DVLA "Tax Checking" Vehicles

[andym]

I've been in Weymouth this week and couldn't help notice a sudden outbreak of DVLA "tax checking" vehicles with ANPR cameras parked in lay-bys. I haven't seen this before - is it something new or have they been around for a while?

 

Andy

[private mw]

seen them for a while up here in sheffield , :-)

[Willyslancs]

loads around here in the last few weeks ...............

[Pzkpfw-e]

The cynic would suggest it's a combination of the end of the financial year and Goverment Departments justifying their existance & budgets.

It'll be the VOSA coming out of hibernation next, as the show season starts, picking up overloaded & mechanically defective beer vans & mobile bars.:whistle::whistle:

Edited March 31, 2011 by Pzkpfw-e

[steveo578]

We've had them on the A69 and supporting roads since 2004. Probably percieved to be a high evasion area - they sent one of the first £80 none compliance fines to me during the work up phase of that scheme -I asked them to take me to court and sent them an A4 copy of my tax disc -asking if they would like to "do me" for copying the tax disc too -I asked for an £80 payment is compensation but I'm still waiting - they reckon like all government department that an apology is sufficient :mad:

[philb]

An apology! you were lucky.

 

I once had a letter from the local DVLA office threatening all sorts of pain because I had not taxed a car I owned. When I replied to them explaining that the car had been scrapped and its guts had been used to build another car - all registered at and approved by that same office, all I got was another letter saying that "on this occasion we have decided not to prosecute you".

[Marmite!!]

If you're taxed what's the problem??

[ArtistsRifles]

If you're taxed what's the problem??

 

DVLA incompetence basically - their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing. I had a similar experience to philb in 2008. A classic Saab is on SORN - has been for a couple of years and I had (still have) the required paperwork to prove it.

Out of the blue I got a VERY nasty letter from DVLA telling me the car was not taxed or on SORN according to their database and demanding all the back-tax till the last time it was taxed as well as a range of legal nastiness if I did not pay within a set number of days.

 

Wrote back to them enclosing photo copies of the SORN documentation that were notarized by an appropriate source - solicitor I think - and all I got back was a similar reply - "We have decided to take no further action".

Is it any wonder I and many others have such a dim view of them and their sister organization?

[Tony B]

Tax checking cameras are a regular thing round here. Normal accompanied by a row of Transit vans and pick ups parked up on the verge and a lot of Police officers.:cool2:

[Jack]

I've been in Weymouth this week and couldn't help notice a sudden outbreak of DVLA "tax checking" vehicles with ANPR cameras parked in lay-bys. I haven't seen this before - is it something new or have they been around for a while?

 

Andy

 

Andy - welcome to Dorset. There has been a massive campaign in Dorset like this for many years. There are everywhere - it drives me insane.

[83KB62]

While it may 'drive you insane' it does have some usefullness to us, they also pick-up non insured & MOTed vehicles lessening the chances of you having a claim that you cant get paid out for.

Most of us pay for all three, why should a monority not and get away from it?

They also pick up benifit cheats, aliens and people being used for slave labour by the imigrations dept, as well as others using red diesel, so its not all negative.

[Sidewinder]

Exactly, if you're all legal then it doesn't matter. If a few seconds driving past a camera helps gets some of the idiots off the roads then all the better.

 

As said in the 'unwanted visitors' thread I'm sick of working hard all hours trying to make a living while the minority do sod all and have the life of riley while we all pay for them in benefits/higher insurance premiums.

 

Could be worse, at least they're not stopping and manually checking every vehicle, think how long that would take!

 

James

[steveo578]

83KB62

While it may 'drive you insane' it does have some usefullness to us,

Dunno if that "us" is society in general or as a benefit to law enforement, but as Neil (ArtistsRifles) said it's the

DVLA incompetence basically

and Pzkfw-e point of

end of the financial year and Goverment Departments justifying their existance & budgets.

that makes people regard particularly these high visiblity multi-agency "hanging around the laybye" operations with a level of suspicion or derision.

 

It is interesting cross references this thread with "Unwelcome visitors" on this sub forum, that Police in outer london are incapable of making observations on at risk public property or are singularly unwilling to use ANPR system to clamp down on unregistered "traveller" scrap men.

 

I personally have no problem with correct enforcement of the law -I have a problem if the regulations often enforced improperly by warrent holding but poorly trained civilians in the so called agencies. I have been "pulled over" by police as the ANPR system mis read my very standard number plate -as I stepped out of the car the officer was doing a manual vehicle check -result was a rapid sqawk of "all clear insured and taxed -do not detain" not the officers fault a regular equipment problem, which is fine unless the stopped person has a chip on his shoulder, then it becomes an incident or a complaint note in a service jacket.

[andym]

I wonder how effective this is, though. If they find an untaxed vehicle they'll just write a letter to the registered keeper, which is fine if they're a law-abiding person. If they're not (which is the sort of people we're talking about), and there isn't a registered keeper or it's a false address, or it's a cloned number plate ....

 

Andy

[mike65]

DVLA incompetence basically - their left hand doesn't know what their right hand is doing.

 

Blimey how do they drive a van?

They drove one down our road on new years day.

 

Mike

[Tony B]

I wonder how effective this is, though. If they find an untaxed vehicle they'll just write a letter to the registered keeper, which is fine if they're a law-abiding person. If they're not (which is the sort of people we're talking about), and there isn't a registered keeper or it's a false address, or it's a cloned number plate ....

 

Andy

Round here the also add a BIG yellow clamp round a wheel and a large UNTAXED VEHICLE sticker on the windscreen.

 

In earleir days Iused to earn my living as a bailliff. Parking tickets and unpaid vehicle excise fines could lead to some great fun!

[mike65]

I wonder how effective this is, though. If they find an untaxed vehicle they'll just write a letter to the registered keeper, which is fine if they're a law-abiding person. If they're not (which is the sort of people we're talking about), and there isn't a registered keeper or it's a false address, or it's a cloned number plate ....

 

Andy

 

The white van with the cameras on each cornet is full of wheel clamps. When they find an untaxed vehicle parked up they clamp it and stick a big notice on the windscreen.

Or at least they do around here.

 

Mike

[Tony B]

They can also be very understanding. I had a vehicle I'd just bought for restoration and was parked outside untaxed. The local enforcement team told me I had a week to get it taxed or out of the way.

[ArtistsRifles]

Think some one might have asked this elese where but.... how do ANPR camera's work with a vehicle on Mil Reg plates?

I.e - if some one was driving down the road past one of these camera set-ups wearing its historical 99 AA 99 plates how would the camera /operators react?

Would they know enough to realize something like a S3 or S2/2A Landie or an MK/MJ was no longer in service???

[Rover8FFR]

Think some one might have asked this elese where but.... how do ANPR camera's work with a vehicle on Mil Reg plates?

I.e - if some one was driving down the road past one of these camera set-ups wearing its historical 99 AA 99 plates how would the camera /operators react?

Would they know enough to realize something like a S3 or S2/2A Landie or an MK/MJ was no longer in service???

 

Interesting question, but as that is illegal to drive on a highway with a struck off vehicle showing its ERM then tempting fate springs to mind. Along with a possible conviction.

 

Trailers might be exempt except if they are drawn by a civvi (demobbed) vehicle with road tax / insurance etc. As they fall under Road Traffic Act and must show registration of towing vehicle.

 

Only vehicles with a registration against a V5c at Swansea spark the system as I believe. But I am not 100% sure.

 

Good question though! 10/10 :-D

[ArtistsRifles]

Interesting question, but as that is illegal to drive on a highway with a struck off vehicle showing its ERM then tempting fate springs to mind. Along with a possible conviction.

 

Trailers might be exempt except if they are drawn by a civvi (demobbed) vehicle with road tax / insurance etc. As they fall under Road Traffic Act and must show registration of towing vehicle.

 

Only vehicles with a registration against a V5c at Swansea spark the system as I believe. But I am not 100% sure.

 

Good question though! 10/10 :-D

 

Was just thinking of the number of vehicles I've seen leaving the W&P site with Mil Plates still up -in fairness likely because the owner didn't think to swap them back over rather than any real attempt to be naughty - as they shoot down to the fuel station or grocery store. :-D They would be taxed etc. under their Civvy reg - but can ANPR determine whether a Mil Reg is still valid or cast?

Obviously to the eye of a human who know even a little about our vehicles it would be apparent they should be on Civvy plates - but to an automated camera system??

 

I fear it's one of the questions that will lodge like a bee in the cab and will never get answered!

[Rover8FFR]

Was just thinking of the number of vehicles I've seen leaving the W&P site with Mil Plates still up -in fairness likely because the owner didn't think to swap them back over rather than any real attempt to be naughty - as they shoot down to the fuel station or grocery store. :-D They would be taxed etc. under their Civvy reg - but can ANPR determine whether a Mil Reg is still valid or cast?

Obviously to the eye of a human who know even a little about our vehicles it would be apparent they should be on Civvy plates - but to an automated camera system??

 

I fear it's one of the questions that will lodge like a bee in the cab and will never get answered!

 

Fair statement, but I think as a responsible body and participants we should still debate it. Trundling down the road as a historic MT in original guise may be a missforgiving, but the stance from the PC would be invaluable. What if on that trundle you had an accident.

 

Is an incorrect plate on a public road the same in the eyes of the law as cloning! Now there goes the cat......The pidgeons are getting frantic......

 

Also I would argue that your insurance would be invalid........Unless you could grovel to third party / people on lapse of concentration etc....

 

From a third party perspective I guess they just want a legitimate claimee.

[mike65]

Not an expert here but I do watch the odd TV program.

Would appear that if the ANPR cannot read or recognize a number plate it will alert the operator, as it does for fake plate,who then has to make a decision.

You will probably find yourself stopped, clamped, fined, sent to the crusher or a combination.

 

Mike

[ArtistsRifles]

Not an expert here but I do watch the odd TV program.

Would appear that if the ANPR cannot read or recognize a number plate it will alert the operator, as it does for fake plate,who then has to make a decision.

You will probably find yourself stopped, clamped, fined, sent to the crusher or a combination.

 

Mike

 

Thats where it gets interesting Mike - the old 00 AA 00 format plates are still in use with the Armed Forces (I recently followed half a dozen Befords on 03 GJ 00 plates on the M25).

If ANPR alerts a human operator to an unrecognized plate that follows Mil Spec - how good does the operator have to be to determine whether that number is an old "cast" one or one thats still in service?

And - given the way the agencies tend to pass such work out to the lowest bidder what are the odds on the operator being able to tell that difference rather than just follow a basic script??

[antarmike]

.....You will probably find yourself stopped, clamped, fined, sent to the crusher or a combination.

 

Mike

 

Sounds Painful, Either that or they will do the same, but to your vehicle....