MID question. Just out of interest like....

[Bobthebeard]

When insuring a recently purchased or SORNed car the MID thingy seems to take anything from two days to over a week to update. This has happened to me on several occasions but I have never been pulled over by ANPR equipped persons to explain myself.

Does the police database update more quickly than the internet version that we can all use? The last car took seven days to appear on MID and I drove past a few roadside police speed check/safety* camera vehicles in the interim with no drama.

Just wondered like.

Ta!

[Mr Livered]

I've wondered the same thing, because there seems to be a discrepancy between the Plod PR's version of events ("if you go out without insurance our ANPR will definitely catch you and coppers will be along to pull your trousers down in a matter of minutes") and the actual experience of people like you and I (quite often going out before the MID is updated but never having any problems whatsoever).

 

I suspect they don't get the information sooner than the general public, because presumably the information either has been added to the database or it hasn't; there is only one database. But I don't actually know.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Quick answer, the police normally know changes nearly straight away BUT the whole system is full of errors same as everything else

[Bobthebeard]

Quick answer, the police normally know changes nearly straight away BUT the whole system is full of errors same as everything else

That suggests that the police use a faster version of the public one though... Could that be the case?

[Pillock]

Last time I asked about this, a policeperson (not a traffic one, mind) said that it's the same database but they give a grace period. In his experience, any cars flagging up as uninsured aren't sent letters immediately but they check it later. Completely different to speeding where they have to get letters out same day to make sure it's served in time.

[Richard]

Somebody told me that ANPR is turned off half the time because it costs money to use.

[Bobthebeard]

Last time I asked about this, a policeperson (not a traffic one, mind) said that it's the same database but they give a grace period. In his experience, any cars flagging up as uninsured aren't sent letters immediately but they check it later. Completely different to speeding where they have to get letters out same day to make sure it's served in time.

Watching Road Wars or similar would suggest that a car that is not on the database 'pings up' on a suitably equipped police car system, resulting in a stop and check. Any grace period would not apply of course, how would they know?

[Mr Livered]

^unless it only 'pings up' if it has been off the database for a certain time? (just speculation, obviously). In other words, vehicles that have recently dropped off the database could be marked as such so that the system could ignore them and thus impose a de facto grace period.

[Bobthebeard]

^unless it only 'pings up' if it has been off the database for a certain time? (just speculation, obviously). In other words, vehicles that have recently dropped off the database could be marked as such so that the system could ignore them and thus impose a de facto grace period.

Hmmmm. Maybe.

Sounds overly complicated though as a system. Maybe ANPR isn't as widespread as the publicity would have us believe?

[mercrocker]

SCMODS will get ya every time tho........

[Junkman]

SCMODS will get ya every time tho........

 

Not when it's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks and it's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas.

[Bobthebeard]

Not when it's got a cop motor, a 440 cubic inch plant, it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks and it's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas.

Would "we are on a mission from God" actually work?

[jonathan_dyane]

A few months ago when I was riding in a Police van in a professional capacity the considered opinion of the bobbies present was that the system was 'a load of shite' and inoperative much of the time...

[mercrocker]

Do they mean the system or the System?

[Bobthebeard]

A few months ago when I was riding in a Police van in a professional capacity the considered opinion of the bobbies present was that the system was 'a load of shite' and inoperative much of the time...

^^ Answers my original question possibly.......

[Junkman]

Do they mean the system or the System?

 

The cops I know would answer "both" to that.

[sheffcortinacentre]

my mates rover hasn't shown up for over 6 months hes stopped complaining to insurance not been stopped.