OAP warns drivers after being hit with £440 fine

Dec 28 2012 by Alison Rennie, Paisley Daily Express

A gutted pensioner has warned other drivers to make sure their MOT and driving licence are up to date ... after he ended up £440 out of pocket.

Andy Miller was driving along Greenhill Road, close to his home on St James Avenue, when he was stopped by police carrying out a routine check.

The 77-year-old wasn’t worried – until officers told him his MOT was five weeks overdue.

That meant he couldn’t drive his car and it had to be impounded immediately.

Andy said: “They took it to a garage just a couple of streets away and I had to pay £150 to get it back and take it to the garage for its MOT.

“The police also told me because I’m over 70, I should have a photo driving licence which needs to be renewed every three years.

“I had to go to Paisley Sheriff Court and was fined £290 – meaning I’m £440 out of pocket.

“It was quite a sickener because it was all a genuine oversight.

“I just don’t want anyone else to get caught out like I was.”

The grandad-of-eight has driven since he was 17 and – apart from a couple of speeding fines – has an unblemished record.

He worked for British Airways at Glasgow Airport for 33 years as a maintenance joiner and was previously featured in the Paisley Daily Express after the keen flyer commemorated the anniversary of a historic landing on Paisley racecourse.

He said: “It was a genuine oversight on my part and is so easy to do. Apparently, if your MOT isn’t up to date then it makes your insurance null and void, which is why I couldn’t drive it to the garage.

“It’s a bit of sickener at this time of year. I can’t blame the police. It’s my own fault but I want to make sure responsible drivers know that they have to be careful.

“I never got any notification from the DVLA that I had to apply for a photo licence because I’m over 70 – I had no idea about that.

“I’ve lived in the same house for 52 years but the name changed from McFarlane Street to St James Avenue so I don’t know if that’s why I didn’t get any letters.

“It was all quite a scary experience.”

A DVLA spokesperson said: “We write to drivers when they are approaching the age of 70 to remind them that their licence is due to expire and must be renewed if they wish to continue driving.

“If the driver has changed address and has not informed us, then the letter will be sent to their old address, so it is important drivers let us know if their address details change.”