Fee to sign a VDRS?

[DT Ralge]

Been issued a VDRS for blown tail-lights, phoned where I got my MOT done this afternoon and was quoted £10 for someone to just look at it, sign a piece of paper and send me on my way, the fact that I was told it wasn't their fee, it's the fee the police charge and it costs them £10 to do it made me weary (Why not just be honest?) so wondering if there's anywhere else that charges a more realistic fee? I've replaced the bulbs, literally just need someone to look and sign.

 

I do expect a fee, I wouldn't expect someone to do it for nothing but a realistic fee.

 

Did the £10 fee suggest you might check your bulbs more regularly - see, be seen, communicate effectively or will it happen again?

 

"I drive to the conditions, pal."

"What's that you say, lack of daylight in winter suggests I should be sure that all my lights are working?"

 

Have you cursed yourself for your own lack of attention to detail?

 

And praised The Lord for not having a ticket (more expensive):

HC RULE 113

You MUST (I.e. It's an offence not to)

 

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise

use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified

use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226).

Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise.

 

Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25 (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched )

Edited December 8, 2014 by DT Ralge

[V.Rossi]

Jesus, where is it all you saints live? Thing is I have never seen anyone in my life check their lights, oil, fluids and horn etc before setting off in their car, however there are obviously people only to be found on SF that do it on every journey they take in the car.....:susoect:

 

BTW, I'm not 'whingeing' about the £10, I was more concerned that the guy couldn't be honest about why they charge so much.

 

If it makes any of you keyboard warriors feel any better, I am extremely grateful that all I received was a VDRS, I could have received a fixed fine also and would've deserved it, maybe given the fact that it's the first time in over 16 yrs of driving I have ever been stopped, was fully compliant and everything else was in order, they decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, now if any of you holier than thou idiots ever get stopped, taking into account that you give your car a full service before you get in, research the highway code letter for letter (So that you can spout your crap that you probably spent a little more time than entirely necessary, googling) and have a completely faultless and perfect life (On sheffield forum, facebook and twitter @ least) then they'll throw the book at you.

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2014 at 09:55 ----------

 

PS: Thanks to everyone else with actual worthwhile comments, given that it seems a pretty standard rate then a tenner it is.

 

Now I've replaced my bulbs, I might as well book the car in for an MOT while I'm there (Not entirely necessary as it only passed in October, but what the hell, I'm going to use it today so might as well) and while they're doing it, I'll have a flick through the reading material posted below.

 

https://www.gov.uk/highway-code/contents

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/contents

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2014 at 10:02 ----------

 

Did the £10 fee suggest you might check your bulbs more regularly - see, be seen, communicate effectively or will it happen again?

 

"I drive to the conditions, pal."

"What's that you say, lack of daylight in winter suggests I should be sure that all my lights are working?"

 

Have you cursed yourself for your own lack of attention to detail?

 

And praised The Lord for not having a ticket (more expensive):

HC RULE 113

You MUST (I.e. It's an offence not to)

 

ensure all sidelights and rear registration plate lights are lit between sunset and sunrise

use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting. These roads are generally restricted to a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) unless otherwise specified

use headlights when visibility is seriously reduced (see Rule 226).

Night (the hours of darkness) is defined as the period between half an hour after sunset and half an hour before sunrise.

 

Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25 (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched )

 

Really???

 

You spent a good 5 mins taking to time to google, copy and paste and conjure up a few witty comments to produce that dribble.

 

I suggest you sir need to get a life. But thanks, next time I am out and about I will ensure I am fully compliant with Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25 (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched

 

In fact, I might pop to a reputable book shop and see if I can obtain a hard copy that I can keep in my glove box with my slippers and pipe.

[sgtkate]

The £10 is probably standard, ultimately the garage is giving up their time to fill in the form etc. Annoying though. But the garage is lying when they say it's set by the Police. It's not. In fact the Police issue VDRS's predominantly to avoid giving the car owner a ticket. The paperwork of sorting a VDRS is the same as a giving a ticket so before anyone says it, it's not saving the copper any work, but is giving the car owner a chance to fix rather than penalise.

[V.Rossi]

The £10 is probably standard, ultimately the garage is giving up their time to fill in the form etc. Annoying though. But the garage is lying when they say it's set by the Police. It's not. In fact the Police issue VDRS's predominantly to avoid giving the car owner a ticket. The paperwork of sorting a VDRS is the same as a giving a ticket so before anyone says it, it's not saving the copper any work, but is giving the car owner a chance to fix rather than penalise.

 

Oh, I wasn't moaning at the police, to be quite honest I'm glad I was stopped and it was pointed out otherwise something quite nasty could have happened, given some of the driving talent out there these days and countless people driving around who are apparently as blind as a bat, I could easily have been rear ended. So I'm in no way having a poke at the police.

 

I wasn't moaning at the £10 fee either, ok I think it's a little high and I don't agree that MOT stations should benefit financially from every issue of a VDRS, when I'm sure the police have a garage with a team of mechanics that you could drive to and have it signed off, but it is what it is...the thing that annoyed me was the fact I was blatantly lied to, why not just be honest and say 'it is what it is'. The fact that they can't be honest about something so simple makes me wonder what else they'll try and lie to me about (Oh your lights aren't the right wattage, here I'll fit these at £10 a pair etc etc), just breaks any trust doesn't it.

[sgtkate]

Oh, I wasn't moaning at the police, to be quite honest I'm glad I was stopped and it was pointed out otherwise something quite nasty could have happened, given some of the driving talent out there these days and countless people driving around who are apparently as blind as a bat, I could easily have been rear ended. So I'm in no way having a poke at the police.

 

I wasn't moaning at the £10 fee either, ok I think it's a little high and I don't agree that MOT stations should benefit financially from every issue of a VDRS, when I'm sure the police have a garage with a team of mechanics that you could drive to and have it signed off, but it is what it is...the thing that annoyed me was the fact I was blatantly lied to, why not just be honest and say 'it is what it is'. The fact that they can't be honest about something so simple makes me wonder what else they'll try and lie to me about (Oh your lights aren't the right wattage, here I'll fit these at £10 a pair etc etc), just breaks any trust doesn't it.

 

 

I didn't think you were having a go at the Police at all. It actually annoys the Police that some people are being told that the Police set the fee. It's a lie and it makes the Police look like they are just shafting the motorist again when it's not the case at all.

[pippadee]

Agree, an example of Forum users just sat waiting to pounce and submit unhelpful and stupid statements.

 

Put a stop to it Mods, or is it within the strange code of free speech which exists on here !!

 

Well said ! Typical example of the nasty intolerant place Britain has become.

Some one made a mistake, we all do it. All he wanted was advice !

[hyper]

Jesus, where is it all you saints live?

hey if you want to find out the place where people who never made a mistake live, it's the same place as those who never made anything

[DT Ralge]

Jesus, where is it all you saints live? Thing is I have never seen anyone in my life check their lights, oil, fluids and horn etc before setting off in their car, however there are obviously people only to be found on SF that do it on every journey they take in the car.....:susoect:

 

BTW, I'm not 'whingeing' about the £10, I was more concerned that the guy couldn't be honest about why they charge so much.

 

If it makes any of you keyboard warriors feel any better, I am extremely grateful that all I received was a VDRS, I could have received a fixed fine also and would've deserved it, maybe given the fact that it's the first time in over 16 yrs of driving I have ever been stopped, was fully compliant and everything else was in order, they decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, now if any of you holier than thou idiots ever get stopped, taking into account that you give your car a full service before you get in, research the highway code letter for letter (So that you can spout your crap that you probably spent a little more time than entirely necessary, googling) and have a completely faultless and perfect life (On sheffield forum, facebook and twitter @ least) then they'll throw the book at you.

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2014 at 09:55 ----------

 

PS: Thanks to everyone else with actual worthwhile comments, given that it seems a pretty standard rate then a tenner it is.

 

Now I've replaced my bulbs, I might as well book the car in for an MOT while I'm there (Not entirely necessary as it only passed in October, but what the hell, I'm going to use it today so might as well) and while they're doing it, I'll have a flick through the reading material posted below.

 

https://www.gov.uk/highway-code/contents

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/52/contents

 

---------- Post added 09-12-2014 at 10:02 ----------

 

 

Really???

 

You spent a good 5 mins taking to time to google, copy and paste and conjure up a few witty comments to produce that dribble.

 

I suggest you sir need to get a life. But thanks, next time I am out and about I will ensure I am fully compliant with Laws RVLR regs 3, 24, & 25 (In Scotland - RTRA 1984 sect 82 (as amended by NRSWA, para 59 of sched

 

In fact, I might pop to a reputable book shop and see if I can obtain a hard copy that I can keep in my glove box with my slippers and pipe.

 

No need, I have an encyclopaedic, verbatim memory of the HC (I actually have it as an app).

Just wondered if you would do anything different from now on? I only asked.

You are no different, after all, from thousands of drivers seen out in all light levels who have not checked their lights in the last month (or three) - it doesn't need to be every time you drive.

Just because I try and eliminate and/or limit the time that I spend with a blown bulb (it does happen) I don't reckon that makes me a holier than thou Saint. It means I have standards, discipline and take such things seriously. Standards, that's all - and if anything is "slipping" it's standards. No-one seems to give a .... whilst being quick to bleat when they get picked up on their slackness (did you write "tail lights" not just "tail light"?)

Edited December 9, 2014 by DT Ralge

[steroc]

use headlights at night, except on a road which has lit street lighting.

So what your saying is if the road has street lighting you should turn your headlights off. That's a new one on me.

[DT Ralge]

So what your saying is if the road has street lighting you should turn your headlights off. That's a new one on me.

 

 

No, I'm not saying that at all (but that's what the HC still says, mystifyingly).

I clearly copied and pasted the whole of the section in spite of the fact that much of its content was not particularly relevant to the thread. (By all means, hang me out to dry on that score.)