No NCT an offence?

blastman

DannyBuoy wrote: »

Only if the car doesn't exist on the Shannon vehicle database, ie imports etc

Well, we're talking about imports, so.....

kbannon wrote: »

Whilst they may wwell be making loads of profit, they are on a fixed fee from the Dept. of Transport and do not make money each time someone fails, etc.
As for it being a Govt. mandated monopoly, what do you suggest? Do you think the UK system is better where the same place can fix the items that you fail on? Furthermore, its not really Govt mandated - its there because of an EU directive that the Irish Govt ignored for a very long time!
Just because you know some big words doesn't mean that your post is correct!

As a matter of interest, how legally binding are EU directives? How much obligation are members under to implement them as law in their country?

Anyway, still haven't got an answer to my question, so does anyone know for sure what the scenario is?

Seth Brundle

blastman wrote: »

As a matter of interest, how legally binding are EU directives? How much obligation are members under to implement them as law in their country?

They are pretty much mandatory
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EU_Directive

DundalkDuffman

As an matter of interest to anyone that is going to NCT their imported motor, I imported my car in April from the UK and VRT'd it like a good citizen Waited for a month or so to get word of my reg doc and of my impending NCT. Checked out their website which tells me that I had to go and reg it onto their system and then wait for my date which duly arrived a few weeks later. I went down to my local centre on Thursday morning and passed my test. Grand job I thought, thats the job done now. Got home, was putting the cert onto my screen to see that it expires in May of next year. OK says I it is obviously back dated to the point when it needed a valid NCT here. Wrong again I was, my NCT is only valid until the 3/5/09 as my car was first reg'd in the UK on 3-5-99 and this is the date that they take ! So in theory if I had not bothered to put the car through the test at all until 4/5/09 then I would have my 2 years instead of the 9 months I currently have.
For cleaner safer motoring indeed.

msg11

I was told by a gaurd, that my nct was coming to an end. Nice of him to remind me :pac: .

He then said that they can seize the car from me for the offence..

Now, I was under the impression, that if the car was taxed, it can be on the road in any shape or form.

The only thing I can see them doing is saying, pull into the side and go home, why seize it ?

NCT my arse, the roads are recked in this county let alone contry. Whats the point in having an NCT if the roads do most of the damage to cars ?

Wizard007

This might seem like a really stupid question, but anyway, do you have to have a valid NCT disc to take out the next due tax on your car?

Esel

Wizard007 wrote: »

This might seem like a really stupid question, but anyway, do you have to have a valid NCT disc to take out the next due tax on your car?

Not a stupid question, because the NCT info is requested online and on the paper form. However, you do not need to enter any details, therefore you do not need a valid NCT cert to tax your car.

The current state of play came about a few years ago (anyone remember how long?) when the NCT operatives were on strike. Motorists couldn't get their NCT cert, so couldn't tax their cars. The regulations were changed to allow a car to be taxed without NCT, and were never changed back.

Wizard007

Thanks a mil for the fast reply. That's great to know. I was waiting for the NCT to tax my Isuzu and was petrafied I'd get caught the few times I did have to take it on the road whiles I'm waiting for the test. I didn't realise I could go ahead and tax it.

towel401

The NCT is nothing short of a joke. A bunch of Swiss cowboys get to bounce your car up and down on a big machine in an attempt to break it

Its almost like the government is subsidising garages in this roundabout way, having the NCT check for stuff the EU directive doesn't even require and then sending all the honest and complacent folk on their way to buy new parts because the old ones are no longer good enough for the NCT.

but seriously, i can hardly remember the last time i saw a garda checkpoint, not to mind one that actually gave a damn about the NCT.

mcwhirter

Does the Irish government really care about road safety?
If they did, they would enforce the NCT. It is an absolute joke that there is a car checking procedure out there which isn't taken seriously.
Why should we as motorists care about it if the people making the decisions don't.

Davidth88

My two cents worth.

If a car should have an NCT and does not then legally it shouldn't be roadworthy

Therefore your insurance should be invalid, but rather like driving with no licence here no one seems to take this into account.

In Britain ( the only other country I have owned cars in ) if you don't have an MOT ( NCT ) then you can't tax it, and also your insurance is invalid. ( unless you are driving to a test centre )

As for reminders , well you should get a first one , because after all it's easy to forget the first date of registration , but then again isn't this on the tax reminder thing ?

Like many things here its just not enforced , walk around any car park and you will see about 30% of cars that should have NCT's displayed are not showing them..... if I can see that then why can't the authorities ?

In Britain the MOTs are run by garages, this leaves this slightly open to abuse but is also useful , after all if you book your car into the local dealer for a service/MOT he isn't going to fail it is he !

I have always found the NCT people here very efficient , however a little zelous ( for example failing for not having the county on your NP ), but I suppose rules is rules.

What would people who are posting here suggest as an alternative ? No testing ?

mcwhirter

Davidth88 wrote: »

My two cents worth.

If a car should have an NCT and does not then legally it shouldn't be roadworthy

Therefore your insurance should be invalid, but rather like driving with no licence here no one seems to take this into account.

In Britain ( the only other country I have owned cars in ) if you don't have an MOT ( NCT ) then you can't tax it, and also your insurance is invalid. ( unless you are driving to a test centre )

As for reminders , well you should get a first one , because after all it's easy to forget the first date of registration , but then again isn't this on the tax reminder thing ?

Like many things here its just not enforced , walk around any car park and you will see about 30% of cars that should have NCT's displayed are not showing them..... if I can see that then why can't the authorities ?

In Britain the MOTs are run by garages, this leaves this slightly open to abuse but is also useful , after all if you book your car into the local dealer for a service/MOT he isn't going to fail it is he !

I have always found the NCT people here very efficient , however a little zelous ( for example failing for not having the county on your NP ), but I suppose rules is rules.

What would people who are posting here suggest as an alternative ? No testing ?

Thats all a part of living in ireland, everything half hearted. Its a frustrating place to live in.

L1011

emmemm wrote: »

your reminder for the nct is on your windscreen weans.

Not the first time around its not!

My car went "missing" - NCTS couldn't find it on their system and it appeared not to be on the NVDF till I sent a snotty email to the DOT asking them to refund my roadtax for my mythical car. They blamed NCTS but suddently NCTS could find the car...

ninty9er

Davidth88 wrote: »

My two cents worth.

If a car should have an NCT and does not then legally it shouldn't be roadworthy

This is the reason that they can also seize the car for no NCT; as they have no way of knowing that you're a mechanic (and you'd be biased) and they neither have the time (nor the inclination in many cases) to become a qualified mechanic and inspect every car that doesn't have a NCT each time it's stopped, just because the owner couldn't be arsed to book a test in time/ get one done at all!

mcwhirter

ninty9er wrote: »

just because the owner couldn't be arsed to book a test in time/ get one done at all!

If the government can't be arsed, then who should

Seth Brundle

Its not the governments job to remind you of everything! If you are mature enough to drive a car then you should be mature enough to remember when its due its various appointments!

mcwhirter

kbannon wrote: »

Its not the governments job to remind you of everything! If you are mature enough to drive a car then you should be mature enough to remember when its due its various appointments!

I didn't say it was their job. But to not try and at least remind people that the NCT is very important to car and road safety by tv adverts etc, then it is a sad uncaring country we live in. Check out all the car accidents and deaths in this country, we are quick to blame the roads, but it could be the cars not having the NCT done in time that has caused the accident.

It is the lack of respect for road safety by the lazy government which is inexcusable.

daveharnett

vibe666 wrote: »

I registered the car, paid my vrt, got my tax, got my incurance etc. but nothing was ever even said about an nct and there's been no request for me to have one done.

i honestly expected to be sent something to tell me i needed to have it done, but this does not seem to be the case.

You honestly expected joined up thinking from irish public services?
Don't you realise that two public services can't talk to each other without a 5 year plan and a billion euros for computer consultants?

kbannon wrote: »

Whilst they may well be making loads of profit, they are on a fixed fee from the Dept. of Transport and do not make money each time someone fails, etc.

So the centers get paid the same regardless of what they do? So they're essentially civil servants? That explains a lot.

Downtime

Correct me if I'm wrong but the reminder for the due date for an NCT is on your tax renewal certificate. It clearly states when your NCT is due.

blastman

ninty9er wrote: »

This is the reason that they can also seize the car for no NCT

Can they, though? (Reliable) source?

towel401

mcwhirter wrote: »

Does the Irish government really care about road safety?
If they did, they would enforce the NCT. It is an absolute joke that there is a car checking procedure out there which isn't taken seriously.
Why should we as motorists care about it if the people making the decisions don't.

the NCT has very little to do with safety. we knew that before they brought it in and even for the short while they did enforce it nothing really changed. it has a lot more to do with getting old cars off the road, and new cars on the road than it has to do with safety

ninty9er

blastman wrote: »

Can they, though? (Reliable) source?

Indeed.....someone who just did the Traffic Corps module in Templemore.

Seth Brundle

daveharnett wrote: »

So the centers get paid the same regardless of what they do? So they're essentially civil servants? That explains a lot.

No they are a private company carrying out a public service at a fixed fee for the duration of their contract. Should they not carry out the contract appropriately, then they are not likely to be in the running for it when it goes to tender again!
Civil servants are full time agents of the government who have permanent pensionable positions.

TheNog

blastman wrote: »

Can they, though? (Reliable) source?

The section 19 of the 2006 road traffic act amended section 41 of the road traffic act 1994 to allow cars without a NCT to seized after 2 months expiration *what a mouthful*

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2006/en/act/pub/0023/sec0019.html#id1151527007.25

Davidth88

The section 19 of the 2006 road traffic act amended section 41 of the road traffic act 1994 to allow cars without a NCT to seized after 2 months expiration *what a mouthful*

Then why arn't they ? Or at least ticketed

If you don't believe me walk down the road and look , you will find between 30-40% of cars that should be displaying NCTs are not bothering .

gobby

Has anyone here actually had their car siezed for not having an NCT?

I didn't get an NCT for about a year or more on my car and anytime I went through a checkpoint the guard would either wave me on or just tell me to get an NCT. They never said anything about siezing the car.

I have an NCT now but the only reason I put the car in was that I was having some mechanical problems with the car and I hoped that they would fail me because of it (and therefore I would know what the problem was). It passed :rolleyes:

daveharnett

kbannon wrote: »

Civil servants are full time agents of the government who have permanent pensionable positions.

I understand that they are not LITERALLY civil servants. My point is that they may as well be, given the nature of such an agreement.

kbannon wrote: »

No they are a private company carrying out a public service at a fixed fee for the duration of their contract. Should they not carry out the contract appropriately, then they are not likely to be in the running for it when it goes to tender again!

Your point is well made, but perhaps a little naive? I would perceive that any person or company in the employ of the government knows that they will not be held to the same standards as they would in the private sector. Provided these boyos come in with the lowest bid and don't set fire to too many cars, they will keep their contracts. This is why I make the comparison with civil servants.

Clearly this crowd are content to let customer service slide, given that they can't be bothered to send out a reminder letter every other year. I did an eye exam with Specsavers once, and two years later, they send me a reminder every other month! After all, what difference does it make to them if somebody doesn't bother getting NCT'd? Less work! Whereas Specsavers don't get paid if I don't turn up.

DannyBuoy

Obviously someone there had the brainwave, lets say there are half a million cars in the country, they all have to get a reminder in the post, thats a couple of hundred thousand euro saved if I dont send out reminders...

Having said all that, its not rocket science, test is due when car is 4 years old and every 2 years thereafter. Any doubt ring them.

In my opinion as regards the contract renewal, good chance there will be huffing and puffing for the sake of a show... and then it'll be renewed with the same crowd.

blastman

ninty9er wrote: »

Indeed.....someone who just did the Traffic Corps module in Templemore.

Hmm, not absolutely infallible, in my experience.

TheNog wrote: »

The section 19 of the 2006 road traffic act amended section 41 of the road traffic act 1994 to allow cars without a NCT to seized after 2 months expiration *what a mouthful*

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2006/en/act/pub/0023/sec0019.html#id1151527007.25

Much better, thanks. Kinda hard to get a car tested when it's locked in a yard in Parkgate St, mind.

bryanmurr

mcwhirter wrote: »

So why won't they send reminders, having no insurance and tax is an offence but you receive reminders through the post. Why can the NCT not do the same, it's very lazy of them not to, especially when you can be fined for not having one.

Its even lazier not to check your windscreen for the expiry date.

Honey-ec wrote: »

My car won't require an NCT for another two years, but how the hell are you supposed to know your test date if they don't send out a notification???

Your notified of your initial test

Davidth88 wrote: »

Then why arn't they ? Or at least ticketed

If you don't believe me walk down the road and look , you will find between 30-40% of cars that should be displaying NCTs are not bothering .

This law has only been introduced, and there has been some seized already

Esel

TheNog wrote: »

The section 19 of the 2006 road traffic act amended section 41 of the road traffic act 1994 to allow cars without a NCT to seized after 2 months expiration *what a mouthful*

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2006/en/act/pub/0023/sec0019.html#id1151527007.25

With respect, I think you may not be correct here. Does the '2 months' not refer to expired road tax, not NCT? Section 41 (1) (c) of the Road Traffic Act, 1994 states:

( c ) a member of the Garda Síochána is of opinion that any excise duty payable under section 1 of the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act, 1952 , in respect of the vehicle, being a vehicle which is or which the member reasonably believes to be registered in the State, has not been paid in respect of a continuous period of 3 months or more immediately prior to such use.

So, a vehicle can be detained if the road tax is expired for 2 months or more.

From else where on your link,

(e) the vehicle is, or a member of the Garda Síochána is of the opinion that the vehicle is, being so used in contravention of Regulation 19(1) of the European Communities (Vehicle Testing) Regulations 2004 (S.I. No. 771 of 2004),

might seem to refer to NCT, but is actually referring to the DOE annual test, not the NCT. From S.I. No. 771/2004 — European Communities (Vehicle Testing) Regulations, 2004, the class of vehicles is described as:

3. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), these Regulations apply to—

(a) vehicles used for the carriage of passengers with more than 8 seats, excluding the driver's seat.

(b) goods vehicles,

(c) goods trailers, and

(d) ambulances.

Elsewhere in the same S.I., it it stated that the test is an annual test, which confirms that it not referring to the NCT.

So, we still do not have a cite to a regulation stating that a vehicle to which the NCT applies can be detained if there is no valid certificate in force. I'm not saying such a regulation does not exist, just that it hasn't been cited in this thread yet.