Tax Disc Stolen

[Fats25]

Some little scrote, has again (2nd time in a year) nicked my tax disc from my bike.

Last time it happened it was last November and the tax ran out in December - so I never bothered doing anything.

I actually noticed it was nicked again about two months ago (it doesn't expire til end of 12/05), but thought I would take the chance that if pulled, I would hope that it was a nice copper that would see the bike was taxed til end of year on his computer (?)- give me a producer - and I would pay my additional £7 TAX for a replacement before producing my docs.

However I am due to ride to Gibraltar next month, and saw a thread on here recently that stated that they can "do you" for not having tax at the border controls. Is this true?

Do I have to pay another £7 TAX because some scrote nicked it? Why won't the DVLA give a replacement for free? They can see I have paid!

Also in future any advice on what to do with the Tax Disc - obviously I know it needs to be displayed - but I really can't be bothered to pay for it again only to appear on some "blazing squads" scooter..........

Also don't fancy riding around with no tax on bike (as I know I have been), as I have 9 points already and don't need to be drawing attention to myself.

Any advice? Thoughts?

[mcflurry]

For the sake of piece of mind I would pay the £7 and be done with it. Then buy a better locking cover for the new disc...

[echo]

Put a colour photocopy on the bike and keep the original in your wallet?

For my convertible I use www.secur-i-disc.co.uk/ tescos sell them in their big stores and even some of the the local cop shops sell them for about £1

[TypeR]

I now keep my bike tax disc in a pocket of my bike jacket.

The TrafPol at a recent Bikesafe event agreed that while technically illegal, none of them would have nicked me for failure to display, as long as the bike WAS taxed and I had the disc to prove it.

However, not all BiB are as practical in their approach, and may not be as understanding.

[Nuggs]

echo said:

For my convertible I use www.secur-i-disc.co.uk/

Thanks, echo. I'd been looking for something like this for my car - order duly placed

[smeggy]

echo said:

Put a colour photocopy on the bike and keep the original in your wallet?

Dodgeeeeee. You could possibly get done for ‘falsifying an instrument’ or something along those lines, perhaps justified because it would enable the transference of the real tax disk to another vehicle.

All IMO or course

[LiTHiUM]

Secur-i-Disc also make a tamper proof holder for motorbikes, see www.secur-i-disc.co.uk/motorcycle.htm

[Fats25]

Looks pretty good - thanks for your responses.

The problem is that the scrotes had actually snapped off the last tax disc holder, and left it still screwed in - am sure they can do this with the transparent holder!

[cross-eyed-twit]

It wouldn't be falsifying anything just making a copy of a valid and paid for document. Also, the cops just look for the right colour paper/correct dates when doing quick drive by scans and when up close probably wouldn't tell its a print out without running their fingers over it to feel the embossing.

[Davel]

When mine was nicked and I rang the Police, I was told that you don't have to actually display it so long as you keep in in your wallet or jacket.

If stopped, you can then show it to the officer concerned.

Most reasonable BiBs should accept that, on bikes or in topless cars, you need to safeguard the disc.

[Fats25]

Following on from advice and wanting to do the correct thing - I have completed my V20 form today for a replacement TAX disc.

The form states that in exceptional circumstances that a fee will not be required - so I called Sue at the DVLA local office.

Suffice to say that a scrote stealing my TAX disc is not an exceptional circumstance! I explained that it was exceptional as I had not stolen it....... but alas that is not the case!

I asked what was an exceptional circumstance and she explained that this would be if advised to get a new tax disc by the police........ this got me thinking, shall I just not get one, wait for the police to tell me to get one, and then plead exceptional circumstances?!

I asked her advice as to what I should do in future to ensure this does not happen again? She had no suggestions.

I suggested a photocopy, or leaving in pocket - but she helpfully explained that I could be caught for not displaying.

I explained to her that she was obviously correct, and I should just display it and pay £7 everytime it is stolen. She agreed!

(I am being pedantic and will be paying - but again get that feeling of being taxed for something outside of my control)

[ec1 eex]

I've shown a colour copy on my bike since I had an original stolen a couple of years ago. The GBP7 charge wasn't such a big deal as waiting in line for 3.5 hours at the DVLA office to have it issued was.

Since I've been showing colour copies, I've had two of those nicked as well.

[GreenV8S]

Davel said:

When mine was nicked and I rang the Police, I was told that you don't have to actually display it so long as you keep in in your wallet or jacket.

I thought that 'failure to display' was an explicit offence, regardless of whether you had a valid tax disc?

[minimax]

why do people steal tax dics? I really can't see the benefit as when you get pulled over the copper will see that the registration number does not match your registration plate?

or am I missing something?

oh and don't the ANPR cams pull over drivers shown to not be taxed by reading their registration plates and cross referening it to a database regardless of whether they have the correctly coloured disc in the windscreen...assuming they can't actually zoom in and read the registration mark on the tax disc and make sure it correlates with the registration plate..

>> Edited by minimax on Saturday 6th August 17:56

[MR2Mike]

minimax said:

why do people steal tax dics? I really can't see the benefit as when you get pulled over the copper will see that the registration number does not match your registration plate?

I think you have to consider the limited brain power of the average scrote, which would be incapable of such logical reasoning.

However, I suspect it probably stops the majority of traffic wardens reporting no tax disc as I can't see many of them checking all the details on each disc they look at. However, it's preety stupid as fraudulently using a stolen tax disc must surely carry a higher penalty than not displaying anything.

[silverback mike]

Davel said:

When mine was nicked and I rang the Police, I was told that you don't have to actually display it so long as you keep in in your wallet or jacket. If stopped, you can then show it to the officer concerned. Most reasonable BiBs should accept that, on bikes or in topless cars, you need to safeguard the disc.

They were wrong there, it is an offence of failing to display.
However, I would understand the reasons why if in convertible etc. I think the best bet is one of those secured tax holders, its what I have on mine. It stops being 'stuck on' whilst the car is parked by a hit and run.

[xxxxxxrich]

minimax said:

why do people steal tax dics? I really can't see the benefit as when you get pulled over the copper will see that the registration number does not match your registration plate? or am I missing something?

A Stolen TAX Disc and a new set of plates with your Reg is all that's needed. So long as they don't get the VIN Numbers shecked they will be fine!

[streaky]

Fats25 said:

However I am due to ride to Gibraltar next month, and saw a thread on here recently that stated that they can "do you" for not having tax at the border controls. Is this true?

"Border controls"? "Border controls"? Now I have to drain tea from my keyboard - Streaky

[minimax]

xxxxxxrich said:

minimax said: why do people steal tax dics? I really can't see the benefit as when you get pulled over the copper will see that the registration number does not match your registration plate? or am I missing something? A Stolen TAX Disc and a new set of plates with your Reg is all that's needed. So long as they don't get the VIN Numbers shecked they will be fine!

oh I get it now...I knew there must be a reason