road tax

[alanlad]

i have just received a fixed penalty notice for not displaying a valid tax disc although i do have a valid disc just forgot to replace it from the old one, is there anything i can do to contest the fine ???

[Ethel]

No. The offence is 'fail to display'. You did fail to display so have no argument,

[andy-hughes]

I was going to say the same - it's a bummer when you have bought a disc, and still get fined, but sadly, that's the law.

I got a fine for being spotted on a car park 'failing to display' - fair cop, I hadn't bought a disc but ...

I popped into the PO to get my disc, and was booked for parking on a double yellow, and AGAIN for failure to display!

So y'see, life's not all bad ...

[Catron]

This, in my opinion, is one of the most stupid laws and how there has not been a mass protest against it I cannot imagine.

You are not required to show on your vehicle that you have an MOT and insurance, so why are you forced to show a tax disc? It should not matter in the least whether the disc is shown, the important factor should be that you hold a valid disc.

Quite how anybody would be able to prove you were not showing a valid disc in your car is beyond me - and there could be such malpractice by police here it is scary - but there it is.

If I was rich, I most certainly would contest it - and let those who are saying you were not displaying a valid disc, prove it - but I guess that is just me.

[chrispybacon]

In the "good old days" it was a good wheeze to write to the Chief Constable for your area, apologise, and ask for forgiveness. (I was caught speeding by a radar trap and wrote off explaining that the birth of my first baby (the night before) had understandably preoccupied my mind. No action was taken and I subsequently got a reputation for helping other in a similar situation. I doubt if this will work now as the powers that be seem only interested in the dosh!. (Not good public relations.) However if you have the time and inclination why not try it. You cannot be any worse off - unless you swear at the police I guess.
Good luck!

[Ethel]

There is a very good reason for this law - it stops people with two cars buying a tax disc for one and displaying it on the other.

The law was made in response to the way people abused the system in the days before computerised records.

Even now a vehicle that is displaying a tax disc will attract less attention from police than a car not showing a disc. You have to get very close to read the details.

[Catron]

Ah but thats the point Ethel. Alan has a tax disc for the car - and now that everything is computerised it would not take five minutes for any policeman/woman to have checked this - so why the need to continue with an outdated and unnecessary system - and fine people when there is no need to?

I myself was handed a notice saying my car had been found not displaying a valid tax disc. The policeman said that I would just be given a rap over the knuckles - as it were - but all he had to do was check that I did have a valid tax disc for that car and that should have been that. I have not heard any more about it but will be very angry if I am fined over an 'offence' that should no longer be in the statute book.

[Ethel]

Because you could still be using the tax disc on another vehicle.

Police officers or any other official body would have no need to look closer if yours was parked on the road in amongst dozens of others if it appeared to be taxed.

[smudge]

I know it's naughty, but you could write a letter explaining that you'd put the new tax disc in the holder, but had inadvertently slipped it behind the old one.

You never know, they might take that into consideration.

[smudge]

P.S. Also enclosing a copy of your current tax disc in with the letter....

[WoWo]

"Alan has a tax disc for the car - and now that everything is computerised it would not take five minutes for any policeman/woman to have checked this"

They did check this and that is why Alan has a fine for Not displaying a tax disc rather than a much larger one for not having one at all.