being stopped by the police for having no insurance

[jools1965]

My partner was pulled over and his insurance was out of date. he held his hands up to the offence and the policeman asked if any other passenger had insurance and could drive. i stepped forward as i have fully comp on a different car which enables me to drive any car.

The policeman checked my driving licence and policy number. All was ok. Something was mentioned about my having ms (multiple sclerosis) and the policeman became concerned that i would "have a funny turn down the road". i said i was DVLA aware but with no driving restrictions and my GP was happy to sign a form saying i was fit to drive so what was the problem?
The policeman said he had to check with his boss and came back saying he had tried but it was no go and the car would have to be towed to a garage. When i queried this, he said "because an offence had already been committed, they were duty bound to have the car towed".

Seems a bit funny that 5 mins earlier, i was being checked to see if i could drive and it was ok til the MS was mentioned.

The bloke pulled in behind was for the same offence but he was allowed to ring his mate to pay for the insurance and after the police checked it was in place, they gave him his keys back and told him to go on his way.

Myself, my partner and his 83 year old dad with alzheimers and 81 year old wife were then left waiting for an hour in the cold for a taxi, while the car was towed and had to sort out a taxi home at a cost of �122. With the towing fee of �140 a �200 fine and 6 penalty points, all in all an expensive day.

I still dont understand why they wouldnt let me drive the car when i was insured and able to do so.

Where do i find the point of law over this as it just doesnt seem right to me.

Jools

[CushtyFred]

I think you have learnt something - DON'T DRIVE WITHOUT INSURANCE YOU NUMPTY!

[jools1965]

I think you missed the point YOU NUMPTY! how rude are you!

it was an honest mistake in forgetting to renew the insurance. We have both paid religiously up til now. Dont tell me there arnt others who use this board who have forgotten an insurance renewal or MOT date. No boy racer here with no mot, tax and speeding everywhere at 110 miles an hour, just a 50 year old farmer too busy milking cows to get your milk on the table for your breakfast. (Or a copper being let off for doing 165 whilst off duty due to his exceptional driving skills!)

The question of him having no insurance by 2 weeks is not in dispute. The question was about me being told i could drive the car away and having my licence and insurance checked and then them changing their minds once MS was mentioned was what i was asking about.

I have been in touch with the disability Law Commission this morning and under the DDA i have a case for discrimination so they will be writing to the Cheif Constable of the force in that area and if i dont get a satisfactory outcome within 14 days i can take them to court.

There.............i've answered my own question.
Thanks for nothing and god forbid you ever forget to do something in the future.

[joko]

keep all the receipts for costs incurred = you may be able to claim them back

did you get a taxi receipt?
if not, you may be able to approach them and get a belated one, if you can verify your address, and the date and time of the journey.

[NORMANTHEDOG]

i think you might have learnt your lesson.after all that,and you have the cheek to call people numptys.you wont get any compassion on here for no insurance,no matter what excuse,there is no excuse

[themas]

Cushty & Norman - what is the matter with you? It was not the poster who did not have insurance, it was her partner. She did have insurance. The problem here, as I see it, was in giving the plod too much information. Was it necessary to mention the MS? Unless a specific question was asked, I don't see why it needed to be referred to at all.

[fred_smith]

having recently been in a similar position to this, I too ask the question why there are so many infallable characters prepared to drive a knife into someones heart?here is yet another example of someone falling foul of the law because of forgetfullness but then we see the police either break the law or disciminate themselves and these are people who enforce the law as i have said in the past the whole basis of car insurance and the implications of not having it need serious review. maybe the insurance companies should take their customers well being a little more serious and send out recorded delivery renewal notices or as i have said before put a basic insurance on the price of petrol so in effect removing the offence of driving with out insurance!
and if some one wanted extra cover they go to a high street insurer

[covm80]

I think it is terrible that insurance companies are not held up here a bit more... the offence of no insurance is absolute, meaning that the insurance companies can forget to send you renewals or reminders and there is no liability for them!
I agree all letters should be sent out recorded delivery!
Most law abiding people do not deliberately avoid renewing their insurance... sometimes things happen and people rely on the insurance companies to remind them or notify them about their insurance!
What's a telephone call to them these days????? it can be the difference of a fine and 6 points and a lot worse to people that fall foul of ***** insurance companies!! I'd like to know who your insurance company were!!
Either the offence needs to be reviewed, as should someone truly think they are insured and had no intent not to be insured how can they prove this when it simply doesn't matter!
If the insurance company hasn't notifed them, surely they have some responsibility here??!

[bhg481]

So fred_smith and covm80, if your insurance company gave you the option of sending you a recorded-delivery renewal reminder for a fee of £20 you'd accept it - I think not. I know of people who've changed company because the one they were with automatically renewed their poilicy unless the policy holder cancelled it. Would you like that?
How much should be put on fuel to cover basic insurance? I, as a driver with 50 years' experience would pay more than my 24 year-old grandson with his go-faster, but more fuel efficient, car. Is that fair?
It's the driver's responsibility to insure the car, no-one else's.
Everyone who comments on here has some device on which he can set a reminder for important dates - there's no need for anyone else to remind them.