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We have a vaguely parallel scenario to the bald tyres thread, where our neighbours have parked their ageing BMW coupe just up the street. The back story is that at least six months ago, it developed enough serious mechanical issues to be - in their view at least - not feasible to repair. It's been sat there ever since. The MoT expired at the end of last month along with the tax, it hasn't been SORNed and is still just sat there on the public highway.
It isn't being driven sans tax and MoT - they have another 'family car' and the occasional loan of another one - so it seems to be inertia and maybe the inability to afford a new-to-them additional car. I suspect the battery is flat, so even if they wanted to drive around, they currently wouldn't be able to.
Anyway, in a strict sense, the car is illegally parked and we should report it. However, it's hard to argue that it poses a danger to anyone else - I suppose you could drive into it, but it would be a big ask given its position on the road - and the idea of living next to people if they somehow realised we'd shopped them isn't an attractive option.
We have a good neighbourly relationship with them, but not close enough that we could really delve deeper into the situation. Also they have a bit of a globalist conspiracy theory thing going on, which suggests that mild insanity lurks just below the surface.
So, what would STW do? Our current position is one of curious spectatorship given that there doesn't seem to be any significant risk to public safety and presumably DVLA must be technically aware of the situation. Strict morality or pragmatism?
I'd like to say that I'm really struggling with my ethical position, but that would be a lie... Does the fact that it's a BMW change things? 🙄
Is it dangerous or causing you or anyone else an issue in any way? If not then I'd say reporting is very bad form...
Unless you like being known as a snitch that is..
It's only been illegally parked for a 11 days then?
If it's not causing an issue and they're not driving it I'd ignore it personally - they may be trying to get rid and being messed around by buyers.
If it's bothering you, report it to your council as an abandoned vehicle. They will put a sticker on it advising the owner to move it, and potentially tow it away if it has no tax.
nb. Use the details of one of your other neighbours when you report it.
So, what would STW do?
Did the scouts ever do a curtain twitcher badge? If they did I'd be seeing if I can find a vintage one online. I'd then sew it on my anorak sleeve. It'd look ever so smart.
If it had been there 6 months since the MOT & tax expired you might have a point, but 11 days classes you as a full on curtain twitcher.
Put a stone on the tyre and obsessively check if its moved.
There's a point when it changes from being an illegally parked vehicle to becoming fly-tipping. I'd suggest it's not reached that point yet.
The DVLA will send them a fine in a month or so anyway, it's an automated (if slow) process. I know this because I stupidly taxed my motorbike for 12 months which ran out in Nov, got a fine in Jan because I'd forgotten to SORN it. Paying monthly is a much better reminder for me to SORN it when the weather gets worse, as I notice it going out of my bank.
Might be an idea to offer them some help? A jump start if the battery is flat? A tow to somewhere else? A number for a local scrappy who'll offer them some cash? Maybe a bit passive aggressive , helpful but letting him know you think it's a problem. Don't shop him though, that's a dick move.
I assume you have a jerry can of petrol, and I assume you have a lighter?
You know what to do..it's the only decent thing...
DrP
I can't see any of the replies, just my original post. Mostly i started the thread to see how / if I could on the new forum. Thanks for all the - doubtless - helpful advice, which I can't see, but am quietly confident will be constructive and thoughtful.
Personally if it was on the road in my street and slowing cars down I’d be happy it’s there
Timely thread. Neighbours direct across from us just had their old van taken away on the back of a Copart transporter half an hour ago. Finally! They'd acquired a new van but left the old one parked on main road uninsured and untaxed since October, but wasn't driven in that time.
No, I didn't snitch but I was tempted purely because the family are a bunch of selfish pricks and could easily have parked it off-street on their drive but chose not to.
A number for a local scrappy who'll offer them some cash?
Do you still get money for scrapping these days? I thought you were now more likely to have to pay to have it taken away.
Do you still get money for scrapping these days? I thought you were now more likely to have to pay to have it taken away.
Yep, I got £400-£500 for wrecked / non-running vehicles.
I'd expect quite a bit more for a BMW as it'll have more value as spares as people are more inclined to keep "expensive" cars on the road than they are a knackered Berlingo (c.f. RNP's Porsche).
Send me the details and i will happily report it. Its not as though they will get into trouble with anyone. They will be told to move it or dispose of it or risk a fine etc.
I had a neighbour who was using an untaxed/mot vehicle to tow a trailer for work jobs ON A TRADE PLATE. Not trade plates, he had one plate that sat on the dashboard which i think he had found somewhere. It is illegal to tow on trade plates. It would be towing a 3.5t trailer at least once per week. I had zero guilt about reporting it. Within a few weeks the vehicle (ancient Izuz Trooper) it had dissapeared so it obviously wasnt worth making legal and a works van replaced it which is doing the job legally.
What a sad reflection of how society is today summed in one thread. Here's an idea; How about you mind your own business?
If its untaxed and not SORN the DVLA will deal with it. Some neighbour you are. Pathetic. Why don't you report them to the tax office too while you're at it just in case they owe £1.30 from 5 years ago thats been overlooked?
Bet you reported people walking their dogs twice a day during covid too.
My neighbour had a habit of doing stuff like this - I did eventually report one car to the council after about six months as it was literally dumped in the turning circle of the cul-de-sac. We've got someone else's 'project' car on the road, but it's in a parking space and isn't bothering anyone.
in the
I'd like to say that I'm really struggling with my ethical position, but that would be a lie
There isn't any ethical position on it. The highways are not your responsibility and the car is not creating any risk or danger.
It's simply one of your personal choice. If it isn't bothering you, ignore it. If it is, report it.
11 days, maybe they have SORN'd it and the system hasnt been updated at the public facing end yet.
this seems very petty
There's some weird attitudes on this thread (and a couple of wholly predictable ones).
It's untaxed and abandoned. Report it.
11 days, maybe they have SORN'd it and the system hasnt been updated at the public facing end yet.
SORN is Statutory OFF ROAD Notification and it's on the road. Even if it's the case that the "system" hasn't been updated, which is unlikely, it's still illegally parked.
Worry about something that actually matters.
I'm not very 'worried' about it, I was more intrigued by what STW might think. Fwiw, I don't think I've ever reported anyone for anything and I can't see any reason why I would in this case. If they were driving around in it, I might have a rethink, but while it's just sat there, it makes no odds to anyone.
Anyway, cheers for the responses, which I can now actually read.
Bet you reported people walking their dogs twice a day during covid too.
Stick a (fake) >POLICE AWARE< notice on it. 🙂
There's some weird attitudes on this thread (and a couple of wholly predictable ones).
It's untaxed and abandoned. Report it.
It could just be frustration at what used to be a lively, articulate and entertaining forum turning into a bunch of old men shouting at the sky.
It could just be frustration at what used to be a lively, articulate and entertaining forum turning into a bunch of old men shouting at the sky.
That's not the point.
If the neighbours have done no wrong, reporting it will result in the Powers That Be declaring no wrong-doing and go about their day. You're not judge, jury and executioner.
On the other hand, the rest of us have to pay for insurance, excise duty and MOTs for our vehicles. Why should they have a freebie? If it's not economical to repair then scrap it rather than just pretending it doesn't exist and leaving it to clutter up the road.
What a sad reflection of how society is today summed in one thread. Here's an idea; How about you mind your own business?
So if you see someone stealing your neighbours car, you would mind your own business? That attitude does indeed seem to be what a lot of society has.
The fact that tax has not been paid when it should have been is fraudulant. However, in this case, I think I would let events take their natural course and not get involved, or get involved by offering to help them deal with the problem.
Depends on the road/street the car is 'dumped' on but I'd expect it to end up clamped fairly quickly if any police/authority vehicle with ANPR were to drive past it at some point.
This might be me adding 2 plus 2 and coming up with 5, but whenever I watch those 'highway patrol' programmes, there's always a large number of vehicles stopped for simple things like no tax/MOT, and then the driver is unlicenced/drunk (but not driving dangerously)/carrying drugs etc etc...
I dunno.. it just seems that no tax/MOT can easily be a 'gateway crime' into other things!
DrP
This might be me adding 2 plus 2 and coming up with 5, but whenever I watch those 'highway patrol' programmes, there's always a large number of vehicles stopped for simple things like no tax/MOT, and then the driver is unlicenced/drunk (but not driving dangerously)/carrying drugs etc etc...
I dunno.. it just seems that no tax/MOT can easily be a 'gateway crime' into other things!
DrP
It completely is, and I think there’s good evidence to support this (even if it might be a bit ‘broken window theory’), which makes the under-resourcing and lack of priority of roads policing harder to fathom.
I dunno.. it just seems that no tax/MOT can easily be a 'gateway crime' into other things!
See "broken windows" theory.
"broken windows" theory."
Not heard of this...will look it up, cheers..
DrP
Not the same thing, but last week I got a parking ticket because someone from down my street reported me for having an expired residents parking permit. Now I know this is my fault and qualifies me for a fine, but in my defence, I just never noticed and didn't get the usual reminder from the council through the post. Had I got the reminder, I would've renewed it straight away. I'm not really arsed about the fine, but why not just knock on and tell me, or leave a note on my window "fyi- your permits expired." Or why couldn't the warden pop a warning on the window!? I'd say reporting me for that is a dick move.
One of my neighbours must hate me...... 👀🤣
Not the same thing, but last week I got a parking ticket because someone from down my street reported me for having an expired residents parking permit.
Better be careful, by this time next week you might be driving around uninsured, untaxed and selling class A drugs to kids as they walk out of school, you monster.
Good grief, has STW turned into Mumsnet or The Mail online? Hanging’s too good for them.
It isn't being driven sans tax and MoT
So if it’s not causing you a problem then leave it until such a time as the Police/DVLA catch up with them.
PS Failing to tax your car is not « fraud » it’s is just failing to tax a motor vehicle.
I assume you have a jerry can of petrol, and I assume you have a lighter?
You know what to do..it's the only decent thing...
It’s a BMW, a Viking-style funeral is the most appropriate thing to do, put the poor thing out of its misery.
If it's not causing an issue and you get on with them... And it's only been 11 days.. And they are not driving it...
Don't be a dick, basically.
Good grief, has STW turned into Mumsnet or The Mail online? Hanging’s too good for them.
It isn't being driven sans tax and MoT
So if it’s not causing you a problem then leave it until such a time as the Police/DVLA catch up with them. was
PS Failing to tax your car is not « fraud » it’s is just failing to tax a motor vehicle.
As per my previous posts, I'm not reporting anyone, I just wanted to start a sensationalist, divisive thread 🙄
I guess this was your favourite scene 😆
And anyway, just so it's clear, I would warn them first, maybe give them 24 hours to get it sorted. I'm not unreasonable.
Depending on how it's parked ANPR might not "see" the reg plate.
As to what to do, there are online options for when you feel it's time, e.g. https://www.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle , which is anonymous
People assume that the car is registered to the proper owner, do we know that it's not on cloned plates, for example?
I was 100% in the live and let live camp...
Also they have a bit of a globalist conspiracy theory thing going on
...until this bit. Don't know why I get completely triggered by conspiracy theorists but I do. On that basis is shop them to the feds ASAP, they deserve every bit of inconvenience possible for contributing to the enshitification of society.
So if you see someone stealing your neighbours car, you would mind your own business?
Or someone getting raped or murdered eh?
I think the reality is that most people would rather not live in a society where people spy on and report their neighbours to the authorities.
Societies where people feel an obligation to spy on and report their neighbours, work colleagues, etc, have and do exist. They tend not to be very pleasant societies.
Leave it to the relevant authorities to deal with law enforcement, ordinary citizens don't need to be involved and it's what they pay their taxes for, even if they are law-abiding themselves.
Most reasonable people would have no trouble in making a distinction between the moral justification of reporting crimes taking place, such as burglary and murder, and reporting possible violations of highway restrictions.
If it's untaxed, and you're a grass, then you can grass them to the dvla. They have an entire page for it
https://www.gov.uk/report-untaxed-vehicle br />
I can't help but feel there are some double standards on display here. If somebody came and dumped some - potentially contaminated - scrap metal on your street you'd feel rightly aggreived and seek to have the situation resolved. The fact that the pile of scrap is currently in the shape of a car makes it different though?
If it's not taxed / mot then it's not insured and the council will lift it. If it has tax and an MOT then they will leave it
I mean there could be a firearm in the glove box, BMW isn't it. It's only a matter of time before it spreads to a gypsy encampment, fly tipping, scrap metal as far as the eye can see, MX tracks in back gardens, students moving in next-door and all night raves/gathering of the Juggalos!
Nice touch stalking their social media.
If it's not taxed / mot then it's not insured and the council will lift it. If it has tax and an MOT then they will leave it
This... it's been 11 days for christs sake, how do you even know it's an expired mot unless you are a bit of a fruit cake?
dumped some - potentially contaminated - scrap metal on your street
This is ironic right?
last week I got a parking ticket because someone from down my street reported me for having an expired residents parking permit.
To be fair, this is rubbish. The point of residents' parking is to restrict parking to residents only. You're still a resident even if your permit expires.
Leave it to the relevant authorities to deal with law enforcement, ordinary citizens don't need to be involved and it's what they pay their taxes for, even if they are law-abiding themselves.
This but of course you're free to enjoy the privilege of the dilemma. Embrace the quandry, align your chakras take a deep breath, and DECIDE!
This... it's been 11 days for christs sake, how do you even know it's an expired mot unless you are a bit of a fruit cake?
First, it takes 30 seconds to check if a vehicle is MOTd and taxed using a quaint modern invention called the internet. For reasons best known to herself - perhaps because she doesn't spend time on STW - my missus looked up the status of next door's car.
Second, for the umpeenth time, for the benefit of those who cannot be bothered to read what I've previously posted:
I AM NOT AND NEVER HAVE BEEN ABOUT TO REPORT MY NEIGHBOUR'S CAR FOR SITTING ON THE STREET WITH NO TAX OR MOT.
Is it really so difficult to grasp the idea that a thread asking for opinions on a scenario posted out of curiosity over the breadth of opinions on an internet forum full of mildly cross people is not the same as actually saying you favour doing something quite unpleasant?
There's a certain irony about people, who are essentially sat, wasting time on the internet, having a pop at someone who's simply curious about whether the motionless car sat that's been sat outside their house for six months, is taxed and MoTed.
For the record, if I were really concerned/inconvenienced, I would knock on and ask next door what was going on with the car and whether there was anything I could do to help if there was a problem - eg: recommend a local MoT place / mechanic etc - but it's not my problem and they have lots going on with kids, dog, life etc.
It's kind of telling that no-one on this entire thread has actually suggesting talking to the neighbours. It's all either 'shop them now' or 'you're an evil, curtain-twitching bastard'. There's precious little evidence of any awareness that they may be, you know, actual human beings.
Edit: blimey, I can actually see my own post immediately complete with shouty formatting options. Totally spoilt by the hamsters 🙂
I'm just glad I don't live on the same street as the OP or his neighbour... sometimes people deserve each other.
A very fair point 🤣
For the record, if I were really concerned/inconvenienced, I would knock on and ask next door what was going on with the car and whether there was anything I could do to help if there was a problem - eg: recommend a local MoT place / mechanic etc - but it's not my problem and they have lots going on with kids, dog, life etc.
It's kind of telling that no-one on this entire thread has actually suggesting talking to the neighbours. It's all either 'shop them now' or 'you're an evil, curtain-twitching bastard'. There's precious little evidence of any awareness that they may be, you know, actual human beings.
You probably ought to read your own thread, as @brian2 did in fact suggest talking to them 🙂
Missed that, was too busy being cross and waiting hours for posts to actually appear 🙄
Standards on here are slipping, 2 pages on nothing and no mention of frozen sausages or bumming dogs.
I'd have no problem shopping them. 🙂
If this car wasn't a car but was, I dunno, a skip or a sofa, would you just let it sit there potentially obstructing other road users (vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, people pushing prams or wheelchair users) and/or clogging up a parking spot for another resident or local business?
Of course not, but cars get a *free pass* for some reason...
I'm getting increasingly militant about people who consider the "public highway" as a dumping ground to leave their vehicles in "their spot" and blocking traffic or using it as justification for not installing bike lanes...
(Granted, I live in an area where the majority of houses have their own garages AND drives, yet residents use their garage space for things other than storing their cars, and/or have so many vehicles that they overspill onto the streets AND the residents also have the temerity to complain about visitors parking outside! This situation may not apply to BWD... 😀 )
So if it’s not causing you a problem...
Hmm. I reckon this is a bit of a frog in a boiling pot situation. I'd argue that the number of cars occupying roads and pavements are a massive problem, and at the very least are some form of inconvenience to almost everybody on a daily basis. In the grand scheme of things, even the highest vehicle tax bands make for cheap rental on the the space they occupy when parked in the street. Personally, I wouldn't be bothering if it's only been a couple of weeks, but it is a bit of a piss take to think you can dump 2 tonnes of metal wherever you like at no cost.
Cheers for all the input. After a lot of soul-searching, I firebombed the bastard car. I did feel slightly guilty over the public expenditure incurred - police, fire brigade, road repairs, recovery of smouldering carcass (sic) etc - but there was no 'snitching' or awkward interactions with next door and no real ethical dilemmas. As a bonus, it saves the neighbours from either having to tax or MoT the vehicle or, hopefully from any sort of fine.
A big thanks for the many helpful replies to this thread, which did help me come to a decision. I'd like to emphasise that there was no 'grassing' or 'snitching' here, I didn't watch the car burning in a 'curtain-twitching' sort of way and there were no frozen sausages or dogs involved.
Hopefully that brings this thread to a satisfactory and ethically sound conclusion and frees up a parking space in our somewhat overcrowded street.
Not sure if my reply a few days ago appeared but if no MOT and no tax just report it on the local council website and they will remove it.
I live in a very quiet place and we often get abandoned cars (sometimes stolen cars as well) - the council are efficient at moving them once there is no tax / MOT. I must have reported about 5-10 of them over the years.
Remember broken window theory, keep where you live clean.
I firebombed the bastard car.
Well that's not going to dampen their conspiracy theorist tendencies. Poor ****ers.
I firebombed the bastard car.
Well that's not going to dampen their conspiracy theorist tendencies. Poor ****ers.
A fair observation and you're probably right, but it's a bit late now. I'll bear it mind next time
it is a bit of a piss take to think you can dump 2 tonnes of metal wherever you like at no cost.
Aye. And if you suggested you wanted to put a bike hangar on the street in the same place...
Cars seem to be the only private possessions we offer open-ended public storage for.
yet residents use their garage space for things other than storing their cars,
I do have some sympathy here. Cars are increasingly getting larger, but garages and parking spaces are not.
If it's not taxed / mot then it's not insured and the council will lift it. If it has tax and an MOT then they will leave it
This... it's been 11 days for christs sake, how do you even know it's an expired mot unless you are a bit of a fruit cake?
There is a handy dandy website you can put a numberplate into and it tells you the tax and insurance state. Given how long it takes my local council to act (several months) the quicker you report the quicker the car is gone. We had one that started to be used by people for dumping rubbish in as the doors were open. The rain had gotten in and it was rotting from the inside out. Now I never let them get that long
I mused about extracting the number plates from the video of my cycle to work and seeing what % popped up as untaxed and uninsured and seeing of there was a correlation on postcode - a project for when I have time
Cheers for all the input. After a lot of soul-searching, I firebombed the bastard car.
Oh.....you know what you need now - the fire starter badge! Would look awesome next to the other one*. 😀
*Which I misnamed (seemingly, to great offence) the 'curtain twitcher' badge. It is of course officially known as the 'Neighbourhood watch' badge....even though that's not what the plod like to call it.
There is a handy dandy website you can put a numberplate into and it tells you the tax and insurance state.
Problematic after the fire. I should have made a note of it first 😕
I mused about extracting the number plates from the video of my cycle to work and seeing what % popped up as untaxed and uninsured and seeing of there was a correlation on postcode - a project for when I have time
There was a chap in (I think) Hull who used to post videos on Twitter who did this. The numbers were... alarming.
The roads need to be littered with ANPR cameras to scoop up all the vehicles that have no tax, MOT and/or insurance.
Meh, one of the local ‘car flippers’ used to get around a non legal car by loading it onto an old shed (but road legal) of a flatbed Transit. More of an eyesore and bigger but as far as I know legal.
A few more streets away a house did have a flatbed, the entire length of their driveway with a truck on it. Glad they aren’t my neighbours.
No I absolutely wouldn’t poke my nose into the legality or otherwise of a neighbour’s parked car., if it didn’t cause issues.