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Displaying discs on the windscreen.

  • 23-03-2012 02:28PM
    #1
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,041 ✭✭✭✭


    I know it's obligatory to display Tax, Insurance, and NCT where applicable on the windscreen.

    Do they however have to be really affixed to the windscreen?

    I never liked the idea of sticking anything to the windscreen, as it's not a display panel, but something which must provide you with a clear view.
    After moving to Ireland I was shocked that you must display 3 big discs over the windscreen. I was even more shocked when I saw how some people affix them, and how much it blocks their view.

    Anyway - considering all those, I had a windscreen exchanged some time ago (after stone crack) and I didn't affix my discs yet. Today I came up with an idea, to affix them into a passengers sunvisior so they can be seen through the windscreen only when sunvisior is open. When my sunvisior is open, it doesn't block any more view through my windscreen than when previously disc holder was there on old windscreen.
    Obviously I'm not planning to drive with my sunvisior open at all times. However I understand that discs must be visible only when someone wants to look at them, so I can always open my sunvisior if I get stopped by gardai or when I park my vehicle on a public road (which actually happens very seldom).

    My understanding is that if I park my vehicle not on a public road (on my driveway, on private parking, supermarket parking, etc) there is no need to display discs, so I wouldn't display them there. I like that idea, as I never enjoyed that anyone could get my vehicle first registration date just by looking my NCT disc. Or get mine insurance policy number and make some fake claim without me even knowing about it. That way very few people will be able to see my discs. Also considering my car does nearly 1/3 of it's mileage abroad where I don't need to display those 3 discs, I'm more and more convinced it's a good idea.

    Do you think I might be putting myself into any trouble by doing this?


«13

Comments

  • #2
    Mycroft H
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,306 ✭✭✭Mycroft H


    Not a bad idea Cinio. I might do it myself.

    However I might buy one of these

    tax.jpg


  • #3
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    I can almost guarantee that you will park on a public road sometime and forget to put the sun visor down. No tax disc displayed when parked on public ground can lead to a fine.


  • #4
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    I never liked the idea of sticking anything to the windscreen, as it's not a display panel, but something which must provide you with a clear view.
    After moving to Ireland I was shocked that you must display 3 big discs over the windscreen. I was even more shocked when I saw how some people affix them, and how much it blocks their view.

    I really dont understand the problem if Im honest. I have my discs at the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side and I wouldnt even know they are there unless I looked for them. Unless they are stuck in your line of sight on the drivers side I really dont see what the problem with sticking discs on the windscreen is. Its not like youre creating a massive blindspot with them.


  • #5
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,157 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    I think the idea is so they can give you a ticket when your parked and not in the car.

    Personally I think they look stupid, reminds me of some african banana republic type setup.

    Heres its all off your reg.


  • #6
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,041 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    djimi wrote: »
    I can almost guarantee that you will park on a public road sometime and forget to put the sun visor down. No tax disc displayed when parked on public ground can lead to a fine.

    I really park very seldom on public roads.
    djimi wrote: »
    I really dont understand the problem if Im honest. I have my discs at the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side and I wouldnt even know they are there unless I looked for them. Unless they are stuck in your line of sight on the drivers side I really dont see what the problem with sticking discs on the windscreen is. Its not like youre creating a massive blindspot with them.

    Of course they are not creating massive blindspot, but they do block some view. The best position I found for them is in passengers top corner, but still they annoy me a bit.
    Also other thing with anyone being able to read details from them is something I don't like.

    Actually I already sticked them into my sunvisor after writing this thread, and I'm happy with the result. We'll see how it goes ;)


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  • #7
    woody33
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 488 ✭✭woody33


    A lad I know put up L plates yesterday and told me they have to be in the windscreen. Now they take up a lot of screen area. Magnetic ones on the bodywork like in normal countries are not allowed. (Of course he could be misinformed). In the days of 2 disks, I sometimes stuck them on the rear-view mirror, looking out.


  • #8
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,041 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    OSI wrote: »
    The NCT disk at least has to be affixed to the windscreen. I'm sure the other discs are the same, but I can't be arsed searching for them.

    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/2009/en/si/0548.html


    So it looks like my plan is against the law.
    However I already made it, and I'm going to chance driving like that for nearest future... I'll see how it goes. I actually don't assume any problems, as so far over 5 years driving in Ireland, I was pulled over by gardai who looked at my discs only once.


  • #9
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    I really park very seldom on public roads.

    You never use a public car park?
    CiniO wrote: »
    Of course they are not creating massive blindspot, but they do block some view. The best position I found for them is in passengers top corner, but still they annoy me a bit.
    Also other thing with anyone being able to read details from them is something I don't like.

    Im going to be honest of the five cars Ive owned in my life of driving not once has the disc holder ever blocked even the slightest meaningful part of my vision when driving. If you put them in the very bottom corner of the passenger side there is absolutely no way that you will know that they are there.

    Each to their own though. You dont have a choice about having people reading the details (the reason they are there is so Gardai and other relevant parties can see your information), and even if they can then I really dont see what people are going to do with said details, but more power to you if you want to be awkward about! The first Garda you come across might not have much time for your explanation though... :p


  • #10
    mathepac
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 4,990 ✭✭✭mathepac


    I fail to see the problem with the discs attached to the windscreen and Ireland is not the only country with requirements of this nature.

    Yes, as per OSI above, NCT disc must be affixed to the windscreen, but the requirement for tax and insurance discs AFAIK is merely that they be "on display".

    The insurance disc is a key one as the insurance details of a vehicle involved in an RTA must be available to Gardai and others involved, thus displayed prominently on the windscreen seems to be the optimal solution.


  • #11
    seamus
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 68,173 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    The insurance disc must also be displayed "on the windscreen" according to the regulations.

    Not 100% on the tax disc, but the Road Traffic Act 2010 states that an NCT test must not be carried out unless the car has a valid tax disc displayed on the windscreen.


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  • #12
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,157 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    mathepac wrote: »
    I fail to see the problem with the discs attached to the windscreen and Ireland is not the only country with requirements of this nature.

    Yes, as per OSI above, NCT disc must be affixed to the windscreen, but the requirement for tax and insurance discs AFAIK is merely that they be "on display".

    The insurance disc is a key one as the insurance details of a vehicle involved in an RTA must be available to Gardai and others involved, thus displayed prominently on the windscreen seems to be the optimal solution.

    A Piece of paper on the Windscreen doesn't mean you have insurance, it means you have a piece of paper on the windscreen. Having a central database whos tax, insurance and NCT is up to date would be far better.

    Worst you'd see in other Countries is a Tax Disc and maybe a parking permit, can think of anywhere else in the EU where an Insurance, Tax and Road Worthiness disc is required on the Windscreen.


  • #13
    CiniO
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,041 ✭✭✭✭CiniO


    djimi wrote: »
    You never use a public car park?
    I live in a very rural country side, so I use public car parks very seldom.
    Im going to be honest of the five cars Ive owned in my life of driving not once has the disc holder ever blocked even the slightest meaningful part of my vision when driving. If you put them in the very bottom corner of the passenger side there is absolutely no way that you will know that they are there.
    Passenger side bottom position is the most annoying for me. All cars I bought had discs displayed there, and it was always obstructing my view. Maybe it's because I like to have my seat as low as possible, and therefore sit as low as possible.
    Each to their own though. You dont have a choice about having people reading the details (the reason they are there is so Gardai and other relevant parties can see your information), and even if they can then I really dont see what people are going to do with said details,
    I heard on this forum of situation where someone when renewing insurance got a NCB statement and there was a claim against his insurance about which he didn't know. Availing insurance number to anyone IMHO puts you at risk.
    Also NCT disc reveals exact date of first registration, and with this date anyone can actually log into NCT booking site, and book, cancel or rebook your NCT. Find out your details, etc.
    Generally I don't want anyone to be able to read my discs.

    I know I have to display them when parked on public road, but I think I don't need to display them when I park in private place, like private parking or supermarket parking. Am I right about it?

    but more power to you if you want to be awkward about! The first Garda you come across might not have much time for your explanation though... :p

    Whenever I see garda I'll flip my sun visor down and here they go - all my discs displayed ;)


  • #14
    Mycroft H
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,306 ✭✭✭Mycroft H


    You could get a real anal garda who will fine you for non displayal of the tax disc etc....


  • #15
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,157 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    OSI wrote: »
    I find it very difficult to believe that the first a driver heard about a claim against their insurance was when they got their NCB cert. In fact I would go as far as to say it's impossible.

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056554553

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR0OtMKbsUB615YYz_OFF3s-gt06urNDmc-7TYju8OW9ogaS60gdA


  • #16
    creedp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,493 ✭✭✭creedp


    djimi wrote: »
    I really dont understand the problem if Im honest. I have my discs at the bottom of the windscreen on the passenger side and I wouldnt even know they are there unless I looked for them. Unless they are stuck in your line of sight on the drivers side I really dont see what the problem with sticking discs on the windscreen is. Its not like youre creating a massive blindspot with them.


    I agree with this view. I can't see how 2 discs on the bottom passenger side corner of the windscreen cause a problematic blindspot. Granted they might look stupid but that's a seperate issue. I have 3 discs at present and will have 4 once car is NCT'd - the 4th one being a residential parking permit. I can assure you that is prominantly displayed as I don't want to be clamped. Rather than have 4 discs on bottom corner i have 2 at bottom and 2 at top corner. I also have a L plate on the top corner for the OH so all in all pretty conjested but doesn't create a blindspot problem. I think there is a difference here between not displaying discs becasue they cause a blindspot and not displaying because I simply don't like doing so.


  • #17
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    CiniO wrote: »
    I heard on this forum of situation where someone when renewing insurance got a NCB statement and there was a claim against his insurance about which he didn't know. Availing insurance number to anyone IMHO puts you at risk.
    Also NCT disc reveals exact date of first registration, and with this date anyone can actually log into NCT booking site, and book, cancel or rebook your NCT. Find out your details, etc.
    Generally I don't want anyone to be able to read my discs.

    Im fairly sure I could make a claim against you using your reg number if I wanted to. If I make a claim against you through my insurance then they can get your details anyway, so I dont see how stopping people seeing your disc will stop this happening.

    Im not really sure what someone can get from my NCT disc. All it has are the date the last test was taken and the date the NCT expires; neither of which are enough to log into the NCT website (which needs a booking ID or the date of the first registration; neither of which are on the disc).


  • #18
    Yakuza
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,130 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    CiniO wrote: »
    Passenger side bottom position is the most annoying for me. All cars I bought had discs displayed there, and it was always obstructing my view. Maybe it's because I like to have my seat as low as possible, and therefore sit as low as possible.

    I would say you're far in the minority of people if something on the far left of the screen would obstruct your view. My discs are there, and they barely register in my field of vision. Does your steering wheel also block your view?

    With respect, I think that sitting down low in a car is not the safest position to be driving from, and I usually only see old ladies or boy racers doing it (and I'm not for a second suggesting that you're either of those :))


  • #19
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    Yakuza wrote: »
    I would say you're far in the minority of people if something on the far left of the screen would obstruct your view. My discs are there, and they barely register in my field of vision. Does your steering wheel also block your view?

    With respect, I think that sitting down low in a car is not the safest position to be driving from, and I usually only see old ladies or boy racers doing it (and I'm not for a second suggesting that you're either of those :))

    Agreed. If the disc holder is blocking your view then chances are the dashboard also is...!


  • #20
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,157 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    Yakuza wrote: »
    I would say you're far in the minority of people if something on the far left of the screen would obstruct your view. My discs are there, and they barely register in my field of vision. Does your steering wheel also block your view?

    With respect, I think that sitting down low in a car is not the safest position to be driving from, and I usually only see old ladies or boy racers doing it (and I'm not for a second suggesting that you're either of those :))

    Well I'm with him so its more than one, my car doesn't have any Discs on the Window, I prefer it.

    Seems kind of pointless anyway, they eliminated paper here because it was so easy to make fake copies.

    Plus having more information about yourself on display is unnecessary.

    Also, I don't need to wait for any stuff to come in the post before I can drive on the road.


  • #21
    listermint
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,635 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    keithclancy wrote: »
    Well I'm with him so its more than one, my car doesn't have any Discs on the Window, I prefer it.

    Seems kind of pointless anyway, they eliminated paper here because it was so easy to make fake copies.

    Plus having more information about yourself on display is unnecessary.

    Also, I don't need to wait for any stuff to come in the post before I can drive on the road.

    it is if you want to abide by current regulations.

    Have to agree with other posters, They dont obstruct anything. I have a black Holder and it blends directly into the dash. A big white one that most people have might catch your eye but black? not a chance.

    Anyway youd want to be unbelievabley short for it to obstruct any view its just not plausible that it inhibits eyesight.


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  • #22
    Yakuza
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,130 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    I agree that the windscreen would be better off without the discs in them (the relevant authorites can get any info they need now with ANPR) so I'd welcome not having to display them, but I just think that citing their being a blind spot *when in the bottom left of the windscreen* is not a particularly good reason. If I removed the holder that's in my car now, and while in my normal driving postion looked through the windscreen at that point, most of what I would see is my bonnet.


  • #23
    cruizer101
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,175 ✭✭✭cruizer101


    djimi wrote: »
    Im not really sure what someone can get from my NCT disc. All it has are the date the last test was taken and the date the NCT expires; neither of which are enough to log into the NCT website (which needs a booking ID or the date of the first registration; neither of which are on the disc).

    NCT goes from the date of first registration so the expiry date will match up with that, when I was booking my NCT I got all the details I need of the disk. So it is true from my disk someone could have booked me in for an NCT or could potentially change the date of my currently booked one.


  • #24
    creedp
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,493 ✭✭✭creedp


    keithclancy wrote: »
    Well I'm with him so its more than one, my car doesn't have any Discs on the Window, I prefer it.

    Seems kind of pointless anyway, they eliminated paper here because it was so easy to make fake copies.

    Plus having more information about yourself on display is unnecessary.

    Also, I don't need to wait for any stuff to come in the post before I can drive on the road.


    I think a lot of people would prefer not to have them there but are of the opinion they are required to be there. I'd prefer a tax/insurance/nct disc on my wind screen that take the risk of an unnecessary fine. I'd also prefer the parking disc to avoid clamping. If someone told me there was no longer any need for these bits on paper then I'd be the first to take them down. This reminds me of a humorous comment by the great Bertie Ahern a couple of years back concerning e-voting in which he said we were the laughing stock of Europe with our pencils and paper until he was reminded that most EU countries continue to use the pencil and paper for voting.


  • #25
    keithclancy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,157 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    listermint wrote: »
    it is if you want to abide by current regulations.

    Have to agree with other posters, They dont obstruct anything. I have a black Holder and it blends directly into the dash. A big white one that most people have might catch your eye but black? not a chance.

    Anyway youd want to be unbelievabley short for it to obstruct any view its just not plausible that it inhibits eyesight.

    No its not, becuase there is no regulation here stating you have to have proof of anything on your windscreen.


  • #26
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    cruizer101 wrote: »
    NCT goes from the date of first registration so the expiry date will match up with that, when I was booking my NCT I got all the details I need of the disk. So it is true from my disk someone could have booked me in for an NCT or could potentially change the date of my currently booked one.

    Fair enough. What about an import? Youd have the day and month, but not the year surely?


  • #27
    listermint
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 34,635 ✭✭✭✭listermint


    keithclancy wrote: »
    No its not, becuase there is no regulation here stating you have to have proof of anything on your windscreen.

    ??

    Other posters have all ready given you links stating otherwise (Irish compliance btw)


  • #28
    djimi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13,234 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    keithclancy wrote: »
    No its not, becuase there is no regulation here stating you have to have proof of anything on your windscreen.

    Hes assuming you are in Ireland. There mightnt be regulations where you are but there are in Ireland.


  • #29
    Henry Ford III
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 18,175 Mod ✭✭✭✭Henry Ford III


    How many windscreen discs are there in other countries like Poland for example?


  • #30
    Yakuza
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,130 ✭✭✭Yakuza


    In Spain, you're only required to display the ITV (NCT equivalent) in the window (and the insurance schedule should be in the car, normally it's kept in the glovebox). Not sure how old a car has to be before the tests kick in, but a new car would, in theory, have nothing.


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  • #31
    fletch
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,485 ✭✭✭fletch


    I moved mine to the top of my windscreen. The windscreen has a sun visor built in (from the factory) at the top so at a quick glance from the outside you wouldn't spot the discs. Looks a lot neater than having them at the bottom IMO


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