RIP - The tax disc

[Simon]

I taxed my Maestro by phone yesterday without any bother. Terribly posh sounding Welsh gentleman provided the robo-voice giving me instructions what to do. It will seem funny not having an up to date disc though.

[bodgit0_0]

The system is still down, I think they have done an update and turned off the old system.

I'm currently trying to check when my latest cat c project gets registered as needling a VIC but that part is still not available.

[maestro dave]

It's all about ANPR databases.

Also, they seem to want to ANPR all the petrol stations. I read somewhere in the news that all the trunk road and motorway management cameras are connected to ANPR, as well as town and city centre cameras. They are officially allowed to keep the data that tracks all cars for two years. So, the only way you can escape their surveillance is by not being on the database. The abolition of the tax disc system is closing the last potential gaps in their continuous licencing/SORN database system.

There was a recent police operation on BBC W.Mids local news using police from Eastern Europe, to phone home or log in to their own country's computer systems. This suggests that UK police and ANPR does not have direct access to those systems currently. So if you're law abiding and from the UK big brother is watching you and recording and storing your every movement. If you are a crook from Eastern Europe - not so much. All without a democratic mandate, done on a 'don't ask they might say no' basis. This system is not a replacement for all the traffic police that have been got rid of. The large increase in faulty car lights last winter shows this. What other safety faults have increased that are not so visible?

Another thing they have with CCTV now is 'gait analysis', so they can track pedestrians automatically like ANPR for cars. Shame they don't have something for the more than half of London cyclists who think red lights are optional for them. I know, why don't they tax, licence, make them have insurance and numberplate them like every other road vehicle?

Does this mean people who use smaller a/ b roads with no ANPR stand less chance of being caught with no tax, unless there is a cop car with ANPR parked close by? With the disc now gone joe public doesnt know if you have paid your tax or not.

[Austin-Rover]

If you're a low mileage driver living in the Country, you're going to be quids-in!

[Simon]

If you're a low mileage driver living in the Country, you're going to be quids-in!

But you'll always be worrying in case you get caught, which you might when you fill up with petrol as there are garages that now have ANPR cameras as a measure against bilking.