Question for the friendly BiB here

[Troesma]

Right

All set to pick my new set of wheels from dealer on Saturday... meant to be tomorrow, but cannot do it

Everything OK and ready to go, car taxed end of last week but it occurred to me to have a peek into the DVLA online site. It will be a long drive from the dealer back home and guaranteed I'll pass some of our finest on duty and many ANPR checks on the way.

Now, DVLA car enquiry system shows car still unlicensed. Bummer, but it was taxed at the Post Office last week..? Checked with dealer, he confirmed that. Phoned the DVLA to ask about it, after some time by-passing their automated answering system, nice lady listens and says "... it takes at least 5 days for us to update our systems, but I'll check it from here." Types VRN and says "nothing appears here."

Question her about the high probability of being picked-up by ANPR, about the "computer says NO" tagline some of our finest seem to adhere to, and what to do? Very clearly says "if you have a valid tax disc there is nothing trafpol can do about it, they have to accept its validity and that's the end of the matter." Reminded her about the "horror stories" usually seen posted in motoring forums, and was very forceul again, "sir, if you display a valid tax disc, that's the end of it."

Which sounds sensible, but we know otherwise. Plus the inconveniece of being stopped. And on a weekend and 200 miles from home the least I want if for some mindless plod to wave the "computer says NO" argument and ruin my day.

Any suggestions? Looks as safer bet to wait until the DVLA computer gives the all clear, but lets face it, that's stupid. Why should anyone face the risk of having his/her car pulled from the streets simply because it takes a week (!) to update the systems?

Cheers.

[Silent1]

Drive it, i doubt you'll get pulled and if you do you just have to point at the tax disc

[Troesma]

Thanks guys. Yep, true I might be over-reacting a bit but then, when you read some of the stuff floating around, you wonder...

I'd reckon the chances of being pulled might be slim, and of course all the paperwork will be with me.

It's just a question of ensuring an enjoyable drive back home.

Cheers

[TPS]

It may well be that by saturday it shows on the system as being taxed.I reckon you will be ok though either way.

[streaky]

frazer guest said:

One of the first questions that you will be asked is, "Do you know why I have stopped you?". That is an oppertunity [sic] given to you by the police to confess, if you have done something wrong, which you wont have.

So, even if you do drive past an ANPR, and even if you do get a tug, explain that you have only just bought the vehicle, that why you think that you have got stopped.

You contradict yourself ... albeit that purchasing a vehicle might be seen as a heinous crime in some people's books - Streaky

[Dwight VanDriver]

Valid comments made by Frazer ^^^^^^

The worse senario is that Plod would report for using without. This is a REVENUE OFFENCE and as such he cannot summons you. That has to be done by DVLA (Sec of State). He reports facts to DVLA who on receipt of his form checks their records and from what said a Licence in force. Form to WPB.

But, the sting is, you could be reported for failing to display a current Licence - FPN No points. Under the circumstances explained, as I have said before, it would only be a very constipated Plod that would take this action.

......I just know what your going to do.....

dvd

[Troesma]

Dwight VanDriver said:

Under the circumstances explained, as I have said before, it would only be a very constipated Plod that would take this action.

Of which, judging by some of the threads here, we're seeing quite a few on our roads lately...

But agree with you and I think should not worry.

In any case what blows my mind is for the DVLA to take at least 5 days to update their systems, something which I cannot see why is not done pretty much on-the-fly (or within 24 hours at most).

[Chrispy Porker]

It doesn't matter what the DVLA system says.
You are displaying a valid excise licence, that is all that matters.

[Troesma]

Chrispy Porker said:

It doesn't matter what the DVLA system says.
You are displaying a valid excise licence, that is all that matters.

Very true CP, as the DVLA said to me over the phone, but then you also have things such as in the (now famous) thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

and it makes you wonder

But this does not detract from the issue that if we're moving towards more computarised "on the road" checks (and executing law enforcement on the basis of such checks) then it is mandatory for those systems to be diligently updated.

[Chrispy Porker]

Troesma said:

Chrispy Porker said:

It doesn't matter what the DVLA system says.
You are displaying a valid excise licence, that is all that matters.

Very true CP, as the DVLA said to me over the phone, but then you also have things such as in the (now famous) thread

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

and it makes you wonder

But this does not detract from the issue that if we're moving towards more computarised "on the road" checks (and executing law enforcement on the basis of such checks) then it is mandatory for those systems to be diligently updated.

Worry not. If you get stopped, which is unlikely, smile and draw the officers attention to your nice new tax disc.

[7db]

Take a tape recorder and go and find an ANPR patrol...

[johno_78]

a few years ago i was pulled for exactly this. it was the 3rd day of the month and the bib were doing their checks. i had got the tax disc on the last day of the previous month and the records hadn't been updated.

as soon as i pulled upto the bib, he could see the new disc and said "we pulled you over as we thought you didn't have a tax disc, but you obviously do. thanks for stopping, drive safe."

[Troesma]

OK, end of story.

Checked again DVLA online today (for sport) and "licence not due" marker is on.

So, it took 5 working days following the day you pay for the disc (Friday to Friday) for the DVLA to update the details on their systems, for a car taxed at a Post Office (reckon it should be rather immediate if done online...)

Maybe this info helps someone. For what is worth, it shows the time lag in updating their systems.

Edited for Typos

Edited by Troesma on Friday 13th July 08:17

[Flat in Fifth]

johno_78 said:

a few years ago i was pulled for exactly this. it was the 3rd day of the month and the bib were doing their checks. i had got the tax disc on the last day of the previous month and the records hadn't been updated.

as soon as i pulled upto the bib, he could see the new disc and said "we pulled you over as we thought you didn't have a tax disc, but you obviously do. thanks for stopping, drive safe."

So with this story and chrispy porker's very fair assertions above that suggests quite strongly that the "bright spark" as mentioned in my ("famous"? really!) 'Computer says No thread' linked above is a total prat.

We locals know he's a prat but even so.

Edited by Flat in Fifth on Friday 13th July 09:11

[Troesma]

Flat in Fifth said:

So with this story and chrispy porker's very fair assertions above that suggests quite strongly that the "bright spark" as mentioned in my ("famous"? really!) 'Computer says No thread' linked above is a total prat.

We locals know he's a prat but even so.

FiF, thing is that with the advent of the computer age and the younger generations being raised in an ever increasing information-based society, the tendency is to believe (and be led to believe) in databases as oracles, and loose touch with reality and common sense.

OK, that does not preclude someone being a prat regardless... but, as I said above, there is a worrying tendency (simple combing of the forum tells you about sorry tales from some of our finest) that policing has become much more robotised / commoditised, with judgement coming second by miles.

Just my 2c. It is a shame, really.

[Dwight VanDriver]

Whose to say the 'on line' record is the instant duplication of the main frame record and therefore updated at the same time. Or is Main frame first and passed to Bjorn Hagen-Kristen to up date the 'on line' when he has time?

dvd

[Troesma]

TBH dunno DVD, just a hypothesis.

[Bing o]

Let's put it this way - I've worked for two of teh largest Investment Banks in the world, who make billions a year in profits.

Yet with all that money available, the IT systems are still rarely fit for purpose.

How anything developed in the Civil Service would ever be infallible is beyond me!

[ewenm]

Bing o said:

Let's put it this way - I've worked for two of teh largest Investment Banks in the world, who make billions a year in profits.

Yet with all that money available, the IT systems are still rarely fit for purpose.

How anything developed in the Civil Service would ever be infallible is beyond me!

You may find the bank systems and the civil service systems are developed by the same people. I've worked on systems at Merrill Lynch and am now working on systems at the MoD. Major development of new systems is often outsourced to specialists. Problems occur when the requirements are not well enough defined and that happens everywhere.

As for the OP, storm in a teacup - you have a valid tax disc on the car. The DVLA may not be up to date but all you need to do if stopped (highly unlikely) is to point to the tax disc. The requirements are to have taxed the car and to display it.

[Troesma]

ewenm said:

As for the OP, storm in a teacup - you have a valid tax disc on the car. The DVLA may not be up to date but all you need to do if stopped (highly unlikely) is to point to the tax disc. The requirements are to have taxed the car and to display it.

Better see

http://www.pistonheads.com/xforums/topic.asp?h=0&a...

for a counterfactual.