[jambutty]

Originally Posted by Neil

Just come back from Asda and who was parked on the car park?

The DVLA road tax camera/clamping van.

As a arrived back home what did I see?

One of my neighbours with a DVLA wheel clamp on.

they drive around in the van, the camera system picks up un taxed vehicles on the road and they inform the clampers who come along and clamp you. You have 24 hours (ish) to provide proof of road tax or they lift and tow it away.

Good!

But I have a problem with action being taken on a PRIVATE CAR PARK.

The Asda car park and other private car parks are not part of the public highway and thus not subject to the public highway laws.

Taking Asda as an example, but this would apply to all private car parks – unless Asda has specific rules published on the car park to the contrary, a kid of ten could drive around without an MOT, if applicable, Road Tax or Insurance.

If you have a driveway and it is long enough, your teenage son/daughter can drive up and down it in a car that would be classed as dangerous, without an MOT, insurance or Road Tax and the law could do nothing about it, providing that the vehicle has a SORN declaration and the driving is not causing a nuisance to the neighbours.

The only notice that I have ever seen at Asda, Grimshaw Park, Blackburn is the one about them not being liable for any damage or theft from your vehicle and the occasional product recalls.

I accept that getting to and away from the car park under its own power the vehicle must comply with the public highway laws but that is another discussion.

As much as I agree totally and completely with vehicles without Road Tax and probably insurance and MOT should be taken off the road, hanging round supermarket car parks to find them is below the belt and further evidence that we are sleepwalking into the Big Brother scenario.

Pause for thought.
Which group of people are most likely to run an illegal car?
The establishment and aristocracy? Nah!
The fat cats and captains of industry then? Nah!
OK! Senior management? Nah!
Middle management? Unlikely!
Let me guess! The low paid, sick and unemployed?