Pete M vs DVLA

[Pete-M]

We've just had a long period where the government declared war on the car. Bus lanes on the M4, Red Ken's congestion charge, SORN, classic road tax frozen at '73, road tax bands, insurance premium tax, 80% tax on road fuels, no real public investment in the roads - ther than speed bumps, speed cameras, average speed cameras, traffic calming measures, speed limits artificially lowered, more traffic wardens (with cameras), bus lane cameras, privately funded toll motorway, traffic light timings altered to slow average speeds, Richard Brunstrum in Wales killing rallying in the UK, "Highways Officers" shutting entire motorways for a laugh, and less proper Traffic cops on the roads.

 

It's a weird old situation. I've been to the DVLA offices around the country a few times and they have, in the main, been courteous and pretty bloody reliable. A lot of things are easier to do in this country than in others - but even so, the DVLA have started insisting on garage inspections on engine transplants etc. Which is a better system than either not allowing them at all (Czech) or making you pay for any modifications at MOT time (Germany) It is simple to do a lot of things, even the least intelligent mouth breathing arseholes contained in the average public can manage to tax a car, or register one, so they're good for that.

 

It's just they've become a revenue gathering service instead of a civil service. 15 years ago the DVLA were pretty bloody good, but they weren't tied in with databases and a myriad of other things they've taken to trying to stitch you up with. Modern computer systems have taken over from humans making a lot of the decisions and looking for people to catch - it's not the computers fault, it's the fault of whoever programmed it. The humans are only there to feed it information and follow its orders. Very 1984 I know, but that seems to be how they work.

 

The woman today knew perfectly well what she was doing wasn't strictly kosher, but she has to follow rules and do what she's told. That much was obvious, as soon as she knew she was stuffed she turned into a perfectly chatty, seemingly friendly, slightly exasperated person.

 

End of the day, I don't actually mind the DVLA. I just don't like being thought of as "another motorist cash cow", which is how we're treated by the government and it's money counters. We choose to drive, and the average Joe can't be bothered facing a court for the sake of a £35 tax "If you pay it now". Don't pay if you don't have to... but it isn't nice wandering into a courtroom wondering if you're gonna get stitched for a grand, so make sure you do your homework before you face 'em.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

"Highways Officers"

 

AKA 'Fakeon' (fake bacon), i.e not real Pigs. Also known by the Cops as 'Wombles'.

 

Known to us as 'a pain in the rectum'.

[Guest]

The DVLA would get a lot more comeback off punters if they didn't have the Half Price fine system on so many things, i.e. "You've let the SORN expire, the fine is £80, but it's only £40 if you pay it now like a good boy, we're doing you a favour really". This encourages people to admit guilt even when they know they're in the right and have a strong case to argue.

 

I've said for a while that such a system should be illegal - they should only be allowed to claim for the full fine from the start, then people would make more of an effort to get unfair ones quashed. Same for all fines too, not just DVLA ones. It's a system that encourages an organisation to be reckless and "chance it" on more cases as you can get a load of "can't be bothered" £40s for less effort than a few secure £80s.

 

Pondered writing to the MP about it as it really does get my goat.

[ashmicro]

^^ This.

 

HMRC were going to fine me for "filing a tax return late" bla bla bla reduced fine. (It wasn't late). When I made it clear that (a) I wouldn't be paying any fine, reduced or otherwise, and ( that my mrs, sister and brother in law were all solicitors, and that said brother in law is one of only 2 HM Treasury Accredited Chartered Tax advisers in N.I., they mysterioulsy "found" my tax return, and well, whaddya know, it was perfectly on time and correct. Muppets.

[Lankytim]

"Highways Officers"

 

AKA 'Fakeon' (fake bacon), i.e not real Pigs. Also known by the Cops as 'Wombles'.

 

Known to us as 'a pain in the rectum'.

 

I dunno why people keep knocking the highways wombles, I think they do a great job. They do much of the donkey work the police used to do like dealing with broken down motorists and coning off lanes after accidents e.t.c. This leaves the Rozzers free to catch more crims.

 

They do a sometimes extremely unpleasant job for not much money, all to make the road network safer. I can't knock em.

[Guest]

Back to the original post if I may?

 

The Postal Services Act 1984 ( I believe) is your friend.

The DVLA quote it as it says words to effect of "a letter committed to the post service is taken as served on recipient".

My dumb mate was in same situation as Pete M, minimum, bag a sand fine, court blah blah, after 40 mins of me trying to get right people I got to talk to someone who's job it was.

I kept saying he/mate will quote PSA 1984, she chuckled, it was an amaicable but firm point I was making, we agreed he would pay the £35 and the case be cancelled, hey it wasn't really my problem!

 

Half a win maybe but a lot less £ than a day of work, trip from Tunbridge Wells to Canterbury, parking, fuel etc etc and being a div he probably didn't post it.......

[Guest]

If I recall, the DVLA have some kind of exemption in which documents they send out in the post are deemed as served, but not the other way round.

[Pete-M]

If I recall, the DVLA have some kind of exemption in which documents they send out in the post are deemed as served, but not the other way round.

 

Ah, they tried that one on me back in 2004 when they had a go at me over a SORN... that was thrown out of court too.

 

Last week I got a summons to appear in court today about "failing to reply

to an official letter regarding the driver of VW Golf reg number B??? ???"

which is my faithful mk2 GTi.

 

So I rang the DVLA in Preston who sent the letter, and informed them in my

best highly peeved way that I didn't receive any such letter, and that I'm a

bit pissed off that I have to go to court and pay them £45 for the joys of a

visit to the Magistrates.

 

They replied "We're the DVLA, we can send you a letter in the normal post

and treat it as if it's recorded delivery, if I were you I'd plead guilty by

post and pay the fine, you could try faxing us to get the proceedings

stopped, but you will still have to pay the £45 court costs and the fine,

which can be up to £1000".

 

I informed them that they could "stick their special postmen up their arse"

and that "I'd see them in court"..

 

I then hung up and thought "Fuck, that's gonna cost me a grand that is"...

 

Anyway, today I was up in Liverpool Magistrates...

 

Walked in, had to do the usual "Are you Peter M?, do you live at?, is your

date of Birth?" etc stuff.

 

Clerk - "Mr M, do you have a solicitor?"

Me - "Not right now, no, I doubt I need one to be honest"

C - "right, er, ok then. Do you know why you're here?"

Me - "yes"

C - "On the 10th April last year you were sent a letter asking who the

keeper of a VW Golf, B??? ??? was, you failed to reply to that letter, which

is an offence against RTA blah blah, do you understand the charge brought

against you"

Me - "Yes, I understand that's what is meant to have happened"

C - "Meant to have happened?"

Me - "I didn't receive the letter, and as I wasn't in the country, I

couldn't SORN the vehicle because it's an offence for someone who's not a

company secretary or Director to fill in any official documents regarding a

company vehicle. Besides, it was taxed when I left the country, but it

expired when I was away. Nothing I could do, I wasn't going to break the law

just to keep the DVLA happy. I've already explained this to the DVLA in

Preston who told me I should just pay the fine".

Woman from DVLA - "I'd like to drop all charges"

Magistrate - "Ok, Mr M, you may go. Sorry for the inconvenience."

 

Quality. Left room to sounds of Magistrate tearing shreds out of DVLA

woman.

[Guest]

That makes more sense. It's just them chancing their arm and making it sound like they have more legal rights than they actually do. Recorded Delivery doesn't mean anything more than any other mail with "proof of posting", in any case.

[TimothyClaypole]

I used to sign for 8 cages of mail a day at work (returned faulty/unwanted computer stuff).

 

All you sign is a fist full of A4 sheets with the codes on them, no one has time to check a few hundred parcels against the sheets saying they are there.