parking tickets and car covers

[davido140]

Hello all,

I seem to have stumbled across a little bit of a parking loophole, I park my two cars outside my house in a residents parking area. All houses are given a "permanent" pass with the reg number displayed and a visitors pass which much have the reg number written with the date every day (which makes it a real pain to have a 2nd car and use the visitors permit).

Before I got the 2nd car I had a chat with a very nice lady from the local council I was told that I couldnt have two "permanent" passes even if I surrendered my visitors one (apparently its a government guide line to residents parking schemes, dont know how much truth is in this)

but I did happen to mention that the car was kept under a cover for the majority of the time, she then told me that she didnt believe that the parking warden/attendant could actually put a ticket on a car that was under a tarpaulin/cover but she would call back and give me more info when she had spoken to her boss.

When she called back a few days later I was told I could now have a 2nd permanent pass but I must surrender my vistors permit (Pain in the ass as I cant have visitors to my house then), I told her thanks very much and I would let her know when i get the 2nd car.

Of course at this point I smelled a little bit of a loophole. so when the 2nd car arrived I stuck it under its cover and didnt bother putting the permit in the window.

nearly 2 weeks later and still no ticket (been checking under the cover daily!) and the attendants are pretty damn hot around my way!!

its probably worth mentioning that the cover obscures registration plates!

any insight as to why they cant peek under the car cover? Im assuming it might be some liability issue, fiddle with the cover and they might scratch the car, or set off an alarm or something??

Cheers

Dave

[Bibbs]

I read *somewhere* they can remove covers on cars, but not on bikes (which is why a lot of bikes have bags over their plates).

But I suppose if your cover is on with a lot of rope and cord it's more that their time to go hunting.

[Munkie]

Yeah, but this is the government remember.

The attendants probably reported your covered car and it will be somewhere in the system waiting for some over-zealous supervisor to come take a look with the view to giving you a massive fine.

[Dwight VanDriver]

Vehicle Excise Registration Act 1994

43.—(1) If a registration mark fixed on a vehicle as required by virtue of section 23 is in any way—
(a) obscured, or
(b) rendered, or allowed to become, not easily distinguishable,
the relevant person is guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000

(3) In subsection (1)"the relevant person" means the person driving the vehicle or, where it is not being driven, the person keeping it.

?

dvd

[davido140]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Vehicle Excise Registration Act 1994

43.—(1) If a registration mark fixed on a vehicle as required by virtue of section 23 is in any way—
(a) obscured, or
(b) rendered, or allowed to become, not easily distinguishable,
the relevant person is guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000

(3) In subsection (1)"the relevant person" means the person driving the vehicle or, where it is not being driven, the person keeping it.

?

dvd

aha, a possible problem with my cunning plan!

I thinking its probably NOT an offence for the car to be covered up when in a designated residents parking bay?

[esselte]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Vehicle Excise Registration Act 1994

43.—(1) If a registration mark fixed on a vehicle as required by virtue of section 23 is in any way—
(a) obscured, or
(b) rendered, or allowed to become, not easily distinguishable,
the relevant person is guilty of an offence.

(2) A person guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000

(3) In subsection (1)"the relevant person" means the person driving the vehicle or, where it is not being driven, the person keeping it.

?

dvd

So,if there were transparent patches over the reg nos. could said wardens move the cover to look for VED and/or parking permit?

[Swoxy]

If I remember correctly, this has been covered in depth on PePiPoo.
Incidentally, when drainage vans come to our office and park on the pavement the drivers stick a bit of black tape over part of the number plates and windscreens (in order to obscure part of the tax disc) to prevent over zealous parking attendants from issuing tickets for obstructing the pavement. Parking attendants are powerless to remove the tape and the only way the drivers will get in trouble is if the police get involved. I have even seen a driver stick black bags over the number plates and put the tax disc in the glovebox for the duration of his visit.