Safety Fast November 2017

As I write this in early October, I note that the government has announced sweeping changes to the MOT requirements for older vehicles. The changes are relevant to this Register because, as of May 2018, all but the last couple of years of MGB production will be not only exempt from motor tax but also the requirement to have annual MOT tests. This will be a rolling programme affecting cars and motorcycles as they successively achieve 40 years since first registration. This exemption has applied to pre-1960 vehicles for some time. Is this necessarily a good thing, I ask. I suspect that it is because, as my MOT tester informs me, there are changes on the way for the testing of vehicles, particularly to reflect the changes we have seen in cars in recent times; changes that just plain don’t apply to our old cars. Simpler then to abolish the need for a test rather than have multiple standards. But, hang on, were I an insurance company I would want to know that the risk that I was insuring was fit for purpose. I would want an assurance from a qualified motor engineer to that effect. So, no matter how carefully you maintain your MG, or any other vehicle, an MOT certificate gives some guarantee that, at the time of examination, the appropriate conditions for the vehicle did apply. We must watch this with interest.

Heather Charlton went on the Register weekend with Bill. She has kindly sent in a nice write-up of a somewhat damp, but enjoyable, time. This is listed as the Register Weekend 2017 in this news section.

Register Website

I am attempting the supervision and editing of the Register website. This is a slow process as systems have changed considerably since I was teaching children how to write code, so please bear with me if the site is not what you would hope for. However, I can point out that there are lots of possibilities for Christmas presents…sorry about that!

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Register AGM

I am asked to remind you all that the MGB Register will be holding its AGM at Kimber House on February 17 at 10.30am.
Contact for more details is Neil Hyett, Register Secretary, who can be contacted by email at secretary@mgb-register.org or
phone 07768 414 641 should you have some point you wish to be raised or if you would like to step up and help to run your
Register.