Not displaying tax disc on a taxed car question.

[redstu]

SmoothCriminal said:

You could'ave saved all this hassle if you just taxed it at the post office in the first place.

I tried that and was told that I couldn't , so it had to be by post!

Edited by redstu on Saturday 26th September 21:17

[Lord Flathead]

Just to turn the system on it's head a little more...

I recently changed insurer to due a substantial saving over my last company for 3 years. This new company allows you to download your policy once you have paid for it online. It's a pdf format doc and you print it off so that you can furnish a copy to whoever asks for it.

So far so good right? Well I am driving my Range Rover later that very same day (old but tidy basic spec nothing flash) and next second I get the blues and twos I pull over immediately and wait for the officer to come over. I am asked to step out of the vehicle and the officer asks for the keys WTF? Whys does he want my keys

Me: "Whats seems to be the problem officer?"

Him: "Your vehicle is coming up on ANPR as unisured"

Me: "Oh I have just insured it; here are my policy details - I paid for the cover at 11 am and it says that on there" (it's now 3pm).

Him: "Sorry but anyone could have forged that, I am going to have to ask you to wait while I ring your insurance company for confirmation"

Me: "Well can you tell me what exactly is the point of me bothering to print the policy so that I can carry it specificaly to hand to police officers that ask for it, if it is worthless to you?" ..I'm getting a tad now partly because it took me about 30 minutes to get the printer working again and what for?

Then using the telephone number for the insurance on the policy doc that I printed he rings them to confirm the insurance is really in place. I know what's coming next as it is a Saturday and there is no one there at that time! The officer now suggests that he is going to have to seize my car unless I can provide him with a means to authenticate my insurance

Out of desperation, I am now ranting away like a proper lune and I go online with my mobile phone to my online banking. I show him a transaction for £224 odd to the same insurance company and after he winces at the 2.5" screen on my phone, he explains that 'the system is probably just catching up' and he gives me back my keys and I am on my way.

Now:

• Either the electronic systems neeed to be robust enough to not fall over like this OR, they should accept the documents I have shown them.

• The officer asked me for proof of identity and I gave him my license, he didn't question that. Where's the continuity in his line of questioning? My insurance policy was printed on a laser with croxley script as everything document wise is; did I look like a Doubting Thomas? No.

• He wasn't out to get me - we had a decent level of comminication and I offered every solution possible to try and bring the matter to a close. What I did pick up on was that he came across as not very impressed himself with the system and it's apples and oranges approach to different document checks.

• Why is supposed to be ok to drive a car on a printed insurance document yet it isn't really, yet you cannot drive an untaxed car (even though it's been paid for) without have the sodding paper stuck in the window?

Consistency - there 'aint none!

[saaby93]

Must admit I find the DLA advice misleading too
Its almost as if theyre trying to make us susceptible to the failure display laws

Here goes
The DVLA reminder booklet says
Since 1st September 2008 you can legally drive or keep your vehicle on the road for up to 5 days from the end of the month without displaying a valid tax disc

Sounds fair enough - I have 5 days in which to get a new tax disc.

Except if you read further there's a rider in a different font

provided you have made your application ( by phone or online) before your current vehicle tax/SORN expires.

There, that's caught you. Pay us £50


Why didnt they turn it around and turn it into a banefit :-

If you make your application (by phone or online) before your current vehicle tax/SORN expires you can legally drive or keep your vehicle on the road for up to 5 days from the end of the month without displaying the valid tax disc.

[herewego]

Send it to them as a suggestion.

[esselte]

saaby93 said:

Must admit I find the DLA advice misleading too
Its almost as if theyre trying to make us susceptible to the failure display laws

Here goes
The DVLA reminder booklet says
Since 1st September 2008 you can legally drive or keep your vehicle on the road for up to 5 days from the end of the month without displaying a valid tax disc

Sounds fair enough - I have 5 days in which to get a new tax disc.

Except if you read further there's a rider in a different font

provided you have made your application ( by phone or online) before your current vehicle tax/SORN expires.

There, that's caught you. Pay us £50


Why didnt they turn it around and turn it into a banefit :-

If you make your application (by phone or online) before your current vehicle tax/SORN expires you can legally drive or keep your vehicle on the road for up to 5 days from the end of the month without displaying the valid tax disc.

Why not just tax your car on time? After all it's not a big surprise when it's due....

[saaby93]

esselte said:

Why not just tax your car on time? After all it's not a big surprise when it's due....

True
But on first reading the booklet seems to say you can leave it for 5 days
and if youre trying to juggle when the insurance is due, when you're on holiday etc, those 5 days can be very useful.
It's easy to miss the second part.
That's all I was saying

[esselte]

saaby93 said:

esselte said:

Why not just tax your car on time? After all it's not a big surprise when it's due....

True
But on first reading the booklet seems to say you can leave it for 5 days
and if youre trying to juggle when the insurance is due, when you're on holiday etc, those 5 days can be very useful.
It's easy to miss the second part.
That's all I was saying

Fair enough..