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Dirty Habit

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 398 Location: West Midlands, UK
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 10:40 pm Post subject: Here we go again !!!! |
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It's that time of year for school proms.....and all the hassle if you use your classic for a prom.
For those of you who have never taken any kids to a prom, this is what to expect.
As you leave the venue you will be told to follow the police to a piece of land where you will find the local taxi licensing people, VOSA and of course the Police. They won't bother you if you are driving a "normal" car, but if you are driving a classic or anything out of the ordinary, they will.
The licensing people will ask who you are and take down details of you and your car. Then they ask if any money has changed hands. The Police will do their usual checks via radio for insurance and MOT....and then VOSA may want to check your vehicle. They will not rush themselves, so expect a delay of around half an hour.
I don't mind, but perhaps you may not take to kindly to be asked a whole lot of questions by your local taxi licensing authority. Although it is the Police who stop you and instruct you to follow them, they and VOSA don't usually ask you anything they are just using the legal position to stop you for a local government body to quiz you ?????
It was some years ago the central government issued a directive for local licensing authorities to introduce "Special Event Vehicle Licensing". The purpose was to make different and unusual vehicles available to the public to hire for occasions such as school proms. However they left it up to each area to come up with it's own requirements. There are areas that did that with a watered down version of it's own taxi licensing. For example.....Correct insurance for hire and reward covering weddings and special occasions. Current MOT/Tax and a CRB check for the named driver, was the minimum. A few may add other restrictions, such as no luggage to be carried and perhaps a fire extinguisher......common sense things really. But then you have areas such as Birmingham where their version of Special Event Vehicle Licensing is exactly the same as any other private hire vehicle and the cost of the license is in excess of £1200 in the first year and £600 each year after !!!!! But included is a £25 fee for taking a English exam  _________________ 1964 International Harvester |
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Phil - Nottingham

Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham
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Posted: Fri Jul 02, 2010 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Recently there was one of these blitzes at a very well known local school in Dwerbyshire- it was to ensure that proper licenses/MOT/insurance was in place for cars used "for hire or reward" eg stretched limos.
Most of the vehicles targetted revealed some irregularity, some were impounded as unroadworthy . Some spotted the cativity and dumped the kids and turned around _________________ Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2 |
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Roger-hatchy

Joined: 07 Dec 2007 Posts: 2135 Location: Tiptree, Essex
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 7:10 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for bringing this up.
Have been pestered by a few friends with regards to this americanisation of our schools.
Didn't realise that there could be this type of problem.
Don't think I'll bother, I'll stay English thank you.
Roger |
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Uncle Alec

Joined: 14 Jan 2008 Posts: 734 Location: Manchester
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 8:58 am Post subject: |
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Travelling by steam road roller or helicopter usually circumvents the problem. |
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47p2

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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It's good to see that the authorities are starting to clamp down. The number of drivers who do hire and reward and are not properly insured is on the increase and it's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured. _________________ ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars |
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Phil - Nottingham

Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham
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Posted: Sat Jul 03, 2010 10:22 pm Post subject: |
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I agree as this brings genuine classic car ownership into disrepute  _________________ Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2 |
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Riley Blue
Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 6:10 am Post subject: |
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47p2 wrote: | It's good to see that the authorities are starting to clamp down. The number of drivers who do hire and reward and are not properly insured is on the increase and it's only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured. |
If only such diligence was applied to catching all the other non-insured drivers on our roads. |
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47p2

Joined: 24 Nov 2007 Posts: 2009 Location: Glasgow
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Posted: Sun Jul 04, 2010 9:17 am Post subject: |
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riley541 wrote: |
If only such diligence was applied to catching all the other non-insured drivers on our roads. |
From what I know the police spend a great deal of time and effort using the latest technology e.g. ANPR which has a very high success rate.
I've been the victim of an accident with an uninsured driver and ended up out of pocket as I'm sure a few on here have. The problem with the criminals that drive without a license or insurance is that they don't give a fig whether they are caught or not, they usually already have a ban and the car is most likely old and worthless, so what they have to loose is very little compared to you and me.
The other end of the table is when an innocent person looses their life because one of these scumbags mows them down and the victims family have no redress.
If I am pulled over for a spot check at the side of the road I am more than happy to oblige, there are not enough checks done, too many uninsured and dangerous vehicles on the road and too many unlicensed drivers.
It makes me angry to think that I pay to keep 5 vehicles roadworthy, taxed and insured and these hooligans get a slap on the wrist and a community order when they are caught flouting the law _________________ ROVER
One of Britain's Fine Cars |
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Jim.Walker

Joined: 27 Dec 2008 Posts: 1229 Location: Chesterfield
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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 4:14 pm Post subject: |
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The three critical legal documents governing the use of a motor vehicle on our roads are Licence disc, MOT Certificate and insurance, as everyone should know. Is it not time that the issue and expiry of all three were synchronised so that the posession of one meant all three were in order? I believe something along these lines operates in Canada, where a new number plate is issued on testing. I realise that someone else might drive a vehicle without insurance cover, but would you lend your vehicle to someone not insured to drive it? Of course, car theft would still leave uninsured drivers on the road, but the only way to solve that would be to abolish car theft, or shoot the thieves!!
Jim _________________ Quote from my late Dad:- You only need a woman and a car and you have all the problems you
are ever likely to want". Computers had not been invented then! |
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clan chieftain

Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 2041 Location: Motherwell
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Posted: Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:37 pm Post subject: |
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Going back to the prom, In January my grand daughter said it was her school prom in June....so kind hearted Larry offered to buy her dress nearly 500 quit it cost me Oh well she did look stunning.......I could have bought a mint marina and still had change  _________________ The Clan Chieftain |
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Nic Jarman

Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 1031 Location: Stoke by Clare, Suffolk
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Jim, the system in Canada is chaotic. In some provinces you do not need an "MOT" unless you cross province borbers. In others you do. I saw some real bits of scrap being driven on Vancouver Island, not what we want here. The Germans have a small disc on their number plates, maybe someone could expand on this please. _________________ 1936 Morris 8 Series 1
1973 MGB roadster
1977 MG Midget 1500
Dax Rush |
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Keith D
Joined: 16 Oct 2008 Posts: 1164 Location: Upper Swan, Western Australia
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Posted: Mon Jul 12, 2010 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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In Western Australia cars on normal licence are not required to have any formal testing unless the police see something they consider unroadworthy. Then they place a sticker in the windscreen. If it's yellow, then you have two weeks to get it checked out by the police pits. If it's a red sticker, then the car cannot be moved. You have to get it taken home by trailer or truck and get it tested over the pits before being able to use it again.
We don't have the annual rip-off that some other states in Australia have regarding roadworthy tests and imaginary safety faults found. The condition of cars in WA is very good. You very rarely see a wreck being driven around.
A number of years ago, Canberra, which had annual testing, abolished it and as far as I know have never re-introduced it.
Keith |
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52classic
Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 493 Location: Cardiff.
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 9:36 pm Post subject: |
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I take the point about insurance but this VOSA trap thing is Draconian and unneccessary.
If you are taking your own or a neighbour's or your friend's kids to a prom and the car is roadworthy and insured than as long as you're not making a profit then that should be that.
Nobody wants to see cowboy limo operators getting away with anything, but letting burocracy spill over to affect the sociable enjoyment of a classic car is another.
My late dad used to complain that the Police should be out catching criminals instead of pursecuting the motorist........ They do say that you become more like your parents as you get older! |
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Dirty Habit

Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 398 Location: West Midlands, UK
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Posted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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52classic wrote: | I take the point about insurance but this VOSA trap thing is Draconian and unneccessary.
If you are taking your own or a neighbour's or your friend's kids to a prom and the car is roadworthy and insured than as long as you're not making a profit then that should be that.
Nobody wants to see cowboy limo operators getting away with anything, but letting burocracy spill over to affect the sociable enjoyment of a classic car is another.
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If the Police are there to check the legality of the vehicle/driver and VOSA are present to check the vehicle safety, how come I have never seen or heard of a blitz on Wedding cars? I have used various cars over the years for weddings and have never encountered anything like that. But of course you do not need any licensing for weddings or funerals.....so the whole blitz thing is driven and organised by the local licensing body. They know that the kids are fed up with Limo's and want something unusual. What you arrive in is a big part of the event.........just like a wedding!
My local licensing authority cover a population of well over a million people and 23% are below 16...........but how many "Special Event Vehicle Licenses" have they issued ?? ONE _________________ 1964 International Harvester |
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52classic
Joined: 02 Oct 2008 Posts: 493 Location: Cardiff.
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2010 10:19 pm Post subject: |
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Interesting thread with all the makings of a good debate. I want to make it clear which side i'm on and it is against this sort of clampdown.
When I last had the Checker on the road the 'prom' thing was just starting out over here and she was in demand for such purposes. The car was bought to promote my employer's shop so as long as we had the advertising space on the roof then we were happy.
If we covered out costs then good news but the advertising was enough for us.
I can understand a clamp down where there is a possibility that a law is being broken but authorities are using this as an income generator.
This is a general symptom of the times we live in. There are more people whose job it is to check up on what others are doing than are productive in the first place.
It's happening everywhere, someone somewhere wants to 'licence' whatever you are doing to collect a fat fee in the process. |
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