That most taxing of tasks
Edwin McGreal
A wonderful ease has come over me whilst on the road in recent weeks.
I no longer come out in cold sweats at the sight of a squad car or a ‘Paddy wagon’.
The sight of a car flashing its lights can now be seen as a friendly acknowledgement and not a worry that it’s the warning of a possible upcoming garda checkpoint. I’m very well versed with the side roads of Mayo, I can tell you.
Such is the way of life when you drive around with no road tax on your car.
I know of a man who refused to pay his motor tax for years because he believed doing so would be to acknowledge the 26 county republic as a legal entity. Not a minute before a 32 county Ireland arrived would he consider paying.
I’m not sure if his views have softened in the meantime but I’d be pretty certain he collects his pension from the State. There are others who refuse to pay their road tax, or say they do at least, because of the poor quality of their roads.
Me? I’ve never thought about it long enough to have those sort of conscientious objections. My non-paying of road tax was not any sort of refusal to do so, more so absent mindedness and disorganisation.
It’s certainly one of my faults. If I don’t get something done straightaway, it tends to go on the very long finger.
It’s why, en route to Sligo last month, I took a quick right turn on the N5 between Ballyvary and Bohola to avoid a checkpoint up the road. I wasn’t sure where the road would lead me and after feeling like we were going round and round in circles for over half an hour, we eventually emerged on the Balla to Kiltimagh road.
But, hey, we got to see some lovely views from atop the hills. It was, for once, literally the scenic route.
Not so lucky was the time I was ensnared when I hit a checkpoint at Sheeaune outside Westport on a Sunday morning last Christmas. I asked for leniency and I got it and agreed to sort out my tax that week.
Amazingly I made it as far as the Motor Tax Office in Castlebar but in typically haphazard fashion had miscalculated the amount due and only had enough to pay the arrears. Not to worry, I told the attendant, I would be in the following week to pay for a new disc. And I meant it.
Pity that I am an out of sight, out of mind kind of guy and it was only last month when I finally got back in and sorted it out. No more ducking and diving. Well, until I next forget, that is.
