‘So, can I drive the car or not??’ Hysterically awaiting my husband’s reply to my text, I was stewing. And cursing. Myself – as no one else was to blame.
It was the 3rd October. Reading a post by one of my fellow bloggers, Ellen Hawley, reminded me of the whole hysteria around the new rules in the UK. From now on (to be more precise, from 1st October) renewing your car tax can only be done online. Useful to know, I thought. So, leisurely, I commented on her post to say that, hey, I should actually check the expiry date on mine.
Which I did.
Oh. My. God. Mine had actually EXPIRED already. Two days ago!!! OMG. Shit.
For my readers who are not closely familiar with the realities of life in the UK, not renewing your car tax is a serious offence. You get a fine, sure enough, but you also get points on your driving license. And, this being a country chained with all sort of cameras, you never know who may have photographed your car. This means that, Big Brother watching, I could receive a letter to say my crime had been caught and I am liable to pay the damage caused to the system, to the whole society, to the world peace!
Typically for my luck, this happened while my husband (who takes care of anything to do with my car) was abroad. Him not willing to pay roaming charges to take my calls, and being on a motorbike anyway (e.g. not taking phone calls while on the road for safety reasons), my only hope is to text him. And wait for an answer. Which, surprisingly, arrives within a few minutes.
‘I’ve bought it. There is no car tax disc.’
Huh? Is that all? What is that even supposed to mean? If you’ve bought it, there should be a tax disc – which obviously hasn’t arrived yet, but that’s ok, as long as somewhere in the virtual reality Big Brother has made a note of our payment.
Completely baffled and helpless, I needed to know. Desperate text for clarification. No reply. An hour later, I sent another text. Can I fucking drive my car or not?
Eventually I picked up the phone, my blood boiling.
– Don’t you follow the news?? There’s no such thing as a tax disc anymore! Yes, you can bloody drive the car! Where have you been in the past few months – on the moon?!
This is what the Ice Bucket Challenge must feel like. With the added complication of feeling incredibly stupid.
No, I don’t actually follow the news. Not closely. What I heavily rely on is Facebook. If it’s not on Facebook, it can’t be that important. Sometime ago I read a very interesting and informative article about this, Ellen Hawley’s post. Days later, two of my Facebook friends complained about the DVLA website crashing due to the heavy traffic of users. I also vaguely overheard something on the radio. So, I thought I knew enough about the change.
But could I have missed one ‘tiny’ fact: that the idea of the actual paper disc has been abolished? Obviously I have.
This time my story ends with a happy end – unbelievably for me. It did make me think though. Is Facebook the ultimate way to inform yourself of everything that goes on in the world around you… The answer is imminent.
Next time I need to know something important, I shall make sure I refer to a ‘serious’ source of information. Promise. Just to make sure I do end up with a happy end again!
Not Another Tall Blog 
I don’t follow the news closely either and FB was my source of news aswell. Great read… Looks like you can drive your car 🙂
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That’s a relief, so I’m not the only one, phew! Yes, all good after all. Not like that shower… 😉
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I’m so old as to find it astounding that anyone looks to Facebook for news. If I feel the need to ascertain something, I go the ABC News website – much as you could the BBC, Angie.
Surely social networking is going to be fulminating about whatever is the latest topic, and not necessarily what you want to find out about ?
Oh well. Chacune son goût …
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Yes, I totally agree with you. I just find it easier to look in one place first thing in the morning (like a portal of some sort), but this is obviously not how I should be informing myself of things. Lesson learnt! And thanks very much for your comment.
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Love to learn how other people operate, Angie. 🙂
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I’m glad everything worked out for you.
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I went cold turkey on the need to inform myself. One day I decided I’d had enough and don’t read nor watch anything that has anything to do with news. So I would’ve been worried sick too had I been in your situation.
Glad it all turned out fine!
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I can understand this totally! Thanks for your comment.
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Facebook for news? The first thing I ever learned on Facebook was that A.C. was eating broccoli, and most of what I’ve learned since is–okay, a little more informative. Maybe i have the wrong friends….
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Well, I follow a lot of media, companies and groups, but obviously that is not the whole picture. 🙂 I guess I am just being lazy really, or maybe a bit too busy for my own sake to go on news websites regularly. 😦
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While I am not on facebook all that often, I do tend to sift through it for any news-worthy events. It’s definitely going to be on there at least a handful of times. The way I see it, if the news relates to me then I’ll go find a more reliable source. If it doesn’t, then facebook works just fine.
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This approach sounds right to me, that’s more or less what I do. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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This sounds like the right approach, pretty much what I’d do. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Haha, I drive my car every year for several days without a tax disc, because I am a last minute type of girl. (Thought of you at the weekend, when I was out wearing my pink shoes, even took a picture. Still not taken one of my plum coloured ones yet) Namaste
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Hey, good to hear from you, thanks for stopping by! I actually wore them yesterday – very comfy!
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Hi Angie, how are you? Did you write a comment a short while ago about hyarulonic acid? somebody did and now I cannot find it to reply to their question 😦
Have a great day, just popping out to an ergonomic ofice furniture supplier, like you do 🙂
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I am OK, thanks. Yes, it was actually me! 🙂
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OK thanks will try and anser that soon for you? Can I ask why you started taking it? Who recommened it? Was it somebody or an article? Love to know where people are finding info and basing their purchases on? Namaste Joy x
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