Why is it necessary to display tax discs ...

Poppy

Poppy

Poppy

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Joined
22 May 2004
Posts
1,189
Ive always wondered ... why do we need to display our tax discs to prove we have car tax. We dont need to display our Motor insurance or MOT certificates in the windscreen so why a poxy tax disc!?
 
so that it's very easy to spot whether you have paid it or not?

in Germany you get little stickers to put on your numberplate, in belgium and norway the police will just take your numberplates away, and i think in other countries you have to stick things in the windscreen too..
 
These days there is no real need. Everything is on the database and anpr cameras tell the coppers whether we've paid or not.

But the law says you must display it. I suppose it means that joe policeman walking past can tell you've had your insurance and MOT looked at by a post office recently, though of course it doesn't mean they are still valid.
 
We don’t need to anymore really, everything is on computer and simple enough to check by relevant authorities.

Just a little O/T:

My friend was pulled the other day for being on his mobile phone whilst driving, silly yes I know, but we all have done it including myself.
Anyhow he got his 3 tony tiger points and a £60 fine but officer dribble was apparently quite an arrogant little ‘Person’. My friend was also asked to provide insurance, driving license information etc to the local police station within 7 days.

Anyhow my friend rang up the police and explained to them that
A) he is having a extension to his house at the moment & most of his belongings are in storage, so would be very hard to find relevant documents if at all &
B) that he is going on holiday in 3 days time for a week.

They said "Tough" you have 7 days and now he will now get a court summons and a £100 fine for not supplying relevant asked for documentation.

I find this a complete JOKE. I know various Police officers and I know that it takes seconds to do a PNC check on vehicles to verify if it has current insurance, tax, any issues on the driving license etc. So WHY do they actually need to see physical evidence?

They don’t, I can't see any need whatsoever in this. Everything is on computer, we even have ANPR systems now that work in seconds and enable police officers to sit on the side of roads eating doughnuts and just pull up vehicles which get flagged by the ANPR system.

I needed to rant!
 
Last edited:
Magic_x_uk said:
We don’t need to anymore really, everything is on computer and simple enough to check by relevant authorities.

Just a little O/T:

My friend was pulled the other day for being on his mobile phone whilst driving, silly yes I know, but we all have done it including myself.
Anyhow he got his 3 tony tiger points and a £60 fine but officer dribble was apparently quite an arrogant little ‘Person’. My friend was also asked to provide insurance, driving license information etc to the local police station within 7 days.

Anyhow my friend rang up the police and explained to them that
A) he is having a extension to his house at the moment & most of his belongings are in storage, so would be very hard to find relevant documents if at all &
B) that he is going on holiday in 3 days time for a week.

They said "Tough" you have 7 days and now he will now get a court summons and a £100 fine for not supplying relevant asked for documentation.

I find this a complete JOKE. I know various Police officers and I know that it takes seconds to do a PNC check on vehicles to verify if it has current insurance, tax, any issues on the driving license etc. So WHY do they actually need to see physical evidence?

They don’t, I can't see any need whatsoever in this. Everything is on computer, we even have ANPR systems now that work in seconds and enable police officers to sit on the side of roads eating doughnuts and just pull up vehicles which get flagged by the ANPR system.

I needed to rant!
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If he hadn't have the stuff in boxes, would he still have rang up and argued his position?

The law doesn't say show it in 7 days except if you are about to go on holiday. Granted that it is on record, but as it stands, you have to produce it at the local police station. Prehaps the law needs updating on this matter but until that happens, it is still required.
 
The bastid wheel clampers that check car parks need to see if you have a valid tax certificate else they clamp you too
 
Magic_x_uk said:
officer dribble was apparently quite an arrogant little ‘Person’. My friend was also asked to provide insurance, driving license information etc to the local police station within 7 days.
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his insurance may not have been recorded on the database (sometimes happens). Would he be on a trade policy?

maybe your friend was being a bit of a nobber and thats why he ended up with the producer? If someone was being gobby with me Id certainly ensure they got one
 
I have met a few bikers that do not display there tax disks. They actually put them under the seat.

Never tried it though, i dont fancy the risk.
 
Defcon5 said:
his insurance may not have been recorded on the database (sometimes happens). Would he be on a trade policy?

maybe your friend was being a bit of a nobber and thats why he ended up with the producer? If someone was being gobby with me Id certainly ensure they got one
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To be honest, yes he was being a bit gobby to the young Police officer. So maybe he has to pay the price.
 
Oxlde said:
The bastid wheel clampers that check car parks need to see if you have a valid tax certificate else they clamp you too
Click to expand...

Not strictly true. It has to be the local council and DVLA approved clamper, not any old private car park cowboy. Currently they can only get you for not having tax if its on a public highway, so in a car park they couldnt get you for it anyway, however, that law is changing soon so you can only have an untaxed car parked up on your drive.

PK!
 
Magic_x_uk said:
We don’t need to anymore really, everything is on computer and simple enough to check by relevant authorities.

Just a little O/T:

My friend was pulled the other day for being on his mobile phone whilst driving, silly yes I know, but we all have done it including myself.
Anyhow he got his 3 tony tiger points and a £60 fine but officer dribble was apparently quite an arrogant little ‘Person’. My friend was also asked to provide insurance, driving license information etc to the local police station within 7 days.

Anyhow my friend rang up the police and explained to them that
A) he is having a extension to his house at the moment & most of his belongings are in storage, so would be very hard to find relevant documents if at all &
B) that he is going on holiday in 3 days time for a week.

They said "Tough" you have 7 days and now he will now get a court summons and a £100 fine for not supplying relevant asked for documentation.

I find this a complete JOKE. I know various Police officers and I know that it takes seconds to do a PNC check on vehicles to verify if it has current insurance, tax, any issues on the driving license etc. So WHY do they actually need to see physical evidence?

They don’t, I can't see any need whatsoever in this. Everything is on computer, we even have ANPR systems now that work in seconds and enable police officers to sit on the side of roads eating doughnuts and just pull up vehicles which get flagged by the ANPR system.

I needed to rant!
Click to expand...

No offence, but it's no excuse to say your documents are in storage, if you put important documents such as vehicle documents in storage, bit of a bad choice.

No sympathy whatsoever.
 
Snakedoctor said:
SO traffic wardens and friendly neighbours can grass you up if you dont have one.
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This is the closest to the reason.
Traffic Wardens and police "on the beat" don't have mobile ANPR machines with them.
Caling in every single vehicle they wak past wouldn't be an option, so it is a quick easy way for them to see if there is a tax disc there or not.
Sure it doesn't mean it's legal, but it is a good indication.

As for the second part about "friendly neighbours" - you say that as if it is a bad thing.
I pay my road tax every year and I don't understand why people feel they don't have to.
I have reported people in the past for not having tax and I will do it again.
 
PyroboyUK said:
I have met a few bikers that do not display there tax disks. They actually put them under the seat.

Never tried it though, i dont fancy the risk.
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I had one stolen and after that never displayed it on the bike, in fact never even kept it with the bike or on my person.

misterPK said:
Not strictly true. It has to be the local council and DVLA approved clamper, not any old private car park cowboy. Currently they can only get you for not having tax if its on a public highway, so in a car park they couldnt get you for it anyway, however, that law is changing soon so you can only have an untaxed car parked up on your drive.

PK!
Click to expand...
Strange change to the law this. Yes you won't be able to hide an illegal untaxed vehicle on a private road etc but they won't authorise a clamp or tow for an untaxed pre '73 vehicle on a public road. Great news for us classic owners but kinda makes no sense at the same time.
 
I had this done to me.

First night out driving got pulled over, had to show my drivers licence and insurance even though when the officer rang it up on the radio it all came up fine. :confused:

Got a caution in the end as my drivers licence wouldn't come in time and they classed that as a valid reason.
 
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