Abandoned Cars. Your experiences...

[61653 HTAFC]

There's been a few mentions of dumped (or simply unused) cars in the "Switching to Electric Vehicles" thread (apologies, I'm not sure how to link posts from other threads on a mobile device).
To avoid distracting from that discussion, I've started this one. Across the road from the building my flat is in, is an MOT and repairs garage that treats the road as a dumping ground for an assortment of vehicles which I can only assume are spares donors. Some of these cars have been dumped taking up spaces for months or years, one in particular has been there longer than I've lived here (I moved in in August 2014!) and is sat with all four tyres being flat.

I've reported some of these cars to the council multiple times, including the one that's been there longer than I have, but to no avail.

Does anyone else have examples of cars that haven't moved in over a decade? Have you attempted to have them removed? Any suggestions for getting action taken on this front?

 

[Bletchleyite]

There's one parked out the back of my house on the road with a flat tyre that's been there for a fair while - not 10 years, but certainly a while - but it is still taxed, MoTed and insured, I thought I would check, so there must be an intention to move it at some point.

Edit: clearly less than a year if it's still MoTed, though who knows if it'll get renewed. Hope it doesn't tell a sad story of deteriorating health, but I fear it might.

 

[trainmania100]

Good condition Citroen c1 parked outside my house in a bay that, although not marked, is for residents of my close. No idea who it belongs to. Not damaged, MOT and taxed, it's taking up space and it's an inconvenience as my neighbours have to park either on council grass, pavement, or their own front garden!

Would operation crackdown work for this or does the car need to be vandalised first?

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Good condition Citroen c1 parked outside my house in a bay that, although not marked, is for residents of my close. No idea who it belongs to. Not damaged, MOT and taxed, it's taking up space and it's an inconvenience as my neighbours have to park either on council grass, pavement, or their own front garden!

Would operation crackdown work for this or does the car need to be vandalised first?

Funnily enough, there was a Citroen C1 dumped outside my building a few years back, though not in such good condition- it had a smashed windscreen. The situation on my road is all down to this dodgy garage. I've just sent another report in the hope that the council will do something just to shut me up!

I'd certainly try reporting your example, might not make a difference but doing nothing certainly won't!

 

[SargeNpton]

On a public highway:

If any of the cars in question are untaxed then report them to the DVLA.

If any of the cars have an MoT that is expired then report them to your local police.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Slightly bizarrely the one outside my house is....wait for it...also a Citroen C1!

I wonder if there's a general theme here - such cheap small cars are often driven by older people, and older people, sadly, often have their health deteriorate such that the car left parked is the least of their concerns?

 

[Indigo Soup]

There was a third-generation Volkswagen Type 2 outside a pub/hotel in my home town for many years. I'm not convinced it was removed, so much as it weathered away.

Not quite in the same vein, but I'm always slightly perplexed by the 'Police Aware' tape and/or signage applied to abandoned vehicles at the roadside. I can well understand that the police may not wish to incur the cost of removing a broken down vehicle when the owner is having it recovered in a day or two. But vehicles are left with it in place for periods of many months, and in some cases it's applied to burnt-out wrecks which are clearly only ever going to be removed by some public body.

 

[trainmania100]

Funnily enough, there was a Citroen C1 dumped outside my building a few years back, though not in such good condition- it had a smashed windscreen. The situation on my road is all down to this dodgy garage. I've just sent another report in the hope that the council will do something just to shut me up!

I'd certainly try reporting your example, might not make a difference but doing nothing certainly won't!

It's been reported to the council I think who can under certain circumstances, give you the address of the registered keeper. One of my residents has tried and failed, but I recon with a signed document or multiple signatures it would be possible. Every Saturday I'm getting home after work and no spaces, having to park on the grass (not a verge, it's a council owned field). If they refuse to move the car that hasn't moved in over 6 months, I'll refuse to move my car the next time they want to cut the grass

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Slightly bizarrely the one outside my house is....wait for it...also a Citroen C1!

I wonder if there's a general theme here - such cheap small cars are often driven by older people, and older people, sadly, often have their health deteriorate such that the car left parked is the least of their concerns?

Possibly- those sort of vehicles are quite popular as "first cars" once they're on the used market, but fewer young people are learning to drive- meaning there's a glut of them about. Now when Gran decides to give up driving there isn't a grandchild who's eager to make use of her car.
However that doesn't seem to be a factor with the cars taking up scarce parking spaces on my street. The smashed up C1 went a couple of years ago, the current long-term "dumped" cars are a BMW 5-Series (with two flat tyres and mould growing inside); a Kia Sportage; and the one that's been there over a decade is a Ford Fiesta. My own building is the only residential property on the street and I'm not aware of anyone who's housebound or recently deceased!

 

[ld0595]

There's an abandoned 2012 Citroen DS5 from near where I used to stay in Glasgow. I first moved here in 2018 and even now seven years later, it hasn't moved an inch.

I always found it really odd. It's quite a nice car - high spec and low mileage based on its most recent MOT. Every time I go back, even more grime and algae seems to have accumulated. It's parked in a private car park which is presumably why it hasn't been touched.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

There's an abandoned 2012 Citroen DS5 from near where I used to stay in Glasgow. I first moved here in 2018 and even now seven years later, it hasn't moved an inch.

I always found it really odd. It's quite a nice car - high spec and low mileage based on its most recent MOT. Every time I go back, even more grime and algae seems to have accumulated. It's parked in a private car park which is presumably why it hasn't been touched.

Was going to suggest leaving a note for the owner until I got to the bit about a private car park... though of course that would rely on someone returning to it eventually. I wonder what the story is there? Hopefully nothing tragic.

 

[90019]

There's an abandoned 2012 Citroen DS5 from near where I used to stay in Glasgow. I first moved here in 2018 and even now seven years later, it hasn't moved an inch.

I always found it really odd. It's quite a nice car - high spec and low mileage based on its most recent MOT. Every time I go back, even more grime and algae seems to have accumulated. It's parked in a private car park which is presumably why it hasn't been touched.

That wouldn't be this one, would it?

 

[Kite159]

Slightly bizarrely the one outside my house is....wait for it...also a Citroen C1!

I wonder if there's a general theme here - such cheap small cars are often driven by older people, and older people, sadly, often have their health deteriorate such that the car left parked is the least of their concerns?

Or the car is owned by an older person who passes away and there are issues with their estate taking a while to get resolved. Meaning the car (as an asset to the estate) remains in limbo.

(Only noticed that as someone posted on twitter in the last week they have acquired an Alfa MiTo which hasn't moved for a couple of years for a similar reason).

 

[SargeNpton]

There was a third-generation Volkswagen Type 2 outside a pub/hotel in my home town for many years. I'm not convinced it was removed, so much as it weathered away.

Not quite in the same vein, but I'm always slightly perplexed by the 'Police Aware' tape and/or signage applied to abandoned vehicles at the roadside. I can well understand that the police may not wish to incur the cost of removing a broken down vehicle when the owner is having it recovered in a day or two. But vehicles are left with it in place for periods of many months, and in some cases it's applied to burnt-out wrecks which are clearly only ever going to be removed by some public body.

The "Police Aware" notices prevent numerous other passing motorists from reporting it to the Police.

 

[Indigo Soup]

The "Police Aware" notices prevent numerous other passing motorists from reporting it to the Police.

Removing the car, as they eventually have to do anyway, achieves much the same effect.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Removing the car, as they eventually have to do anyway, achieves much the same effect.

Much quicker to have a passing car put "Police Aware" on it than arrange for it to be towed which may take longer. Or sometimes it has to stay there for a bit pending some sort of investigation.

 

[Indigo Soup]

Much quicker to have a passing car put "Police Aware" on it than arrange for it to be towed which may take longer. Or sometimes it has to stay there for a bit pending some sort of investigation.

Or indeed in cases where the owner is arranging uplift, as I mentioned in the original post. I'm referring to the ones that have such labels applied for months on end.

 

[ld0595]

That wouldn't be this one, would it?

Spot on!

 

[Dr_Paul]

When I was young, there used to be quite a few old motors dumped by the roadside. We'd used to play in them when we were little; then, when we started to have motors of our own, we'd loot them for spares. Eventually, the council would take them away (I was going to type 'tow them away', but the wheels were usually the first thing to get removed). By the late 1970s, dumped motors were a bit of a rarity, at least around London.

 

[Sun Chariot]

Cyprus is an island of many contrasts - including its vintage cars.
This pile of decaying and dilapidated cars, was dumped on the foothills of Mount Kantara.
By comparison, in the border city Nicosia, a Vauxhall Velox (1957-62 model) is far more cherished.

 

[MotCO]

I would report any 'abandoned' car to the police first of all, in case it has been stolen and left there. It gets interesting if the insurance company has paid out since they would then be the owner and responsible for taking it away.

If it has not been stolen, and the Council have not taken any action, is it worth taking it up with your Councillor to see if they can galvanise the Council into taking action.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Cyprus is an island of many contrasts - including its vintage cars. Here's a veritable pile of decaying and dilapidated cars, on the foothills of Mount Kantara; and a much more cherished example in Nicosia.

Similarly there's a car graveyard on Alderney in a field, they're shipped in in poor condition to start with (as there's no MoT type thing there) and when they die they aren't worth enough to ship back out.

 

[Indigo Soup]

Similarly there's a car graveyard on Alderney in a field, they're shipped in in poor condition to start with (as there's no MoT type thing there) and when they die they aren't worth enough to ship back out.

It is, or was, common practice in certain parts of Scotland to take a car which had failed its MoT to the ferry terminal, leave the keys on the dashboard, and walk away.

Actually driving such a car on public roads would of course be illegal. But on the outermost of the islands, where any kind of official presence would have to come over on that selfsame ferry.... well, the law might have long arms, but its eyes can be clouded at times.

 

[Dr_Paul]

It is, or was, common practice in certain parts of Scotland to take a car which had failed its MoT to the ferry terminal, leave the keys on the dashboard, and walk away. Actually driving such a car on public roads would of course be illegal. But on the outermost of the islands, where any kind of official presence would have to come over on that selfsame ferry.... well, the law might have long arms, but its eyes can be clouded at times.

Jonathan Meades once did a programme on the telly about the Isle of Lewis, which he called the 'Isle of Rust' because of all the abandoned motors lying around in fields.

 

[greyman42]

A friend of mine had a Skoda, back in the days of when they were bad and he had no end of bother with it. It was worthless so he left it at the roadside, unlocked and with the key in the ignition. It soon disappeared and he never heard any more about it.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Cyprus is an island of many contrasts - including its vintage cars.
This pile of decaying and dilapidated cars, was dumped on the foothills of Mount Kantara.
By comparison, in the border city Nicosia, a Vauxhall Velox (1957-62 model) is far more cherished.

I take it Cyprus (at least the part of the island that is internationally recognised) didn't run a scrappage/"cash for clunkers" scheme back in day? Malta did, making it a far less happy hunting ground for modern classics... which is a great shame, as driving a 1980s/1990s car back to the UK from Cyprus would be a far more onerous task! Are there even any vehicle ferries from Cyprus to mainland Europe?

 

[Indigo Soup]

Are there even any vehicle ferries from Cyprus to mainland Europe?

A couple of options, it seems - all-year from Turkey, or summer-only from Greece.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

A couple of options, it seems - all-year from Turkey, or summer-only from Greece.

Even Greece followed by a slog through the Balkans would be a mission and a half, let alone Turkey. Malta would be far easier, simple ferry to Italy then it's a straight (but still quite long) run up the boot and through France.

 

[londonbridge]

If they refuse to move the car that hasn't moved in over 6 months, I'll refuse to move my car the next time they want to cut the grass

The grass verge between my back garden wall and the road that runs past the back of my house has literally been cut and tidied only twice in the last six or seven years. It was getting seriously overgrown and littered with rubbish and weeds, I reported it to the council and it seemed there was a dispute over whether it was owned by the council or the housing association and who was actually responsible for it. I got my local mp involved and it was eventually cut and tidied, then the pandemic intervened, after which it was left to become overgrown again. I reported it again and it was eventually cut again, but there still seems to be no regular schedule of tidying or maintaining it.

 

[styles]

Our next door neighbour has a Clio which sits there totally unused all year. The neighbour is a recluse and doesn't leave the house, with her son being similar but he does actually leave the house to pop to the corner shop for food.

Over the course of 12 months the tyres deflated, it gathers debris from the trees, and you can see the interior growing significant amounts of mold.

Then, the tax and MOT expires, so it gets collected on a flatbed, taken for cleaning and repairs and a fresh MOT then retaxed.

It is never driven. I mean, it's not even in a state to drive.

You may be wondering... why bother?

Well it's because a neighbour across the road reported it to the council for being abandoned. It was moldy with flat tyres and no tax or MOT, so the council did come and stick something on the vehicle and got in touch with the owner.

I believe it is 'maintained' just on principle against the neighbour who reported it.

They've got a W reg CLK on the (private) driveway as well, not maintained. I kinda want to offer them a monkey for it and do it up, but she wants to be left alone and frankly I think it's fair to respect that.

To answer your question though, yes our council does respond to abandoned vehicle reports.

I was on the receiving end of their enforcement action when I was given a courtesy car by a dealership and when I got it home I realised it wasn't taxed or insured. The dealership dragged things out and never actually taxed or insured it. Someone from the dealership comes to collect it, but the battery is dead as it's been left for 2 months in winter (as legally I can't drive it due to tax and insurance). I offer some jump leads to get it going, he grumbles, doesn't take the jump leads, and disappears without the motor. I was also surprised he came without trade plates, as I would've thought they would be required in order not to commit tax or insurance offences, I don't know. Someone eventually reported it abandoned on the tax basis as they didn't like it being parked outside their house. Bloke from the council comes, asks if it's my car, I say no, but I know the owner. I explain it all and he says yeah that dealership sucks, and he'll go sort it out with them. I said to him if you do go speak to them remind them they need jump leads or a charged battery, and at this point a tyre inflator as well as it's getting flat tyres. Next day the motor disappears - not sure if they drove it away or got it towed. What I was more surprised about it nobody nicked it - as the dealer left it unlocked when he disappeared the first time; not only did nobody nick or damage it, but they actually went in and left bits of rubbish in there instead.

So yeah, twice I've had vehicles on our street reported to the council and twice the council have come out promptly.