Dumped cars

[Anon]

Does anyone know what to do about cars that have been dumped? I can only assume that the rather nice Mercedes that has been parked outside my house for the past 7 weeks has been left by some mad fool (or thief) and the council say they can't move it until the tax disc runs out, which is not til the end of August. Advice please!

[HonaloochieB]

Nick it.

[PeckhamRose]

Email this department of Southwark Council.

[email protected]

Give them number plate if still there, and basic description of car and where it is.

Edited to add that, whilst they say they won't remove it till car tax runs out, you could try and say it is causing an obstuction (if it is) and also email the police to suggest that it may have been nicked.

[email protected]

For some reason the "uk" is not joining the rest of the email address when you click it! Grrrr

[snorky]

Its not a big retro , light blue silvery one is it ?

[Anon]

Believe me, if I knew how to hot wire a car I probably would have nicked it by now - driving round in someone else's, taxed car for a few months??? Yes! I daren't even try the door in case the alarm goes off and I am left with that to deal with too. Although, thinking about it... perhaps that would be dealt with quicker.

Reported this to the council before Christmas and they have just about put it on their 'to do in 2009' list. Will try the police, thanks for addresses.

[Anon]

snorky Wrote:

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> Its not a big retro , light blue silvery one is it

> ?

No, it isn't. Why, is there one of those going too?

[ianr]

> [email protected]

Ahem, there is also an [email protected]

[snorky]

scaffold bar + screwdrive + mole grips

hotwiring is something you only see in 'Merican thrillers really

let the muthers tyres down ( by using the valve , not with a knife ) and see if anyone responds/ repairs - if not, report it as abandoned

[TillieTrotter]

What if there is a valid reason for it being left there. Like hospital, death or something!! If it's a public street and it's taxed isn't it their right to leave it there! Just saying like....

[bigbadwolf]

If it's an older Merc i.e from the 90's then hot wiring will be quite easy. Take a 4 inch flat head screwdriver and a hammer. Place the screwdriver head with in the ignition and whack it in with the hammer. Start turnig the screwdriver anti clockwise until you hear a sharp crack and then with a wrench turn the screwdriver clockwise and it should start up as normal. No I'm not a car thief but my missus showed me how to do it. She's from the developing world, bless her.

[BQC]

Get a few mates after the pub to help shift (pick up and move) it down a couple of houses - we did this with a mini a few years ago, i know - prob considerably lighter

[lozzyloz]

You'll need to get in first so, bare two wires under the car from the headlights and short them together. This will release the central locking. I'm not a car thief either. Spent too much time in Eastern Europe.

[Anon]

Quite agree, it's just really annoying when my own disabled relative visits, and I can't park outside my own house - I could rant on, but won't. I am also aware that I do not own the street and of course anyone can park here but it's been here for such a long time that I would like to know why!!! And whether it will ever move.

Am really quite impressed with car theft (!) knowledge.

TillieTrotter Wrote:

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> What if there is a valid reason for it being left

> there. Like hospital, death or something!! If

> it's a public street and it's taxed isn't it their

> right to leave it there! Just saying like....

[dogcat]

how about break the window, nick the tax disc then ring the council and say there's a dumped car and it's not displaying a current tax disc..just a thought!

[TillieTrotter]

This is probably naive but can you not get access to owner info by number plate through DVLA?

[matthew123]

I used to wish that such a car was parked outside my house just so a fellow neighbour wouldn't park their diesel powered truck there and then spend 5 minutes every morning at half 6 roaring the engine before it was warmed up...

Besides all that, prospective new neighbours often use the type of cars in a street as a gauge to the neighbourhood.. be thankful it's not a rusty old transit van! ;-)

[Anon]

Unfortuantely not, or I would at least know if it belonged to someone local and I could politely knock at their door and ask them if they were likely to move it, but the info held by DVLA is protected, or something, so the council and police can access it, but I can't. Might be worth a trawl through Google I guess. Or is it?

TillieTrotter Wrote:

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> This is probably naive but can you not get access

> to owner info by number plate through DVLA?

[ianr]

Anon Wrote:

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> Does anyone know what to do about cars that have

> been dumped?

Well, there's a direct.gov page on the subject http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/NoiseNuisanceAndLitter/DG_4001703 , and that refers to a DEFRA document http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/legislation/cnea/vehicles.pdf which advises councils on the law and of factors that they might consider, given the absence of any legal definition, in deciding whether a vehicle is 'abandoned'.

[Anon]

Thank you ianr - most informative.

[KalamityKel]

Well, have you reported it yet?

It's all well and good to be discussing various options but have you acted on any of them?

And if u have acted on them wot did u learn/experience? (hold off the smutty comments!) :p

[Jeremy]

BQC Wrote:

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> Get a few mates after the pub to help shift (pick

> up and move) it down a couple of houses - we did

> this with a mini a few years ago, i know - prob

> considerably lighter

Even and old mini must weigh what - 600kg? Are your mates weightlifters or something??

[nymom]

When I lived in Greenwich a stolen car was parked in front of my house for weeks. It did have a smashed window but because the tax disc was good I was told there was nothing that could be done. I went to the local police station and was told the same thing. But then another policeman said I should call and say that some danger was being posed - neighborhood kids congregating around the car, people trying to steal things from the car etc - basically make the situation sound bad. I did that and the car was removed withing two days. I know the smashed window may have played a role but perhaps you could say something similiar?

Just an idea!

[BQC]

There were 4 of us - 2 boys, 2 girls - old style mini... powered by booze

[woofmarkthedog]

Grrr >There were 4 of us - 2 boys, 2 girls - old style mini... powered by booze

Was William Hague there too.............go on punch me in the stomach if you don't believe me...I lad after a few bevvies I can teek on the world...

Grrr woooof snrrrrr

[Anon]

It's just kind of annoying that one has to elaborate a story to make them do anything about it. But inspired by all your suggestions I am composing my complaints even as we speak. JK Rowling got nothing on me (apart from several million). Will keep posted.