Told a little white lie to Garda - How do I back track??

paudy_111 · 27-03-2007 10:17am #1

Hi Everyone,

I was stopped this morning for speeding and told that I will receive a fixed penalty notice and penalty points for the offence. That's perfectly fine as I was speeding!

However, as the garda checked my documentation he asked if I was aware that it was an offence that I didn't have an NCT cert displayed. In my flustered state (I didn't want any more points) I said I had forgotten to put it in the car so he asked me to produce it and my insurance cert within 10 days at a station of my choice. Now i'm in a bit of a quandry as I don't have a valid NCT for the car! So do I:

1) Apply for the NCT and bring the letter with a new NCT date along with me when I'm bringing my insurance and plead ignorance saying that I thought I had a valid cert but realised it was out.

2) Go to the station with the new NCT appointment letter, insurance cert and tell the truth?

All I'm concerned about is that if I tell the truth, have I committed another offence of giving false information to a garda.:eek:

I think I should come clean but any advise is most welcome.

Thanks

Mitch Connor · 27-03-2007 10:20am

first thing i would do is ring the NCT centre and see if they can fit you in - the site is not all that reliable. Explain you need it quickly, be nice, and see if they can squeeze you in this week.

EDIT: If they can fit you in this week, your NCT cert (assuming the car passes) would be backdated to the time the NCT was due. Not sure if it states when it was issued, but if it doesn't, it would appear you did have a valid NCT cert when stopped.

OldmanMondeo · 27-03-2007 11:15am

I would go with option 1. Book it in and get the letter. Tell the Guard that the car need some work done for the NCT and you thought you had more time. The worst you will probably get is a verball lashing for not having hte disc displayed. You won't get the test in 10 day's unless you ring every morning and get a cancellation.

Henry Ford III · 27-03-2007 1:00pm

You may be in a spot of trouble here.

It's a serious offence to drive a car without a valid NCT.

Wishbone Ash · 27-03-2007 1:12pm

Try to identify which Garda stopped you. Make contact with him if possible and explain the situation. Most Gardaí are approachable and will understand. Don't try to pull the wool over his eyes.

jhegarty · 27-03-2007 1:34pm

How out of date is it ?

paudy_111 · 27-03-2007 1:54pm

Almost a year!!!!

Kimbot · 27-03-2007 1:59pm

paudy_111 wrote:

Almost a year!!!!

So let me get this straight:

1: You got stopped speeding
2: Your NCT is out of date a year
3: You lied to the gardai??

Well by the looks of it I would come to the conclusion that you don't want to get the car NCT'd and have no respect on the roads with your speeding efforts.

TBH if I were the garda I wouldn't be understanding with someone that lied blatently over an NCT that is a year out of date!!

eth0_ · 27-03-2007 2:02pm

I agree. There's no such thing as a white lie in this case. I have no sympathy for you if you couldn't be bothered to go for the NCT or simply thought you were above the law.

I'd just come clean to the guard. Chances are you'll earn yourself more penalty points pretty soon anyway. :rolleyes:

OldmanMondeo · 27-03-2007 2:11pm

After reading that your a year out, I doubt you will get away with it. You will probably get a fine for that and possibly more penalty points. If it goes to court you will get a bigger fine. Better to go now, get the car nct'd and 'fess up at the Garda station, this might save you a trip to court.

Learn from this. The NCT is there for 2 reasons

1. To ensure you car is roadworthy.
2. to increase revenue for the Goverment...... :rolleyes:

27-03-2007 2:11pm

Henry Ford III wrote:

You may be in a spot of trouble here.

It's a serious offence to drive a car without a valid NCT.

So serious the gaurds take very little intrest in enforcing it...

OP get that NCT letter and bring it in with the insurance to the station.

I very much doubt anything will come of the no NCT situation but you might want to talk to the gaurd involved and explain the mixup.

paudy_111 · 27-03-2007 2:13pm

Fair comments all, thanks

afatbollix · 27-03-2007 2:15pm

just say you dont have one. what fine/ points they going to give you?? none..

Dades · 27-03-2007 2:42pm

Henry Ford III wrote:

It's a serious offence to drive a car without a valid NCT.

I've never, ever heard of it being an issue.

Borderfox · 27-03-2007 2:47pm

Henry Ford III wrote:

You may be in a spot of trouble here.

It's a serious offence to drive a car without a valid NCT.

Its right up there with carrying crack cocaine through Dublin Airport or Granny bashing

seamy_orr · 27-03-2007 2:50pm

is you'll get a fine for not having NCT on display, not points as this is not a penalty points offence. More than likely the Garda won't push the issue as long as you produce Insurance Cert.
In the meantime if I were you I'd ring NCT and say you are willing to travel to any centre on quick cancellation, one will definitely become available. Get the Cert then no question will be asked. Do you really think the Guard will have the brains to check when the Cert was issued?
To be honest I wouldn't worry too much either way...

Henry Ford III · 27-03-2007 2:51pm

My information is the gardai do not usually enforce the NCT disc display.

If however they have reason to stop you for another offence, such as in this case, they can come down pretty heavy on you for driving an untested car.

p.s. Just rang NCT - Fine is up to €1500 plus penalty points, according to them.

p.p.s. Since looked at www.penaltypoints.ie - no mention of it there.

patrickc · 27-03-2007 3:44pm

it still has to be introduced according to penaltypoints website.. i got my nct today at last, so doesn't bother me anymore

Keith C · 27-03-2007 4:08pm

jonny24ie wrote:

So let me get this straight:

1: You got stopped speeding
2: Your NCT is out of date a year
3: You lied to the gardai??

Well by the looks of it I would come to the conclusion that you don't want to get the car NCT'd and have no respect on the roads with your speeding efforts.

TBH if I were the garda I wouldn't be understanding with someone that lied blatently over an NCT that is a year out of date!!

PC brigade out in force!!

Tony Danza · 27-03-2007 4:33pm

I'd get a letter from the nct centre, go into the guards with your insurance, and only show them the nct letter if they ask you in the station for it. I was always under the impression that the gardaí didn't check on the nct anyway?

jhegarty · 27-03-2007 7:17pm

Henry Ford III wrote:

You may be in a spot of trouble here.

It's a serious offence to drive a car without a valid NCT.

10 years in clink the last i heard... either that or they don't give a dam about it... one of the two...

MAYPOP · 27-03-2007 9:50pm

Produce your insurance and license as requested at the station, say nothing about the NCT and you'll hear no more about it.

Torq · 27-03-2007 10:15pm

After recently spending an afternoon in the dublin district court waiting for my case to be called, and listening to about a dozen cases of no NCT it would appear that if you get summonsed for no NCT and are able to produce a cert for the car, or evidence that you have attempted subsequently to get it tested the case will in all probability be struck out, or €50 fine at worst.

What was I doing there you are probably wondering... Failure to produce licence within 10 days. I in fact produced within 3 days but the garda did not do his homework and I got summonsed nearly a year after the event. The case was struck out but I still had to appear and waste an afternoon.

T

Told a little white lie to Garda - How do I back track??

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