Hire vehicle

[packardbell]

We recently hired a motor vehicle and 150 miles into our journey we hit bad weather and whenrequired to use the windscreen wash, none was available ?
Can anyone inform me if this a driving offence ?
We informed the hire company on our return that we had topped the screen wash up but they were not bothered ?

[mrs_overall]

Yes it is an offence to have an empty washer bottle.

[Rollo]

Check everything before you take the vehicle.

[jake-the-peg]

I recently hired a car and after driving 350 miles found the petrol tank was empty!

I got no sympathy from the Hirers either.

I'm writing to the Mail in the morning!

[ummmm]

lol

[north star]

yes an offence, �30 fine (though maybe �60 now,don't know) but non-endorseable

[jake-the-peg]

In theory that's true.

But here's a challenge can anybody find any record of a prosecution for it?

This one was withdrawn with red faces:


Police Thirsty For Prosecutions
Police persecution of drivers continues unabated with the news that a Wakefield driver was given a �60 fine and 3 points on his licence because his windscreen washer bottle was empty. Richard Jeffrey's car was parked outside his house when two clowns dressed in West Yorkshire Police uniforms knocked on his door and demanded his car keys. They then spent 30 minutes trying to find a fault with his car before resorting to prosecuting him for an empty windscreen washer bottle. Police claimed that they were carrying out a clampdown on unroadworthy vehicles. Pity nobody is carrying out a clapdown into unworthy policemen.


Later reports said that Chief Supt Moorby (doubtless incredulous at the stupidity of his officers, and wishing to regain some credibility for the police) had decided to recommend the withdrawal of the charges, saying they were not appropriate. Let's hope he gives the two clowns a good ticking off.

[logic]

you will find it on here DANCAIRO.

http://www.abd.org.uk/local/west_yorkshire.htm

[north star]

so, you can get a fine AND 3 points for an empty washer bottle, yet the same fine and NO points for not having a current MOT.

Un-be*******lievable.

[jake-the-peg]

Yes well there are all sorts of laws that need tidying up. There are more important things to do . It'll probably just get quietly dropped one day in a road traffic act. Probably when they bring in 3 points for not having an MOT

The point is where a law like this is dumb it's just not enforced - Nobody wants to stand in front of a magistrate and tell them they've dragged in someone for an empty washer bottle!

I didn't provide a link because I rather assumed anyone interested would be up to copy and paste in google!

[kepla]

Yes, the law is very clear on this and the principle is very simple: The driver of the vehicle is always responsible for it being in fit condition to be drivien on the road. There is no way, legally, that you can 'off-load' this responsibility onto another person.
Hence, if you are driving an 'unknown' vehicle - hired or borrowed from a friend - you should always quickly check the legal basics because it is you who are legally responsible for them. If somebody is driving a vehicle which is illegal in some way then it is their fault for not checking it.
You will also notice that on most vehicle hire contracts it states that you have checked the vehicle was supplied to you in fit condition when accepting it.
If the police pull you over for having a light out or something and you politely explain to them that it is a hire car they might be lenient towards you and just give you a caution and tell you to fit a new bulb before driving any further - but they can prosecute you for driving a dangerous vehice if they feel like it.
Kevin.