Stopped by the police today

[numark1]

It was for my plate being too small. Anyway went through all the usual checking details etc. Apparently i am not on the police database and as such had no insurnace or licence.

I couldn't for the life of me remember my insurance company and the police man almost phoned for a recovery truck to impound my bike on the basis i had no insurance or even a licence.

Fortunately my mum was able to rush home and find my documents but i am still waiting to hear from the policeman to see if the check out. I know they should because i pay £85 a month for the fucking thing.

Anyway i think a letter is in order to the insurance company. Because they did not update my details to the police national database (which they legally have to do) i nearly had my bike impounded at a cost of £110 recovery and £110 a day storage.

Motorcycle Direct
DVLA

[G]

I think a letter is in order to the chief of police, not the insurance company.

It seems the "7 day wonder" is no longer in effect and instead you can have your vehicle taken from you if you do not have your documents on you.

Are the police even allowed to do this if you do have insurance?

[Fastgut]

[G]

I was more thinking of the law, rather than what a police-person 'knows' .

[Fawbish]

[Fastgut]

[danclarkie]

The insurers have a legal obligation to put the policy on the insurers database which the police check, there is a set time limit i cant recall if its 48 hours or 7 days. Anyway the insurers have to put your policy on there or they face a fine ect.
Ergo, if you've had the vehicle longer than a week or 48 hours (whichever it is) and your not showing on the insured database. The VAAAAST majority of time this means exactly that.
Personally we have been told were i work to knock the 7 day wonder trick on the head as it can be checked at roadside, thus saving the need to inconvenience public and station enquiry officers filling them out.

From personal experience again when stopped a vehicle thats not showing on the insurers database but the driver claims to be insured, I have been told it comes down to a judgement call on the officer.

There are times when it fails as above but a lot of faith is put in the system now. If they were really suspicious im sure the bobbies would have rang your insurer from the number on your certificate to make sure it was legit.
In this however some companies are often unwilling to disclose to cops details about a persons insurance

There are people who take out a policy for a year then cancel it a few days later once thay have received their certificate. therefore they have a certificate to produce if ever requested but have cancelled thier policy within the 2 week period and got all their money back. This is one of the advantages of the database over the old producer.

Oh and they must have been traffic bods, very few street cops ive met either know the legislation is in place, or can be arsed to do it.

*Quick edit. Re OP, its £12 a day not £110 a day
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Bah Humbug

[stinkwheel]

[Hetzer]

So let me get this right...the police stop you, you have insurance but it's not on their database, so they impound your bike and expect you to pay the storage bill, even though you do have insurance and have commited no offence whatsoever?

That would be a night of pig-car windscreens being put through at 4am outside the station.

And if everyone did that, like the French do, we'd have a lot less abuse of the law from these arrogant scum.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[powelly]

[Feasty]

As well as all this, I thought it was advised generally not to keep your driving licence, MOT certificate, insurance certificate etc with the bike... Therefore we'd have to carry all that on us EVERY time we go out on the bike!?
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Previous: Aprilia Habana Retro 50cc (beauty), Yamaha SR125 (fell apart), Honda XR125 (nippy little commuter), Honda SLR650 (Geewhizz), Yamaha Diversion 900S (Smoooooth) written off courtesy of a stupid escaped horse.
(7 year gap), BMW F650 (Relaxing ride). Aprilia Caponord ETV1000 (Big and bold). Yamaha FZS600 (got me in trouble too quick!).
Current: Yamaha TDM 900 (Comfy, light but big, power when needed).

[stinkwheel]

[Hetzer]

[Fawbish]

[Pete.]

No amount of complaining is going to get you out paying the impound fee because by law you should have your insurance documents with you.

If you don't carry your license and insurance with you when you ride you are actually committing an offence - the seven-day-wonder is actually a concession given because of the impracticality of always carrying your documents and they don't have to honour it.

That's the way I understand it anyway.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[powelly]

[Pete.]

If you had your documents with you the cops could call the insurer listed on the documents I guess. In working-hours anyway...
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[Itchy]

nah this just means when you take out a policy check it on the DVLA database before you go out and not carry docs, I don't carry them, I keep them at home.

I wonder if we can twist the law and thus turn it into a theft case in that they thought they had a right to take it , they didn't and thus turned into theft.

Alas not looking good though , MPs today were caught money laundering (yes the political donations undisclosed come under money laundering act 1p is enough to get you stuck in prison for 18 months) , and are using ignorance of the law WHICH THEY VOTED IN , to evade the law, they should be put in prison.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Why not just photocopy all your docs? Then just chuck them under the seat.

Job done. Does seem rather scummy to me though.
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My Flickr

[stinkwheel]

[deanoet]

Maybe if they punished the people properly who drove / rode without the correct documents there would be less people who did it, so there would be no need for the guilty till proven innocent approach they seem to slowly be adopting.
Great for the people it catches who dont have details, but in the cases where there are errors and you are the innocent party it just plain sucks. Isnt the polices fault, they are just following guidance, they are still on the front lines, they still get the blame, and they are still hated though

Wonder if you could claim it back off the insurers?
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CBT Passed 18th July 2007 : Previous Bikes> CG125 : Current Bike> Hornet 600 : PASSED DAS 30th Oct 2007
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[powelly]

[powelly]

[deanoet]

[St0rmer66]