CCTV at petrol stations to stop uninsured cars being filled up

[Jonatron]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news...ly-stop-758518

Is this possibly the first time a government has come up with a good idea?

[bledd]

I'd happily sit at home with the controls for an ION cannon to zap these idiots

[shaithis]

These kind of stories always annoy me.

Tax should be on the petrol. Then no-one can dodge it and you pay proportionally to the amount you use the roads and pollute the atmosphere.

[Agent]

Petrol cans, fake plates, using another car and then taking the fuel out?

Might be an inconvenience to some I suppose, but it's hardly going to stop uninsured drivers.

[DR]

Even if they make it a little trickier I think it's a great idea.

[roachcoach]

Is this possibly the first time a government has come up with a good idea?

Nope. More money being spent on pointless schemes to ensure compliance.

Just from the top of my head: Foreign cars? People who run out of petrol - presumably be denied also since they dont have have a number plate. Cars which are insured, just not by the [current] driver. Motor bikes, no front plate (don't tell me they'll think this through!), insurance database lags/erros. The list is nigh endless.

Stupidity.

Spend the money on something useful, especially in the current tight budget environment they are in.

[peterb]

If fake plates are used, they have to be to an insured vehicle, and getting legit plates made is not trivially easy. But while it might not prevent all use of un-insured vehicles, something like this that deters their use is a good thing.

[TheAnimus]

Might be an inconvenience to some I suppose, but it's hardly going to stop uninsured drivers.

Indeed. Fake plates a plenty.

Unless the ANPR also has car shape recognition this isn't going to stop a thing.

[kalniel]

Tax should be on the petrol. Then no-one can dodge it and you pay proportionally to the amount you use the roads and pollute the atmosphere.

Quite agree. But insurance is the issue here.

[Bagnaj97]

getting legit plates made is not trivially easy.

A screwdriver is all you need to get yourself a set of legit plates... I would hazard a guess that most people who drive uninsured wouldn't bat an eyelid at the idea of "borrowing" plates.

[kalniel]

A screwdriver is all you need to get yourself a set of legit plates... I would hazard a guess that most people who drive uninsured wouldn't bat an eyelid at the idea of "borrowing" plates.

I don't know. I think there's the criminal out to screw the state and everyone else - they're not going to be affected by any easy measure, but I think there's an awful lot of 'just can't afford it at the moment' or 'didn't get around to it' folks who wouldn't necessarily go so far as making a positive fraudulent action like faking ID/plates, but are happy to ignore the law as long as it's not being enforced.

[roachcoach]

I don't know. I think there's the criminal out to screw the state and everyone else - they're not going to be affected by any easy measure, but I think there's an awful lot of 'just can't afford it at the moment' or 'didn't get around to it' folks who wouldn't necessarily go so far as making a positive fraudulent action like faking ID/plates, but are happy to ignore the law as long as it's not being enforced.

I would expect the automated reminders/threats eliminate most of those folks. This would seem to be an attempt to target the 'hardcore' offenders - which as mentioned will be largely ineffective (imho).

[Flash477]

All I can see it really stopping are the people who put that special coating on their number plates to prevent them being read.

[scaryjim]

Hmmm... one word: daysure. Insure your car for a day. Go and fill up. Drive around for a couple of weeks without insurance. Sorted.

[Golden Dragoon]

If fake plates are used, they have to be to an insured vehicle, and getting legit plates made is not trivially easy. But while it might not prevent all use of un-insured vehicles, something like this that deters their use is a good thing.

I know of at least half a dozen places that will do "show" plates, my car has a set of these on right now (I have the originals in the boot) and when I got them made up no checks were made, and they were very cheap and look just as good as the real thing, it even passed it's mot with them on.

[Saracen]

If it works, more power to it. But will it work? That is the question.