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news
Wing mirror spikesCar wing mirrors studded with spikes reported to Greater Manchester Police
A cyclist who discovered wing mirrors on three vehicles studded with spikes has reported the improvised modifications to Greater Manchester Police.
* 2/12/2021: A man who claims to own the vehicle pictured has now spoken to defend his actions - read the updated story here
Twitter user @OneAdultSwim1 posted about the improvised modifications on Sunday, saying that there “Seems to be a growing trend in my area of adding crude spikes to the passenger side wing mirror … usually in the form of large screws through the mirror casing.
“Spotted one, and another and a third today all on different vehicles. I'm going to get a picture next time. Be warned.”
Revisited and heres what it looks like. A crude repair? Strange that I've seem 2 other vehicles with this "repair" in my area recently. Disguised as a repair. in the realms of conspiracy now.
What do you think? https://t.co/l8NXSRlZeA pic.twitter.com/ytg53gPEzs
— OneAdultSwim (@OneAdultSwim1) November 29, 2021
Tweeting a picture yesterday evening of one of the vehicles, which carries the livery of a painting and decorating firm, he added: “Revisited and here’s what it looks like.
“A crude repair? Strange that I've seen two other vehicles with this ‘repair’ in my area recently. Disguised as a repair. In the realms of conspiracy now.”
He told road.cc: “Last week I've seen three vehicles with this modification. The first two I saw were in the same line of traffic a few cars apart on Station Road in Cheadle, in the middle of last week.
“They were both rugged-looking vehicles with intermediate off-road tyres and air intake rams, rumbling down the small high street here.
“However the image I posted is on the side of liveried van (painter and decorator) which is also in the Cheadle area, I noticed this on Sunday, went past again yesterday and gave them a close-up inspection, just to check they weren’t rubber or anything.”
A number of Twitter users urged @OneAdultSwim1 to report what he had found to the police, which he did this morning on the non-emergency number 101 to what he described as “a very sceptical call handler.”
Definate dangerous condition requires prosecution and prohibition, please get registrations and inform the police via 101, website chat or crimestoppers 👍
— Mark Hodson (@markandcharlie) November 29, 2021
In fact, if I were you, I'd not report that online - I'd call 101 or 999 right now and get it sorted (one way or the other...) tonight - that's a clear and imminent danger.
— Heavy Metal Handcyclist (@CrippledCyclist) November 29, 2021
He continued: “I was reluctant to post as might give others ideas, but decided to post in the end after consideration.
“I also asked during the call if there was any way I could pass on the images but they don’t have that facility. The report was made about 08:30 and the lady said she would ‘pass it on’.”
We have approached Greater Manchester Police for a comment, and will update this story once we receive it.
In the meantime, the Surrey Police Roads Policing Unit did comment on the tweet, saying there was an arrestable offence for possession of “an offensive weapon.”
Wouldn’t call it a field day tbh, just an arrest for an offensive weapon.
— Roads Policing Unit (RPU) - Surrey Police - UK (@SurreyRoadCops) November 30, 2021
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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56 comments
Wing mirrors. There, I said it.
My limited experience of door mirrors is they are designed to 'uncouple' from their mountings with a modicum of force. If these door mirrors were 'accidentally' knocked, I would expect the modifications would make some nasty scratches on the door's paintwork!!😜
In my mind this is classed as dangerous bodywork and would therefore be an MOT failure. I'm not sure the police have the time or inclination to be proactive but if someone were to be injured before they'd followed up this tip-off it would be embarrassing.
Just a thought but if the door mirror were to be 'found' covered in blood (& still dripping) surely it would be a moral duty to report to the police as a 999 call as it would 'appear' someone had suffered a serious and life threatening injury...
Anybody friends with the prop department of Casualty?
@SurreyRoadCops is one of the best police twitter accounts. Follow.
Yup, they do a lot of excellent work.
@markandcharlie too.
Oh neat, I've gotten quoted!
As I've said elsewhere - If you see this sort of thing, immediately call 999 or 101.
If they don't take it seriously, and you know where it's left parked - D-lock it.
Also the vehicle in the picture isn't insured or MOT'd.
Looks like it's just held on with tape. Could perhaps be carefully removed and wedged safely under the front nearside tyre.
What was the name of the decorating company that made the modification. I would like to phone them for a quote. Everyday at around 3am. I would also leave some feedback for them to ensure their business gets the recognition it deserves.
Since this modification demonstrates intent to cause injury or death, the offensive weapon should be confiscated and destroyed; the vehicle, not the mirror. Preferably with the driver in it.
But I suppose I'd settle for possession of an offensive weapon and a large fine.
DOOR mirrors - "wing" mirrors went out in the 1970's.
Common terminology. Does not need to be accurate.
Do you use the terms "road tax" or "road fund licence"?
false dichotomy; car tax.
Anyway, what took you so long?
Thank you for proving my point that terms become obsolete and redundant or change in time, like "wing" mirrors.
except ... it didn't change or become obsolete, everybody still calls them wing mirrors.
In Straya, we call them side mirrors.. no obsolescence or confusion here.
Not "everybody". There was a radio advert for a car that had "heated door mirrors" on LBC a few weeks ago. Everybody uses "road tax" and that's wrong too.
Only that simply hasn't happened, much as you would like it to, virtually everyone calls them wing mirrors as a quick Google of the two terms shows.
Do you use the terms "road tax" or "road fund licence"?
Neither, Vehicle Excise Duty as any fule kno Molesworth!
Not the ABD though. Or Farage and UKIP.
I don't know about rct, but both are widly obsolete. It's just a vehicle tax aka Vehicle Excise Duty. IMHO, it needs at least a tenfold increase now, then doubling every 2 years.
Not according to my 08 scenic....
except that mirror is mounted to the A pillar, not the wing panel..
So do we have to start calling that one an "A-mirror"? So, we have A-mirrors, wing mirrors, and door mirrors.
Don't get me started on the 'windscreen frame mirrors'...
What are people going to start calling the little camera things appearing on lorries and cars instead of mirrors?
All a bit Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle, innit?
Also mounted to the wing. As is the wing panel....
...the knee bone's connected to the... thigh bone...
The boid is on the wing,
But that’s absoid
From what I hoid
The wing is on the boid!
Just because Renault were still installing them in 2008, doesn't mean they were still on trend at that time.
I'm glad to hear it. The last thing I want is trendy car.
Good gods, you'll be expecting me to buy a BMW next.....
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