Was beavering away in the garage earlier when there was a knock at the front door.
Wife came in to tell me that two female PCSO/police officers wanted a word with me.
Asked if I owned a green roadster and when I replied in the affirmitive asked if they could come inside.
So I showed them the car in the garage and they obviously clocked lack of numberplate and enquired if it was registered/insured/taxed etc. which, obviously, it isn't.
Apparently a neighbour has reported me for driving it on the road (took it around the block a couple of times a week ago testing brakes etc.)
Then they proceeded to lecture me about driving it illegally etc. and that they are perfectly in their right to seize the car should they so wish.
Fair enough, I was in the wrong.
I did explain my reasons for test-driving it (intend driving to SVA which is 40 miles away and so want to make sure its safe and everything works ok etc.) which, again, I know is not a valid reason.
However, what really grips my sh*t is that whoever this neighbour is (they wouldn't tell me who it is - but must live in my road or how else would the police know which door to knock on?) didn't have the balls or good grace to tell me direct they weren't happy about me driving the car.

[Edited on 30/5/08 by andrew.carwithen]

we live on a dead end street, and my sister had her car parked outside, on the street. one of our neighbours reported her for having no road tax, the day after it expired

the people that make these kinds of complaints must be deeply unhappy

Hi,
Sorry to hear of your problem - this is something which has concerned me enough to prevent me from going out on the road myself despite considerable temptation. You never really know your neighbours I feel, and they know that they can just lift the phone and anonymously get you a kick in the ar$e! If I was you I would politely go around your immediate neighbours and in a non-confrontational manner ask them if they were responsible and why they felt it necessary to involve the police when they only had to voice their concern directly to yourself. Of course I'm assuming you are an approachable chap and not a scary man!

On another note, it's a bit late now but I think I might have been a bit more careful what I said to the police. I wouldn't have admitted anything but would have accepted their advice in a way which made it clear the message had been received loud and clear. It sounds like you've got away with a slap on the wrist but it could obviously have been nasty.

A lesson to all of us I guess - maybe the best way to achieve SVA is to use a trailer and worry about insurance and other legal requirements once SVA is complete. Alternatively book an MOT with a local station and get insurance to allow you to drive to it with another vehicle shadowing you. That way you get to legally drive the car on the road without any hassles and get the benefit of a cheap pre-SVA (ie MOT) test.

Cheers,
Craig.

I remember having a bad motorbike crash many years ago, whereby I ended up somersaulting down the sidewalk as my bike slid into a tree. I narrowly missed the back end of a parked car...
A guy comes out of his house, sees me on the ground, sees the bike with smoke coming out of it and goes "I certainly hope you haven't damaged my rock wall!" A friend following me on his bike and I hightailed it over to a another guy's house, and the bike was left there for two weeks while I went on holiday. Another "friend" borrowed it (it still ran), while I was away, and of course proceeded to crash it again.

These people are heartless barstewards.

[Edited on 30/5/08 by RK]

Think I'd be sawing 2x4's into inch cubes using a circular saw from 7am Sunday morning till I got bored.

Then maybe use up some angle grinder discs on scrap steel tubing.

Except that bothers the majority who are perfectly normal.

or another reason someone has complained 'fair enough' police investigating because it is the end of the monthe and they need to get the Stat's up.

Regards

Agriv8

I did initially deny it but was advised to seriously reconsider my answer, inferring they had evidence to the contrary. I was at no stage put under caution so admitted to driving it.
As regards talking to the neighbours to find out who it was, I don't want to give whoever it may be, the satisfaction of knowing it has got to me enough to want to find out! (if that makes sense?) If they want to be petty and small-minded then I will simply ignore them!

My local busy body (who complained so much about children having fun he got the council to put up 'No Ball Games' notices on our street ) daughter decided to get the jet washer out at 8.00am last Sunday morning to wash her car gloves are off

I would have asked them them what physical proof they actually had to be honest.........

Errm .... i know i'm too considerate to my neighbours by most peoples standards but perhaps you want to wait a few days before you do anything.

You've just broken the law and have been reported for doing so. Seems pretty fair to me.

How does anyone on your street know your car is legal. You've built it yourself, to most people this is amazing and they'll find it hard to believe its actually allowed. Its therefore pretty reasonable taking that view point to assume its a death trap. The way you describe where you live i imagine there are children around.....

its not hard to get scared, put two and two together, come up with 219 & do the socially responsible thing ..... ie do something about it.

Lets put it another way, if some local chav moved in next door, spent ages making loads of noise making a nova 'better'. You saw the standard of the work and knew it wasn't safe. He then started razzing up and down the street. Would you just let him get on with it?

As for making noise at 8am - did you have a word with them? One of my neighbours got a mate with a chain saw to cut a hedge at 8am one Sunday. Ex stormed out the house, explained that she didn't mind if he made the noise at 10am but at 8am he was taking the wee and would he please stop. He did and we all lived happily ever after.

^ so the moral of your story is... the neighbour should have had a word with him rather than go to the police?

i know what you mean though, yes, you did break the law by driving a unregistered, uninsured, untaxed car on the road. my sister broke the law and while your neighbour SHOULD have had a work with you directl as this would have been the decent thing to do i'd say, well, it is against the law and thats what the police specialise in... take it on the chin and get on with it i think

quote:

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As for making noise at 8am - did you have a word with them? One of my neighbours got a mate with a chain saw to cut a hedge at 8am one Sunday. Ex stormed out the house, explained that she didn't mind if he made the noise at 10am but at 8am he was taking the wee and would he please stop. He did and we all lived happily ever after.

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So you were driving a vehicle on the public highway with no insurance? Have you thought what might have happened if you had hit anybody ?

Got no sympathy for you at all.

I've seen plenty of posts on here about how terrible it is that chavs / immigrants / refugees are driving around with no tax, MOT and insurance and everybody says something should be done. As for your neighbour reporting you - these days if you confront someone about dropping a piece of litter, you're liable to get a knife in your ribs.

I'm not saying I wouldn't do the same as you but if I'm caught I won't whine about it.

NO sympathy from me . How would you feel if one of your family members/friends was hit and injured or worse by an uninsured driver? Part of the reason insurance is so high is because of uninsured drivers. Sorry, I side with the neighbour

I kind of agree with the above, although it's probably down to the neighbour not really knowing what it is. When I had my chassi delivered my neighbour thought it was a bed and then when I first rolled it out she thought it was a go-kart, erm it's a bit big for a go-kart love!!!

It's crawling round the local street at low speed, it's not deathrace 2000

Andrew

I wouldn't let it bother you AT ALL! Let it all wash over you in an oasis of calm reflection!

Once you've passed your SVA and got your plates, THEN you can have some fun with with your neighbour!

The car will be completely road legal and you can drive up and down your street as much as you like with a grin like a cheshire cat!

In fact, you could invite a couple of other local 7's round for a BBQ!

Cheers

Mike

quote:

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Originally posted by andrew.carwithen

However, what really grips my sh*t is

[Edited on 30/5/08 by andrew.carwithen]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by andrew.carwithen
Was beavering away in the garage earlier when there was a knock at the front door.
Wife came in to tell me that two female PCSO/police officers wanted a word with me.
Asked if I owned a green roadster and when I replied in the affirmitive asked if they could come inside.
So I showed them the car in the garage and they obviously clocked lack of numberplate and enquired if it was registered/insured/taxed etc. which, obviously, it isn't.
Apparently a neighbour has reported me for driving it on the road (took it around the block a couple of times a week ago testing brakes etc.)
Then they proceeded to lecture me about driving it illegally etc. and that they are perfectly in their right to seize the car should they so wish.
Fair enough, I was in the wrong.
I did explain my reasons for test-driving it (intend driving to SVA which is 40 miles away and so want to make sure its safe and everything works ok etc.) which, again, I know is not a valid reason.
However, what really grips my sh*t is that whoever this neighbour is (they wouldn't tell me who it is - but must live in my road or how else would the police know which door to knock on?) didn't have the balls or good grace to tell me direct they weren't happy about me driving the car.

[Edited on 30/5/08 by andrew.carwithen]

---

I'm with Guinness, get it legal and then enjoy it, had a similar issue a couple of summers ago, I rode a bike up and down the street with no hat on! but guess where the 7.00am Sunday ride outs start from now.....

quote:

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Originally posted by Benzine
It's crawling round the local street at low speed, it's not deathrace 2000

---

If any one asks have you done X just say no.
let them prove you did.
Often you are the only proof when you confess.

For example.
About once a month some scumbag graffities,damages etc in our area, and yep the police just say bovvered face bovvered...
then sorry got to go, nother speed camara is full!

Although we have just had them round for a door to door murder enquiry.
And after speaking to them it does seem they are under staffed in general policing.
We all know whos responsable for that.

Time the sc*mb*gs ripping us off party need booting out. But which thieving sc*mb*gs do we replace them with.


Todays Moan over.

I'm amazed that nobody yet has asked about what I would have thought was the most obvious point! How much noise does this car make????

There is virtually nothing that will annoy neighbours as much as noise levels above the ordinary.


John

quote:

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Originally posted by Guinness
Andrew

I wouldn't let it bother you AT ALL! Let it all wash over you in an oasis of calm reflection!

Once you've passed your SVA and got your plates, THEN you can have some fun with with your neighbour!

The car will be completely road legal and you can drive up and down your street as much as you like with a grin like a cheshire cat!

In fact, you could invite a couple of other local 7's round for a BBQ!

Cheers

Mike

---

I think the really sad thing about this topic is the number of people who say if you have an argument with your neighbours this is how to REALLY piss them off.

Is pissing them off going to make them more reasonable ? Is that a grown-up response?

Now the original question was should the neighbour have gone to Andrew direct rather than the police?

So the neighbour says to Andrew " you are breaking the law "

What would Andrew have said / done ?

quote:

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Originally posted by rusty nuts


IT STILL HAS NO INSURANCE, SVA OR ROADTAX
irrespective of what speed it was doing he was still breaking the law. And yes the law does apply to everyone even a---s that think they are above it.

---

The issue isn't whether I'm in the wrong or not - I've admitted as such in my opening post.
Although with nearly thirty years experience of driving I do resent being compared to some spotty-faced chav in his sooped up 1.2 Corsa raggin' it around the block to impress his mates!
What I'm annoyed about is that I have lived here for 17 years and so feel that if anyone has a problem with my car they would have the decency to approach me first. I have ALWAYS been courteous to the neighbours - even to the extent of having never once parked my tintop in front of anyone's house apart from my own (even though I'm perfectly entitled to do so. Others don't return the courtesy) I don't have house parties throughout the summer that go on to the early hours with total disregard for neighbours. Others in the road do regularly and I've never complained. Nor have I complained when a neighbour has powerwashed their drive at 7am on a Sunday morning! or indeed, when the local pyromaniacs have a firework display in their back gardens at all times of night and year as an excuse to celebrate anything and everything!
In short, I've believed in 'live and let live' and had hoped others adopted the same philosophy.
Well, not any more. Anybody disturbing my sleep this summer will be getting a visit from me and if they don't desist, then I'll be the one ringing the police! Petty as that may be.
Just out of curiosity, how have others determined whether their cars are up to SVA without driving it first? (I'm thinking in terms of 'self centreing' of the steering, brakes working correctly etc.)

quote:

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Originally posted by
Just out of curiosity, how have others determined whether their cars are up to SVA without driving it first? (I'm thinking in terms of 'self centreing' of the steering, brakes working correctly etc.)

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Jesus I thought most of the people on here were quite "nice" looks like I was wrong!

Try and put yourself in the shoes of your neighbors and think about how you'd like the sound of cars being revved up every other day or cars with no exhausts being "tested" right left and centre. I know it might come as a shock to some of you on here but some people don't like the sound of cars razzing up and down the street!!

I know we all have to test things now and again, but all I did was go and say to each of my close neighbors and explain what I was doing. They were all fine about it, some actually came round to have a look. I think some people just like winding other people up and enjoy a bit of confrontation. It's one of the reasons this country is turning into a right old sh1t tip!!

BTW this isn't aimed as much at the opening poster. Just a rant at some of the views aired so far!

Dave

[Edited on 113131p://3915 by orbital]

[Edited on 113131p://4115 by orbital]

I must admit that some of the responses have been a little 'sharp'.

If this had happened to me I would have taken the ticking off from the police gracefully, as it sounds like they weren't out to give a ticket. Technically the law had been broken, and mostly they were 'absolute offenses' - no mitigating circumstances allowed, it shouldn't have been done.

But how many people on this forum have tried their unregistered and uninsured cars up and down the road, just to see how well they work? In my case, I went up my drive, did a 3-point turn and went back in again as I wanted to turn the car around. Technically I broke the law - but my neighbours just walked up and congratulated me for getting the car going under its own power!

I think he got off lightly - an unofficial verbal warning for being a bit cheeky. It could have been a lot worse.

As for being reported by a neighbour - maybe someone thought he was going too far. Perhaps it's time to build some bridges with the neighbours, so that they are less worried in the future.

Just my 2p's worth.

David