Foreign car - stopped by the guards

pedro ferio-vti

mackerski wrote:

You're sure of this on the basis of no actual knowledge? Well if that doesn't sum up this whole thread...

No actual knowledge? All I am doing is comparing our insurance system with theirs. I don't know how every single different country in the EU legislates for driving in a foreign country for sustained periods of time.

mackerski wrote:

I can only quote from my own experience.

And that's all I have done too.

mackerski wrote:

When returning from Germany with my car for an unspecified, but likely to be several months, period, my insurance company said "sure, no problem", backing up what my policy document had said.

That's dead handy so. However, why should we assume that every country emulates Germany in their approach to driving abroad for sustained periods. Who's to say they aren't covered for more than 6 weeks? Not saying they are or are not covered for a timeframe of months rather than weeks. The point is, we don't know. Is it so wrong to err on the side of caution? Or should we just assume they are covered for months like yourself?

mackerski wrote:

Sorry to introduce actual data points, I know it goes against the flow a bit.

Yes, damn you for that. There's nothing we like more than sensationalising things and making a big thing out of nothing. It's not like i've anything better to do on a Wednesday night.

*rolls eyes so far back they sink into skull*

Turner

There is no problem with insurance... what gets to most irish people is the fact that these foreign people are evading road tax, vrt and NCT requirements.

If you crash you are either covered by their policy or if they are uninsured by the motor insurance bureau of ireland.

Dont forget 8% of irish people are driving around insured. And just because they have an insurance disc and certificate of insurance doesnt mean they are insured.

Many irish insurance companies issue certificates of insurance when a direct debit payment is set up giving the person a cert for 1 year. People stop paying the direct debit and keep the disc and certificate.

All goes well till they have an accident, thousands are doing this and then its up to the MIBI to come up with the costs.

mackerski

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

No actual knowledge? All I am doing is comparing our insurance system with theirs. I don't know how every single different country in the EU legislates for driving in a foreign country for sustained periods of time.

You've demonstrated no knowledge of any other country - yet you were quick to make assumptions. I'm getting mightly glad I'm not a foreigner in this country, it must be some crack...

Dermot

pedro ferio-vti

Are you a troll or something? What must be some craic (note the spelling)? I've already stated that I don't know what way they legislate in their home countries, simply drawing comparisons with our own insurance system as this is Ireland in case you might have forgotten? THEN, you basically quote my post and then repeat what I have been saying? What's your point like?

You seem to be getting hung up on this attitude you believe every Irish person has that we are totally against foreigners or something instead of demonstrating your almighty knowledge of their insurance systems and responding to the points raised. For somebody criticising the way others make their points, you're pretty sh1t at making them yourself if you don't mind me saying so.

mackerski

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

I've already stated that I don't know what way they legislate in their home countries, simply drawing comparisons with our own insurance system as this is Ireland in case you might have forgotten?

You're not being terribly coherent here. Repeating something doesn't make it true. You have not drawn any comparison between the Irish insurance system and that of any other country - by your own admission, you are ill-equipped to do so. Rather, you have, for some reason, made a wild guess which you seem to think contributes value to the thread. What is your point (like)?

(Oh, and if you've never seen "crack" spelt thus you should probably get out a bit more.)

Dermot

pedro ferio-vti

Bah whatever. Couldn't be arsed responding any more. I'll leave you with this:

craic
noun {U} (ALSO crack) IRISH ENGLISH
enjoyable time spent with other people, especially when the conversation is entertaining and amusing:

- The boys went driving round the town just for the craic.

crack Pronunciation (krak)
v. cracked, crack·ing, cracks
v.intr.
1. To break or snap apart.
2. To make a sharp snapping sound.
3. To break without complete separation of parts; fissure: The mirror cracked.
4. To be a crack-head; To smoke the crack: mackerski is a crack-head

(taken from http://www.thefreedictionary.com)

ambro25

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Bah whatever.

Sums up Mackerski's point perfectly :twisted:

As a 'foreign' driver in Ireland (when driving my GB car), it indeed ain't craic every day and -fact- I regularly get:
* untoward (and unprovoked) behaviour from IE-plated road users (note: and funnily enough not yet from PL/LV/DE/FR/NI...well... 'foreign' drivers here)
* verbal abuse
* no reciprocal road manners whatsoever (i.e. I'll regularly let a car or two out of a busy junction, yet never-ever be let out myself)
* abusive stops from Garda (plate is GB, y see - much easier 'target' than those non-english-speaking types)

My IE car & bike and my GB cars are insured fully-comp with full details and particulars to the respective (IE/GB) insurers.

My IE car & bike and fully road-taxed & my IE car fully-NCT'd. Note that those kind gents from the NCT only gave me a year's worth of NCT (because it was imported), but at full NCT cost - e.g. I'll be paying & passing NCT twice in full in two years.

So, out of interest, what are you gonna say now? For instance next time you see me driving my GB car?

Fully support Mackerski on this one, as again from a specific problem stated by the OP and a request for specific information pertaining to the specific problem, most of the thread descended into the now-traditional (not to say obligatory) PL/LV/LT bashfest.

To the OP:
* buy that ferry ticket now and keep it (or a copy) handy, to prove that it is your intention to re-export the car soon (won't do much good, but better than nothing)
* only Customs can seize the car, Gardai by themselves cannot
* AFAIK, they cannot seize on private property of their own accord (they need a warrant for that), so make sure the car is stored on your driverway/in your carport (if you have one)
* and buy a cheap clamp from ARGOS, they won't be able to tow the car (that's provided they don't lift-&-carry, I don't about that one TBH)

pedro ferio-vti

ambro25 wrote:

* only Customs can seize the car, Gardai by themselves cannot

Err, Gardai can seize the car. I dunno where that myth came from but it's not the first time i've heard it.

ambro25 wrote:

* AFAIK, they cannot seize on private property of their own accord (they need a warrant for that), so make sure the car is stored on your driverway/in your carport (if you have one)
* and buy a cheap clamp from ARGOS, they won't be able to tow the car (that's provided they don't lift-&-carry, I don't about that one TBH)

Am I reading this right, or are you giving this person tips on not to have their car seized by customs for not paying the applicable taxes? You could land the site in a bit of hot water by doing that methinks.

"Visit the motor section on boards, learn how to stop those miserable G-Men from doing their jobs by bolting your car to your driveway"

ambro25 wrote:

So, out of interest, what are you gonna say now? For instance next time you see me driving my GB car?

Well, are you a permanent resident here in Ireland? If so, then i'd probably say to pay your VRT

I have 3 cars. One is registered in GB too. I don't drive it on public roads since I am a permanent resident and the VRT and motor tax are not paid on it so I keep it for trackdays until I can save enough money to pay for it.

ambro25

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Err, Gardai can seize the car. I dunno where that myth came from but it's not the first time i've heard it.

I stand corrected - so they can, under Section 41 of the RTA:

41.—(1) A member of the Garda Síochána may, on any day with respect to which the condition specified in subsection (2) of this section is fulfilled, request a person driving in a public place a mechanically propelled vehicle or accompanying the holder of a provisional licence while such holder is driving in a public place a mechanically propelled vehicle, or a person producing his driving licence at a Garda Síochána station in pursuance of the immediately preceding section, to sign his name in a book and with a pen or pencil to be provided by the member and at the place in the book indicated by, the member, and if such person, on being so requested and on being provided with the book and pen or pencil, refuses or fails to sign his name in the book or with the pen or pencil or at the place in the book indicated by the member, he shall be guilty of an offence.

(2) The condition referred to in subsection (1) of this section is that all or some of the driving licences that could have stood granted on the day in question could have been expressed as not having effect until they are signed by the grantees.

on condition that "a person driving in a public place a mechanically propelled vehicle".:p

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Am I reading this right, or are you giving this person tips on not to have their car seized by customs for not paying the applicable taxes? You could land the site in a bit of hot water by doing that methinks.

Merely pointing out some legal provisions (IANAL) that may be useful to the OP in the context of their specific problems. Can't see how this would reflect badly on Boards.ie, somehow. Not as if I'm explaining to them how to make fake Euros notes to pay their VRT with, am I?

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

"Visit the motor section on boards, learn how to stop those miserable G-Men from doing their jobs by bolting your car to your driveway"

You are funny. I like you.

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Well, are you a permanent resident here in Ireland? If so, then i'd probably say to pay your VRT

Of course, just like -

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

I have 3 cars. One is registered in GB too. I don't drive it on public roads since I am a permanent resident and the VRT and motor tax are not paid on it so I keep it for trackdays until I can save enough money to pay for it.

Pot / Kettle / Black - springs to mind somehow

pedro ferio-vti

Just making sure that people are under no illusions and it's probably for their own good.:D I did have a car before that I had for literally one day over my 24 hour allotted time limit and the Gards seized it. Not fun ringing for a taxi home at 11pm lol.

Also not fun waiting for the nice people from the VRO/Customs/Revenue unit to come out so you can get it back. Took me 5 weeks to get mine back all because of it being 1 day over the limit even though I had the money to VRT it and all, the Gard didn't care.

Also when I went to collect the car I discovered it had been damaged, there was a huge dent in the rear quarter panel which had broken into the paint. Would've cost about €400 to repair it. So I wrote a letter to the Superintendant of the station explaining in no uncertain terms that I wanted my car back the way it was before.

Well what a waste that was, he sent out an inspector to interview me over lunch and take a bloody statement. Totally wasted my time and took an hour to get through half a statement and anything that was out of order on it I would be liable to prosecution. Basically being treated like a common criminal. All I wanted was for the stupid idiots to fix my bloody car!??!?!

In the end with the clock ticking past 2pm and me already being late back for lunch and the chances of this d1ck prosecuting me if anything was out of line on the statement I told him to shove the statement and refused to sign or put my name on it.

Anyway, that's my story. Kids, don't do dr... I mean pay your VRT! I believe it's actually gotten worse recently too with more GB cars being impounded.

Victor

Chief--- wrote:

Many irish insurance companies issue certificates of insurance when a direct debit payment is set up giving the person a cert for 1 year. People stop paying the direct debit and keep the disc and certificate. All goes well till they have an accident, thousands are doing this and then its up to the MIBI to come up with the costs.

If people are paying in installments, then the certs should only be issued in installments.

secret_squirrel

ondafly wrote:

Just to clear this up - it is not possible for anyone to insure a car, they don't own, as they don't have an "insurable" interest.

Care to post a link proving this?

Its incorrect.

The basic function of car insurance is to protect other people in the event you cause an accident. (Third Party insurance ie to protect the third party) This is your insurable interest.
The monetary value of the car for accident/fire/theft purposes is an additional insurable interest that is covered by the relevant sections of a TPF&T or Fully comp policy.

pedro ferio-vti

It is not incorrect, it's written into Irish insurance law ffs. What you've posted is BS. Try doing some research before you knock somebody's comments. I'll do it for you since you're obviously too lazy:

Taken from http://www.ombg.ie
Principles of Insurance: Insurable Interest

To insure anything the Insured must have an insurable interest in the subject matter of insurance, i.e. he/she must benefit by its safety or be prejudiced by its loss.
Notes:
Insurable Interest may be created either by:
Obligation to Insure
by Statute
by Contract
by Custom

Option to Insure


Owners
Mortgagors
Lessors
Trustees
Tenants

Examples:
Everybody would have an insurable interest in their own personal possessions e.g. house, car, or watch but your next door neighbour would not normally have an insurable interest in your house.

secret_squirrel

Did you even read your own post? You've proved my point :rolleyes:

Its illegal to drive a car uninsured regardless of ownership - ergo

pedro ferio-vti wrote:

Insurable Interest may be created either by:
Obligation to Insure

Less ranting - more reading - my muppettous posting friend.

MrPudding

Bond-007 wrote:

Sadly it is. :mad:

OK, would you then like to explain how I got stopped and fined whilst driving an NI registered car and held an NI driving license?

Like I said earlier, people here seem to be confusing "can't be arsed / don't have the resources" with "sorry, can't do anything."

MrP