cool. more of these..
How about a officer Owen roast my ride video ?
Yes!! I’ll make it happen
@@GCMYT i would love this
Dude that would be amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'd send mine in for sure!
Officer Owen is the shining example of how they all should be, polite, knowledgeable and articulate. In the real world there are many that are just plain nasty bordering on vile, and no matter how you try and deal with them they’re out to make your day unpleasant. So please don’t give us this “if you’re nice to them they’ll be nice back” that’s certainly not always the case. Finally hats off to Officer Owen!
Genuinely seems like the soundest guy ever. I'm always respectful with police and never had an issue at all
@Biffa Obviously never had any dealings with them...
2 suggestions;
1) would like to see Owens motor
2) (kinda a long shot) get Owen to tase you 👀
I wonder if he drives a white RS?
@@ubslo5405 I did think that, but looked like they borrowed it from a garage for the vid? Looked like a garage branded plate to me, but could be wrong
I'd say that's Owen's which is why the plates were hidden.
the rs is his
guessing that rs was owens motor lol
This is a proper copper. You'll never see him on crime bodge. Good info.
I used to live in Taunton and visited Owens area quite a few times. I know this guy, yes, he's a sound Copper.
All the time, insurance is brought up. I'd like to hear Owen's thoughts on those insurance companies that state they are for modified/performance/classic cars, such as Sky Insurance.
all those companies like sky, adrain flux, pace ward, etc, are just brokers that work with insurance companies that won't deal directly to you and only through an intermediary. they simply have much better access to lots of companies and give you the best quote they are given.
You absolutely killing it with these videos man, quality is insane.
Hats off to you, go get that 20k before Christmas 👊🏽
Love you bro. Let’s do bits soon
@@GCMYT Indeed lets, Just do a lil slide into the ole DM's
These videos are by far the best for any car enthusiast in the uk who is unaware of what is and isn’t legal.
Its refreshing to know the force is working hard to level with the public on what is right to do before we make the mistakes out on the road,
Rather than learn the hard way.
Please note: not all of us have police interaction before we bravely bought all them mods to go light speed.
We're all in a job, we all need to get somewhere. (In one way or another, brave words).
Brilliant channel 👏
been driving for 6 months now with no front license plate, central London...yet to be stopped....never say never tho
few hours later..........
Are you saying l've willfully broken the Law for the last 6 months & am now boasting about it on the www?
This strange old man once told me something that at the time (20yo)
I was like pfffft yeah whatever old man STFU. He told me that,
No matter how much I'd managed to get away up until now, no matter how smart I was,or my meticulous preparation, I'm incredibly cautious and always really careful, one thing and one thing only was an absolute 100% certainty in life
YOU WILL GET CAUGHT
IT'S ABSOLUTELY UNAVOIDABLE IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.
Good sensible advice .... Thank you to the police officer for his time & explaining his reasoning behind his job .... His own car interest shows through 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Literally gives me respect for UK traffic cops. Love these videos. If you've ever been to Ireland, it's a different story. They use it to generate revenue. These chaps here use it for SAFETY. They don't want to see some poor family devestated when they're 19 year old lad with cut springs had the car suddenly land on the offside wheel at high speed and launch into a deadly flip. Please keep these videos going. Excellent work.
AWESOME VIDEO 😎
PC Owen is my kinda guy. Genuine and loves the modified car scene himself. Hats off to you Owen 👊🏽
Thanks babes xx
Thanks for your help bro : )
@@GCMYT anytime man 👊🏽
It’s PS Owen
The number plate isn't readable yet don't some alfas have the plate there as standard
Love this channel he's a great ambassador for the traffic cops
What a nice and patient police officer...
Big thank you to both..
This helps a lot!
Deffo another fab video. Ive been stopped many times over the years for being a little silly. And always given the police respect and listened and 99% of the time i have been told to go on my way with a simple warning. Bad attitude gets you no where.
I just want to thank you so much for giving the police a voice and the time to explain their side.
I think UK police are brilliant.
It just goes to show there is more to why they stop people than first thought.
this is a classic example of why you should never talk to a man wearing a novelty costume. he will be looking for things that you have bought since you took out you insurance policy. but not from a safety point of view, merely that the mod may have invalidated the policy and so he can nick you. the insurers only use modding as a way of invalidating insurance policies so that they can avoid paying out on claims it has nothing to do with safety (as is claimed by the rozzers).
Explain to drivers that increasing the size (diameter) of a tyre effects the speedometer reading.
Actually, I am one of the small number of Special Constables who are Road Policing Qualified. In most modern vehicles the VSS and or the ECU tend to be the first thing to check in an excess of speed FPN. However, as Allan rightly points out the VSS takes data from the system based on gearing and wheel dimensions. I drive an Audi S5 (personal) and although generally bulletproof in quality terms a worn cable for example can throw the system off. Like most modern cars they are deeply dependent of algorithms and when a parameter is off its throwing the teddy into the corner time.
Speed kills is an awfully simplistic statement but unfortunately true based on the physics of velocity aka kinetics and mass. The most important element to stay safe is an accurate reporting of your velocity.
Owen’s presentation skills are getting better with every video, a second career on UA-cam beckons! Nice 👍
Owen should have his own UA-cam channel, he’s a top man and knows his stuff 👍🏼
This has been an eye opener. I don’t have any mods but I have a few friends that do and some of this I didn’t even know about. Watching you bids is educating a whole lot of people. Thanks for your input. Much appreciated.
If you do another, you should ask him whether Japanese glow number plates are legal. I'm pretty sure they're not, but I love them and would love them on my car.
Also, another reason cops stop you is because they are car guys. When I was 15, a cop stopped my buddy in his Max Power'd Mk2 Escort convertible complete with bodykit, engine mods, the works and the cop admitted instantly that he did nothing wrong and just wanted a look as he liked it. He even ignored the fact that there was a 3 skin spliff ready rolled on the centre console and just asked us to hide it. Let us go with no issues.
These videos are really helpful. The police guy seems like a nice genuine guy. Thinking of upgrading to a sporty mod car soon. Private plates the lot but don’t rightly know what’s legal and what isn’t. These videos really help. Especially in explaining things like wheel spacers. 4d plates. Front splitters. … for some one like me that’s not of a mechanical background and only knows how to drive cars it’s really good info
Congratulations you have gained more then 5k subscribers in two weeks
You are one of the best youtubers in my opinion
Keep up the hard work and please don’t stop
(Your my only source of entertainment during this horrible pandemic)
Bro that’s so kind. Thanks so much. Credit to Owen too. He works hard with me on these videos :)
Owen got my respect straight away he had a fiesta rs turbo 2 questions
1 Does Owen wish he still has his fiesta rs turbo with the prices of them now
2 are performance pursuit police cars tuned or factory fresh
nice to see a Owen has so much respect for the modified cars that people should show the same respect
Very informative videos. I really enjoy them. I've been driving over 40 years and it's great to learn all these things that PC Owen is telling us. Thanks a bunch Hallelujah, to good old UA-cam.
This is one of the best and most fascinating series on UA-cam. Great work by you and PC Owen 👍🏽
Work for myself for many years, used to drive a LWB white van for a living,probably on average 80,000 miles a year. I have been pulled a few times, mainly for weight checks, routine checks, and one when the tax disc had fell off the window. Every traffic cop should be made to watch this officer, as the majority' I've had interactions with were officous, arrogant to the point of being rude.
Respect to this officer, we need many more of his calibre and intelligence out there. Good on you officer.
Goodness - this Police Officer knows his stuff - and explains why the legislation is there to make all of our cars safe - for ourselves and others. Very impressive and helpful
I would luv to see Owen's take on muscle cars, more specifically what mods are street legal i.e. Hood intakes, Short Shifters etc and what kind of engine noise would be acceptable( given that a BB is naturally very loud). Thanks guys, really enjoying the content.
So I'm guessing (my friend) taking his number plate off and doing 180 up the local bypass on his bike is a no no?
Was he on the back wheel whilst doing it? That's the deal breaker lol
@@ashtonworth6288 No he wasn't. I will have a word with him about that.
😂😂😂😂
This is really helpful, nice to see an honest bobby, it's always the traffic cops that seem alright, never had an issue with you lot. You guys can drive.
Respect each other and you’ll see the difference
A little common courtesy and manners takes you a long way with the police. They are just people like us doing their job to keep people safe. Quality video and Owen is a great Police Officer, a real asset to his constabulary. Honestly more videos with Owen on anything would be great; really informative and enjoyable to watch.
♥️♥️😎
Very informative video about modified cars. I am a petrol head but I was very impressed how much information the traffic officer imparted to us. Thank you top marks.
Good constructive and common sense advice fully in line with the law.
This officer may well save a life simply by checking a vehicle!
Brilliant!
These videos are absolutely brilliant and I couldn't agree more with your closing sentiment. Car people and cops are just people, there's good and bad. But if you approach life with a "why me" chip on your shoulder or an aggressive vibe, then really what do you expect back? act sound, be treated sound, and then at least if you're not treated well, you know its not your fault and you can keep your head high. Basically #dontbeadick
It's a pity that Owen wasn't around 30 years ago ! This is an important video and needs to go to as many young fellas as possible - I was always stopped by uneducated Gardai here who had personality disfunction! Years ago the RUC and later PSNI officers were always courteous polite and straight up with you (The odd humerous quip always broke the tension) Well done for bringing this subject to the fore - The Police don't go out to purposely harass the modified community but sometimes they are left no choice ! Well done !!
Good to see a good cop that knows his stuff. Reckon if he pulled you he would be fair not like some. Is that RS the police officers car. Remember him saying he likes modified cars and I am sure he said he had one.
Owen appears to be a well informed officer and one I would like to deal with if stopped. Many are not as well informed and they need educating
With so many 'experts' around these videos are great. Thanks
Thankyou mate. My point exactly. Everyone seems to be scientists these days because they watched a UA-cam video or googled something. Hopefully sgt owens points get taken on board
This is absolutely top notch content, I've been sharing these on a couple of groups I'm in and the responses have been nothing short of fantastic. I do have one suggestion off the back of this vid though, could you do a little more regarding plates? More specifically 4D? We've had a few members reported and fined etc. For them, but some look just fine whereas the daft two or even three colour (but still stamped with the postcode & bs marks) ones have had no issue so its seeming more down to the person inspecting at the time and just adding to the confusion and hostility when these things get scrutinised.. Keep up the good work!
My springs are held in with cable ties at the rear for security, passed mot fine! They aren’t cut just 75mm low.
Nice copper and a fantastic choice of car in the fez rs turbo. Had a few myself and loved then now got an escort rs turbo now.
This policeman is badly needed in my part of Suffolk, where anything goes
What an absolute credit to the Police service.
Owen seems like such lovely bloke, hats off to him
True professional and gent! Keep the videos coming!
Very informative ,this guy knows his onions, I like the way he explains ,well done ! even more respect to the traffic police.
Another reason the plate needs to be easily readable is to protect you. If your car gets stolen the first thing they’ll do is look to see where it last triggered ANPR cameras to get an idea of location/direction it’s headed. If the plate can’t be read then they’re already at a significant disadvantage trying to find it.
The other reason is if members of the public need to note your registration for any reason then it won’t be visible to them.
respect to owen and thank you for your time
Being local to Exeter I certainly wouldn't mind being stopped by him. Comes across a very nice chap. Cool video series 👍
I need to say this. I was driving on A23 and spotted a mobile cam van on a bridge directly above a junction. I was in a pod of traffic in the nearside lane of 2 traveling at 70 mph with a vehicle joining the main road who seemed or was whilfully neglectful of the traffic it was joining. I couldn't brake, I couldn't change lanes. The only thing that saved us all from a major accident was that I was driving a very fast car and was able to accelerate when passed what I can only assume was out of the cameras field of view. It was the closest I've ever come to a wipeout. Thanks camera safety guys. 35 years of experience driving as as a professional. 1 minor accident. Risk was I loose my licence...
Amazing content, and a great team up. From watching police tv shows based in other countries, they have laws which state that when a car has been lowered, the lowest part under the car has to be a certain height off the ground, and they use measuring devices to check. Is there such a law in the UK regarding minimum heights of subframes/chassis/sump etc. ??
Keep the great content coming guys
Why is everything ‘not a major’ issue? What he is actually saying is that everything is an issue....
Just the language he uses to say 'it's fine'. A lot of people have strange phrases that they use. He knows they aren't issues but saying major issues doesn't necessarily imply he still thinks they're issues.
I wish we had more cops like him - hats off to you sir...
POV: you upgrade your breaks to decrease your stopping distance and make it safer
The insurance company: ThAtS £2000 PLeAsE!
You want to stop faster from bigger speeds
Apart from the "wrapped car" part, where it was said about the ANPR showing a different colour than that in real life; a wrapped car does NOT need to be declared with DVLA unless the door shuts are wrapped too. If it's just the exterior that's wrapped, or a half wrap for example, you do not need to notify DVLA. However, it's probably advised to notify insurance, as they'll class it as a modification 9/10
I used to get stopped regular as clockwork when i worked in a night club and would be driving home at 2-3am in my Nova SR.
But every interaction i have had with the traffic police has been fine. Always polite and friendly etc....
Normal police, not so much - but that's another story.
Once got stopped on my 100cc bike by 2 police motorbike - they were not happy with the angle of my stand and helped me straighten it! - excellent experience.
This is a great little series you have going on. 👌
Stunning RS 👌🏼👌🏼
Be polite, no need to be honest, be polite, but refrain from self incrimination.
Good info on video I was in doubt to tint my rear lights but after watching this it will be my first job in the summer, cheers 👍
Don't forget to tell your insurance company. 😜
George, a bit of an heads up on your camera work. All the possible reasons Pc messenger might stop you for, you need to zoom in with the camera to show us exactly what he is pointing out. Rear lights, we couldn't see them light up properly from that angle. Rear diffuser and exhausts, same again. Spacers, bigger brakes, it would have been nice to see them. Under your bonnet, same again, a close up shot would have been nice to see. He mentioned some mods on your interior, same again... I know you are having to social distance, but shots could have been taken after the mods were pointed out and edited into the video. Just a bit of positive criticism. Other than that, the video was very informative. thank you for sharing.
I will be investing in a zoom lens however at the moment my prime lens doesn’t allow any zooming at all. I also have a stabiliser on order so that I can get some beautiful B roll to add in as you mention
We are very lucky in the UK to be allowed mods our cars. I made a tray to go on the towbar of my car which can hold an extra suitcase (it has extra lights/number plate on it) but I was told by a Dutchman that this would be illegal in Holland if not TuV approved. Also I have non standard size tyres on my car (standard is 235/50R18, I went up to 255/45R18 on slightly wider rims) and a Romanian friend told me that in Romania that the police have books of data on OEM tyre sizes and if someone has fitted something not in the book then they are in serious trouble. Our regulations and police seem far more pragmatic them most of the EU.
Great video, keep it up mate. Would be good to have a dedicated video to speeding inc. tolerances, reasons for locations of cameras and also accuracy of car speedo compared to what the camera picks up.
Top copper, just a word on the plate on side, don’t Alfa Romeo have them their from factory? 🤔
They are probably in a different position
He talked about it in a previous video. They're on a plinth do that they're flat with the front
Some car manufacturers had type approved licence plate placement which allows this to be in a non-standard position. I don't think you will see this on modern cars from the factory unless they are imports. I'd like to hear what Owen has to say about the JDM number plates - to the side and square (had one on my Eunos) is it legal if it was factory fitted or should all imports conform to standard fitting?
@@rickyg1247 If the construction doesn't allow the fitment of standard oblong plates, you can have the two line style plates with smaller letters.
Tbf you'll get away with it in any JDM car really, even if it can house a standard plate, as it would be too hard to prosecute.
It's when they see German cars with the smaller plates that they'll probably prosecute. There's no reason for them to have them.
The likelihood of a Bobby actually knowing this though is probably quite low. As long as they can read the plate clearly, they most likely won't care.
Good amount of information in your videos. It's good to know these things as well...
Thanks chaps
Really enjoying this series mate. Keep up the excellent work!
I see that the sun strip has since been removed...😉
Good copper, what a god explanation, please keep this going with. More laws people need to know. Well done officer!!
Commented on the last one not sure if its maybe still to come but would be good for him to cover how an officer like himself should conduct a traffic stop and what the driver must do/is not obliged to do under the road traffic act when being pulled over.
Things like what information the officer himself & the driver has to provide, when the driver has to enter the traffic car and when they dont. Things like that👍🏻
I was a trainee motor trader when I was young and I got stopped in everything I drove regardless of how nice it was. Now I'm old, I never get stopped, regardless of how nice the car I'm driving.
A fascinating video. Brilliant overview of acceptable mods. Great to hear it from a professional.
Great video George! Owen smashed it 👌🏼
*Pulls someone over*
Officer: Any mods you have declared?
Driver: Stock.
I bought it like this. What's a mod?
Sadly, ignorance doesn't mean shit in an insurance claim.
@@Chrisallengallery That doesn’t work.
Be interesting to see a modified 4x4 from their perspective.
Similar but different
Trouble is the minority of modified cars like hot hatches drive like knobs so a more likely to get stopped. 4x4s are generally just trucks beefed up for off road use for work like farmers who generally drive like grannys
@@ruralarmory4871 so you never hear of: pb-customs,urban-automotive, ... i can reel loads off... we have 4x4s that would piss over sti's be aware of the sleeper defender 90s
@@IDONTDOMUCHATWORK It's nothing to do with the performance of the vehicle, it how they're driven on the road.
@@angrycyclist9387 I have massive respect for ALL road users and conditions... there's a right place and time to throw muscle and attitude , the public highway ain't one of them. track and off road. (that's me anyway)
Must have been a nightmare for alpha romeo 156 owners whos cars came with the number plate in the same place UK soec
They were still visible, just not centred. Look naff. The issue here is that the plate curves around the bodywork.
i once got stopped because my left brake light wasnt working and i didnt have a factory 3rd light, the officer was a awsome guy, i had no idea about itand first thing he said to me was "are you aware your brake light is out" i said no but i said i could "borrow" my fog light blub to put that in the place, after fitting i asked him to check and i had my 2 lights and all he asked was "go get a new set for both just in case and one for your fog light, be polite to police you get politeness back :)
Knowledge and seems a decent old bill 👌
After an FA cup final in the Millennium stadium on the A449 they had one parked in the back of a curtained HGV and the warning sign obscured by a roadside bush.
Stunning Cars to say the least! One question for him would be about LED conversions, Headlights, rear and even interior. Keep up with the quality content 🤙🏻🤙🏻
To be fair my mrs was pulled by Owen in Exeter in my mk7 R for the front tints. He was fair about it and I took them off that weekend. Was an eye opener to realise the front windows and the windscreen already had a tint from factory
This is an excellent series
I liked how that white RS looked so ended up looking at them on Auto Trader, the first one I clicked seems to be that exact car! The exterior, engine bay and spec all match up. £18,000 currently.
All traffic police should have the knowledge this guy does, respect!
Good video,
If the lads listen and take advice from the Police and the manufacturer, especially Ford.
You can find help from all main dealers about mods to cars and the safe way to do it. It costs nothing as well.
My Son deals this way which makes me sleep better at night!
As you can see with those vehicles. You don’t have to be outlandish with your mods Less is more.
The Alpha Romeo Guilia had its number plate on the side like that as standard, so that in itself shouldn’t be a reason to stop....
You're right. Most Alfas are the same. As long as it's not too far over then you're fine. It's something that will attract a copper's attention but not something they're gonna try to do you for.
They're flat tho, suspect that helps. Admittedly I'm in aus but I haven't had any issue with how mine is mounted (on one side of my bullbar)
can you ask PC Owen, why I get pulled over in my Mk4 Supra RZ, its mint condition, only mods are spring, wheels, and shiny exhaust tips, everything else is OEM. I got it when I was 19, I'm now 28 and I've been pulled over 30-40 times all over England. Never given a ticket just a polite you've only got 2mm left on the rear tyres and another time I had a brake light out literally 15 minutes after it passed an MOT.
Officer owen needs his own cop channel i think he would do great
Not sure if covered already but have a few questions. Do you have to inform insurance for changing rim colour (not style)? Inform for brake caliper colour change? Any mods that are solely cosmetic - such as engine cover colour change or the bmw front strut brace colour change? Must you inform insurance for de-chroming any body parts on the vehicle? Thanks in advance.
I had no idea about cut springs being such a huge issue!
Kinda obvious if you're even slightly into cars
@@WiseWik definitely isn't that obvious, in the states cutting springs is a completely acceptable way to lower certain corvettes and nobody has ever said otherwise until i saw this video
@@dazasc3994 I guess for a tractor like that it's not such a big issue. Still kinda stupid. Problem comes when a dickhead in his cherrybombed 1.2 corsa does it and decides to race his mate from the council flat next door, hits a bump on a B-road and the collapsed wheel jolts him into oncoming traffic. Dumb, just don't do it.
@@WiseWik yeh makes sense, i figured it was a a hack job way and went for coil overs instead
It depends. Take out a single coil from a straight spring then it's fine... assuming it's done cleanly.
But many springs nowadays are pigtail design, where there's a smaller coil at one or both ends. These are used to locate the spring in the cup, cut them and they no longer locate properly.
Add to that not matching with shorter dampers and life gets... interesting.
All in all it's often cheaper and safer just to buy a proper kit.
Fair jump in subscribers the past few months lad 👌🏻🤜🏼🤛🏼