Pjamie

My girlfriend just came back home, after parking her car in the towns high street, with a £60 fine for not displaying a current tax disc. The ticket was on the car when she got back to it, issued by Lothian & Borders Police.

I bought the new tax disc for her on 27 Feb 2010 (still have the receipt from the Post Office and the date-stamp on the disc confirms this) and she did go out to the car on 1 March and put the new tax disc into the holder on the windscreen. Thing is, she put it behind the old tax disc. The new and old tax discs are the same colour, so she didn't notice.

It could be argued that the new disc was fixed to the windscreen and it was on display...it was just obscured by the old tax disc. Is it worth appealing and asking for leniency, or should she just pay the £60 fine? Is there any real prospect for a defence? The £60 seems a bit steep when she had properly purchased the new tax.

Snazy

Sounds like no case to fight to me, although it has to be said, with todays ability to check in an instant if a car is taxed, displaying a disc is becoming old fashioned. Dont have to display an MOT or proof of insurance.

hodgy0_2

seems a bit steep to me (as they can check to see if the car had valid tax anyway)

but I would just pay the fine and then file the receipt under experience

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

The offence is "tax disc not on display" so doesn't matter if you've bought it or not It's the usual sneaky wording designed to (a) make it easier for the wardens to give out tickets (b) trap more motorists than if it said "tax disc not purchased".

Why not just challenge it though? What is there to lose? It's your word vs traffic warden / Police isn't it ...

TX.

markr1963

They call it 'rego' over here and it didn't display any details of the vehicle. As of this year, no more stickers.

To the OP. I suspect ignorance will be no defense despite having valid tax so probably no point contesting it.

cster

Just think of it as extra tax.
Someone has got to pay for people who do nothing all day.
It's called socialism innit.

Pjamie

I've told her to bleach her hair, tell them what happened, claim she's a dumb blonde, and hope someone has pity on her. I guess there's nothing to lose, and if she ends up having to pay the full amount at least she tried.

Xx-IAN-xX

I'd agree nip down to the local police station with your evidence explain whats happened if they're in a good mood they might let you off

WRX_Dazza

your word against theirs.

you have reciept and the tax.

or say it was on the other side of the windscreen

that way if you suspect they have a photo of it, they wont have the whole screen

as she bought a new holder and didnt realise !! lol

dazza
(master of 101 excuses to get out of trouble)

Pjamie

LOL. I don't have your brass neck, so I think I'll leave it to her to try her dumb blonde defence and then pay whatever she has to.

I'm the registered keeper so I don't want any hassle.

CrisPDuk

None of those excuses will work

The law states that a valid tax disc must be displayed in the near side lower corner of the vehicle windscreen.

Anything other and you are breaking the law, contest it and she will lose, plus she'll also get costs awarded against her in addition to the original penalty

alcazar

iTrader: (2)

What CPD says. You're basically fekked, mate. Pay up and take it out of whatever you give her.

New_scooby_04

iTrader: (4)

Sucks, but you're on to a loosing battle with this one mate! Tell the other half to pay up and consider herself older and wiser!

Kieran_Burns

iTrader: (1)

It is annoying but the offense if "failure to display" not "failure to have"

If you had been in the car when this happened then it's likely an "Oh Fark!" moment and an abject apology would suffice. Unfortunately, the BiB who saw the wrong Tax disk didn't have this opportunity.

Put it down to experience IMHO

(incidentally some time back I had forgotten to re-tax my car and got pulled over. The Policeman was fine about it. Told me to drive straight over to a Post Office and get sorted.

I did.)

Fishtail

Hi
Fine is as stated for non display not , not having tax. What town was it ? You can send the details to the address on the ticket enclosing a photocopy of the correct disc and explain it was a geniune error and you may be ok, alternatively visit the local station where the ticket was issued and again explain it was an error on your/ your partners behalf.

Butkus

Having a paper tax disc stuck to the windscreen as 'proof' of tax seems very old fashioned now doesn't it? All the details are held centrally now, so that all relevant information such as tax and insurance can be obtained by using the registration number. This is what the ANPR machines read in an instant. The wardens should just have handheld devices that tell them whether a vehicle is taxed and insured.

Spoon

I do believe the law states the tax disc must be displayed on the passenger side (kerbside) which can be anywhere in the passenger sides half, including top, left of centre. This was certainly the case when a guy I know was stopped for having no tax but he had it in the centre for ease of reaching due to his personal circumstances.

If the OP has the time then a simple visit to a station might be all it needs if you approach it correctly rather than telling them what you really feel to begin with.

Luan Pra bang

The joys of living in a left wing beaurocracy. Even though you have tax which is instantly checkable in a large number of ways in a lefty nation obsessed with paper work and targets you are still guilty of a crime.

ronjeramy

iTrader: (1)

she's been lucky, well sort of, as you can be fined up to £200 for none display. On the paper that you tare off it states this

CrisPDuk

You can hardly blame One-Eye and his cronies for this one (much as I'd like too)

It's been the law for as long as I can remember

WRX_Dazza

you'd think so wouldn't you !!!

Wardens need battering and as for those periscope cars, i had to stand in front of my number plate once as it went past !!!

pondlife scum !

Grrrrrrrrrr!

Ray T

don't forget you now get 5 days grace after the due date "as long as you have initiated the purchase" of the new disc this is on the dvla site/paperwork somewhere. ah just seen its the outside that!! Humbug.

r32

Pay up, good job she didnt get points.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Police to prove though. What if they can't How much more might you pay just to challenge the ******* to prove it? I'm all for getting these b*stards to prove guilt rather than all of us just pay up cos it the easy thing to do ...

TX.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

You've then admitted that you're guilty though ... I'd throw the book at you for being a dozy ****!

TX.

s70rjw

iTrader: (2)

DVLA prosecute VEL offences. Police report the matter to them they make the decision whether or not to prosecute. Rather than take the "I'll show them" attitude of many on here, you may find success writing an educated letter to DVLA explaining your gfs error, together with a photocopy of the tax disc. Good luck.

Pjamie

She's now written a suitably humble letter explaining her stupidity with photocopies of the disc and receipt. She isn't contesing the fine, just asking for a little understanding in the hope they might say "OK, forget it", or reduce it. The worse they can do is say "no", and if we don't hear back before the payment due date, I'll take alcazar's advice, reduce her allowance, and pay it before they slap an extra £30 onto it.

Luan Pra bang

but now its very easily checkable on a database hence we have the luxury of a modern style database and all the hassles of the old system.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

Let us know how you get on. My money is on them telling you to do one & pay up ...

TX.

Leslie

Unfortunately the law says you have to display it and if you don't they can do you for it even if your tax is in date.

There was a time when they would overlook the mistake when they knew the tax was in date, but these days they just want the cash ***** nilly!

Les