question What would you do?

[woa2]

This problem originated a couple of years ago, when I found out that a Classic Car show near me had a visit from the Police who found that 6 entrants, who had driven on main roads to the event, did not have tax or insurance. Since then I have looked more closely at various vehicles at several shows, and I have noticed some with out-of-date tax discs and I know they drove there. Now my question is, would you report them to the show organiser or Police? If so, would you still do this if you know the driver?

 

A sticky problem, but if a vehicle at a show has no road tax, does it have insurance and an MoT? What would be your view if one of these vehicles was involved in an incident with you, your vehicle or your family resulting in injury?

 

What are your views?

[landyandy]

the show organisers should stipulate that if a vehicle is driven onto the showground they should have all relevant documents,but vehicles transported there that are not insured or taxed would be static exibits only

[Giles]

I was at a show this w-e and was surprised to see 2 Bobbies turn up and walk round the show. Just checking and chatting but still checking.

 

I think I would like to hear the organiser make an announcement about tax etc maybe with a threat about no allowing through the gate, enteries next show if no tax on.

[Tony B]

I was at a show this w-e and was surprised to see 2 Bobbies turn up and walk round the show. Just checking and chatting but still checking.

 

I think I would like to hear the organiser make an announcement about tax etc maybe with a threat about no allowing through the gate, enteries next show if no tax on.

Whinge if Police don't do the job, whinge if they do. If you want to take a stupid risk and get caught, your choice.

I would rather have Police coming round shows, walking and talking.

[rosie]

I would report them to the show organisers, whether I knew them or not. I thought most shows stipulate that the vehicle should have current mot, ins and tax and that the rules of the road apply in the show ground??

[79x100]

The third party aspect of an insurance policy would not be invalidated by a lack of current road fund licence. I can imagine that there are owners who have a block policy for multiple vehicles but who don't watch the tax disc as carefully as they should.

 

I don't condone it but I wouldn't want the old vehicle world to become the equivalent of East Germany under the Stasi.

 

It seems like the thin end of the wedge to me, perhaps being reported by a jealous concours entrant for using a non-E-marked LED lamp or wearing a motorcycle crash helmet that doesn't have a BS kite mark (such as the DR helmet).

 

As far as I'm concerned, it's the job of the authorities to check vehicles when they're on the public highway (and they have enough automatic recognition cameras to do that).

[Stormin]

Having been round a few classic car shows myself I thought it was often desirable to display a period tax disc, even if re-production to complete the look of the car, not spoil it with a modern colourful disc.

If many people do this then there's not a lot of point bobbies looking round shows other than for their own entertainment. The place to catch people is on the road on the way in or out of the show, that's where the offence takes place. I'm sure there's a few people who forget to re-attach the modern disc on exiting a show.

 

As far as I'm aware there is no requirement to display a current Road Fund Licence disc on a vehicle unless it is on the public highway. There is of course a requirement to still hold a valid road fund licence for the vehicle or declare it SORN.

[Big ray]

One assumes that these exhibitors are all members of a club, these matters should be dealt with at club level, and that is the responsibility of the appointed officers of the club. After all, whatever you do in the name of your club reflects on your club, good or bad. :cool2:

[timbo]

Presuming that these are classics they would get free tax anyway so there is no excuse other than laziness, and if they are lazy about that what does that say about their maintenance standards?

 

Wouldn't report myself but also don't have a particular problem if police want to have a wander round, at least will keep the tealeaves at bay as well...

[Austin]

Unbelievable.

 

Mind your own business is my first responce to a thread like this, what does it have to do with you? If you're really that concerned, speak to the vehicle owner, I'm sure the Police have better things to be doing than visiting rallies under the say so of busybodies like yourself.

[kpu121265]

If you see any of my vehicles at a show, do not report me!

I take the tax discs out and take the number plates off them all - sometimes forget to put them back in/on when we set off.

We have been stopped a couple of times, and the officers have always been interested in the vehicle and have been happy that as long as i can produce a valid tax disc, that's always been OK.

The first time it happened in one of the half tracks, i had a tail from a patrol car for about 1/2 a mile. Was busy thinking of a way to get the tax disc fitted and the number plates on while i was driving..... The patrol car pulled in to the petrol station after me, and all the officers wanted, was to know if they could take a picture of themselves in it.

I echo the "what has it got to do with you comment". Having just fought my way successfully through being accused of using a mobile while driving, which i genuinely was not, i can attest to the sheer faff factor in sorting such allegations out!

 

Ken

Edited June 27, 2011 by kpu121265

[haybaggerman]

Unbelievable.

 

Mind your own business is my first responce to a thread like this, what does it have to do with you? If you're really that concerned, speak to the vehicle owner, I'm sure the Police have better things to be doing than visiting rallies under the say so of busybodies like yourself.

 

Thats easy to say until its your son/daughter that gets run over and disabled by an uninsured driver,

 

As far as I'm concerned too many people turn blind eyes to things when its actually everyone's responsibility to get taxed and insured. Tax is the thin end of the wedge. However, I would say approach the owner first because often it could be a misunderstanding

Edited June 27, 2011 by haybaggerman

[griff66]

i would suggest that most owners of classic mil vehicles have all relevant docs on my ferret at shows i take off number plates and tax disc is in my docs folder if jo public came up to me and asked where my tax disc was they would get told to go fourth !!!

[Austin]

Thats easy to say until its your son/daughter that gets run over and disabled by an uninsured driver,

 

As far as I'm concerned too many people turn blind eyes to things when its actually everyone's responsibility to get taxed and insured. Tax is the thin end of the wedge. However, I would say approach the owner first because often it could be a misunderstanding

 

Everybody's responsibility? To check every vehicle at a rally is taxed and insured?! My responsibility ends at paying over inflated premiums due to the none insured morons....And also paying my council tax to pay for the Police who seem to be taking uninsured vehicles off the road.

 

Most of the rallies I book into request insurance details if the vehicle isn't just a static display, which is great, I wouldn't however want to show my cover note to some mithering idiot at a rally field.

 

If you use an uninsured vehicle on public roads, you deserve everything that you have coming.

[haybaggerman]

Everybody's responsibility? To check every vehicle at a rally is taxed and insured?! My responsibility ends at paying over inflated premiums due to the none insured morons....And also paying my council tax to pay for the Police who seem to be taking uninsured vehicles off the road.

 

Most of the rallies I book into request insurance details if the vehicle isn't just a static display, which is great, I wouldn't however want to show my cover note to some mithering idiot at a rally field.

 

If you use an uninsured vehicle on public roads, you deserve everything that you have coming.

 

My point is more general, and is that if you become aware of any sort of wrong doing/ something that has been overlooked you, as a responsible member of society should do something about it, otherwise you have no right to complain if it affects you in some adverse way.

 

To put it into practice with your own example, IF you became aware that someone is on the road without insurance you have a responsibility to do something about it or else you would have no right to complain about your inflated insurance premiums.

 

Simples.

[woa2]

Unbelievable.

 

Mind your own business is my first responce to a thread like this, what does it have to do with you? If you're really that concerned, speak to the vehicle owner, I'm sure the Police have better things to be doing than visiting rallies under the say so of busybodies like yourself.

 

I am trying to 'mind my own business', but how is this situation going to reflect on the MV movement as a whole and clubs like MVT and IMPS? Will we lose our benefits of free tax for the misbehavings of a minority?

 

Also, the possibility of being involved in a accident with an un-insured, MoT'd or taxed vehicle IS my concern. I take my family to shows and I would be devestated if one of them was injured by one of these people.

[Paul Drake]

Nothing. It is the responsibility of show organiser to demand tax etc for vehicles on show, if they so desire, and the police to deal with it on the public highway (or the pavement which is where I see a lot of cars parked around here). In my humble opinion.

[mike65]

Tricky question.

 

If I see an untaxed car on the public highway I will not hesitate to fill in one of those online, dob the idiot in forms.

Seems to get them removed very swiftly.

At a show it is a completely different matter,

You need to be 100% sure that the vehicle actually drove there and disck etc have not been changed for show proposes.

 

After all MV's never had a tax disk originally, why show with one?

People also show with mil plates on, OK in field? but illegal on road.

 

Some people may wish to show their car with an age related Tax disc, by all accounts people pay good money for the correct style/colour. OK as far as I can tell.

 

Mike

[79x100]

After all MV's never had a tax disk originally, why show with one?Mike

 

Ooh, a chance to split hairs !

 

Actually, up until late 1939, they were required to, as well as display a civilian style registration plate (generally from blocks of Middlesex series allocations).

[ruggyjohn]

very comendable all these righteous people on here, i wonder if they have allways been 100% within the law or has there been the odd slip or forgotten tax disc renewal, if only we all could be perfect ?. if any passing member of the public ask me for paper work they will find themselves sat on there arse fairly quickly !!!!!.

[mike65]

very comendable all these righteous people on here, i wonder if they have allways been 100% within the law or has there been the odd slip or forgotten tax disc renewal, if only we all could be perfect ?. if any passing member of the public ask me for paper work they will find themselves sat on there arse fairly quickly !!!!!.

 

Lets see

Road Tax - You get a reminder

Insurance - You get a reminder

 

So technically no excuse

 

MOT - Where I take my car and Land Rover send a reminder

So I have no excuse, not sure if all garages do this, I doubt it.

 

Have driven car showing out of date tax disc as forgot to put new one in.

 

Mind you there are loads of cars out there with Tax, insurance and MOT that are unroadworthy.

It seems to be that routine checks are no longer required (lights, tyre pressures, oil etc)

 

Mike

[brianthesnail96]

Frankly, if I was showing a vehicle and had an out of date tax disc in the window I'd be grateful for a member of public for pointing out to me that I'd forgotten to change it for the new one, before Plod fines us for not doing so...

 

Can't see the point of fake "old" tax discs anyway, it's a small circle in the corner of the window. Can only understand it if it's a real one from the vehicle's past.

 

I wouldn't care enough to report, unless it was clearly dodgy (e.g. a ringer) at a show, but would if I saw a vehicle on the road. If you can't be bothered to tax it then I suspect you may not be bothered about insurance either, and given that us honest folk pay through the nose for the privelidge of being legal I'm not too happy about that.

[CornishMade]

Frankly, if I was showing a vehicle and had an out of date tax disc in the window I'd be grateful for a member of public for pointing out to me that I'd forgotten to change it for the new one, before Plod fines us for not doing so...

 

Can't see the point of fake "old" tax discs anyway, it's a small circle in the corner of the window. Can only understand it if it's a real one from the vehicle's past.

 

I wouldn't care enough to report, unless it was clearly dodgy (e.g. a ringer) at a show, but would if I saw a vehicle on the road. If you can't be bothered to tax it then I suspect you may not be bothered about insurance either, and given that us honest folk pay through the nose for the privelidge of being legal I'm not too happy about that.

Here, here, everybody has to pay tax!!!!

[Zero-Five-Two]

I think the show organisers have a responsibility to ensure that everybody showing a vehicle (of whatever type) at their show is taxed and insured, especially if they are charging the show entrants for the privilage of showing their vehicle.

 

As for bubbling someone, your're damned right I would. I pay a fortune for all my vehicles to be insured, most of the premium is paid into the fund that covers the costs of those who don't insure theirs.

 

Driving without insurance, tax etc is fraud and should be treated as such. If the local Plod can spare an officer to check these things best of luck to them, hope they get a result.

[andyroo]

The tax disc in the windscreen is a compleate wast of time as the police check the computer

even when a valid tax disc is on show. Takes less than a minute to check tax, mot and in-suwer-ant.

Most classic car owners I know place a period tax disc in there car for the show. So joe public

has no way of knowing if its taxed or not.

In fact, untill this thread croped up I'd neaver even consided that any classic cars at a show may not be taxed.