jamiehamy 0 Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) and neither do I watch TV. I note with intersted that this new car insurance law has come into play and find the follwing interesting from BBC News "The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will work with the Motor Insurers' Bureau to identify non-compliant drivers. The two launched an advertising campaign a month ago to raise awareness of the change in law" Now If you don't have a TV, which I don't, then how can this be an acceptable way of informing people of a new law that will absolutely affect them? I rarely listen to radio news now either, but I do still peruse BBC News. Now, yes, I found out just because I'm nosy and also on forums, but it does raise the question in my mind - How many other changes in the law happen that I've no awareness of, and how can you be expected to abide by these laws if you have no idea about them being introduced? There seems to be no robust mechanism to allow people a simple understaind ofwhat's going on. I know it's a not a new question, and ignorance is not a defense, but this constantly pee's me off. The DVLA surely should have written to ever single keeper of a vehicle and told them. Yes it would cost, but that should have been considered when drafting the law. Grr.... No, yes, maybe?! Edited June 20, 2011 by jamiehamy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wendy 0 Posted June 20, 2011 Although I understand and see your point - my basic feeling is - it would not effect you if you had Insured your Car - which from my understanding - was the law of this country anyway ?? I think if you do not watch TV, listen to a Radio, buy a newspaper or read the news online - then there is little chance you would be aware of much of the news - change in laws etc - Not that I think that is a bad thing though - keeps you sane and unstressed from all the general agro going on in the world. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tempest 0 Posted June 20, 2011 Second that, Wendy :) Tempest Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamiehamy 0 Posted June 20, 2011 The law previously only required you to insure your car whilst it was being driven. So if you have a 'weekend' car, like a VW Camper/van, then you might be a lot cheaper only insuring it using Temporary insurance for the few occasions you use it. If you don't have a drive, you can leave it taxed and keep it on the road (legally). Now however you must have it insured to keep it on the road, despite having tax. So if you don't have a driveway, you're faced with insuring something for a whole year that might only be driven for 30days in that year. But yeah, to your point Wendy - I don't pay attention to the media because of the reasons mentioned below (or above depending on your forum settings!). Only use BBC News online and an online local site. But it def seems to be that there is a requirement to watch media in order to know about the law - there is no other 'one stop shop' that is easily accessible to get this info (that I have found). Ah well.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lauraJ 0 Posted June 20, 2011 The law previously only required you to insure your car whilst it was being driven. So if you have a 'weekend' car, like a VW Camper/van, then you might be a lot cheaper only insuring it using Temporary insurance for the few occasions you use it. If you don't have a drive, you can leave it taxed and keep it on the road (legally). I was of the understanding that if you have a vehicle on the public highway regardless of how often it is driven then it has to be insured? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted June 20, 2011 With the greatest respect, most people have and watch a TV or listen to a radio at some point. If you don't make much effort to keep yourself up to date with the news / current affairs, then what exactly are they supposed to do about it? They are funded from tax payer money, and I'm sure a lot of people would be up in arms if they were not doing the most effective wide ranging advertising they could! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yandards 0 Posted June 20, 2011 I was of the understanding that if you have a vehicle on the public highway regardless of how often it is driven then it has to be insured? That's my understanding too, as it is a requirement that you have both a valid MOT and insurance to be able to get road tax then both of those must be valid if the vehicle is used/kept on public roads. The new law was brought in to attempt to reduce the number of uninsured drivers around and to allow the Police to seize vehicles from private land. To comply with the law now you car must either be taxed, have a valid MOT and insurance if it is kept/used on the public highway or be parked on private land with a valid SORN declaration (no insurance, tax or MOT required in this case); if not then the Police can have the vehicle towed away and crushed. All the legislation change does is mean that folks have to keep their cars SORNed if parked off the road, the legislation is designed to capture those people that don't tax, insure or SORN their car but use it on the public highway. As for the information, a SORN reminder/renewal or a new tax disc in the post will come with a selection of leaflets, I know one of those covered the new legislation when I last renewed a SORN. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corozin 0 Posted June 20, 2011 The DVLA have been putting notices about the change in the law in all VED reminders for over a year so if you don't read what they send you who's fault is that? The only people with reason to get hissy about this are people who drive uninsured or fail to declare SORN - both of which have been legal requirements for years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
t700bes 1 Posted June 20, 2011 I only heard about this, this morning, and our household have 2 cars, and watch TV, so I'm with the OP on this one... I did have a corrado, looked away in a garage that was not tax'ed, MOT, or insured, I then MOT'ed it recently, and gave it 6 months tax, I was going to use it occasionally, but as I HAVE to insure it full time (even though I only wanted to insure it when i used it) I now drive it everywhere.. so a small WIN, but never the less, a ballache! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamiehamy 0 Posted June 20, 2011 (edited) You could legally have a car taxed and sitting on the public highway without insurance. Yes, you needed insurance to tax, but that was all. SORN only covered untaxed cars. Judging by some of the posts (and I don't mean this in a smart-alex way),. but DVLA have failed as so far no-one seems to have correctly understood the changes and how they differ from the past. And that's with TVs So if anyone has a Rado that is taxed sitting somewhere quiet without insurance because the engine's knackered or something meaning you can't/don't drive it, then you better get it moved! Or if you park your car in your garage with tax and only insure it occasionally, you can't leave it in the garage (with tax) and no insurance. You'll need to declare SORN, refund the tax, and then when you want to drive it for a few weeks, insure it, tax it, drive it, then start again by SORNing, refunding tax and so on. So yeah, slightly contrived maybe, but at the end of the day, there are many legitimate reasons you might have your car sitting on the road taxed but not insured. Engine could be goosed and you're waiting to find a new one, you're going abroad for two months with work, you've had a short ban, you've broken your leg... All these events would mean you would likely want to cancel or suspend your insurance for a period, even more so if your premium is high and you don't want to waste money. So fine, SORN it. Now you have the problem of finding somewhere to keep it... Edit - I wrote this before reading t700bes's post, but my use case is now proven :) Edited June 20, 2011 by jamiehamy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim 2 Posted June 20, 2011 Wouldn't most people insure their cars with layup insurance anyway? I've got my red Corrado (which is now SORN and has an expired MOT) insured for 2,000 miles a year on a classic policy for something like £250. Worth paying for, for peace of mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pug Boxter 0 Posted June 20, 2011 I've got 4 cars and 2 motorbikes off the road without tax or insurance and 2 vehicles on the road with tax and insurance. It gets busy at times with all the VED letters coming, glad I can do the SORN online these days Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tempest 0 Posted June 20, 2011 Still, although I can agree with the thread starter in the sense of government's duties to inform everyone (including those without tellies), I personally have always decided from day one of ownership of my current fleet, to keep them insured throughout the year. Reason is simple: What happens if your baby gets stolen? Now imagine you're not insured ... How are you going to find the thieves (police usually won't be any help). Even if you manage to get your car back, it'll have loads of damage usually, and who's going to pay for sorting that out? The thieving scumbags? Nope, that'll be you. That's why for fear of this happening I like to keep my pride and joys insured, also during the winter months when mine are all on SORN. Tempest Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
