M.O.T. and Tax exemption?

[hairygit]

Just found this survey the Dept for Transport are doing, asking opinions on E.U. proposals that vehicles 30 or more years old should be exempt from M.O.T. testing and road tax. It's obviously been kept hush hush, as you only have until the end of this month to respond! http://www.dft.gov.uk/classic-mot/survey-classic-vehicle-exemption/   While free road tax is a great idea, I'm not too sure about M.O.T. exemption, I mean, can you imagine the wrecks suddenly coming out of scrapyards and back on the road? While most of us on here can and do keep our bikes in fine roadworthy condition, imagine a car or van driver, say for example Mr "I will get round to sorting those spongy brakes and dodgy steering when I can afford it", crashing into your prized  sandcast, or any of our bikes? His insurer would want proof of when the vehicle was last serviced/checked over, and it would be an easy way for the insurers to avoid paying out, so you lose your ncb, or worse if you have third party fire& theft, you lose everything you have toiled over. I do feel we should all put our views across, before the Govt close the door on this one!

[BigAl (Alan)]

Thank you for the above post, I have completed the survey. I think the current MOT system is the best way to prove that the vehicle has been serviced or checked over for roadworthiness. 

Alan

[hairygit]

Same here, just in case I've overlooked something, it's peace of mind for me when travelling at high velocity!

[Bryanj]

There is already an MOT exemption for anything before 1960 and this seems to work OK on the reasoning that anybody running something that old will want it in good nick.

Also any exemption does not over ride the construction and use and/or insurance regulation that the vehicle must be in a safe roadworthy condition at all times so I am in favour to be honest

[SteveD CB500K0]

It would be good to have a rolling date - I voted for 40 years (so anything before 1974) 

[Johnwebley]

reading the small print,the survey close on friday the 24th,
not sure any late submissions will be counted,hope so,so carry on voting !! 

[matthewmosse]

I am not overly concerned about badly maintained old bangers, use a classic every day without doing regular maintenence and it will not last a year. Especially cars. Never mind the mot test, just keeping them running at 30 years old. Police would quickly knock out anything that shouldn't be on the road I would reacon. I started out as a classic owner on the 550 and 500cc sohc hondas back when they were just the cheapest old hunck of junk bangers I could get having passed my direct access test and 3 years allowed to me on cbt. I rapidly went from the cheap old banger to this is a classic worth looking after camp, reliability inproved for the extra bit of attention lavished. The only other way I could have gone is buy a newer machine. Running a banger to avoid mot would simply be a road to nowhere, as parts on classics are so often more, as are the vehicles. Set at 30 years rolling I would think would be safe.

[Lobo]

I'm with Matthew... Generally we folk are fastidious about our 'old' machines... especially when they're a motorcycle. It's just not in our personal interests to 'buck the system' / flout the law... whatever.

A 30yr old Motorcycle / car had little street cred; and as such will not appeal to the younger folk trying to save a few bob.

And as Matthew has pointed out; a 30yr old machine also consumes more cash to keep it roadworthy than a MOT Test... and so the 'canny type' will be ruled out.

So... I personally don't want an MOT., particularly as I ride like an old granny & keep my machines fit.
And presumably, for a fee, I could always submit my machine anyways for the occasional MOT / peace of mind...

S

[Trigger]

I would love to comment on this but, I can not 

[Nurse Julie]

I would like to see the MOT test remain for any vehicle of any age for my peace of mind and the safety other road users. But, I would happily not pay for RFL, every time I go down a pot hole or get the wheels stuck in the rut where there has been a temporary patch I do wonder what my money has gone towards !!

[Green1]

I say scrap the MOT it doesn't tell you if a vehicle is safe or not it only tells you its safe at that moment in time.I have had the brakes on my van fail as I was leaving an MOT after a pass.If you can't keep a vehicle in a passable condition than you shouldn't be on the road let alone your vehicle.
I have never had a van or bike fail as they only check basics.
All my vans have made it to at least 200k   

Mick 

[ka-ja]

Hi,
    By all means lower the tax free age, but I have reservations regarding the MOT, enthusiasts may be on top of maintenance, but it other people,s attitude to safety that would worry me.

[Orcade-Ian]

I think the 30 year tax exemption is a good thing, but I don't mind someone looking over my cars and bikes to make sure I haven't missed something. That could be done every 2 years on classics.  Having said all of that, if we took a straw poll of all of our acquaintances collectively, how many have had an accident which could TRUTHFULLY be attributed to vehicle failure.  I've bought many accident damaged vehicles where the cause of the so called accident was a NUT loose on the controls.  It's driver education that needs improving.
All this elf an safety bullspit is having a bad effect on the gene pool - the ones who would have previously killed themselves through stupidity are now surviving and producing more idiots.

[K2-K6]

You get vehicles driven around for any part of the year up till the mot and then fails, but the fault could have been there for ages without the owner aware or caring.

People I think are confusing the two things, maintenance and the intent to carry it out are what keeps the vehicle working properly.......and should also easily pass the mot at any point during the year. If you don't carry that out yourself or use a good mechanic to do it then you or anyone else is at risk from faults that could affect safe use.

[Bitsa (Ralph Wright - RIP)]

Here in France there is no mots on bikes of any description.The police are your testers when they pull you over and find any problems you are fined there and then.Seems to work as older bikes are on the whole well looked after but the peds another ball game.
Cheers
Bitsa