Diesel road check!!!

[accountantpete]

I don't drive very much so today was a first.The Police had laid out caution signs and were stopping every car coming out of Crewe asking if the car was petrol or diesel - if it was the latter cars were then escorted to the discretely parked HM Revenue & Customs van presumably to check whether the fuel was legal or not.

Given the state of public finances I suspect this will be a common sight before long

 

[Globalti]

Not so uncommon - I've seen them a couple of times and my wife got stopped a few years ago when she was driving our diesel Land Rover.

 

[Saddle bum]

In the recent snowy weather, HMRC warned that farmers using tractors on the road, with "Red Diesel" in them, to clear the road and recover vehicles would be nicked.

Therefore doing your christian duty is now taxable.

They need stringing up.

 

[gbb]

Reputedly, if youve had red diesel in at some stage, they can detect it even if you're running on the correct fuel now. (fuel filters possibly)

Heaven forbid you try to evade the taxman..the punishments can be very severe. Very heavy fines and possible loss of your car.

 

[Hacienda71]

There must be a finite period that it is detectable as they allowed people to use it and pay the duty when the petrol blockades took place a few years ago. I have seen a few checks taking place up in North Cheshire in the more rural areas.

 

[accountantpete]

Actually the copper was very trusting - he just asked if the car was petrol or diesel and didn't strike me as being the Clarkson type who would know the difference by the sound as you roared away after stating it was petrol.

 

[marinyork]

Seen it a few times but most of the times they weren't checking every vehicle.

 

[Davidc]

When I lived in Suffolk in the 90s it was very common.

 

[Jamesb]

I haven't seen many of these around my area, but there are a fair few drink driving check points.

 

[Muddyfox]

We used to get stopped on a regular basis when i was truck driving and have our tanks dipped and when you consider that filling up a 44 tonner with long haul tanks on is costing over £1000 a time then running on red diesel is a very tempting prospect

Simon

 

[661-Pete]

In the recent snowy weather, HMRC warned that farmers using tractors on the road, with "Red Diesel" in them, to clear the road and recover vehicles would be nicked.

I'm not sure if this is quite correct. There are some special exemptions for tractors powered by red diesel being on the roads. See here:

3. Tractors
To qualify as an excepted vehicle the tractor must be an agricultural tractor designed and constructed primarily for use otherwise than on roads. It must be used on public roads solely for:
a) purposes relating to agriculture, horticulture or forestry,
cutting verges bordering public roads, or
c) cutting hedges or trees bordering public roads or bordering verges which border public roads.

But no mention of snow clearing etc. Surely HMRC wouldn't prosecute would they?

Certainly, if I was pulled over on a regular basis to have my fuel tank undergo a lengthy check, I'd find it more than inconvenient! I hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[gbb]

We used to get stopped on a regular basis when i was truck driving and have our tanks dipped and when you consider that filling up a 44 tonner with long haul tanks on is costing over £1000 a time then running on red diesel is a very tempting prospect

Simon

Just reminded me. I rode up to a garage one summer ride, there was a lorry filling up his tank at the pump.
I wandered in to the garage, got a mars bar and lucozade, came out, sat on the grass, ate my mars bar, drank the dink, sat there for a short time...and got up to leave.
The lorry driver was still filling his tank It must take them an age. What a balls ache to have to do that in the winter !!!!

 

[gbb]

There must be a finite period that it is detectable as they allowed people to use it and pay the duty when the petrol blockades took place a few years ago. I have seen a few checks taking place up in North Cheshire in the more rural areas.

I kinda guess its not there forever But apparently it can be detected some time after.

 

[addictfreak]

I'm not sure if this is quite correct. There are some special exemptions for tractors powered by red diesel being on the roads. See here:
But no mention of snow clearing etc. Surely HMRC wouldn't prosecute would they?

Certainly, if I was pulled over on a regular basis to have my fuel tank undergo a lengthy check, I'd find it more than inconvenient! I hope it doesn't come to that.

I tend to agree with you, althought I dont know what the actual restrictions are.

We have two Fire Appliances (Aerial ladder platforms) in our Brigade that are allowed to run on Red Diesel, obviously these are using the roads.

 

[Muddyfox]

It must take them an age. What a balls ache to have to do that in the winter !!!!

Even though the HGV pumps do run a bit quicker than the normal pumps it does take a good while if your filling from nearly empty ... we used to carry a Tennis ball and jam it into the pump trigger whilst filling and then jump back into the cab

Simon