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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



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  #76  
Old 27 Feb 2012
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This thread is becoming my daily entertainment. I am awaiting the next chapter in this soap opera.
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  #77  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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It might be ending for me...

There was a siren outside and I saw some men in white coats get out of an ambulance and look up at my window.

Now there is a knocking at the door ....
  #78  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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Originally Posted by bnicho View Post
This thread is becoming my daily entertainment. I am awaiting the next chapter in this soap opera.
Indeedy, and he hasn't even reached the UK yet. Something tells me this comedy of errors (or farce, more like) is far from over!
  #79  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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Originally Posted by ilesmark View Post
Indeedy, and he hasn't even reached the UK yet. Something tells me this comedy of errors (or farce, more like) is far from over!
Yes, I'm wondering how well the OP will cope with visas, border crossings, carnets, dodgy Police etc. It should be an interesting story.
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  #80  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bnicho View Post
This thread is becoming my daily entertainment. I am awaiting the next chapter in this soap opera.
Probably wise to check back twice a day now; there is growing interest in this subject, and the story has barely started.

'cos there's nothing for a transit van.
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  #81  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bnicho View Post
Yes, I'm wondering how well the OP will cope with visas, border crossings, carnets, dodgy Police etc. It should be an interesting story.

SSSssssh. Some of those very dodgy police and border officials might be reading this thread right now

Look on the bright side, if there is one thing certain to put an end to this sort of silliness and panic because stuff doesn't go through on line via sites designed for people who live there it's a few border crossings in Africa or the Stans. I wish the guy well.

Andy
  #82  
Old 28 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Threewheelbonnie View Post
SSSssssh. Some of those very dodgy police and border officials might be reading this thread right now
I think 'Hush Hush' is the word you were looking for. This is an open public forum, remember!!
  #83  
Old 29 Feb 2012
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What a bouch of ****N idiots, I think, the situation is being dealt with. and you don't have to know the facts about it.

This Forum THE HUBB, must be related to UK Natives, same types of BASTARDS on it.
  #84  
Old 29 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warrigal 1 View Post
What a bouch of ****N idiots, I think, the situation is being dealt with. and you don't have to know the facts about it.

This Forum THE HUBB, must be related to UK Natives, same types of BASTARDS on it.
Woah! Touchy today.
I have just posted a longish input to the subject of EU and UK insurance over here:-

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-10#post369398
You might like to contribute your experiences with this, but I would suggest that you wait until you are experienced in the subject - perhaps when your van is V5c'd, MOT'd, taxed (RFL) and insured, and you are on the road.
Rory is going to do all of this for you, we understand, although it is quite hard at times to understand why.
............................................ EDIT: To be accurate, Rory is dealing with the "catch 22" (my earlier words) of providing a UK address for the Registered Keeper (RK) requirement. I have referred to this as catch 22 because thereafter it is just a case of putting up cash and personal time for both the Road Fund Licence (road tax) and the annual Ministry of Transport (MOT) test of road worthiness - neither of these two aspects is related to the RK/owner of the vehicle but are totally related to the vehicle itself.
As has been said previously, anyone can do this but, of course, it is usually the owner/RK who has sufficient interest in the vehicle to want this to take place. An alternative to having a UK vehicle taxed and MOT'ed for use on the highway is to declare it as offroad i.e. stored, or even in use, on private land; this is known as SORN = Statutory Off Road Notification (I think I recall!!).
This edit is posted here in response to a PM that has pointed out to me that Rory is doing the key requirement concerning the address and he is not necessarily doing the other, arguably minor work (but it has associated costs and expenditure of personal time), that is described here (again)......................... EDIT Ends.

Anyway, that is just a suggestion to help out those who follow in your footsteps.

BTW, IMO the HUBB is pretty international in both those who hang out here and the subject matter; there are many other websites that are parochial, inward looking and do not tolerate views that are not in accord with the mainstream members of those sites.

Something does come to mind, as it is the 29th Feb today; how old are you?
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Last edited by Walkabout; 1 Mar 2012 at 10:20. Reason: As in the text, I stand corrected on an important point of detail
  #85  
Old 29 Feb 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warrigal 1 View Post
This Forum THE HUBB, must be related to UK Natives, same types of BASTARDS on it.
Interesting to note that you come from QLD. Redneck country, eh? (with apols to anyone else on the HUBB also from there but who hasn't posted comments like the above)
  #86  
Old 29 Feb 2012
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I thought Warrigal was an area in Melbourne - Victoria not Queensland.
(or is this Hush-Hush?)

Maybe I should do a Google search to find out
  #87  
Old 29 Feb 2012
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Time to close it.

This thread has, so far, provided good quality information, frustration, amusement (and some far less worthy comments) for 1,500 viewers from all around the World. But behind it is, in my view, someone who has sadly got out of his depth in some way. The time is now to be serious (again).

My guess is -
Warrigal was browsing EBay one night and came across this van (mini-bus, whatever – even a Camper Van he called itwhen hi-jacking a thread about hitch hiking!). It must have seemed to him, where he lives, a real bargain that sparked an instant dream and mesmerised with it all, he pressed the “BUY” button.

That was 6 months ago. Since then I have no idea of what more he has planned and prepared of ‘his trip’, if anything. Certainly there is nothing from him on HUBB asking about countries, traffic rules, documentation, vehicle requirements, routes, accommodation, fuel, costs, permissions, visas, currencies, equipment, spares, carnets, availabilities or anything like that – or even anything at all.

Since falling for a dream, the cold light of day probably dawned, possibly with other realisations of its impossibility for him at present for whatever personal circumstance, be they funds, time, work etc. Now is he looking to save face among his pals, work mates and colleagues? Trying to justify to them why he is not doing it and at the same time finding someone else to blame and vent his anger at, having impetuously paid £1,500 and got himself into this mess? So far the anger is at those offering suggestions, even the UK itself, and complaining about delay of the most active, constructive helper - but never any suggestion of himself.

There almost certainly was no realistic journey planned – just a dream. I also think the attitude, swearing and abuse is pure frustration coming from not knowing how to come to terms with himself.

I don’t seek to rub it in. But to find solutions you first need to accept the problem. I am leading to closing the matter for him.

Well, Warrigal – how to get out from under ?

I suggest you swallow your pride, take a deep breath, then give the Seller (a motor dealer I think you said) permission to sell the vehicle for you at ‘best possible’ and from whatever proceeds take his commission for his time and trouble (send a bottle of something good to Rory) and remit the balance back to you.

Don’t hold it against the UK or HUBB. Then next time research things more thoroughly before you commit to spending money. I hope you grow from the experience - and get to live your dream.



Those who feel this to be a good or his best way forward please show your support and encouragement for him by clicking on the 'Like' button.
  #88  
Old 1 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ilesmark View Post
Agree with all the long-suffering Tony has said, plus would add that you don't need to be resident for (road) tax purposes, just like you don't for MOT purposes.

As for the matters which are supposed to be hush hush, maybe its best if you don't explain on the open public forum why you wanted them to be hush hush
Well if I don't have to be a resident for ROAD tax purposes, Why do I have to provide a UK residential address to BUY insurance (3rd party) and to get a Tax Disc.

this is still a long way from being all Sorted.
So far ALL I have is the loan of a UK address, But no Insurance, NO Road Tax or MOT inspection.
  #89  
Old 1 Mar 2012
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An impressive effort by all concerned. However, I'm noticing that this doesn't seem to be bringing out the best in any of the participants (except, I have to say, St. Rory). Maybe think about giving it a rest. Going around in repeated circles doesn't seem to be helping much.

Just a thought.

Mark
  #90  
Old 1 Mar 2012
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Quote:
Originally Posted by warrigal 1 View Post
Well if I don't have to be a resident for ROAD tax purposes, Why do I have to provide a UK residential address to BUY insurance (3rd party) and to get a Tax Disc.

this is still a long way from being all Sorted.
So far ALL I have is the loan of a UK address, But no Insurance, NO Road Tax or MOT inspection.
First, I have edited my post of yesterday to provide a more accurate description of what Rory is doing over here to assist you.
Nothing is new in that; it goes over earlier explanations but I was not fully correct in the way that I summarised what Rory is doing.
Please take a look back at post number 86 (or was it 84? I forget!).

Your query here about insurance is fair enough if you don't have a lot of criminality etc etc in Australia associated with fraudulent insurance claims + the thing I think I touched on earlier = out and out driving on the roads without any insurance. You could do your own research about insurance fraud here in the UK e.g. whiplash injury claims for a start, and you might be shocked, there again, you might not.
Therefore, the insurance underwriters (I don't think we have mentioned them previously) and the insurance brokers are trying, I say that again, trying to cut down on such criminality by ever tightening procedures including sharing data bases of known criminal acts blah, blah blah - this is on the news in the UK every second day of the week + other aspects about road law (check out what one of our politicians and his ex-wife are accused of right now in the UK courts).

The above is a bit of background tittle tattle; the short answer is because the insurance documents have to be posted to you, somewhere, for which you need a postal address.

FWIW, I was reading an interesting blog about learning to fly, and the chief flying instructor (CFI) makes quite a few references in there to "shrugging off" irrelevant questions while in the air - basically the CFI says to the trainee pilots get on with the job in hand and stop asking irrelevant questions that don't contribute to achieving the task of landing the micro-light and walking away in one piece - worth thinking about?
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