Non-Speed related question for the BiB's
Discussion
I believe that it is legal to drive a non-MOT'd car on the road if it is on the way to a pre-booked MOT test?
Is there any statutory maximum distance for this?
Reason for question is that I have a car in a lock up in Yorkshire that I haven't used for a couple of years & would like to MOT it and bring it down to where I now live in Leicestershire. Apart from the convenience of being able to test it near to where I live, a bit of mileage would help loosen everything up a bit before the test.
Is there any statutory maximum distance for this?
Reason for question is that I have a car in a lock up in Yorkshire that I haven't used for a couple of years & would like to MOT it and bring it down to where I now live in Leicestershire. Apart from the convenience of being able to test it near to where I live, a bit of mileage would help loosen everything up a bit before the test.
Martin_S said:
I believe that it is legal to drive a non-MOT'd car on the road if it is on the way to a pre-booked MOT test?
Is there any statutory maximum distance for this?
Reason for question is that I have a car in a lock up in Yorkshire that I haven't used for a couple of years & would like to MOT it and bring it down to where I now live in Leicestershire. Apart from the convenience of being able to test it near to where I live, a bit of mileage would help loosen everything up a bit before the test.
This question has come up before and some of the BiB on the site said they would only tolerate cars being driven to a local station for a MOT.
Fortunately for all of us what they would tolerate and what the law actually is are very often two different things.
I can find no legal reason for buying a car in Land's End, booking it into your local garage in John o' Groats, and driving it all the way there.
Where you could get into trouble is if you were stopped by a Traffic Inspector who is qualified to examine the vehicle and it was in no fit state to be on the road, particularly if it had obvious faults such as a bald tyre or a broken lamp unit that you quite clearly knew about before you started your journey, then they could insist that you drive no further.
I think it would depend on the individual officer.
Ah, might be a problem there, Hamster...
The car hasn't got any obvious MOT-related faults, but it is pretty lethal at the moment, never the less, and difficult to drive at legal speeds.
Full race engine and 'semi-slick' Yokahama tires, so it alternates between coughing and spluttering 'cos the engine isn't 'on cam' and snaking all over the place as the powerband kicks in and the tyres lose grip. It only really settles down at speeds over 70 (on private test track, not on the back streets of Leeds on Christmas day, obviously...).
Still, so long as I'm legal driving it to an MOT test, that'll do for me!
The car hasn't got any obvious MOT-related faults, but it is pretty lethal at the moment, never the less, and difficult to drive at legal speeds.
Full race engine and 'semi-slick' Yokahama tires, so it alternates between coughing and spluttering 'cos the engine isn't 'on cam' and snaking all over the place as the powerband kicks in and the tyres lose grip. It only really settles down at speeds over 70 (on private test track, not on the back streets of Leeds on Christmas day, obviously...).
Still, so long as I'm legal driving it to an MOT test, that'll do for me!
IOLAIRE said:
This question has come up before and some of the BiB on the site said they would only tolerate cars being driven to a local station for a MOT.
Fortunately for all of us what they would tolerate and what the law actually is are very often two different things.
I can find no legal reason for buying a car in Land's End, booking it into your local garage in John o' Groats, and driving it all the way there.
Where you could get into trouble is if you were stopped by a Traffic Inspector who is qualified to examine the vehicle and it was in no fit state to be on the road, particularly if it had obvious faults such as a bald tyre or a broken lamp unit that you quite clearly knew about before you started your journey, then they could insist that you drive no further.
I think it would depend on the individual officer.
Some Bib traffic officers have the same powers as DOT examiners. Just hope you don't meet one on your journey
Martin_S said:
Ah, might be a problem there, Hamster...
The car hasn't got any obvious MOT-related faults, but it is pretty lethal at the moment, never the less, and difficult to drive at legal speeds.
Full race engine and 'semi-slick' Yokahama tires, so it alternates between coughing and spluttering 'cos the engine isn't 'on cam' and snaking all over the place as the powerband kicks in and the tyres lose grip. It only really settles down at speeds over 70 (on private test track, not on the back streets of Leeds on Christmas day, obviously...).
Still, so long as I'm legal driving it to an MOT test, that'll do for me!
Be very careful here Martin, make sure the tyres are street legal; you can lose your licence with four bad tyres, three points each, just like that.
The car sounds as if it would guarantee a pull by the way it looks and sounds, so I would think very seriously about whether or not you think it's worth the risk.
Martin_S said:
I believe that it is legal to drive a non-MOT'd car on the road if it is on the way to a pre-booked MOT test?
Is there any statutory maximum distance for this?
Reason for question is that I have a car in a lock up in Yorkshire that I haven't used for a couple of years & would like to MOT it and bring it down to where I now live in Leicestershire. Apart from the convenience of being able to test it near to where I live, a bit of mileage would help loosen everything up a bit before the test.
Depends which bits of Yorkshire & Leicestershire. Makes a whale of a difference whether you start in Richmond or Maltby.
Under the Motor Vehicles (Test) Regs 1981 use of a vehicle without a current TC is allowed *for the purposes of SUBMITTING IT by previous arrangements for, or bringing it away from, an examination.
A similar provision in relation to Excise Licence (but not failing to display) exists under Vehicles Excise and Reg. Act 1994.
In both there is no mention of any distance not allowed to be travelled so it would appear that a vehicle being submitted from Scotland to London on a pre= arranged test is exempt.
BUT, there is a legal school of thought that the exemption is only granted where the vehicle is being used SOLELY proceedings to and from the place of a Test. That prevents an impecunious holiday maker in London from arranging his car carrying him and his family on holiday to Margate to be tested and this attracting the TC/Excise exemption.
Can the scenario above be said to facilite the movement of the vehicle from A to B and not just soley for the purpose of the test?
Not yet tested in High Court as far as I am aware.
Wise words above that it would not exempt various Con and Use offences which may now be apparent from a vehicle stood for 2 years.
DVD
A similar provision in relation to Excise Licence (but not failing to display) exists under Vehicles Excise and Reg. Act 1994.
In both there is no mention of any distance not allowed to be travelled so it would appear that a vehicle being submitted from Scotland to London on a pre= arranged test is exempt.
BUT, there is a legal school of thought that the exemption is only granted where the vehicle is being used SOLELY proceedings to and from the place of a Test. That prevents an impecunious holiday maker in London from arranging his car carrying him and his family on holiday to Margate to be tested and this attracting the TC/Excise exemption.
Can the scenario above be said to facilite the movement of the vehicle from A to B and not just soley for the purpose of the test?
Not yet tested in High Court as far as I am aware.
Wise words above that it would not exempt various Con and Use offences which may now be apparent from a vehicle stood for 2 years.
DVD
IOLAIRE said:
Be very careful here Martin, make sure the tyres are street legal; you can lose your licence with four bad tyres, three points each, just like that.
The car sounds as if it would guarantee a pull by the way it looks and sounds, so I would think very seriously about whether or not you think it's worth the risk.
The tyres are street legal (Yokahama A008's)- just the type where all the tread is offset to the inside of the tyre, so that the outside shoulder that is loaded during cornering is effectively slick.
Strangely, I've never had much bother with the rozzers when driving really extreme machinery - I think they assume that since it is so blatantly dodgy, you wouldn't be on the road unless you have dotted the i's and crossed the t's in terms of C&U legality.
minimax said:
There's only 5 trafpol covering the whole of England and Wales now so the chances of getting caught are miniscule.
really? that's a bit mad
Not literally! The point is there's fewer and fewer trafpol to catch slightly unhinged PHers taking semi-legal track cars half way across the country
. Martin, from the sound of it i'd be tempted to trailer it. If you do get caught you could be saying adios to your licence which makes the MOT a bit academic..
Martin_S said:
The tyres are street legal (Yokahama A008's
So long as they're E-marked and don't have "For Competition (or "Racing") Purposes Only" moulded into them, there's no problem with using A008's. My car (and previous car) has passed MoT tests with A539's, A008's, and A038's.
But the A038's didn't last very long
What about arranging RAC cover for it, the sort that gets you home to your home address (in Leicestershire, of course), and arranging for something to happen to it such that it cannot be started (or driven). You could accidentally lose an HT lead, for instance.
Call the RAC and tell them it is "Terminal", and ask them to take it home for you.
(Note, read the RAC T&C's carefully before trying this - they may have made it against the rules.)
Oli.
Call the RAC and tell them it is "Terminal", and ask them to take it home for you.
(Note, read the RAC T&C's carefully before trying this - they may have made it against the rules.)
Oli.
zcacogp said:
What about arranging RAC cover for it, the sort that gets you home to your home address (in Leicestershire, of course), and arranging for something to happen to it such that it cannot be started (or driven). You could accidentally lose an HT lead, for instance.
Call the RAC and tell them it is "Terminal", and ask them to take it home for you.
(Note, read the RAC T&C's carefully before trying this - they may have made it against the rules.)
Oli.
Sorry - car must be taxed!
Steve
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