Southern registered car in Belfast

eman66

Do people think it would be grand to bring a southern registered car to Belfast for 9 months. For all I know it could be just as safe as anywhere or a complete no no. It's a friend of mine who will be going to Queens. She was told by customs that if she gets NI plates that she can't drive it home at holdiays/weekend etc and she doesn't want to leave it behind when she goes up or sell it.

pow wow

For the most part, yes. QUB has a raft of ROI students, myself being one of them As with any city there are areas where cars are more prone to damage generally, and the registration does set it apart from local cars. If there is a trouble-making element in the area who are intent on causing problems to 'Republicans' then of course the car might become attractive, but I have to stress this is very very in the minority and on balance no worse, in my opinion, than trouble-makers in any other city. The dynamics of it are just different, but no worse.

Having worked in Revenue & Customs myself too the advice your friend was given is incorrect. NI reg cars can come and go from ROI providing the owner is a resident of NI and the visits are only temporary. Your friend would not satisfy the residency requirement because R&C classify ROI students in NI/UK for solely educational purposes as being residents of ROI still. Ultimately there is no need for her to change the plates anyway.

My car is registered in NI (and I come and go from home in ROI a LOT!) and I live in a staunchly Unionist area with neighbours who have ROI reg'd cars. We never have any problems. Tell your friend to be as cautious as she would anywhere else and she'll be fine.

eman66

Thanks. She'll be living on the Lisburn road.

Bottle_of_Smoke

Does she have a driveway?

Lisburn roads pretty diverse but for example last night it was crawling with Northern Ireland Fans coming outta windsor park, could be unlucky with that kinda crowd. Also if its near Sandy Row it might get a few looks.

ceepeedee

eman66 wrote: »

Do people think it would be grand to bring a southern registered car to Belfast for 9 months. For all I know it could be just as safe as anywhere or a complete no no. It's a friend of mine who will be going to Queens. She was told by customs that if she gets NI plates that she can't drive it home at holdiays/weekend etc and she doesn't want to leave it behind when she goes up or sell it.

My understanding is that she can only get NI plates if she exports the vehicle to the UK. I've only imported to Galway from Belfast so I don't know how strict things are in the other direction, but I was told when bringing my car down here that if I didn't change my plates in three days they could impound the car - reason being, if you're resident down here then you can't drive a foreign-registered vehicle. As regards ie plates up north, in your friend's case she only has to be afraid of the wrong element taking exception to them when the Lisburn Road pubs close (or the Windsor Pk element when NI loses again!). But I've had significantly more bad luck thru cars damaged down here with Galway plates than I've had up north with whatever plates, north or south. Short answer - your friend's fine!

Paul4As

Sectarianism has long gone at Northern Ireland football matches these days!!! Hence N.Ireland got the award for best football fans in Europe in 2006!!!
"The Windsor Park element" and "that kinda crowd"...what are those comments about???
I have yet to hear of southern registered cars being damaged around the Lisburn Road on N.Ireland match days...ceepeedee or Bottle of Smoke have you seen a news report that I haven't seen???
You car will experience the same dangers as there are in any city!!! Plenty of hoods about...and that includes drunken students!!! Just use common sense as to where you park!!!

ceepeedee

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/fans-clash-in-northern-ireland-ahead-of-poland-game-14247579.html

narddog

I lived there for a year with a Southern reg car. No problems.

Paul4As

ceepeedee what has that article got to do with southern registered cars??? Is there any mention of damage to cars from the south???...or even cars in general!!!

Please read the follow article:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0329/breaking9.htm

I think you will find all those who were charged by the police for rioting were polish fans!!!

I still don't know what your article was supposed to prove within this thread regarding car safety???

pow wow

Folks can we stick to the topic at hand please.

The last thing someone already somewhat apprehensive about moving to Belfast needs is scaremongering and implying some kind of relationship between the Windsor Park incident and the likelihood of their car getting damaged.

I gather ceepeedee was posting in response to Paul4A's comment about the absence of sectarianism in football matches, but try to stay on topic.

Paul4As

Thank you pow-wow!!!
I think I proved my point that emann66's car is at no more danger from Northern Ireland football fans than anybody else or any other specific group!!!
Can ill-informed people (like bottle of smoke and ceepeedee) who probably have never been to a Northern Ireland match please refrain from using comments like "The Windsor Park element" and "that kinda crowd" when referring to Northern Ireland supporters!! They are very worrying descriptions to be posted on a forum like this!!! Hence I felt I had to respond!!!
Thank-you!!!

eman66

Many thanks for all the replies. She's had a read of this thread and she also spoke to another friend of mine whose been in QUB for 3 years (but not with a car) and she's going to go ahead and bring her car up. She can't bear to part with her wee motor!

pow wow

eman66 wrote: »

Many thanks for all the replies. She's had a read of this thread and she also spoke to another friend of mine whose been in QUB for 3 years (but not with a car) and she's going to go ahead and bring her car up. She can't bear to part with her wee motor!

Glad to hear it. Hope she enjoys QUB and Belfast

ceepeedee

pow wow wrote: »

Folks can we stick to the topic at hand please.

The last thing someone already somewhat apprehensive about moving to Belfast needs is scaremongering and implying some kind of relationship between the Windsor Park incident and the likelihood of their car getting damaged.

I gather ceepeedee was posting in response to Paul4A's comment about the absence of sectarianism in football matches, but try to stay on topic.

Point well taken Pow Wow, and apologies to all - OP, tell your friend to bring their car north and have fun, forget the off-topic nonsense (I already have)!