Dumped Vehicle

[237SJ]

Near our local supermarket there is a vehicle with expired tax. It has been dumped on the road for at least 6 months. However, it is on a trailer which is attached to another (taxed) old banger. Every now and again, the owner comes along and swaps over the vehicle that the trailer is attached to (I saw him jump starting the attached vehicle and swapping over last week). I have reported it as it`s a complete pain as it blocks half of the road but I was just wondering. Can you get around the abandoned vehicle laws by putting a vehicle on a trailer?

[jomifl]

It obviously isn't abandoned since the owner is taking care of it.

[bhg481]

So long as the untaxed vehicle is not on the road it's not breaking any rules. You are allowed to buy an untaxed car and have it taken to your home with no tax or insurance on it. If not, every car being delivered on a transporter would have to have a trade-plate on it.
Logically the car you are talking about is no different from a new car being delivered.

[Baldric]

If the Trailer is attached to a Road-Legal Car then there is nothing illegal being done!

[237SJ]

That`s what I`m thinking. It isn`t outside the owners` house although there are some houses there. He comes from elsewhere to swap over the attached vehicles. At one point there was a sticker on the windscreen which was torn off. I suspect the council put a note on it and he knew his rights and removed it.

[SlackAlice]

Just wondering if the 'untaxed' vehicle should be listed as SORN?

[Baldric]

Even if it is Sorned it's not on a Public Road, it's legally on a trailer attached to a Road-Leagl Car

[Baldric]

Legal ^^^^^ even .. . . doh!

[237SJ]

I do remember reporting a car that had been dumped and the council said that even if a car has a tax disc (as was), they will still remove it if they have reason to believe it has been dumped.

[hc4361]

It's not abandoned, though, is it? You've seen the (presumed) owner more than once.
It's not dumped on the road, either - it's on a trailer.

You can report it for obstruction but that is all.

[SlackAlice]

^^^^
I am aware of that,keep you hair on.

My thought processes were to apply a little pressure to the person who parks it on a trailer as an obvious eyesore. If its listed as SORN then it should be there and not on a trailer somewhere else.

[Baldric]

A sorned vehicle is not allowed to be parked on a Public Road, and this one isn't.

[hc4361]

As far as I know there is no offence of being an eyesore. :D
You'd have the same problems if it was something else on the trailer, such as a caravan.

As far as I know a SORN requires the vehicle to remain in the UK and not be on the public highway.

[The Builder]

I guess you could cite lighting Regs, 237...............

Regulation 250 ..........

https://www.gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/parking-at-night-248-to-252

[hc4361]

Has the car on the trailer got a registration plate?

[kvalidir]

It's not dumped, it belongs to someone who is attending to it, the fact that you don't personally like it is unfortunate for you, but really try to find something else to worry about and stop trying to make someone's life difficult, the person has NOT abandoned their vehicle.

[237SJ]

Interesting (250) builder. He is crafty as he is more than 10 mtrs from the junction and facing the flow of traffic. If the rule about trailers applies to him then yes he is breaching those regulations as the vehicle is unlit at night. HC - yes, there is a registration plate.

[237SJ]

Thanks for your thoughts Kv. It`s not that I don`t like it, it is causing an obstruction. And yes, I do have other things to worry about - thank you very much for your input though.

[EDDIE51]

checked this recently for another thread. The lighting requirements are met if the trailer has reflectors, is parked on the correct side of the street and is in an area with street lights. It does not have to have actual working lit up lights at night any more than a parked car does. In fact he could probably get away with just having the old car on a trailer that was not attached to another car. A trailer is not classed as a 'motor vehicle' and what it has on it does not effect that. It still can be an 'obstruction' though and be reported on that basis, but if the police/council will do anything is another matter

[Peter Pedant]

dowse it with petroll and set it on fire ?

nb wear a bally-clava whilst doing that

[craft1948]

Does it look flammable and is there any CCTV on that road?