GETTING INTO TROUBLE

Have any of you ever done something accidentally, that almost got you in bother? I have.

It was when we lived in Hampshire in or around 1981 and I heard that the local Army Medical Centre was wanting blood donors, so I got into the car and went along to donate.

After I finished I went out, and put the key in my lock when someone behind me shouted: “Oi, what do you think you’re doing?” I turned and it was an RMP Sergeant rushing up to me. I just said I was getting into my car and he stood there glaring at me, then started laughing and he said, “Oh no you’re not.”

It was then that I realised that I was trying to unlock the door of a brand new bright red Ford Cortina Mk IV saloon, identical to my own, which were side by side. I’d almost tried to nick a Police car! I hadn't checked the number plate.

Yes Mollie,went to pick my young son-up. from School..went back to my car..at least I thought it was..mine was a red Ford Cortina estate but I was struggling to get in a strangers car..my face was as red as my car.

Embarrassing isn't it, Momac.

Did something very similar at a bike meet at Devils Bridge, parked the bike went for a piddle and when I came back my key wouldn't open my top box. Try as I might the damn thing would only go in half way, just then some one tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around to face up to a giant of a biker that looked like Chewbacca ; who then said "That's my bike". . I asked my mate who was sat on the wall why he didn't tell me but he was to busy laughing to say owt , that's mates for you.

LOL! It's so easily done, Peebee. Some mate you had there!

A few years ago there was a story in the newspaper about some one trying to get into a car and failed. The garage had issued the same number plates to two identical cars which ended up parked side by side
When Yvonne worked at Wigan Infirmary I used to pick her up and she once went to get into the car parked in front of ours

A few years ago my brother opened his garage/mechanics business, I was there one day helping out with stuff and we went to pick up a red fiat for a service, he drove me to where the car was parked, he pointed and said, Thats the one, I jumped out with the key, it opened and then started so I followed Paul back to the Garage,
A few hours later, The owner phoned and asked, why we had not picked up the car as arranged, We'd took the wrong red Fiat,

Right St, right coloured car, right make of car and the key fitted, Luckily the owner of the car we took was unaware I took it, that might have been hard to explain to the Police,,,,

mollie, your story reminded me of theday I came out of the dentist after a big filling. I walked around the corner and got in the car then realised the driver wasn't my husband, Poor guy never said a word and I didn't tell my husband who was parked up the road.

Had a good night out at the Riverside...bladdered on Merry down...in middle of night...got up for a pee...bollocky buff...made a wrong turn and got in bed with my mother...she got out quicker than I got in....supposedly I shouted "Merry Christmas"... 28yrs old at the time ..

At least it wasn't somebody else's mother!

Peter, how could two cars be registered with the same number plate? Surely DVLA would have questioned it. I'm not doubting what you say, and for two identical cars, with identical plates, to be parked side by side is quite a coincidence.

Mollie I can remember there being a photo in the paper with the cars.It could have been a publicity stunt by the garage or a genuine mistake by the garage and the cars could have been on the garage car park.In that day and age you could get a set of number plates with no ID or paperwork.I had one plate made for my son to put on his bicycle BAZ 81 Just googled and last story was last year (March) in Wales

Peter, I've had a thought about those two identical cars. Perhaps the plates were dummies because they were going to be used in a TV advert, and two were needed for the filming in different locations. Thereafter, they would need to be registered individually. Just a thought.

To have a car in Spain, it has to be insured, also it has to be MoT'd and taxed in it's country of registration.
It follows that it has to be driven back to UK every year for it's MoT, then taxed and driven back.
Fuel for the return trip is around the £600 mark now.
Plus two ferries or channel tunnel trips, about £200 to £250. Hotel stopovers x 4 = £150 to £180. It comes to £1,000 to do the return trip.

It's much easier, and cheaper, to buy the same car, same colour, over here. Have that one MoT'd and taxed and put the same number on the one o'er theer'.

That's a trick I learned in Viet-Nam. (well, not Viet-Nam really. I learned it off some Irish lads I once knew from that site on Bickershaw Lane!)

But, but, but, the VIN numbers would be different, wouldn't they? I can understand the sense behind it, rather than go through all that spending, and, buying two same year cars is very expensive, but is it legal?

Posted by: tonker
"It's much easier, and cheaper, to buy the same car, same colour, over here. Have that one MoT'd and taxed and put the same number on the one o'er theer'. "

I'm sorry but I can't see any benefit or logic from that statement? It just doesn't make sense?

Mollie, I've been pulled by the police many, many, times during my life. In the last 16 years, I've been pulled, and vehicles checked, in Spain four of five times. Last time I was stopped, the mosso knew who I was and knew the car as being in regular use. He checked the car's details online (laptop) and told me he could see it was insured but had not been taxed or MoT'd for over four years. He also told me that it was on record that I had been warned twice before and that I "must take the car back to Great Britain as it doesn't belong here"!
The car's still there, but isn't used on the roads.
The point is, Mollie, NEVER, has any police / mosso / guardia ever checked my cars Vin number. They just type in the registration number.

Cheshirecat, it's not that hard to understand. Even for a Wiganer!

Yes, Tonker, and I don't doubt you for one minute, but do you have the same luck as The Mollster here? Nope, never in this world! I'd be clapped in irons and popped into the local pokey if I got stopped and checked, if I'd done that.

Posted by: tonker
"It's much easier, and cheaper, to buy the same car, same colour, over here.

Well if you are buying it and its registered over here then surely you still have to bring it back over here for its MOT even if you have swapped plates?

Tonker