29 days late with road tax genuine mistake.

[Roz111]

After a frightening exprience last night.

 

I have seen that my road tax expired on 1/1.I

 

was driving a short distance when a police car behind put his blue lights on.

I pulled over but he drove past.

 

On getting home I checked vehicle for lights etc it was then I noticed my tax disc.

 

what a idiot im sure your thinking

 

.Ive been ill for a few months had a op 2 weeks ago and my head is a bit muddled.

 

I will have the funds tp buy tax tomorrow.

 

I have parked vehicle on private driveway.

with a note in window explaining date I will purchase.

I will be buying over the phone.

so obviously wont drive till tax arrives.

 

I didnt sleep at all last night worrying about this.

Why would police put lights on but not pull me ?.

 

What will happen now if anything

[Consumer dude]

They had likely received a call and then put on the lights and the fact you were in there path had nothing to do with that. As far as the car tax goes, you have done nothing wrong so you can now relax..

[leigh04]

The Police probably received a call to attend somewhere when they were behind you thats why blue lights came on, it happened to me a few years ago. Dont worry about it.

As for no tax cant advise but i suggest you get it asap or declare the car sorn.

[Roz111]

Thanks guys for your quick replies.I keep checking outsidse for a police car.Im a nervous wreck.

Car will be taxed first thing tomorrow.I will not be driving till it arrives.

Its really shook me up.How people can drive without insurance mot etc astounds me.

I feel such a idiot never ever againn !..

[AndyOrch]

Thread moved to the appropriate forum.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Kiki1]

How people can drive without insurance mot etc astounds me.

I feel such a idiot..

 

Driving without a MOT is OK if the vehicle is booked into the Big Brother computer for a test.

[Nimrod205]

Being "booked in" is NOT sufficient. You may only drive with an expired MOT if you are driving directly to a pre-booked appointment with the garage/workshop that is going to carry out the new MOT test.

[Raykay]

Being "booked in" is NOT sufficient. You may only drive with an expired MOT if you are driving directly to a pre-booked appointment with the garage/workshop that is going to carry out the new MOT test.

 

 

Exemptions

 

 

S.6 (2) The Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981

 

 

'for the purpose of submitting it by previous arrangement for, or bringing it away from, an examination'

 

 

Nothing about driving direct.

[Nimrod205]

From the government website:

 

You can’t drive your vehicle on the road if the MOT has expired. You could be prosecuted if caught.

The only exception is if you’ve already booked an MOT and are driving your vehicle to the test centre.

[Raykay]

The Government website only gives general advice, (there are other exemptions not mentioned on the Government website).

The legislation gives the correct interpretation.

[Nimrod205]

Better tell the boys in blue that they are misinterpreting the legislation. The following is a direct quote from the Ask the Police website.

 

A car must be insured, taxed and have an MOT to be driven on the road. The penalty for driving a car without an MOT is a fine.

 

The most relevant exception to this is if you are driving your vehicle to and from a pre-arranged appointment for an MOT and you must take a direct route to the garage (but the vehicle must be insured). Although you must be aware that most failures of MOTs are offences in their own right so you may be committing other offences, for example defective tyres, brakes, lights, steering, horns etc.

 

However if you are stopped by the police on the way to or from the garage the onus is on you to prove that you had a pre-arranged appointment. Where possible it is always advisable to book your car in for an MOT in good time.

 

There are one or two other very minor exceptions in addition to the above but they do not really apply to the ordinary car driver.

[Raykay]

Better tell the boys in blue that they are misinterpreting the legislation. The following is a direct quote from the Ask the Police website.

 

 

That's another one like the government website and many similar ones - no reference to the legislation - they just gives general advice, often inaccurate - which then gets quoted as fact.

[Nimrod205]

Here you go then. This piece of Legislation can be quoted as fact. Unless, of course, you argue that "submitting" the vehicle for a test doesn't mean driving it directly to the testing station.

 

 

Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994

 

22(1)A vehicle is an exempt vehicle when it is being used solely for the purpose of—

 

(a)submitting it (by previous arrangement for a specified time on a specified date) for a compulsory test, or

 

(b)bringing it away from any such test or check.

[Raykay]

That is basically the same definition as The Motor Vehicles (Tests) Regulations 1981, (and it relates to the requirement for an excise licence, not an MOT test), still nothing about driving directly.

As long as the purpose of the journey is for the vehicle to have a pre-arranged test, it is an exempt vehicle.

[scaniaman]

[

Nimrods post

 

 

 

(b)bringing it away from any such test or check.

 

 

I think you will find this to be the correct situation, as it allows the vehicle to be driven to a place where repairs / checks are carried out prior to going for the pre arranged MOT test. Not all MOT stations can carry out repairs EG Local Council. Our local MOT station has stopped welding work, therefore the car has to be taken to another place if welding required prior to MOT.

[leigh04]

Why is this now about MOT when the car was mot'd and insured it Had NO Tax ??