No Road Tax - I'd Shoot 'Em

[developer]

So it's the 4th Jan and someone points out to me that my tax expired in December .

A roadside call to the wife and it's renewed online at 7.00pm.

Thick or what .

 

[Rashman]

lol

 

[Harrythedog]

At one time you got about 14 days grace but I don't know if that's changed or not

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Still not totally legal though as it's not displayed on the screen. Be careful

 

[brucemillar]

Still not totally legal though as it's not displayed on the screen. Be careful

Correct. Archaic legislation. Soon to be dropped in recognition of ANPR etc.

Not a moment too soon. Why should you not drive your car when you have legitimately paid tax and can prove it.

 

[Deleted member 26392]

From 01 September 2008 there was an exemption made to the offence in Section 33 of the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994 (VERA) of not displaying a valid tax disc. This now applies for the first five working days at the beginning of the month in which the tax disc commences.It is now legal for motorists to drive or keep their vehicle on a public road without a current tax disc, for the first five working days of any month. This exemption from displaying a tax disc applies only when an application for a new disc has been made before the previous one has expired.Motorists are advised to display the expired tax disc, however, they will be committing an offence if they continue to use or keep the vehicle on a public road without a current valid tax disc after the first five days of the month.

 

[Ian Donkin]

I put a cherished plate on our E class in November yet when checking a policy amendment on-line yesterday I noticed I hadn't updated the policy to reflect this! I guess we were technically insured in any event, but ANPR etc. hadn't picked up on it during the 4,000 or so miles driven in the interim.

On the tax disc front, we were at Brooklands on New Years Day and I was chatting to a friend I see there every year (very nice man; for his 50th he booked Goodwood and treated around 30 of us to an open pit lane track day)... He was in his rather nice 911 ST replica and this old fart comes up to him just to advise his tax disc had run out at midnight.

It's clearly the detail that matters!

 

[Dieselman]

Correct. Archaic legislation. Soon to be dropped in recognition of ANPR etc.

Not a moment too soon. Why should you not drive your car when you have legitimately paid tax and can prove it.

The "display" requirement is for easy recognition for those without ANPR (police, traffic Wardens), but no-one gets prosecuted for not displaying if the vehicle is taxed.

Genuine cases of no tax usually mean no insurance as well, so an easy recognition disk is a good idea.

 

[markjay]

The "display" requirement is for easy recognition for those without ANPR (police, traffic Wardens), but no-one gets prosecuted for not displaying if the vehicle is taxed.

Genuine cases of no tax usually mean no insurance as well, so an easy recognition disk is a good idea.

Indeed I had a penalty charge notice canceled after appealing - I was able to demonstrate that I was in possession of valid tax disk at the time of the offence even though it was not displayed on the vehicle.

 

[brucemillar]

I put a cherished plate on our E class in November yet when checking a policy amendment on-line yesterday I noticed I hadn't updated the policy to reflect this! I guess we were technically insured in any event, but ANPR etc. hadn't picked up on it during the 4,000 or so miles driven in the interim.

On the tax disc front, we were at Brooklands on New Years Day and I was chatting to a friend I see there every year (very nice man; for his 50th he booked Goodwood and treated around 30 of us to an open pit lane track day)... He was in his rather nice 911 ST replica and this old fart comes up to him just to advise his tax disc had run out at midnight.

It's clearly the detail that matters!

My neighbour took his "garaged" car out for a test run with no valid tax. Three months later when he went to tax it he received a letter advising him that the car had been clocked by an ANPR unit on the day he took it out. He had to pay the back tax.

 

[Dieselman]

Presumably, in Ians case, the DVLA have a record of the exchange of number and have electronically transferred the tax as well.

 

[teddycatkin]

So it's the 4th Jan and someone points out to me that my tax expired in December .

A roadside call to the wife and it's renewed online at 7.00pm.

Thick or what .

So why do we pay "Road Tax"----I am surprised at the number of people on this forum totally in agreement with it ?---Just another total goverment rip off in my opinion --like TV licences and Fuel tax -80 odd pence per litre goes to the government to squander on paying themselves huge saleries and constant pay rises ( certainly not on the roads )while the masses humbly suffer and keep on doing so ?----I think we are very thick!

 

[brucemillar]

What I am hearing is that the view now is that the entire paper based will be dumped.

This includes the requirement to produce an insurance certificate at a post office. Strange when you don't on-line.

In effect the on-line system will be the single system used by all including the post office.

 

[Dieselman]

This includes the requirement to produce an insurance certificate at a post office. Strange when you don't on-line.

In effect the on-line system will be the single system used by all including the post office.

However, until then the only way for a Post Office clerk to know you are insured, is to see the certificate.

 

[Ian Donkin]

Presumably, in Ians case, the DVLA have a record of the exchange of number and have electronically transferred the tax as well.

Indeed - I'd done the transfer, plates and everything but update my insurance record.

 

[Dieselman]

Indeed - I'd done the transfer, plates and everything but update my insurance record.

I wonder if that transfer happens automatically now since the introduction of MIB database.
Technically the "old" plate no longer exists and the "new" one would be attached to the same VIN.

 

[grober]

What I am hearing is that the view now is that the entire paper based will be dumped.

This includes the requirement to produce an insurance certificate at a post office. Strange when you don't on-line.

In effect the on-line system will be the single system used by all including the post office.

Cue "Computer says no" scenarios played out in post offices round the country. With your insurance/licence details "somewhere in cyberspace" who is going to be the loser in any dispute? -----Me I like Hard Copy

 

[dog68]

So why do we pay "Road Tax"----I am surprised at the number of people on this forum totally in agreement with it ?---Just another total goverment rip off in my opinion --like TV licences and Fuel tax -80 odd pence per litre goes to the government to squander on paying themselves huge saleries and constant pay rises ( certainly not on the roads )while the masses humbly suffer and keep on doing so ?----I think we are very thick!

Unfair? life's like that, Road tax is the law, we have to put up with it, just like everything else.

 

[jaymanek]

I wonder if that transfer happens automatically now since the introduction of MIB database.
Technically the "old" plate no longer exists and the "new" one would be attached to the same VIN.

Nope.... the MID is quite basic at the moment, relies on insurers updating it manually.

 

[clk208]

What I am hearing is that the view now is that the entire paper based will be dumped.

This includes the requirement to produce an insurance certificate at a post office. Strange when you don't on-line.

In effect the on-line system will be the single system used by all including the post office.

I guess going paperless is going to mean that all the criminals need to do is clone a registration plate of a similar looking car - no need even to worry about the tax disc element.

Then drive round racking up parking/sppeding/congestion charge penalties with no worries at all.