Neighbours don't have RFL on either car...what to do?
Neighbours don't have RFL on either car...what to do?
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havoc

Original Poster:

33,482 posts

265 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Want some advice.

One of our neighbours is clearly ignoring certain taxes on his cars - neither has had any RFL for nearly a year (one for over a year, although it hasn't moved for >6 months). At first thought it was just the static car and let it go, but now realised it's his other one as well.

Both are on-road (so SORN not possible for the static), they have a garage and some hardstanding at the back of their back-garden they COULD use for the static car (OLD tatty Mondeo, badly parked too, making life quite difficult now in our street as there's a space less 'cause of how he's parked, plus that car just sitting there not moving).

Now I know the chap quite well, he's a nice enough guy, but my concern is: If he's not bothered with tax on either car:-
- has he got insurance?!?
- has either car got an MOT? The one he still uses is an M-plate Celica, so not the newest of machines...


So...what should I do? If it's just tax then IMHO it's not a massive deal and it's his lookout if he gets caught, but from what I understand no tax is often just the visible sign of the other points above. And to my mind driving without insurance or MOT is not on. Not sure I want to confront him direct as don't know for certain how he'd react, and I'm fairly sure his wife would kick-off (she's a volatile sort, and we've the nicest cars in the street...).
But do I go to the police about a neighbour who MIGHT just be skimping on RFL, or who may even just have forgotten to swap the disc over (I did once for about 2 weeks - found it amongst some paperwork!) on the driven car?

jasandjules

72,631 posts

259 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
What about an anonymous tip-off to plod?

They might just happen to patrol down your street one day and notice......

Civpilot

6,257 posts

270 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Well if tyhe tax has been out for over a year then no, he doesn't have insurance. And if you tax expires your insurance is invalid anyway.

Personally I would report him on the quiet. You could have a word in his ear politely but if he doesn't listen and then gets reported you will be blamed as the only person he knows who mentioned it.

Go ahead and make the call.

Mr E

23,087 posts

289 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Offtopic warning....

havoc said:

M-plate Celica, so not the newest of machines...


Oi. My baby is about 8 months more recent than that and sails through the MOT (usually....)

Back on topic.

Rotaree

1,241 posts

291 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Anonymous report to Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 - why should we who pay tax have to subsidise his road use?

esselte

14,626 posts

297 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Civpilot said:
Well if tyhe tax has been out for over a year then no, he doesn't have insurance. And if you tax expires your insurance is invalid anyway.



Is this true?Does a car have to be taxed to be insured? (I know it has to be insured to be taxed).If I SORN my car does that invalidate the insurance?

GKP

15,099 posts

271 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Common misconception about insurance/tax etc.



I pay RFL, so do you. Why shouldn't your neighbour?

havoc

Original Poster:

33,482 posts

265 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Mr E said:
Offtopic warning....

havoc said:

M-plate Celica, so not the newest of machines...


Oi. My baby is about 8 months more recent than that and sails through the MOT (usually....)

Back on topic.

hehe

Hey, I'm a Jap-fan, I know how reliable they tend to be. But I equally know that older cars DO have stuff fail...and he got his cheap because it's high-mileage.

But I guess the consensus is a quiet call to the Bill. I sort of knew that anyway, but when it's a neighbour (and a good one) not a stranger you do sort of pause, don't you.

JulianHJ

8,871 posts

292 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Call your force's non-emergency number. BIB can get some good results from tip-offs like that - the cars might also be uninsured and unroadworthy etc.

TangoAlpha

1,175 posts

284 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
Report it online.

safespeed

2,983 posts

304 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
esselte said:
Civpilot said:
Well if tyhe tax has been out for over a year then no, he doesn't have insurance. And if you tax expires your insurance is invalid anyway.



Is this true?Does a car have to be taxed to be insured? (I know it has to be insured to be taxed).If I SORN my car does that invalidate the insurance?


No it certainly isn't true.

safespeed

2,983 posts

304 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
I certainly wouldn't start a war with a neighbour over tax.

I would risk starting a war with a neighbour over uninsured driving.

I hate this 'big brother', '1984' effect where we're all drifting into being policemen against our fellow citizens. MUCH caution is required at all levels before we sleepwalk into a society that we hate.

esselte

14,626 posts

297 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
safespeed said:
esselte said:
Civpilot said:
Well if tyhe tax has been out for over a year then no, he doesn't have insurance. And if you tax expires your insurance is invalid anyway.



Is this true?Does a car have to be taxed to be insured? (I know it has to be insured to be taxed).If I SORN my car does that invalidate the insurance?


No it certainly isn't true.


Didn't think so.

havoc

Original Poster:

33,482 posts

265 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
safespeed said:
I certainly wouldn't start a war with a neighbour over tax.

I would risk starting a war with a neighbour over uninsured driving.

I hate this 'big brother', '1984' effect where we're all drifting into being policemen against our fellow citizens. MUCH caution is required at all levels before we sleepwalk into a society that we hate.


More eloquent way of putting my personal thoughts. It was the 'insurance' thing that prompted this thread, but I've no way of knowing...

Flintstone

8,644 posts

277 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
How about a note under the windscreen wiper?

"Hello there. None of my business and all that but I saw a policeman looking over your car(s) the other day and heard him mention to his colleague something about tax discs. Just thought you'd like to know."

stepej

445 posts

270 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
TangoAlpha said:
Report it online.

Without hesitation

fidgits

17,202 posts

259 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
stepej said:
TangoAlpha said:
Report it online.

Without hesitation


yep...

dont give him warning as suggested - this is different to it running over a month or so - and any indication you noticed it will be you'll be in the firing line the moment he gets done!

GregE240

10,857 posts

297 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
safespeed said:
I hate this 'big brother', '1984' effect where we're all drifting into being policemen against our fellow citizens. MUCH caution is required at all levels before we sleepwalk into a society that we hate.
Thats as maybe, but FFS we're all subsidising this bastard.

Doesn't it piss you off in the slightest that we're paying the thick end of up to 200 sheets a year for the privilege and for some unknown reason, he chooses not to?

Paul, you do a bloody good job mate, but I sincerely hope this bloke doesn't drive into you tonight.

safespeed

2,983 posts

304 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
GregE240 said:
safespeed said:
I hate this 'big brother', '1984' effect where we're all drifting into being policemen against our fellow citizens. MUCH caution is required at all levels before we sleepwalk into a society that we hate.
Thats as maybe, but FFS we're all subsidising this bastard.

Doesn't it piss you off in the slightest that we're paying the thick end of up to 200 sheets a year for the privilege and for some unknown reason, he chooses not to?

Paul, you do a bloody good job mate, but I sincerely hope this bloke doesn't drive into you tonight.


I agree with you. The tax thing is annoying.

But the sort of society that we end up living in is much more important. And I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling that it's getting massively worse. Is worrying about your neighbour's tax part of the problem? If it is, it's certainly at the thin end of the wedge. But if it IS at the thin end of the wedge (and I think it is) we should be very careful.

GregE240

10,857 posts

297 months

Tuesday 28th November 2006
quotequote all
I think a lot of it depends on the circumstances.

For example, where I used to live it was a lot of shared driveways. Christ, you even knew if your neighbours alloys had got dinged. Now where I live I'd have no idea.