A pavement parking odyssey

[Accy cyclist]

Right, I've just reported the offending vehicle to Lancashire Police. They were very helpful, but said they can only confront the driver if he is actually driving the vehicle, not if it's parked up like I've seen it. The officer looked it up and saw that the car isn't insured or taxed, saying the tax bit isn't their department these days, which I already knew. I told them the reason for my call, such as the all day zig zag parking and he fully agreed that the owner is taking the pee, though obviously he couldn't say those actual words. He also gave me a log number to use if I see the vehicle being driven, which to be honest is highly unlikely. Anyway, he's passed it on to Lancs Police traffic department who hopefully will be alerted if they are behind this car. I've done my bit. I can't do any more! Let's hope this vehicle is off the road very soon!!

 

[DCLane]

@Accy cyclist - they'll log the registration onto their system and it'll get flagged for a pull if seen.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I'm now wondering how I can reward myself for being such a decent, public spirited person. 🤔 I'm thinking a pie and a cake, for me and my mutt to share is deserved! There are some out there who seem more concerned for the offender that the offended! I sometimes wonder what their motives are?🤔 They seem to think that doing a bit of amateur detective work then reporting it to the professionals makes you some kind of busy body, bordering on an informant. May I remind them that without public spirited citizens the police are much less effective in tracking criminal activity! Even in my window cleaning days I always kept an eye (and an ear) out for dodgy, illegal activity. I even remember the police asking such as window cleaners to look out for and report any illegal activity they may see on their rounds.

 

[Accy cyclist]

@Accy cyclist - they'll log the registration onto their system and it'll get flagged for a pull if seen.

Good, this is what we want to hear! I would've thought though that all non insured vehicles would automatically come up on their dash screens, without having to be reported.🤔

 

[midlife]

Good, this is what we want to hear! I would've thought though that all non insured vehicles would automatically come up on their dash screens, without having to be reported.🤔

Not all police cars have ANPR onboard. Road Wars on the telly whiles away a half hour or so

 

[matticus]

They were very helpful, but said they can only confront the driver if he is actually driving the vehicle, not if it's parked up like I've seen it. The officer looked it up and saw that the car isn't insured or taxed, saying the tax bit isn't their department these days, which I already knew.

This suggests you can dump an untaxed+uninsured car wherever you like with no consequences.
Why do we bother with SORN?

 

[classic33]

This suggests you can dump an untaxed+uninsured car wherever you like with no consequences.
Why do we bother with SORN?

It gives the police a reason to check the driver, if nothing else.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Not all police cars have ANPR onboard. Road Wars on the telly whiles away a half hour or so

Maybe they're quite old Road Wars and now all police cars have ANPR. 🤔

 

[Tail End Charlie]

@shep accy has done exactly what I think he should do. He's not tried to be Robocop and been confrontational, but reported it through proper channels and seems to be happy to let the police do their bit. We could all learn from this.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Maybe they're quite old Road Wars and now all police cars have ANPR. 🤔

Road Wars. That's that programme i watched years ago.

 

[Tail End Charlie]

This suggests you can dump an untaxed+uninsured car wherever you like with no consequences.
Why do we bother with SORN?

Not quite, a vehicle should have insurance even when parked up on a road, never mind dumped, similarly VED. The person who spoke to accy was probably trying to keep it simple, but I'd expect info like that to be passed to patrols, who would keep an eye out, and I suspect the car would be stopped within a couple of weeks and, if uninsured, seized.

 

[Accy cyclist]

@shep accy has done exactly what I think he should do. He's not tried to be Robocop and been confrontational, but reported it through proper channels and seems to be happy to let the police do their bit. We could all learn from this.

Well said! All I wanted was to get this car (along with the 1 million other uninsured cars ) off the road! Ok and maybe a bit of payback for taking the pee by parking on zig zags for hours on end!! @shep has got himself all het up, by taking the side of the offender, not the offended against and seems to have dug himself into a bit of a hole. He seems to think 'petty' crime should be ignored, even admired to an extent!

 

[DCLane]

A couple of weeks ago I posted about reporting a partially-dismantled car blocking the cycle path, together with the recovery wagons normally there.

Went past there today and it's gone. The council had contacted me to confirm location, checked it and placed a removal notice, then let me know what they'd done. Success.

 

[Alex321]

You do know you've openly admitted to breaking the law on a public forum don't you?

It clearly states the circumstances which you can use the website you linked to in order to check insured vehicles and you fit into none of those categories.

View attachment 680725

That doesn't mean he has broken the law, merely that he has breached the terms of the site.

I know it says there that he "may" be committing an offence under S170 of the data protection Act, but if you actually look at the Act, it is a defence if obtaining the information is was "necessary for the purposes of preventing or detecting crime" (among other things).
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2018/12/part/6/crossheading/offences-relating-to-personal-data

It is also arguable that the insurance status of a vehicle is possibly not even personal data unless you know who the owner or driver of the vehicle is. All that check returns is a Yes or No.

 

[Alex321]

Right, I've just reported the offending vehicle to Lancashire Police. They were very helpful, but said they can only confront the driver if he is actually driving the vehicle, not if it's parked up like I've seen it.

That is just lazy on their part, and incorrect. If it has no insurance, then it is illegal for it to be parked on the road, not just for it to be driven.