May 12, 2008

Gloucestershire resident, Ian Taylor, has found a novel way to cut through the red tape when officials clamped his car; he cut the car in half! 

Taylor had brought the car for his stepson, but the repair bill for the £50 banger was too expensive so he decided to to abandon the project and have the Fiesta recycled.  He’d obtained the necessary SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), declaration and parked it on his drive while preparing to scrap the vehicle.  When an eagle eyed NCP officer spotted that an inch and a half of the car was protruding onto the pavement they wasted no time in clamping the vehicle. 

Mr Taylor tried to explain that the car was SORN but the NCP showed no room for flexibility or clemency, insisting that the fine must be paid.  When they returned to tow the vehicle away Taylor produced an angle grinder and cut the car in half, saying that they could take the half that they claimed was on the road.

Once the car was cut in two the NCP decided not to pursue the matter any further and left Mr Taylor with his two piece Ford Fiesta on his drive. 

A spokesperson for the Car Parking giant said “This demonstrates very vividly the important work NCP Services and the DVLA do in keeping drivers off the road.

"He put himself at risk and he put other people at risk.

"The car could have exploded. It was dangerous and highly irresponsible and a massive overreaction.”

The point that is best demonstrated by this story is that the authorities are only concerned in towing vehicles away to make drivers pay for their return.  Once the NCP realised that Mr Taylor wouldn't pay for the cars return, they left it, presumably still untaxed and on the road!

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