Post by howard on Mar 2, 2007 21:48:14 GMT
Hi everyone!
Had a nice surprise when I came home this evening - my DAF 66 that I had got for spares had a wheel clamp on it, and a note on the screen saying "untaxed vehicle on a public highway - do not attempt to drive this car"!
They now want me to pay £200 for them to take the clamp off - now, the chappie I got it from said he was going to return the V5 (it was last used in 1993) to the DVLA as being scrapped, which it obviously is when you look at what is left. It has never been registered in my name.
Now, my question is this - what IS the public highway? It is on my drive, although outside the line of the hedgerow. But about 30 feet at least from the road itself. One of the tyres is square, the transmissions doesn't engage, and the engine is probably seized so I am unlikely to be driving it.
What do you think is going to happen? Are they allowed to do this, or are the contractors being somewhat over-zealous? Funnily enough, as the DAF's wheels are so small, it looks like you could lift the clamp off it with no trouble if I wanted to!!!
Are they likely to pursue me, or the person I got it from? I don't want to end up in his bad books, at the very least, but is my driveway REALLY a public highway? Anyone know, or have any bright ideas? My guess is they won't ever come to crane it away as it is worthless, and are relying on my to pay up to a few threatening words.
My neighbour says that the bloke who put the clamp on looked at the other cars on my drive (all totally legal of course) - what would he be doing that for??? They are DEFINITELY off-road, surely???
I just wish that they would simply write to all the people on their computer who haven't renewed or SORN'd their cars and say "explain or pay up" - or simply catch them in the act of driving them and fine them accordingly (£1000 should do it).
Any comments or ideas? I'd never do anything intentionally wrong, of course but I feel a bit cross that I'm being punished so severely for such a minor offence - if it's an offence at all, of course!
Had a nice surprise when I came home this evening - my DAF 66 that I had got for spares had a wheel clamp on it, and a note on the screen saying "untaxed vehicle on a public highway - do not attempt to drive this car"!
They now want me to pay £200 for them to take the clamp off - now, the chappie I got it from said he was going to return the V5 (it was last used in 1993) to the DVLA as being scrapped, which it obviously is when you look at what is left. It has never been registered in my name.
Now, my question is this - what IS the public highway? It is on my drive, although outside the line of the hedgerow. But about 30 feet at least from the road itself. One of the tyres is square, the transmissions doesn't engage, and the engine is probably seized so I am unlikely to be driving it.
What do you think is going to happen? Are they allowed to do this, or are the contractors being somewhat over-zealous? Funnily enough, as the DAF's wheels are so small, it looks like you could lift the clamp off it with no trouble if I wanted to!!!
Are they likely to pursue me, or the person I got it from? I don't want to end up in his bad books, at the very least, but is my driveway REALLY a public highway? Anyone know, or have any bright ideas? My guess is they won't ever come to crane it away as it is worthless, and are relying on my to pay up to a few threatening words.
My neighbour says that the bloke who put the clamp on looked at the other cars on my drive (all totally legal of course) - what would he be doing that for??? They are DEFINITELY off-road, surely???
I just wish that they would simply write to all the people on their computer who haven't renewed or SORN'd their cars and say "explain or pay up" - or simply catch them in the act of driving them and fine them accordingly (£1000 should do it).
Any comments or ideas? I'd never do anything intentionally wrong, of course but I feel a bit cross that I'm being punished so severely for such a minor offence - if it's an offence at all, of course!