Motor tax fine for not displaying disc

zeusko

Hi all,

Quick summary:
- I paid for tax online with one month arrears as I didnt managed to pay it previous month
- 2 days after that I was forced to park twice outside of my workplace due to fault in parking there, and get parking fine for both occasions
- I paid parking fine 80 euro, but they also want another 120 euro for not displaying disc
- I read there is some grace period when you buy online, but only for cases where you pay for tax without arrears
- this is with wardens so I cant even contact superintendent

Can someone provide me with real experience, like can I let it go to court and appeal to judge? As my previous appeal didnt help even when I showed them papers paid before the fine.

Thanks a lot for all advice.

BigCOB

The fine from a warden is for failure to display, the fact you have done it online is irrelevant. I know because I was in the exact same position last month when I got done for tax and there is nothing I could do about it. They are clever with how they word it...... Crazy carry on, a Guard will be more obliging most of the time but not those feckers.

By the way, this is your first post, so be prepared for the very helpful people who make statements like ''you were driving illegally, tough'' and other such insightful stuff.

djimi

The offense is not displaying a valid tax disc; I dont believe that there is any grace period for this, but perhaps someone can show otherwise.

bucketybuck

You were driving the car for over a month without tax, then parked illegally and with no tax disc displayed.

Whats the problem again?

zeusko

thx bigcob, yes its crazy especially since this law was created when no online payment even existed, so they introduced electronic payment but forgot to implement electronic verification of tax... hell they dont even have photo of proof when I asked.... shouldnt you be innocent until proven otherwise?

To clarify I wasnt riding, was on holiday anyway (thats why I didnt had money to pay for it
And I imagine that when you buy something you can use it since you just bought it, but obviously you cant and you are subjected to vultures like this... and then they say that law is there to help you lol

Cabaal

zeusko wrote: »

thx bigcob, yes its crazy especially since this law was created when no online payment even existed, so they introduced electronic payment but forgot to implement electronic verification of tax... hell they dont even have photo of proof when I asked.... shouldnt you be innocent until proven otherwise?

So even though you admit you were guilty you want to be innocent
:rolleyes:

filbert the fox

Hi,

I think that there's a bit of balance required here. In any job it requires you to work at what you are paid for. In this case, what was the warden to do? Was there even a reference number dispalyed in the disc holder and an explanatory note to say it's being purchased online?

if my job was to ensure that valid up to date discs were to be displayed and I saw one 6 weeks out of date I'd do the same.

I have no sympathy when it comes to this I'm afraid.

fineso.mom

I'm not getting at you OP,but the fine is for non display,,has been for as long as I remember. It doesn't matter that you had it paid already, it wouldn't matter even if you had the disc in the car somewhere and just forgot to stick it up. If it wasn't displayed you get a fine.

Fey!

Send a letter of appeal together with a copy of the receipt for the online payment to the traffic section of your local authority. Point out in the letter that although your tax had been paid prior to you being ticketed, you were still waiting for the physical disc from the motor tax office, therefore you didn't have a physical disc to display.

Do this straight away, as you only have a short time to appeal before the fine increases (that is an assumption based on how GCC operate with regard to parking fines).

Also, forget about the people who say "oh, you were driving illegally" and so on; this forum tends to attract a class of people who never do anything wrong. You had your arrears and your tax paid, so don't bother getting into a sniping match with them by replying to them.

Welcome to the forum.

iwillhtfu

First hand experience with this one.

If you go into your local council office with the tax up to date and showing payment of arrears they should cancel the fine.

Yes you were done for non display but in my experience it wasn't brought up they cancelled it once I produced the relevant info.

zeusko

Cabaal wrote: »

So even though you admit you were guilty you want to be innocent
:rolleyes:

hh that was jokingly ofc I am guilty of parking wrongly and I paid for that already, its just this law about displaying tax which I cant get my head around, never met with this kind of law, and even when you pay for tax there isnt any notification, like dont ride until your disc arrives or smthing

Fey! wrote: »

Send a letter of appeal together with a copy of the receipt for the online payment to the traffic section of your local authority. Point out in the letter that although your tax had been paid prior to you being ticketed, you were still waiting for the physical disc from the motor tax office, therefore you didn't have a physical disc to display.

Do this straight away, as you only have a short time to appeal before the fine increases (that is an assumption based on how GCC operate with regard to parking fines).

Also, forget about the people who say "oh, you were driving illegally" and so on; this forum tends to attract a class of people who never do anything wrong. You had your arrears and your tax paid, so don't bother getting into a sniping match with them by replying to them.

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks Fey, unfortunately I already did send mail with attachment of my payment, and they declined my appeal anyway

thomas anderson.

I appealed this before because the disc was late being sent out

And I won

Hurrahh

corktina

Fey! wrote: »

Also, forget about the people who say "oh, you were driving illegally" and so on; this forum tends to attract a class of people who never do anything wrong. You had your arrears and your tax paid, so don't bother getting into a sniping match with them by replying to them.

Welcome to the forum.

well he did ask for advice. What do you want people to do? Not give advice unless it's what someone wants to hear?
Thing is, it is an offence not to display a disc and it makes no difference at all whether you have one in the post or not. there is no period of grace. This is born out by the fact he has already appealed and been turned down.

Should he let it go to court? Not in my opinion. He should pay up.

How would it be helping him to say "Yes go to court, they shouldn't have ticketed you" when clearly the ticket was correctly issued.?

corktina

thomas anderson. wrote: »

I appealed this before because the disc was late being sent out

And I won

Hurrahh

yes but this guy was over a month late paying, posting the disc wasn't the delay, the OP caused it.

PrettyBoy

The high horse brigade won't appreciate this but if a parking warden gave me a ticket for non-display of tax I'd laugh at him and throw the ticket away before getting in the car. Not a hope I'd be paying €120, especially if I had a valid disc.

I got a couple of parking tickets a few years ago, they went straight in the nearest bin, I got a letter a few weeks later and ignored it. Four years later and nothing's ever come of either of them.

Just my experience

bucketybuck

corktina wrote: »

yes but this guy was over a month late paying, posting the disc wasn't the delay, the OP caused it.

Yeah, some cheek trying to claim a grace period because the tax was paid online when it wasn't paid at all for a long time past the expiry date.

bucketybuck

PrettyBoy wrote: »

The high horse brigade won't appreciate this but if a parking warden gave me a ticket for non-display of tax I'd laugh at him and throw the ticket away before getting in the car. Not a hope I'd be paying €120, especially if I had a valid disc.

I got a couple of parking tickets a few years ago, they went straight in the nearest bin, I got a letter a few weeks later and ignored it. Four years later and nothing's ever come of either of them.

Just my experience

Well aren't you just the last great Irish rebel.

listermint

In my experience, I have not met a nice parking warden in this country in my life. I used to travel alot doing service work. And had the displeasure of seeing these guys and gals in action.

Its not the fact that its their job, Its just I have witnessed the sheer glee in their faces writing tickets for cars. Every single one ive met is militant and takes alot of pleasure in what they do. Must be nice for them i suppose.

corktina

it's not about being nice, it's about ticketing a car with tax showing as being over a month out of date.

bucketybuck

listermint wrote: »

In my experience, I have not met a nice parking warden in this country in my life. I used to travel alot doing service work. And had the displeasure of seeing these guys and gals in action.

Its not the fact that its their job, Its just I have witnessed the sheer glee in their faces writing tickets for cars. Every single one ive met is militant and takes alot of pleasure in what they do. Must be nice for them i suppose.

Curse those people doing their jobs! :mad:

Arthur Beesley

bucketybuck wrote: »

You were driving the car for over a month without tax, then parked illegally and with no tax disc displayed.

Whats the problem again?

Good call. Pay up, OP. Hopefully that'll learn you.

listermint

corktina wrote: »

it's not about being nice, it's about ticketing a car with tax showing as being over a month out of date.

I dont believe i stated anything about what they were there for, in my post ??


I stated that every single one i met was militant, joylous and took great pleasure in ticketing people.

for example i was in ardee dropping a terminal into the chemist. about 5 minutes in the door and outside the guy was practically speed walking away from the van. Only to leen up against the shop about 25 meters away. Literally leaning and laughing against the wall with his arms crossed in my direction.


If you dont think thats a 'prick' for no reason. I dont know what is.

Whatever about tickets, thats neither here nor there.

listermint

bucketybuck wrote: »

Curse those people doing their jobs! :mad:

Read my second post and tell me that carry on is professional. :rolleyes:

bucketybuck

listermint wrote: »

Read my second post and tell me that carry on is professional. :rolleyes:

Were you parked illegally?

listermint

bucketybuck wrote: »

Were you parked illegally?

Buckety, In any of my posts did i indicate that he wasnt doing his job?


Please mark exactly where i did before you get your back up.


I said it was unprofessional. But sure go on, i await your indignation . :cool:

corktina

listermint wrote: »

I dont believe i stated anything about what they were there for, in my post ??


I stated that every single one i met was militant, joylous and took great pleasure in ticketing people.

for example i was in ardee dropping a terminal into the chemist. about 5 minutes in the door and outside the guy was practically speed walking away from the van. Only to leen up against the shop about 25 meters away. Literally leaning and laughing against the wall with his arms crossed in my direction.


If you dont think thats a 'prick' for no reason. I dont know what is.

Whatever about tickets, thats neither here nor there.

No you didn't say that I agree. I was trying to tie your remarks into the topic, being as whether the guy is a prick or not has nothing to do at all with the topic.

zeusko

Ok thanks for advises. Obviosly noone had any real experience with going to court for this, and appeal for this tax display failure due to waiting for disc, save for some people with good advise and I thanks them for it. And now it seems like classic forum where people start barking at each other.
Thanks for all advises anyway.

listermint

corktina wrote: »

No you didn't say that I agree. I was trying to tie your remarks into the topic, being as whether the guy is a prick or not has nothing to do at all with the topic.

My remarks where on topic. Every one i met was militant, and not very professional at all. The guy in Ardee was the tip of the iceberg. Anyone of i met (and not ticketed by fyi) from tallaght to navan was that way.

A Garda probably would have been more open to checking their system for tax paid or looked at a receipt for the same.


But sure anyway continue crusade of tax compliance. (of which i am entirely before someone elses starts)

corktina

I've never met a warden , but then I pay my tax and park legally

listermint

corktina wrote: »

I've never met a warden , but then I pay my tax and park legally

I know, Sure your at pains to tell us all whenever a discussion comes up.

So if youve never met one.... bit hard to comment on them isnt it.


Round of applause.



:eek:

Cleveland Hot Pocket

bucketybuck wrote: »

You were driving the car for over a month without tax, then parked illegally and with no tax disc displayed.

Whats the problem again?

Where did he say he was parked illegally?
And also, he didnt drive a month without tax - he paid the arrears.

Sometimes the high horse brigade in some elements of this forum is really tedious.

bucketybuck

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Where did he say he was parked illegally?
And also, he didnt drive a month without tax - he paid the arrears.

Sometimes the high horse brigade in some elements of this forum is really tedious.

Well, as the car was not displaying a tax disc it was by definition parked illegally, but I was also referring to the two parking tickets the OP also received.

Secondly, the OP did indeed drive for a month without tax. Subsequently paying the arrears does not change the physically reality of that simple fact.

Stating facts has nothing to do with a high horse.

mikeecho

Send a Registered letter to the local authority that issued the ticket for no disc displayed, appealing the matter.

Include in it a copy of your disc, any other proof that you had paid the for teh disc before the day you were ticketed.

Keep a copy of all of that, Let it go to a summons, on the day in court it'll be struck out.

Legally, you were in the wrong, but in court, things like this are often dismissed if the documentation was in order.

Happens a lot with ppl that dont present their insurance and drivers licence at garda stations

Fey!

corktina wrote: »

well he did ask for advice. What do you want people to do? Not give advice unless it's what someone wants to hear?
Thing is, it is an offence not to display a disc and it makes no difference at all whether you have one in the post or not. there is no period of grace. This is born out by the fact he has already appealed and been turned down.

He asked for advice. Not the motor forum "I'm so great, look at meeeee" mullarkey.

corktina wrote: »

Should he let it go to court? Not in my opinion. He should pay up.

How would it be helping him to say "Yes go to court, they shouldn't have ticketed you" when clearly the ticket was correctly issued.?

Who has told him to risk going to court with this? I said to send in an appeal in a timely manner before his fines would possibly increase.

I'm happy to hear that you have never met a warden. I've met a few, both sound (and I even say that about a few who have ticketed me on occasion) and jobsworths (one particular one in Galway hops to mind).

djimi

Fey! wrote: »

Also, forget about the people who say "oh, you were driving illegally" and so on; this forum tends to attract a class of people who never do anything wrong. You had your arrears and your tax paid, so don't bother getting into a sniping match with them by replying to them.

The OP was driving illegally. Are you disputing this fact? Or do you not like to hear it pointed out?

I do the same myself; my tax expired at the end of last month and I only paid it yesterday so for the next few days until the disc arrives I will be driving around illegally also. **** happens, but if I get caught and fined I wont be coming on here looking for ways to avoid the fine.

Jesus.

bucketybuck wrote: »

You were driving the car for over a month without tax

Where did he say that?

Cleveland Hot Pocket

Jesus. wrote: »

Where did he say that?

Jesus H Christ :P
In the OP

Jesus.

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Sometimes the high horse brigade in some elements of this forum is really tedious.

I actually find them very servile. They're so far up the Government's/authorities Aras, they could suck Michael D off while they're up there

Jesus.

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

Jesus H Christ :P
In the OP

He said in the OP he hadn't paid the last month's tax but he didn't say he was driving the car.

He then said this when challenged about it, which I take to mean he was on holiday and wasn't driving the car:

To clarify I wasnt riding, was on holiday anyway

wonski

OP, you get caught and there is not much you can achieve in court. Especially whe it was over a month.

I was late on occasions, too (not that much, but still) but if caught there was nothing in my defence (well I was either lazy, or had no money). None of this would work in court. You end up with more money to pay in worst case scenario.

keithclancy

You didn't have a tax disc and you got caught.

I guess you can try and wangle your way out of it but don't be too upset about it if you have to pay since its only a fine.

Cleveland Hot Pocket

It's a stupid fine IMO
The sooner we move to a paperless (more reliable) system like in the UK the better. Then we'll know electronically who's paid their tax and who hasn't

Jesus.

listermint wrote: »

In my experience, I have not met a nice parking warden in this country in my life. I used to travel alot doing service work. And had the displeasure of seeing these guys and gals in action. Its not the fact that its their job, Its just I have witnessed the sheer glee in their faces writing tickets for cars. Every single one ive met is militant and takes alot of pleasure in what they do. Must be nice for them i suppose.

Just like a few on here. You can feel the pleasure they get from laying into someone over a Mickey Mouse offence.

Buckety Buck's annoyance at Pretty Boy getting off parking fines on the last page was funny.

Its all very weird!

Jesus.

corktina wrote: »

I've never met a warden , but then I pay my tax and park legally

A pat on the head from the Minister (as he racks up his expense account in a 5-Star hotel and laughs with his rich mates in similar circles who robbed the Country blind) winding its way to you now. :rolleyes:

wonski

Jesus. wrote: »

Just like a few on here. You can feel the pleasure they get from laying into someone over a Mickey Mouse offence.

Buckety Buck's annoyance at Pretty Boy getting off parking fines on the last page was funny.

Its all very weird!

We are all perfect, you know. We are never late with anything, we always indicate and never speed. We also pay motor tax 2 years in advance and service our cars every 2 months. We are like the Jesus of motoring. But, unlike him, we never forgive:D

keithclancy

Cleveland Hot Pocket wrote: »

It's a stupid fine IMO
The sooner we move to a paperless (more reliable) system like in the UK the better. Then we'll know electronically who's paid their tax and who hasn't

Yeh, they should just do it off the plate and then use ANPR to send automated fines to all the owners who haven't paid and haven't declared off the road.

wonski

keithclancy wrote: »

Yeh, they should just do it off the plate and then use ANPR to send automated fines to all the owners who haven't paid and haven't declared off the road.

Sounds like a good idea. Too good to happen.

What I don't like about the Irish system is they copy the UK one, then remove all the best bits and leave the crap ones.

There is an electronic system in place, but it is only used to make payments. Gardai still looking at the pieces of paper on the windscreen.

Dowl88

High horse brigade in full swing I see. All OP wanted to know could he get out of paying the fine. All I see is smart high horse answers.

Unfortunately OP u cant really get out of it. Tis a pain allright. Maybe worth giving them a ring and see but very doubtful.

bucketybuck

Jesus. wrote: »

Its all very weird!

Indeed.

Jesus. wrote: »

I actually find them very servile. They're so far up the Government's/authorities Aras, they could suck Michael D off while they're up there

Jesus. wrote: »

A pat on the head from the Minister (as he racks up his expense account in a 5-Star hotel and laughs with his rich mates in similar circles who robbed the Country blind) winding its way to you now. :rolleyes:

corktina

They would have done well to just copy the UK system. It's very sucessful

keithclancy

corktina wrote: »

They would have done well to just copy the UK system. It's very sucessful

Or the Dutch System, I just get a giro in the post, open the banking app on my phone and take a picture of the giro, paid instantly.

No crap on the windscreen

If you think Ireland is bad, Germany is completely ass backwards in comparison.