Can't buy road tax
Discussion
Last week I popped into the local Post Office with my new Road fund licence application form to ensure I didn't forget it at the end of the month. I smiled smugly as I handed over my £165 cheque, insurance certificate and MoT certificate. Unfortunately I was then told I had to wait until the 15th of the month, as they hadn't printed any new discs yet. Indeed I hadn't read the whole form, only the "input fields" and price, but it does say you need to do it from the 15th of the month. Fair enough, but this was the 14th, and a bit of discretion might have been nice...
So today I chirpily drove into town, sauntered into the Post Office and tried again, grinning inwardly as I knew it was now after the 15th. Surely victory was now mine?
But no. I still cannot have my tax disc. I am told by the kind gentleman that as my insurance expires on the 27th of this month, I therefore cannot renew the tax on a certificate that will be out of date when the disc commences. They need a certificate that covers me from the 31st July.
Of course I will not receive my new certificate of insurance until the 27th. And the 30th and 31st are a weekend. That gives me a 2-day window to buy my tax (when I may well be out with clients, etc).
Is this correct?
If so, why is it becoming increasingly difficult to abide by the law?:rolleyes: (rhetorical)
So today I chirpily drove into town, sauntered into the Post Office and tried again, grinning inwardly as I knew it was now after the 15th. Surely victory was now mine?
But no. I still cannot have my tax disc. I am told by the kind gentleman that as my insurance expires on the 27th of this month, I therefore cannot renew the tax on a certificate that will be out of date when the disc commences. They need a certificate that covers me from the 31st July.
Of course I will not receive my new certificate of insurance until the 27th. And the 30th and 31st are a weekend. That gives me a 2-day window to buy my tax (when I may well be out with clients, etc).
Is this correct?
If so, why is it becoming increasingly difficult to abide by the law?:rolleyes: (rhetorical)
Hmmm, I'm pretty sure it's 165 of my hard earned. 
jacobyte said:
Of course I will not receive my new certificate of insurance until the 27th. And the 30th and 31st are a weekend. That gives me a 2-day window to buy my tax
True enough, although some companies (e.g. large grey animals at least) send out certificates 2 weeks ahead of renewal time, so you may get one before that.
jacobyte said:
(when I may well be out with clients, etc).
Hardly the PO's fault, is it? Have you tried buying on-line?
www.vehiclelicence.gov.uk/EvlPortalApp/
PO counter people are drones. They have set rules and play by them. The fact the rules are rubbish...well who cares. For instance I gould not get tax with a Faxed Insurance certificate on fax paper. So I had them fax it to the computer and printed it on normal paper and that was fine......errr so whats the difference then?
Frankly i'd like to add the road tax on at the insurance stage. Part of the certificate would be a tear off tax disk valid for the period of the insurance.
Frankly i'd like to add the road tax on at the insurance stage. Part of the certificate would be a tear off tax disk valid for the period of the insurance.
They are a collection of creaking doors, to be sure.
All this posturing over the colour of ink, and
paper VS papyrus arguement, and yet I once knew someone who blatantly, and clearly altered the
'02 to 03'on his MOT, and brazenly presented it at a Tesco's sub PO, which they accepted without a problem
All this posturing over the colour of ink, and
paper VS papyrus arguement, and yet I once knew someone who blatantly, and clearly altered the
'02 to 03'on his MOT, and brazenly presented it at a Tesco's sub PO, which they accepted without a problem
The VEL should be scrapped. It is a bureaucratic waste of time. Insurance details are now on PNC. Allegedly MOTs soon will be. The government are chirping on about road pricing.
We know how many litres of fuel are purchased per year. We know how much cash the VEL raises. Simple maths. Just put the required amount on fuel. Then, the user pays. I always said it was daft some years ago, that mother dear paid the same for her 1275cc Mini driving 4K per year as the old man who drove 40K per year in a V6 exec-wagen. But it would mean redundancies at the DVLA and Post Offices closing so it isn't likely to happen.
We know how many litres of fuel are purchased per year. We know how much cash the VEL raises. Simple maths. Just put the required amount on fuel. Then, the user pays. I always said it was daft some years ago, that mother dear paid the same for her 1275cc Mini driving 4K per year as the old man who drove 40K per year in a V6 exec-wagen. But it would mean redundancies at the DVLA and Post Offices closing so it isn't likely to happen.
Mind you, without the ritualistic shuffling around the cordoned off areas, sale of sellotape/wrapping paper will suffer terribly,
Roger Moores' voice over work, indicating available counters will dwindle to nothing,provoking his undignified reprise to the bond role
Is that what you want....Cos' thats what you'll get
Roger Moores' voice over work, indicating available counters will dwindle to nothing,provoking his undignified reprise to the bond role
Is that what you want....Cos' thats what you'll get
Get a DIRECT DEBIT you daft old sod! rich 36 said:
Cashier number three please....
Actually you do occasionally get a PO drone with a sense of humour.
We used to have one who was the spitting image of one of Harry Enfield's characters. Which of course he played up to.
On top of that somehow he broke out of the mould where the voice on the intercom is female for bird counter clerks and vice versa.
Well it made me laugh.
rich 36 said:The Black Museum (probably non-PC
They are a collection of creaking doors, to be sure.
All this posturing over the colour of ink, and
paper VS papyrus arguement, and yet I once knew someone who blatantly, and clearly altered the '02 to 03'on his MOT, and brazenly presented it at a Tesco's sub PO, which they accepted without a problem
) at DVLA (DVLC as was) had some excellent examples of altered documents. One of the best was a paper driver's licence that had been accepted by the courts for endorsement and sent to Swansea. Once there they quickly noticed that the driver's details had been altered. The give away? Well, it might have been the fact that the new details had been typed somewhat erratically on an old Olympic (IIRC) typewriter ... or it might have been the white Tippex (R) that had been liberally used to obliterate the old details! 
The licence was, of course, stolen - StreakyThese failed civil servants, are the last bastions of decent society.
They defend the very fabric of society, from the vandals, who would choose to do wrong with your
MOT/Insurance docs.
In fact they cut a vaguely heroic image, this band of brothers, armed with little more than baloons on sticks, where will we be without them.
They exhibit a softer side as well, these robin hoods, while they refuse our payments for Tax, they seek out the low of brow and shifty drug fuelled contestants in the queue, and dispense
'benefits & allowances' where they see fit, while at the same time ignoring the pensioners plea,
'I've been here an hour, you know, and I was in the Navy!
They defend the very fabric of society, from the vandals, who would choose to do wrong with your
MOT/Insurance docs.
In fact they cut a vaguely heroic image, this band of brothers, armed with little more than baloons on sticks, where will we be without them.
They exhibit a softer side as well, these robin hoods, while they refuse our payments for Tax, they seek out the low of brow and shifty drug fuelled contestants in the queue, and dispense
'benefits & allowances' where they see fit, while at the same time ignoring the pensioners plea,
'I've been here an hour, you know, and I was in the Navy!
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