Driving an untaxed and uninsured car

Hootie19

Without going into great detail of the background to this question, what exactly would the consequences be of someone driving an untaxed and uninsured car? Both for the driver and passengers, and for other road users.

This person is throwing a hissy fit because his daughter's mother has put her foot down and said he is not allowed to take their 9 month old baby out in his car, as long as it remains untaxed and uninsured.

He is calling her unreasonable, and saying she is preventing him from having contact with his child and has said that he can't walk to collect/visit as he doesn't have a coat (untrue) and it's too cold to be taking the baby out in her pushchair (when she's wrapped up in clothes, snow suit, footmuff in pushchair, hat, gloves etc).

She is saying that the child's safety is paramount and will not allow him to take her in the car, but has offered other solutions - meeting him halfway between their homes (they live about 2 miles apart).

OK, so there is bad feelings between these two parents, and faults on both sides, but I do believe the mother is correct to stand her ground.

However, what are the possible consequences - not necessarily just the legal ones, as he's already got 8 points on his licence, so a ban would be likely if the police catch him - of not having a taxed and insured vehicle?

adamantine

car would be seized and he would be fined, possibly end up in court, if he couldnt get the money together to tax and insure the car and also for the impound fees the car would be crushed but with the points he would get he would probably lose his license so he couldnt drive it anyway.

she is totally in the right. tax and insurance is there for a reason.

marywooyeah

seriously? of course she shouldn't let her daughter go in that car! if it's only an extra 2 miles can mum not just drop the daughter off for contact?

Mankysteve

Not to mention that uninsured drivers are significantly more likely to have a car accident.

DVardysShadow

If he does not accept what the mother says, he could consider taking her to court for access on his terms. But he might have difficulty justifying using an untaxed and uninsured car.

adamantine

and its the rest of us who have to foot the bill of their accidents as our insurance premiums are bumped up to compensate.

Emmzi

no tax and insurance does not make him inherently a worse driver than a taxed and insured driver and it is not so much more likely he will have an accident. It shows a certain reckless attitude to finances (uninsured loss = expensive) and the law (could lose licence etc) but I would be much more worried about a car with no MOT.

Overall however it is between the parents of the child and I would caution any friends/ partners to stay out of it, it won't end well!

Hootie19

marywooyeah wrote: »

seriously? of course she shouldn't let her daughter go in that car! if it's only an extra 2 miles can mum not just drop the daughter off for contact?

She hasn't got a car, which is why she's offered to walk halfway with the baby and hand her over. Or she has offered for the dad to see the baby at the mum's flat, but he won't do that either.

I'd like to bang their blooming heads together. They're each as bad as the other, but in this instance, I'm behind the mum 100%.

Oldernotwiser

If he can't be bothered to walk a couple of miles to see his child then that shows how motivated he actually is.

Hootie19

Emmzi wrote: »

Overall however it is between the parents of the child and I would caution any friends/ partners to stay out of it, it won't end well!

I totally agree, but sometimes you just have to speak up! I keep out of their business as much as possible, but until recently, they were both offloading to me about the other, and I believe I was very fair minded. Whatever the one said to me, I would ask the other for their version of events, and I never offered my opinion - just tried to mediate. This was when contact was extremely difficult - the mother was being "advised" by a friend, and was trying to keep the dad away from the child. I was against this totally, and eventually managed to talk the mum out of being so unreasonable.

They've more or less kept me out of it since then, until this latest issue with the car cropped up.

Sigh.

Emmzi

Repeat after me:

"I can understand both sides of the debate. I wish you well sorting out what is in the best interests of the child. Now, more wine? What did you think of Eastenders/ the chancellor's speech/ debenhams sale?"