A quick tax/mot question?

Indeed, although you wouldn't really want a determined insurer suing you for TP damages, you can be talking millions.

SimonJ ( snipped-for-privacy@mine.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

It's also an exemption to the requirement to have a current MOT.

A car WITH an MOT isn't necessarily roadworthy.

We did that bit.

but if it's not 3 years old it doesn't need an mot so driving without an mot would mean..................................that it's not roadworthy and it wouldn't pass one if subjected to it? it doesn't need one and even if it was one day over the limit it wouldn't be pounced upon y plod

yes, i'm playing devils advocate but i want to see both sides of the arguement, not just argue with one person :)

Correct. But it does need to be roadworthy just the same.

No. Driving without an MOT means it doesn't have an MOT, that's it. An MOT certificate is NOT proof of the roadworthyness of any vehicle. Indeed, an MOT is only 'Valid at the time of the test'.

You could pass an MOT and yet 1 minute later you could develop a defect that renders it unroadworthy. Blown bulb is a good one, stone hits the screen is another. There are also items that may not even get tested. If you can't see something (due to the contruction of the vehicle) then you have to pass it. It's quite possible to pass an MOT on a car with dangerous brake pipes, or dangerously low pads, for example.

There are 'Patent' defects - those that are obvious, and should be noticeable on a basic inspection of the vehicle, or during routine maintenance. There are 'latent' defects, that are not obvious, and as such the driver cannot be responsible for - such as a hair line fracture in a suspension joint.

An expired MOT is just that, Plod could quite easily take action for even 1 minute over the limit. After all, there are no excuses, you can easily get an MOT done up to one month before it expires, without losing the time left.

A 'reasonable' plod probably won't take action if you provide a valid MOT within a few days.

There is no argument, it's plain and simple black and white stuff.

dojj ( snipped-for-privacy@dojj1.fsnet.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :

Fine.

That depends. On if it's roadworthy or not.

That depends. On if it's up to MOT standard or not.

Nothing else. Age is irrelevant.

One day out is as illegal as one year out. It's like being a "little bit pregnant". Your MOT can't be a "little bit overdue". It is or it isn't.

I took mine up for the ticket today. As I collected the ticket, there was an immaculate 52-reg Golf GTi coming off the rollers. With a fail sheet on the passenger seat.