Legality of of pushing broken bike?
Discussion
I need to move a motorcycle out of what is now my exes garden and to my garage so I can get it sorted for spring.
It currently won't start (something electrical, probably battery but due to being stuck where it is I'm unable to properly look at it) and is SORN with no MOT/TAX.
The distance is 3.7 miles door to door, but does go past a big police/council depot on a main road.
How much trouble would I be likely to get into if I got caught pushing it there? I'm thinking very early morning so there's fewer pedestrians etc about. I don't have a trailer or van and money is a bit tight for renting one, It's basically round the corner but would not want to get into any expensive bother over it....
It currently won't start (something electrical, probably battery but due to being stuck where it is I'm unable to properly look at it) and is SORN with no MOT/TAX.
The distance is 3.7 miles door to door, but does go past a big police/council depot on a main road.
How much trouble would I be likely to get into if I got caught pushing it there? I'm thinking very early morning so there's fewer pedestrians etc about. I don't have a trailer or van and money is a bit tight for renting one, It's basically round the corner but would not want to get into any expensive bother over it....
Edited by Timfy on Thursday 29th December 06:03
Technically if you push it on the road/pavement for any reason it needs insurance/tax and mot as you are 'using' it.
If you go the pre booked mot route then it still needs insurance even to push it.
Most sensible officers assuming you pass the attitude test would not get into a lather about it.
Pushing it in the early hours would certainly attract my attention.
I suggest get a mate with a van to move it, or as a last resort push it during the day with a crash helmet on your arm to make it look like it's broken down on the journey (assuming it looks roadworthy).
If you go the pre booked mot route then it still needs insurance even to push it.
Most sensible officers assuming you pass the attitude test would not get into a lather about it.
Pushing it in the early hours would certainly attract my attention.
I suggest get a mate with a van to move it, or as a last resort push it during the day with a crash helmet on your arm to make it look like it's broken down on the journey (assuming it looks roadworthy).
Cheers it does look roadworthy for a 30 year old bike that lives in a garden (if it started there's no reason it shouldn't be as I've spent £££ and a couple of hundred hours making it so over the past eight months, it's basically finished ready for MOT, then just suddenly started refusing to work on the day I'd planned to call and book one.)
If I can get it to my garage I hope it'll be ridable and safe for MOT after a weekend of fettling but can't do that where it is.
It wouldn't be stupidly early as there's plenty of trouble with bike thieves in the area so wouldn't want to stand out by looking like a blatant wrong'un.
I'll see if I can get the trailer sorted this week otherwise I might have to chance it one Sunday morning.
Good shout on the man with a van used a local guy to move a bed recently and was cheap as chips.
If I can get it to my garage I hope it'll be ridable and safe for MOT after a weekend of fettling but can't do that where it is.
It wouldn't be stupidly early as there's plenty of trouble with bike thieves in the area so wouldn't want to stand out by looking like a blatant wrong'un.
I'll see if I can get the trailer sorted this week otherwise I might have to chance it one Sunday morning.
Good shout on the man with a van used a local guy to move a bed recently and was cheap as chips.
Edited by Timfy on Thursday 29th December 07:22
I know you say money is tight, but it will be a whole lot worse if you are nabbed for no insurance, tax and MOT, you have to weigh up the risks and work out which scenario is worse for you.
In the same position I would get a few quotes for a quick man van hire or even a 1/2 day van hire, plus ( i know it sounds daft) but pushing a bike that far you could injure yourself and/or drop the bike.
In the same position I would get a few quotes for a quick man van hire or even a 1/2 day van hire, plus ( i know it sounds daft) but pushing a bike that far you could injure yourself and/or drop the bike.
blitzracing said:
At what point is it a motor vehicle if its not self propelled- and just a peace of metal you are moving? Remove the chain just to prove a point that it wont go under its own steam?
By comparison, removing the engine from a car but placing it on the road would not remove the need for insurance. It is a motor vehicle. It's ability to be ridden is not the test in law, as I understand it.You say the exercise is no bad thing.
It'll be over in less than an hour.
In your position the only question I would be asking myself is if I could be bothered to push it.
These threads are just depressing. Everybody should be telling you to get on with, what are you worrying about etc. Yet all this paranoid guff comes up. If it's a non-runner then nobody can suggest you 'could' have been using it, so why worry about it?
Things have got so bad in this country that people worry about inadvertantly committing crimes when doing all manner of harmless activities.
It'll be over in less than an hour.
In your position the only question I would be asking myself is if I could be bothered to push it.
These threads are just depressing. Everybody should be telling you to get on with, what are you worrying about etc. Yet all this paranoid guff comes up. If it's a non-runner then nobody can suggest you 'could' have been using it, so why worry about it?
Things have got so bad in this country that people worry about inadvertantly committing crimes when doing all manner of harmless activities.
cmaguire said:
Stuff
No insurance is an absolute offence. These threads are handy to remind people of the risks. How they then choose to proceed is up to them.Better that than lots of people saying "do it" and then a follow up thread of "being done for no insurance or tax but I was only pushing it - advice please"
Given the choice between £20 and a man in a van vs a large fine and 6 points, I know which I'd take.
SS2. said:
The police could.
Ask them to start it then.Are we really this petty now?
It would be more risky if he tried pushing a fully loaded wheelbarrow with bricks in it. He could get tired and tip it over. A brick might land on someone's foot, or end up on the road and have a cyclist off.
It doesn't bear thinking about.
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