Was car illegally impounded?

Albundy30

Today My wife was shopping in supermarket as she does every week with my 3 kids. After paying for shopping she was stopped by security for not paying for €14 worth of items under the kids coats in shopping trolley. She'd just paid €180 for food but wanted the candle and packet of sweets for free cause she's a crook aparently even tho she shops every week there. Anyway...... So guards where called even tho she offered to pay. Guards arrived and asked if she drove, she said yes and so they went out to car and saw it was out of tax by I think 3 months and insurance by a month. They said car is been impounded and would have to pay to get it out.
Is it legal for them to impound a car like this without driver in car? if it is not legal how do we go about getting car back? Already we have to pay overnight fees due to not been able to tax car or get it insured in till Monday/Tuesday.

They also said something about not giving paperwork to impound until she produces insurance to guards.... Can they do this? We wanted to get car towed out tomorrow as funds are tight and works out cheaper then taxing and insuring car while impound night fees add up.

Any advice is appreciated.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

bladespin

Puts the popcorn on and waits.

Albundy30

Thanks,
And about the holding paperwork from impound lot till she produces insurance cert.... Is that normal? Or can she go get car towed tomorrow after paying fees?

Seve OB

Unreal.

mfceiling

You were lucky OP. Imagine your wife had hit another driver on the way home and wrecked their car and put them and their kids in hospital. When the garda found out that you had no insurance you would have been liable for their medical costs, injury compensation, replacement vehicle plus probably a prison sentence or/and an extremely heavy fine.

the_syco

Albundy30 wrote: »

Or can she go get car towed tomorrow after paying fees?

I hope they keep it until she gets insurance, especially as she has proven to them that she has no qualms about driving uninsured.

John_Rambo

Bloody hell. Worst weekend ever.

Turtle_

Is your wife okay?

Sounds like she's under a lot of pressure and thing are slipping a bit, when you take everything into consideration. Tax being out by a month? Understand. Putting a coat over goods she hasn't paid for? Silly at best, probably indicative of someone very distracted. Driving around with no insurance? Unforgivable. Pay the tax and insure your car like everyone else does. If you can't afford to pay your tax and insurance then that €180 on the weekly shop has to come down.

Stheno

Albundy30 wrote: »

Thanks,
And about the holding paperwork from impound lot till she produces insurance cert.... Is that normal? Or can she go get car towed tomorrow after paying fees?

Yes, it was impounded due to no insurance or tax, and until she proves she has both, they won't give it back.

She can also expect a court summons and potential ban/fine or imprisonment.

Youngblood.III

I'd say this is a completely made up story

bpmurray

Pay your tax & insurance like everyone else. You were caught, so pay up - you can also expect a fairly hefty well-deserved fine. I'm fed up of paying an insurance surcharge to pay for claims made against those with no insurance. There was a judge around here who always sentenced those without insurance to at least 30 days inside - pity more don't do that.

You may realise by now that I and probably most of the others here have exactly zero sympathy for you.

Stheno

Youngblood.III wrote: »

I'd say this is a completely made up story

I'd not, about half the motorists I know have a lackadaisical attitude to tax, and assume they can be lax about ensuring insurance renewal is up to date.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Youngblood.III

Maybe not....from OP 3yrs ago...



" i was just wondering how to handle a situation.... Stopped by the guards with no insurance or tax on the car. I had just bought it that day to give to my ex-partner so she could get around easier with the kids. As I bought it in her name the log book will come out in her name and it'll be her taxing and insuring the car. She now tells me she doesn't want the car as she cannot afford to pay insurance or tax.

Just wondering what I have to do in regards to producing for the guards? Do i tax it when I am going to be selling it and then insure myself on it also. I have a strong feeling that if I told this story to a Garda he would not care too much.

Like can I show him the log book when it comes in to say it was bought that day in her name and she now has no intention to insure it or use the car? I know the law is pretty straight forward when it comes to getting stopped with no insurance .... but was hoping i might be able to get out of it if i sold the car?

Any advice is appreciated"

John Mason

we myself and my baby were hit by an uninsured driver last Wednesday morning. The driver left the scene but the Guards found the vehicle and impounded it.

You and your wife should be ashamed of yourselves. Do you have any idea of the unnecessary stress my family have been put through?

If you cant afford insurance get rid of your car

Second Toughest in_the Freshers

Was it parked along the street or in a private car park?

Albundy30

Sucky weekend. We always use my car but as she'd just started new job she wanted to start driving again, was actually first time out in car in about 5 months. Stupid to be out in it I agree but we all brain fart from time to time.

Yes she's fine, can be stressful going shopping with 3 kids under age of 6, mistakes happen. But judging by a lot of comments mistakes don't happen to them and they are perfect.

Got answers I needed, appreciate some of the replies.... The rest of you who came hear to judge and smirk well you can all go F........yourselves.

Youngblood.III

Karma bit you

Stheno

Albundy30 wrote: »

Sucky weekend. We always use my car but as she'd just started new job she wanted to start driving again, was actually first time out in car in about 5 months. Stupid to be out in it I agree but we all brain fart from time to time.

.

Hiding stuff under kids coats rather than paying for it, driving around in a car with tax out multiple months and no insurance, and you call that a brainfart?

Seriously?

loyatemu

The whole shoplifting thing is irrelevant, she's going to get done for driving without insurance. Having 3 kids isn't an excuse for that, & you can accuse people of being judgemental all you like.

Marcusm

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

MIBI would cover whoever was injured but would have a right of subrogation against the miscreant although I assume that there would be few assets to attach.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Little CuChulainn

While it's true that MIBI will cover payouts for injury and damage caused by uninsured drivers, it takes a lot longer for an MIBI case to be settled than one from an insurance company and it can be the source of a lot of difficulty for the injured party.

As to the op. Seizure is lawful. She's lucky she wasn't arrested. You should be able to get the car towed out though. The procedures are different depending on what the local station is to where the car was seized.

tayto lover

Don't care about the shoplifting too much BUT driving a car with 3 kids in it and not having insurance is simply unforgivable imo.

garhjw

Driving without insurance? Your complaining about the car being impounded? Have to be taking the pi*s.

uck51js9zml2yt

He will also have towing and impound fees .

Best get everything sorted out quickly as they Mount up.

Also expect a court appearance, a hefty fine and probably a driving ban.

There is no excuse for driving without insurance....ever.

hullaballoo

Albundy30 wrote: »

The rest of you who came hear to judge and smirk well you can all go F........yourselves.

Moderator: Not allowed.

John_Rambo

tayto lover wrote: »

Don't care about the shoplifting too much BUT driving a car with 3 kids in it and not having insurance is simply unforgivable imo.

Not sure what you're going to do about the car. But, it looks like you're in trouble here. Tayto lover isn't going to forgive you. Ever.

Rubberchikken

op no it's not a 'brain fart' as you so eloquently out it. it's breaking the law to drive without tax and insurance. there's no excuse in the world for it.
most of us have gone shopping with any number of kids at some stage. only as 'stressful' as you allow it to be.

i pay my tax and insurance in full at the start of every year. i resent paying as much insurance as i do to allow people like you and your wife to behave as they do.
just obey the law of the land or sell the car and walk.

classy op. not.

Penny Tration

Sticking purely to what op asked - yes, the seizure of the car was legal. Yes, they can hold it until proof of tax and insurance are handed up. and there will be an automatic court appearance for driving without insuranc, which will bring points and probably a fine, thus bringing up the price of future insurance.

Acara

Fred Swanson wrote: »

MIBI would cover all that. Still doesn't excuse the lack of insurance.

What's MIBI and why would they pay???

La Haine

Albundy30 wrote: »

.... The rest of you who came hear to judge and smirk well you can all go F........yourselves.

Boards is a fantastic source of information and advice.
But it also provides great entertainment.

antodeco

If the car had of had insurance, would the Gardai been allowed seize it? Is no car tax a seizable offence?

And separately, if it was in a private car park (shopping centre) surely the Gardai would not have been allowed seize it?

Acara

antodeco wrote: »

If the car had of had insurance, would the Gardai been allowed seize it? Is no car tax a seizable offence?

And separately, if it was in a private car park (shopping centre) surely the Gardai would not have been allowed seize it?

A shopping park carpark is no way considered private property when all the public use it. And are you saying Guards not allowed to seize an uninsured car. They would loose their job if they didn't. They are there to protect us.

Xcellor

Did the car at least have an NCT disc?

bladespin

Acara wrote:

What's MIBI and why would they pay???

Motor insurance bureau of Ireland Afaik.

La Haine

Xcellor wrote: »

Did the car at least have an NCT disc?

Third time a charm?

;O)

meathstevie

antodeco wrote: »

If the car had of had insurance, would the Gardai been allowed seize it? Is no car tax a seizable offence?

And separately, if it was in a private car park (shopping centre) surely the Gardai would not have been allowed seize it?

From a legal point of view a shop car park is a public place at least the shop and car park are open. If it closes overnight with a barrier for example it wouldn't be public during the hours of closure but that's by the by. You can consider yourself lucky the Gardai seized it just for traffic offences, they could have seized because a suspect criminal used it to travel to where she was going to commit an offence.

antodeco

Acara wrote: »

A shopping park carpark is no way considered private property when all the public use it. And are you saying Guards not allowed to seize an uninsured car. They would loose their job if they didn't. They are there to protect us.

Untaxed,not uninsured! (That's my question, not the OPs).

iwillhtfu

Albundy30 wrote: »

Sucky weekend. We always use my car but as she'd just started new job she wanted to start driving again, was actually first time out in car in about 5 months. Stupid to be out in it I agree but we all brain fart from time to time.

Yes she's fine, can be stressful going shopping with 3 kids under age of 6, mistakes happen. But judging by a lot of comments mistakes don't happen to them and they are perfect.

Got answers I needed, appreciate some of the replies.... The rest of you who came hear to judge and smirk well you can all go F........yourselves.

A Mistake

I manage to get the shopping done with 4 kids under 5. What's your point? Also like normal people with common sense I also manage to Tax/Insure/NCT my wifes car especially as it the family bus and carries the most precious assets I have.

Absolute scum is what you are a mistake my hole. Your wife willingly drove the car without insurance and worst of all she did so with the kids on board.

As for it being a once off would you ever stop the lies I know how much is involved in getting young kids into the car to go shopping. Baby seats buggy etc. Did you even have these??? :mad: She didn't just hop into the car and nip around the corner. I'd be willing to bet you have never insured this car and I hope you both feel the full repercussions of your actions.

It may also be a case for family services as clearly your kids aren't to high on your list of priorities.

Scum like ye should never be allowed drive again..

A ****in mistake :mad::mad:

theteal

antodeco wrote: »

If the car had of had insurance, would the Gardai been allowed seize it? Is no car tax a seizable offence?

I'm sure this can be confirmed by somebody in the know but a garda friend told me several years ago that they can seize anything if the tax is out by a month or more.

Turtle_

Acara wrote: »

What's MIBI and why would they pay???

Never mind what the initials stand for, really it's you and me and all the other decent honest people who pay for insurance.

Part of your premium goes into a fund to compensate victims of crashes caused by uninsured drivers.

La Haine

Youngblood.III wrote: »

Maybe not....from OP 3yrs ago...



" i was just wondering how to handle a situation.... Stopped by the guards with no insurance or tax on the car. I had just bought it that day to give to my ex-partner so she could get around easier with the kids. As I bought it in her name the log book will come out in her name and it'll be her taxing and insuring the car. She now tells me she doesn't want the car as she cannot afford to pay insurance or tax...........

Any advice is appreciated"

3 years later and he's still at it - you couldn't make this stuff up!!
Mind you - he'd ONLY bought it that day.
:O)

Little CuChulainn

theteal wrote: »

I'm sure this can be confirmed by somebody in the know but a garda friend told me several years ago that they can seize anything if the tax is out by a month or more.

Two clear months. So for a car to be seized now the tax would have to be up in August.

TheChizler

iwillhtfu wrote: »

A MistakeAbsolute scum is what you are a mistake my hole. Your wife willingly drove the car without insurance and worst of all she did so with the kids on board.

Not defending the actions here but what difference does not having insurance make with regard to your passengers? As distinct from having Third party, fire, & theft cover for instance?

hullaballoo

Moderator: Can we please make an effort to keep things civil?

Acara

Turtle_ wrote: »

Never mind what the initials stand for, really it's you and me and all the other decent honest people who pay for insurance.

Part of your premium goes into a fund to compensate victims of crashes caused by uninsured drivers.

I never knew that. Why should innocent people have to pay up for nothing to do with them???

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

SpaceSasqwatch

La Haine wrote: »

3 years later and he's still at it - you couldn't make this stuff up!!
Mind you - he'd ONLY bought it that day.
:O)

I wonder is it the same car?

con___manx1

Youngblood.III wrote: »

Maybe not....from OP 3yrs ago...



" i was just wondering how to handle a situation.... Stopped by the guards with no insurance or tax on the car. I had just bought it that day to give to my ex-partner so she could get around easier with the kids. As I bought it in her name the log book will come out in her name and it'll be her taxing and insuring the car. She now tells me she doesn't want the car as she cannot afford to pay insurance or tax.

Just wondering what I have to do in regards to producing for the guards? Do i tax it when I am going to be selling it and then insure myself on it also. I have a strong feeling that if I told this story to a Garda he would not care too much.

Like can I show him the log book when it comes in to say it was bought that day in her name and she now has no intention to insure it or use the car? I know the law is pretty straight forward when it comes to getting stopped with no insurance .... but was hoping i might be able to get out of it if i sold the car?

Any advice is appreciated"

you obviously were taking that car for a test drive when the guards stopped you right? because if you were not you could be in big trouble.