Lockdown travelling

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This one is familiar to me and your mileage would vary even pre covid days.
"Ex pats" who keep one foot in Britain and the other in an EU country sometimes run past their motors test date.
From anecdotes there are people who booked a test in their home town 300 miles from the ferry terminal and stopped for lunch on the way too.
Others who booked tests in Portsmouth or Dover then travelled home to conduct whatever business after.
I never saw a ruling on this and probably the word "practical" might crop up if a penalty was issued and argued in court.
 

Brandane

Legendary Member
Location
Costa Clyde
Just to add I wasn't after people’s opinions on if they think I should or shouldn’t I was after information on the legality of it and whether it was technically allowed
Pre-book it and have something in writing, an e-mail or whatever on your phone. If the circumstances are genuinely as you describe, then I think you have grounds for it being an "essential" journey. That is all you need to prove.
 

vickster

Legendary Member
Is the transportation more than the £200 x 2 fines (or 4 if not able to do in one trip plus uplift for subsequent offences).
Are you a key worker who cannot do your job without the car? You might get a more sympathetic hearing from plod if so
 

PK99

Legendary Member
Location
SW19
Hi, got a question for the intelligent people on here.
I have a trip coming up and I think it falls into bit of a grey area, my car has to be serviced, mot’d and a few little bits doing. The issue is the garage that I have always used is 150miles away. Am I am still allowed to travel?
Now my head says yes as the car has to have an MOT and be serviced, and I have all my service history from this one garage as they are a specialist for my vehicle and it is running their performance upgrades so don’t really want anyone else playing around with it.
What’s the verdict?

It's not a grey area at all. What you are proposing is clearly wrong and unethical. But you already know that.

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home
 
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I get my van serviced in The Maldives.
Oh you've given me an idea. My motorcycle is due a test in May and I have an offer to use my friend's place in Calabria while he's working away.
The phrase "compelling reasons" features heavily in cross border travel restrictions at the moment on the mainland.
Yes, compelling reasons to have my roadworthiness test done in Calabria.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
Oh you've given me an idea. My motorcycle is due a test in May and I have an offer to use my friend's place in Calabria while he's working away.
The phrase "compelling reasons" features heavily in cross border travel restrictions at the moment on the mainland.
Yes, compelling reasons to have my roadworthiness test done in Calabria.
It just so happens that my van can carry a good few tools. For a modest fee, I'll park it anywhere in Europe and attempt to check the oil level of your motor.:okay:
 
Shan't scold OP because I see egregious rule-breaking every time I go out for Government Approved Exercise, and what's one more bad decision amongst tens of thousands?

I mean, this is a clear case of "I know this is wrong, I'm going to do it anyway, please validate my decision", but personally? I'd delete this thread because it's proof of intent and fatally undermines the "Oh, I've always got my car MOT'd there, I thought I needed to go to the same place each time. Sorry, officer :shy:" defence.
 
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