[Kelster]

There would probably be more scooters in Britain if the weather wasn’t so shitty! It’s the same in South of France when we’re there, need eyes everywhere to avoid hitting them 👀

 

[T5 TDI]

We're the same only without the house! We rent a villa and are always on the look out for long stay deals. We are are retired now so we can stay for the full time in one go if we want. Just got back to all this rain from 9 weeks there. It's a temptation for us to go for a non-lucrative visa and buy a small place. Before my Mum died, she lived in South London so even though I've been in Cornwall for the last 20 years I used to visit when I could. I was brought up there I don't have the slightest reason or inclination to go to London. Give me fresh air (slight whiff of hypocrisy!) not too many people and sunshine!

My van is hated everywhere, I even had to buy a 'Crit Air' just to pass through France even though I wasn't going anywhere near the low emission zone.

 

[Kelster]

As if i didn’t already know that I’m driving a “leper”, did a rush job in Brum on a Sunday last month, forgot to pay Nazi tax and now I’ve just got a £60 fine (if I pay within 14 days!🤬)

 

[T5 TDI]

My 20 year old van could have been thrown away 3 times but I've kept it going, so no new environmental damage from manufacturing the new vans. And mine isn't a smokey 60's taxi, and it has a CAT but no DPF. DPF's break up the particles to even smaller particles which (arguably) cause worse lung problems. And who knows what all the gallons of add-blue do when burnt?

 

[bobley]

My 20 year old van could have been thrown away 3 times but I've kept it going, so no new environmental damage from manufacturing the new vans. And mine isn't a smokey 60's taxi, and it has a CAT but no DPF. DPF's break up the particles to even smaller particles which (arguably) cause worse lung problems. And who knows what all the gallons of add-blue do when burnt?

Ah, you may have saved my bacon there... I've got a table and sideboard which need to go out to Spain. I have all the import paperwork (older than 6 months and going to an address owned by me = vat free) but I didn't know about "Crit Air". My Window Van (which is a M1 car) is 2008MY cat+ DPF is Cat 3... so I'm good this year but I'll have to dodge Paris from 2025... €4.76 worse off but now wiser!!

 

[T5 TDI]

If you can work from home in Spain you could qualify for a digital visa then you wouldn't be stuck with the 90 day thing. The visas are a bit of a minefield, if we want to get one it would have to be a 'non-lucrative' type. I'm happy to avoid Paris. I once got sucked into Marseille in the rush hour driving a great big German coachbuilt camper.

I was surprised how cheap the Crit Air sticker was. Plus it arrived within a week and they kept emailing me about the progress of my application and even thanking me. Very un-French!

 

[moeredish]

I know that sometimes imported vehicles are ULEZ “compliant” despite their emissions being way above what is required to not be charged. I have also heard of people being charged at a later date, despite the site telling them their vehicle is compliant. best to keep a screen grab for evidence incase

 

[bobley]

I know that sometimes imported vehicles are ULEZ “compliant” despite their emissions being way above what is required to not be charged. I have also heard of people being charged at a later date, despite the site telling them their vehicle is compliant. best to keep a screen grab for evidence incase

ULEZ is funny. You need to pass EU4 levels of "HC" and "NOx" and many UK petrols are capable of doing it but because the V5 declares combined "HC+NOx" its not possible to prove easily. If you bring your car up to Northampton I can get it tested for you and issue a VCA approved certificate with separate HC and NOx levels which tick all the boxes for TFL...

... only problems are A: will your old car still pass the original test, B: I'd need £2000 to do the test.

I bet imported cars have no emissions cert as they've never been tested on NEDC standard... so the empty boxes on the V5 are treated as zeros...

 

[BitterandTwisted]

Oh to have those problems 🙄

 

[bobley]

Oh to have those problems 🙄

I think we all have different problems...its called life unfortunately.

 

[Orion]

 

[ZuluGolfZulu]

Nice joke/image Orion!

Though, as I have said in the past, to people who have accused me of having 'first world problems':

'What other sort could I have? Living, as I do, in the first world?'

But don't worry: Local and National government are hard at work, ensuring that the roads will soon be in a worse state than those in Guatemala or Vietnam. If they're not already. While they still cost a fortune to use.

(See also: school and hospital buildings being built from this fashionable rubber concrete stuff that's been in the news )

I call it Levelling Down. Seems to be catching on...

 

[Orion]

Yep, just a gentle joke. I am as mad as anyone else over the rise of the road Nazis and their hatred of the ICE.