The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) appears to be failing to verify the addresses of vehicle owners, even when it has them on record, according to recent letters. This comes in the wake of a report on the rise of 'ghost owners' — vehicles in use without proper records. Graeme Thorn from Arnos Grove, London, reports that two vehicles are registered at his address without his knowledge, resulting in mounting fines for the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ), parking charges, and bailiff letters for motoring infractions. He questions why checks are not performed before issuing a V5C logbook.
Cloned Plates and Insurance Costs
Simon Allen from Wendover, Buckinghamshire, argues that controlling the sale of cloned plates will not stop the increase in ghost owners. For young drivers, annual insurance costs can reach £1,500. If caught using cloned plates, the fine is only £400 along with penalty points, which many see as a worthwhile risk. Allen suggests that a penalty of £5,000, loss of licence, and vehicle scrapping would act as a stronger deterrent.
NHS Cancer Screening Gaps
Jane Ghosh from Bristol raises concerns about NHS cancer screening. While the increase in cancer diagnoses is attributed to a growing and ageing population, she points out that routine bowel and breast cancer testing stops after the early 70s, leaving older individuals without regular screening.
Origin of the 'Wazzock' Insult
Robert Graham from Sandweiler, Luxembourg, provides the full version of the 'wazzock' insult popularized by Tony Capstick in the early 1980s: 'you great useless, spawny-eyed, parrot-faced wazzock.'
Cloning Monarch Butterflies
Eric Sharp from Newcastle upon Tyne expresses concern over the cloning of monarch butterflies in a photo, jokingly asking if we are down to the last two butterflies.
