You Tube Car Channels in Lockdown

Felonious Crud

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Yes an MOT would be classed as an essential journey. That was one of the changes this lockdown. 1st lockdown they extended the MOT period because so many garages where shut or part time only.

This time round garages have been classed as essential workers and can stay open to do MOTs and their usual services that they offer.

Yup.

My car was in for a service (service and maintenance, repair etc also fine) and MoT before Christmas. All good, and the precautions at the main dealer were exceptionally robust.
 

Gazcw

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7,696
Not supposed to go out driving when you are alone and at no more risk than if you were allowed to, but you can go out exercising and get passed by multiple lycra clad joggers huffing and puffing exhaling more than normal. Even spotted them spitting as they go.
 

spkennyuk

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5,930
Yes an MOT would be classed as an essential journey. That was one of the changes this lockdown. 1st lockdown they extended the MOT period because so many garages where shut or part time only.

This time round garages have been classed as essential workers and can stay open to do MOTs and their usual services that they offer.

I took mine in for an MOT as soon as the garage opened up during first lockdown. Drove straight there and straight back. Car had been parked up for 6 plus weeks at that point.

I was more than slightly annoyed with an advisory for surface rust on the brake discs. Wtf did they expect when cars had been parked up for weeks by order of the managment.

Car passed just a stupid unnecessary advisory. :mad::mad:

Ive got the joys of another MOT in the next week to look forward too.
 

gb-gta

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1,128
I understand the theory of only going out in your car for work/shop/medicine purposes, because what if you break down, or worse crash, requiring hospital treatment.

You are allowed to go for a 70 mile bike ride though. Wonder how many cyclists have their bikes fail, or crash and end up needing treatment?
Sure it’s exercise, but other less risky forms of keeping fit are available.....

I’m not anti bike by the way, I cycle myself, but to say cycling is ok but not doing 30 or 40 miles every now and again to give your car a run, keep everything ticking over, is a bit odd, as it’s a considerably lower risk to the NHS. That’s the whole point isn’t it?
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,696
I understand the theory of only going out in your car for work/shop/medicine purposes, because what if you break down, or worse crash, requiring hospital treatment.

You are allowed to go for a 70 mile bike ride though. Wonder how many cyclists have their bikes fail, or crash and end up needing treatment?
Sure it’s exercise, but other less risky forms of keeping fit are available.....

I’m not anti bike by the way, I cycle myself, but to say cycling is ok but not doing 30 or 40 miles every now and again to give your car a run, keep everything ticking over, is a bit odd, as it’s a considerably lower risk to the NHS. That’s the whole point isn’t it?
I wonder how many additional heart attacks etc.have occurred from lock down exercise being taken up
 

MarkMas

Chief pedant
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8,795
I think I am just confused by all the guidelines and I suspect many are in the same boat. I really am never sure what is allowed and what shouldn't be any more. I thought there was some guideline that suggested against journey's that weren't essential. So currently there is no such thing as an essential journey or a non-essential journey any more? Was there ever?

I had to get my XJ MOT'd last week but really wasn't sure if I should be doing this or not. However if I didn't then the car wouldn't have had a live MOT and would be then deemed to be unroadworthy. Am I worrying too much and should just get on doing stuff as normal?

There is a lot of confusion about what is a law, instruction, rule, guideline or moral obligation, and they have changed a lot, and they are not perfectly definitive. (As it happens, I don't think this is because Boris is an evil toff idiot, but because the situation actually is complicated and fluid, and you really can't have totally clear rules for everything.)

I haven't been following this very closely, but I think the current rule is "work from home if you can" and guideline is "don't make unnecessary journeys" (or use unnecessary apostrophes). But what constitutes "if you can" or "unnecessary" seems to be left to Piers Morgan to decide. So I just try to think about what is sensible and low risk, and do that. Basically I ask myself, could I explain this action to my neighbours or a policeman (or to my sister, who is very at-risk and shielding)?

If I derived any significant part of my livelihood from test driving cars, I think would be happy to cautiously carry on, unless the government explicitly forbade it, or paid me not to do it. If it was just my hobby, I might give it a pause.

For very specific things like an MOT, you can usually look it up:
 

spkennyuk

Member
Messages
5,930
I understand the theory of only going out in your car for work/shop/medicine purposes, because what if you break down, or worse crash, requiring hospital treatment.

You are allowed to go for a 70 mile bike ride though. Wonder how many cyclists have their bikes fail, or crash and end up needing treatment?
Sure it’s exercise, but other less risky forms of keeping fit are available.....

I’m not anti bike by the way, I cycle myself, but to say cycling is ok but not doing 30 or 40 miles every now and again to give your car a run, keep everything ticking over, is a bit odd, as it’s a considerably lower risk to the NHS. That’s the whole point isn’t it?

Wasn't the statement after the Boris velodrome incident from the powers that be along the lines of : you can go for a 25 mile bike ride but you should remain local. Thats 25 miles round the block then ;):lol2:
 

Chrisb2015

Member
Messages
538
The most well known YouTube car reviewers have a library of content ready for release well into the future. A couple of them discussed it in one of their videos. Predicting lockdowns they double up on activity and filming when they are allowed to, so they have things to release when they can't legitimately get out and about.
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
This is a positive thread... Not

Do not cycle, jog, breath, walk, drive, stay in your house, leave your house, work, watch TV, eat, drink, excrete or exist in general

Welcome to the final week of January in 2021 :p
 

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,512
See this confuses me....but you can travel in an Uber?
The AA and RAC will be making that decision based on a risk assessment, I don’t think there is anything in the rules that will prevent them taking a passenger, but he are choosing to avoid doing so.
 
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lifes2short

Member
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5,821
Car passed just a stupid unnecessary advisory. :mad::mad:

as i understand there is no legal requirement to note any advisories on the paperwork/system, you could have a list as long as your arm but none of it needs to be noted unless the mot station wants to note it, it's simply a recommendation from DVSA
 

dgmx5

Member
Messages
1,142
I mean you are happy with having contractors come to you home to lay new tarmac, but a YouTuber who makes a living (yes it can be done) from entertaining by driving cars should not be allowed? Are either essential? Can both be done whilst minimising social contact and the risk of spreading the virus?

And my wife is still running marathons to maintain her sanity by running 24 x 1.1 mile laps in our near locality, taking steps to pass pedestrians by moving into the road when safe to do so, or just simply waiting for people to pass. In doing so, she will have passed far fewer people than cycling 15 miles through several boroughs in London.

Not sure on latest AA/RAC policy but when our car's water pump failed last Summer, we were recovered to the garage then returned home with us all wearing masks/gloves in the cab.

Stay local where possible, minimise viral spread, be kind.
 

rockits

Member
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9,167
I mean you are happy with having contractors come to you home to lay new tarmac, but a YouTuber who makes a living (yes it can be done) from entertaining by driving cars should not be allowed? Are either essential? Can both be done whilst minimising social contact and the risk of spreading the virus?

And my wife is still running marathons to maintain her sanity by running 24 x 1.1 mile laps in our near locality, taking steps to pass pedestrians by moving into the road when safe to do so, or just simply waiting for people to pass. In doing so, she will have passed far fewer people than cycling 15 miles through several boroughs in London.

Not sure on latest AA/RAC policy but when our car's water pump failed last Summer, we were recovered to the garage then returned home with us all wearing masks/gloves in the cab.

Stay local where possible, minimise viral spread, be kind.

OK, thanks all for your thoughts. Seems the general consensus is carry on as normal then like half of the country seems to be doing.

WTF has anything got to with having my drive tarmac'd? I have just paid out thousands to support local small businesses to get this done. This has gone on for nearly a year since UK Power Networks ruined my drive upgrading my ancient mains power board to get an EV charger installed at home to lower my emissions and try to do my bit to try to help the planet.

WTF should I bother exactly? I'd be better sponging off the state, doing no work and sitting on my ar5e while spending no money in the economy to support the economy.

I am not saying a You Tuber shouldn't be doing their work. I was asking people's opinion as I was very confused by the guidelines as half the country do not seem to be listening to them.
 

Dan!

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3,029
With regards people carrying on as normal; I still commute to my office on a daily basis (I'm an essential/key worker and have a letter to prove it, if required should I be stopped and asked) the traffic each day is absolutely no different to what it was pre-lock down.

In lock down Ep.1 the roads were noticeably quieter, in fact it was mainly just Transits and Ranger Raptors travelling everywhere at an average speed of 80mph. It wasn't uncommon to have stretches of dual carriage way that were completely empty for miles.

Ep.2 very little changed on the roads because the schools remained open and people thought that if they were getting up and going out to take the kids to school they may as well go to work themselves.

Ep.3 it appears that only those that haven't got a job are staying at home. Unless they're going out to the park, or going to the super market, or exercising.

The weekend before last I took the Elise out for a drive for a couple of hours; I popped into the office part way and went to the super market on the way home - therefore it was a mix between going to work and a shopping trip; essential.
 
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spkennyuk

Member
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5,930
as i understand there is no legal requirement to note any advisories on the paperwork/system, you could have a list as long as your arm but none of it needs to be noted unless the mot station wants to note it, it's simply a recommendation from DVSA

Oh i know but that is my point. There is no need for any advisory points to be put on the MOT but testers now feel the need to tick the box.

If i had driven it for 15 miles making sure the brakes were used then there would not have been any surface rust on the discs. That wasnt really an option during the first lock down.
 

Felonious Crud

Administrator
Staff member
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21,012
With regards people carrying on as normal; I still commute to my office on a daily basis (I'm an essential/key worker and have a letter to prove it, if required should I be stopped and asked) the traffic each day is absolutely no different to what it was pre-lock down.

In lock down Ep.1 the roads were noticeably quieter, in fact it was mainly just Transits and Ranger Raptors travelling at an average speed of 80mph. It wasn't uncommon to have stretches of dual carriage way that were completely empty for miles.

Ep.2 very little changed on the roads because the schools remained open and people thought that if they were getting up and going out to take the kids to school they may as well go to work themselves.

Ep.3 it appears that only those that haven't got a job are staying at home. Unless they're going out to the park, or going to the super market, or exercising.

The weekend before last I took the Elise out for a drive for a couple of hours; I popped into the office part way and went to the super market on the way home - therefore it was a mix between going to work and a shopping trip; essential.

Yeah, I'd agree with that, Dan. The decline in traffic seems to be almost entirely based around the school picking up / dropping off times. The rest of the day everything just seems to be as usual.
 

Scaf

Member
Messages
6,512
Yeah, I'd agree with that, Dan. The decline in traffic seems to be almost entirely based around the school picking up / dropping off times. The rest of the day everything just seems to be as usual.
I think the home schooling has made a difference to who can or even wants to work from home, I have a number of people who could work home to do their job but are requesting to be able to come to the office due to lack of space at home (kids working in various rooms) and or broad bandwidth.
 

lifes2short

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5,821
Oh i know but that is my point. There is no need for any advisory points to be put on the MOT but testers now feel the need to tick the box.

If i had driven it for 15 miles making sure the brakes were used then there would not have been any surface rust on the discs. That wasnt really an option during the first lock down.

so you had an advisory on surface rust on discs, that's just ridiculous and a real jobs worth's tester imo, some advisories i come across when checking mot history on potential purchases are simply quite laughable
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,113
Problem is as an ex Tester myself is that the Ministry want you to put down advisories.
Every modern car should have them due to plastic covers that you can't remove obscuring items you can't see properly during the visual Test.
Glad I'm not doing it anymore to be truthful.
 

dgmx5

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1,142
Problem is as an ex Tester myself is that the Ministry want you to put down advisories.
Every modern car should have them due to plastic covers that you can't remove obscuring items you can't see properly during the visual Test.
Glad I'm not doing it anymore to be truthful.

Pay is also pitiful and testers for the large companies are allowed all of 30-45 mins per vehicle which is not enough to do it justice.

Arguably not fit for purpose but the public would not tolerate a charge of nearer £100 per year to ensure a proper test.

Maybe it's just as well they can pass a vehicle without having to remove undertrays.

Add in the removal of the need for an MOT for cars over 40 years, despite owners' clubs lobbying to retain it, and it really makes you wonder what the purpose is.