Ten-mile jam as DVLA runs tax disc checks (From Daily Echo)

if people didn't try to cheat the system they wouldn't need to be there.

So if you have a current and valid tax disc and you are observing the speed limit.....whats the problem....The delays are mainly due to these idiot drivers who see a white van with a camera sticking out the back and slam on their brakes..for no reason.

They are the same idiots who see an accident on the other carriageway and brake to have a look...absolute pathetic prats.

Lone Ranger wrote:
So if you have a current and valid tax disc and you are observing the speed limit.....whats the problem....The delays are mainly due to these idiot drivers who see a white van with a camera sticking out the back and slam on their brakes..for no reason. They are the same idiots who see an accident on the other carriageway and brake to have a look...absolute pathetic prats.

I knew that comment would be coming. I am a professional driver and when people see a safety camera or a camera van they slow down way below the speed limit as they are in fear of being caught. This is understandable as you often hear the stories about people being given points/losing license etc for doing 33 in a 30 or 43 in a 40. But the fact is people do slow down and this does cause tailbacks. And as for the rubber neckers...yes they annoy me too when you're in a big jam only to find that the accident is on the other carriageway but you still can't help but look can you??!!!

Too right, Lone Ranger. There are far too many idiots out there who see what they think is a camera & slam their brakes on irrespective of the speed they are doing. Usually they have no idea what the speed limit is in a given area anyway. Oh, and they were going through the New Forest so the speed limit is 40! Isn't it? The same people who go on the A35 through the Forest and travel at 40 holding everyone else up, or tempt other road users to pass. They are just as much a danger on our roads as the speeders. I just hope the camers caught some of the low life who think they can get away without taxing their cars.

Usual jobsworth authorities picking on the wrong people as ever.
If they want to catch tax disc avoiders, put a camera on the entrance roads to the major council estates in the area.

I'm puzzled as I thought the DVLA was all computerised now and could catch car tax dodgers and send lorries out to seize the vehicle? surely if that were the case there would be no need for this? I agree that people should not be dodging it in the first place but to cause traffic jams like this is pure madness, on one of the busiest days of the year. As per usual the vast majority of the law abiding public, who've had to have a 'staycation' by holidaying in the UK this year, have been penalised by sitting in a horrible traffic jam for hours on end. It's hardly good for Bournemouth and West Country tourism either is it?! Bad planning, bad management and not going after people who are the real culprits. I would be interested to know how many were 'caught out' as opposed to how many innocent drivers were inconvenienced and was it worth it?? I think I already can guess the answer to that one.....

freemantlegirl2 wrote:
I'm puzzled as I thought the DVLA was all computerised now and could catch car tax dodgers and send lorries out to seize the vehicle? surely if that were the case there would be no need for this? I agree that people should not be dodging it in the first place but to cause traffic jams like this is pure madness, on one of the busiest days of the year. As per usual the vast majority of the law abiding public, who've had to have a 'staycation' by holidaying in the UK this year, have been penalised by sitting in a horrible traffic jam for hours on end. It's hardly good for Bournemouth and West Country tourism either is it?! Bad planning, bad management and not going after people who are the real culprits. I would be interested to know how many were 'caught out' as opposed to how many innocent drivers were inconvenienced and was it worth it?? I think I already can guess the answer to that one.....

I agree with you, but with reference to your first paragraph, if the cars are not taxed, then what are the chances of them all being registered to the new owner and his address.
In which case, the penalty charge notice will go the previous owner.
So this method, however inconvenient, is the only way to catch them, assuming police are on hand further down the road to catch them.

However, as with speed cameras, it does not catch dangerous driving, drunk driving etc which are more serious offences and need to return to more police patrols to catch them.

For once agree with DVLA,I pay road tax & they should be out there to check up on those who dont,what better time to catch them on there way back from there hol's.Queues were not just down to this as its always busy bank hols or weekend evenings along there!!!

Yes absolutely, I agree but if a car isn't taxed then it hasn't been registered/log book changed either. If someone is really dodging the law like this, they probably aren't going to use major roads that much at these times.... I just disagree totally with the way that they've gone about this, at a peak time and for what result. Echo, it would be a good piece for you to enquire with the DVLA and Hampshire Police how many people were actually caught vs the damage done to families/law abiding motorists/tourism by this ill-thought out and badly-timed screening.

Good to see the DVLA looking for the tax dodgers. This is just the tip of iceberg as other more serious offences with police presence of no insurance, disqualified driving, no mot and construction and use offences will come to light. Work well done I say!

Totton Ric wrote:
For once agree with DVLA,I pay road tax & they should be out there to check up on those who dont,what better time to catch them on there way back from there hol's.Queues were not just down to this as its always busy bank hols or weekend evenings along there!!!

You obviously weren't sat in the queue then and didn't see the comments from local residents on here the other day who were literally blockaded in and commented that traffic speeded up again after this road trap?

I want to see them caught but not at this cost! it's crazy...

i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

I thought everyone was on the database, as described in the adverts, hence doing away with the need for such checks.

Regular users of the A31 will have seen the DVLA unit over the last month. Untaxed cars should be taken off the road. It's not until you have an accident with an untaxed car, that you find out their insurers refuse to pay for damages they have caused.

Farrington wrote:
Too right, Lone Ranger. There are far too many idiots out there who see what they think is a camera & slam their brakes on irrespective of the speed they are doing. Usually they have no idea what the speed limit is in a given area anyway. Oh, and they were going through the New Forest so the speed limit is 40! Isn't it? The same people who go on the A35 through the Forest and travel at 40 holding everyone else up, or tempt other road users to pass. They are just as much a danger on our roads as the speeders. I just hope the camers caught some of the low life who think they can get away without taxing their cars.

Why should people have to tax their cars? you pay it on your wages, then your petrol, then your insurance, then for the roads. Then a little bit extra for the government for fun? I think the low life are the morons who accept this and look down on those who dont

You won't need a tax disc at the new ice rink!

Far more serious, at least in my view, is the evasion by far too many drivers in having their vehicles insured. Tax is one thing, ok there is some slight economic damage, but if someone is injured by an uninsured driver, or your vehicle or property is damaged by an uninsured driver then the potential cost is vastly greater and hits the individual, plus of course every insured driver has to pay additional premiums to cover these idiots.
I only hope the DVLA checks pick up uninsured drivers but I sincerely doubt it!

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

"doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit."
Good capitalist practice. Shows you have money to burn.

motorists are easy targets again!! we pay through tax discs, fuel, insurance, etc etc........ while not detracting from the fact that if you've no tax you should be punished, i think that more resources should be put into combating REAL crime, yobs on streets causing havoc, binge drinking idiots again causing havoc, benefit cheats etc.

I know, why don't they set up a check in the middle of the night on a quiet road so it doesn't inconvenience anyone? They are only targeting a site at a busy time for efficiency.
Like there aren't any traffic jams when they're not there!!

Nothing to say wrote:
Usual jobsworth authorities picking on the wrong people as ever.
If they want to catch tax disc avoiders, put a camera on the entrance roads to the major council estates in the area.

Good idea.

The problem is the camera would soon disappear and then have to be retrieved from cash converters – and guess who has to pay for that?!

Big Mac wrote:

Nothing to say wrote:
Usual jobsworth authorities picking on the wrong people as ever.
If they want to catch tax disc avoiders, put a camera on the entrance roads to the major council estates in the area.

Good idea.

The problem is the camera would soon disappear and then have to be retrieved from cash converters – and guess who has to pay for that?!

lol

True


Why not wire them up to a mains feed that will fry the scum if they climb up to pinch the gear?


Have a nearby CCTV camera then bung the footage on a pay per view website. This would generate income lost by cartax evaders in the first place?


Dammit - I should be a councillor!

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

(Not for the first time) you are absolutely wrong. No idea what road you think you were on, or what time, but the A31 certainly wasn't moving anywhere near 'very well'. It took me 1.5 hours to get home, on a journey that usually takes 45 mins or so.

When I was driving out of Poole yesterday, the traffic started queuing from the A31 before the Merley roundabout.

I drive this route often, and it was significantly worse than normal rush hour or holiday traffic.

I am quite happy for the DVLA to have cameras to catch out the tax-dodgers, but it would have helped to have a sign just before the camera advising motorists to maintain their speed.

I agree with some of the above posts that driving without insurance is worse than not taxing your car. However, if a car is untaxed the insurers are unlikely to pay out to anyone unfortunate enough to be involved in an accident with the culprit. So if the DVLA picks up an untaxed vehicle they are also picking up an uninsured one.
Picking up on what superdon said. We may disagree with paying tax (in whatever format) but it is the law and until it is changed it is an offence to drive an untaxed car. Following the law does not make me a moron. We cannot pick and chose the laws we will follow just because we happen to disagree with them.
I would prefer to see the system used in other countries where you insure your car and get a disc to display in the windscreen. No doubt we would be taxed on this but at least we could be sure that drivers have insurance.

Beats me why so many people are on the roads anyway. If you watch the traffic on any motorway you'll see one group of motorists travelling from A to B.... and another travelling from B to A! Why doesn't everybody just stay where they are in the first place!

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

(Not for the first time) you are absolutely wrong. No idea what road you think you were on, or what time, but the A31 certainly wasn't moving anywhere near 'very well'. It took me 1.5 hours to get home, on a journey that usually takes 45 mins or so.

When I was driving out of Poole yesterday, the traffic started queuing from the A31 before the Merley roundabout.

I drive this route often, and it was significantly worse than normal rush hour or holiday traffic.

I am quite happy for the DVLA to have cameras to catch out the tax-dodgers, but it would have helped to have a sign just before the camera advising motorists to maintain their speed.

left here about 1-10 pm yesterday, went to hurn airport to pick up, then back here, was gone in all 1 hour 5 mins, one of the other things that was slowing down the traffic, was the cars towing caravans then lorrys having to over take the car&caravan, reducing the out side lane speed.

southy wrote:

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

(Not for the first time) you are absolutely wrong. No idea what road you think you were on, or what time, but the A31 certainly wasn't moving anywhere near 'very well'. It took me 1.5 hours to get home, on a journey that usually takes 45 mins or so.

When I was driving out of Poole yesterday, the traffic started queuing from the A31 before the Merley roundabout.

I drive this route often, and it was significantly worse than normal rush hour or holiday traffic.

I am quite happy for the DVLA to have cameras to catch out the tax-dodgers, but it would have helped to have a sign just before the camera advising motorists to maintain their speed.

left here about 1-10 pm yesterday, went to hurn airport to pick up, then back here, was gone in all 1 hour 5 mins, one of the other things that was slowing down the traffic, was the cars towing caravans then lorrys having to over take the car&caravan, reducing the out side lane speed.

In which case you were unaffacted by the DVLA camera operating during rush-hour/commuting.


The traffic was not flowing very well at all. It was at a standstill or crawling along when I drove down the A31 westbound at about 2pm and queuing from the Merley roundabout on my way back at about 5:30pm.

I'm with Lone Ranger. If everyone drove at the correct speed and didn't slow down to stare at whatever's by the road side then there wouldn't be a problem. Do people really think the DVLA or police are going to go and sit in the middle of nowhere to try and catch these people when the highest amount of offenders is going to be on busy/fast roads? Of course they're going to try to catch as many as possible! IT'S THEIR JOB! The problem is stupid people who break the speed limit or can't help gawping at the slightest thing. They've only got themselves or the idiot drivers in front to blame. Even this article feels bent towards saying that criminal activity is alright! I am to believe that the Daily Echo or some it's staff support tax evasion, speeding or driving without due care, i.e. using a mobile while driving? What are these people saying? Let them off of such offences? Don't forget Al-Capone was only sent down for tax evasion! Morons.

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

Was that in your Trabant?

Condor Man wrote:

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

Was that in your Trabant?

The Trabbie is probably broken down in the allocated parking space outside the grey Stalinist block known as Redbridge Towers.

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

(Not for the first time) you are absolutely wrong. No idea what road you think you were on, or what time, but the A31 certainly wasn't moving anywhere near 'very well'. It took me 1.5 hours to get home, on a journey that usually takes 45 mins or so.

When I was driving out of Poole yesterday, the traffic started queuing from the A31 before the Merley roundabout.

I drive this route often, and it was significantly worse than normal rush hour or holiday traffic.

I am quite happy for the DVLA to have cameras to catch out the tax-dodgers, but it would have helped to have a sign just before the camera advising motorists to maintain their speed.

left here about 1-10 pm yesterday, went to hurn airport to pick up, then back here, was gone in all 1 hour 5 mins, one of the other things that was slowing down the traffic, was the cars towing caravans then lorrys having to over take the car&caravan, reducing the out side lane speed.

In which case you were unaffacted by the DVLA camera operating during rush-hour/commuting.



The traffic was not flowing very well at all. It was at a standstill or crawling along when I drove down the A31 westbound at about 2pm and queuing from the Merley roundabout on my way back at about 5:30pm.

think it was more of a case the holiday makers on there way home, towing there caravans that slowed the traffic down, seem to build up very quickly when a lorry over takes. and there only being 2 lanes, you just got to slow down and wait for the lorry to clear the towing caravan and get back into the inside lane, and more often it was not 1 lorry over taking but 3 to 5 lorrys, and when it happens going up an hill it will slow the traffic down even more, and would of been more compounded at rush hour. i dot think that DVLA cause that much of a problem, because they where on the other side also, i see them near the garage.

Hmmmmm i wonder if they were out in force yesterday, due to the fact that many of the travellers would be using this road heading for the Dorset Steam Rally. I think enough said there don't you. Prejudice seems to always have a way of creeping it's way in.Don't get me wrong i think it's only right that people should pay their car tax as the rest of us, but i just think there was more to this.

southy wrote:

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:

Sentient wrote:

southy wrote:
i went a long that road yesterday. it was not that bad, the traffic was moving very well, only difference was people was keeping to the speed limit, and not doing 20 mph or more over the speed limit.

(Not for the first time) you are absolutely wrong. No idea what road you think you were on, or what time, but the A31 certainly wasn't moving anywhere near 'very well'. It took me 1.5 hours to get home, on a journey that usually takes 45 mins or so.

When I was driving out of Poole yesterday, the traffic started queuing from the A31 before the Merley roundabout.

I drive this route often, and it was significantly worse than normal rush hour or holiday traffic.

I am quite happy for the DVLA to have cameras to catch out the tax-dodgers, but it would have helped to have a sign just before the camera advising motorists to maintain their speed.

left here about 1-10 pm yesterday, went to hurn airport to pick up, then back here, was gone in all 1 hour 5 mins, one of the other things that was slowing down the traffic, was the cars towing caravans then lorrys having to over take the car&caravan, reducing the out side lane speed.

In which case you were unaffacted by the DVLA camera operating during rush-hour/commuting.




The traffic was not flowing very well at all. It was at a standstill or crawling along when I drove down the A31 westbound at about 2pm and queuing from the Merley roundabout on my way back at about 5:30pm.

think it was more of a case the holiday makers on there way home, towing there caravans that slowed the traffic down, seem to build up very quickly when a lorry over takes. and there only being 2 lanes, you just got to slow down and wait for the lorry to clear the towing caravan and get back into the inside lane, and more often it was not 1 lorry over taking but 3 to 5 lorrys, and when it happens going up an hill it will slow the traffic down even more, and would of been more compounded at rush hour. i dot think that DVLA cause that much of a problem, because they where on the other side also, i see them near the garage.

No. It was clearly the DVLA checks that was causing the tailbacks. There were caravans being towed and lorries in abundance, but I can assure you that the traffic was barely moving, let alone fast enough to have to worry about slowing down (!) to allow lorries to overtake. I doubt anyone got into 3rd gear until after the DVLA check point.

what was the weekend like because i been informed that they where there checking number plates on both sides of the duel carriage way, like they was on tues, both sides, was there the same effect going west bound with rush hour traffic.

After reading all the posts on here it seems too many find it easy to get self righteous about speeding, road tax dodging etc. when they did not experience what happened on Tuesday.

I drive along the A31 everyday and my journey to Southampton usually takes between 45 - 50 mins. On Tuesday it took 1hr 40mins. At no point was it possible to break the speed limit. From Ringwood to where the camera was situated i did no more than 15 mph and most of the time I was actually stationary. And it wasn't caused by an excessive number of lorries or caravans. As much as they irritate me on the roads, they don't leave me in near stationary traffic for 45 minutes.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favour of getting illegal drivers of the road, but what did this camera achieve and at what cost? Isn't it the case that untaxed and uninsured drivers don't register there cars correctly either. Who are the DVLA going to contact, to report the people they 'think' they caught. There were no police further down the road to pull drivers over either. In my opinion this excercise was frankly pointless.

Rant over!