TVL shops at ASDA
On my way home I spotted a TVL ‘Mobile Detection Unit’ on the M6 and decided to follow it for a little while. It left the M6 and drove to the nearest ASDA. The silly man (top left; pic below) parked up left the Van’s curtains open and went to get his groceries.
That gave me the opportunity to take some snapshots.
I didn’t spot any equipment in the Van except for a few rolls of wallpaper (?) a book, newspaper and a plastic carrier bag full of rubbish.
Clearly whilst doing nothing (after all there is no secret detection equipment in the Van) the guy kills time reading books, drinking coffee and snacking on chocolate bars.
No idea what the wallpaper is all about.
Erik
September 13th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Maybe the wallpaper is part of the super secret EM radiation-measuring equipment. Maybe to the laymen it just looks like wallpaper.
What’s the book? It’d better be good; sitting in your van all day pretending to be able to detect whether people are watching the telly must get really boring, really fast.
September 14th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Is he scratching his backside in the photo?
You should have let his tyres down.
November 11th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I have been told by several people that the detector contains no equipment I was never sure about beliving them now thanks to your photo I do
November 17th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
i am surprised they have used a van with windows; to contain any sort of equipment, what was in the back or is it blocked off?
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Years ago they used to drive around in a Commer or Austin van with something on the roof resembling part of Jodrell Bank Observatory, Cheshire! Now I suspect some small hand held device lurking somewhere in this vehicle probably in the back. The fact is that computerisation has laid everyone not licensed out in neat rows for them to persecute without using anything. This clearly is a personnel carrier being used on fuel paid for by us to go to B and Q! Maybe doing a bit of decorating on the cheap for Jonathan Ross.
February 20th, 2009 at 10:53 am
TV detector vans are effectively a bluff as they have always been. If you ask the BBC any questions under the Freedom of Information Act regarding these vehicles, they will decline on the basis that it might prejudice law enforcement. However if you know the right questions to ask and quiz the right people, you might learn that there are approximately 26 such vehicles of which two are fitted with equipment. Oh dear have I breached the Official Secrets Act? Nevertheless, there has never been a prosecution based solely on the evidence of a detector van (or other detection device) because they are not “approved” devices as are police speed cameras and hand-held devices which require to be properly calibrated and that information made available to both the court and the defendant. There are three ways you can be prosecuted for not having a TV licence - you admit it to an inquiry officer, you are caught watching TV by an inquiry officer or the inquiry officer fraudulently makes a charge against you - don’t imagine this doesn’t happen! Answer - don’t speak to them and don’t let them into your home and if you see them on your property make them leave, by force if necessary.
August 6th, 2010 at 9:31 am
LOL quality. good work.