Testing times

As far as I can tell the most recent census of Skopelos Island was taken in 2001 when the population stood at a little under 5,000 residents. This does not justify a permanent vehicle test centre. Islands that do not have permanent vehicle test centres are exempt from vehicle testing. If you choose to put your car on a ferry and take it to a place that does have a test centre then you'd better be sure to make that your first stop. There was a mobile test centre which toured the islands and it was compulsory to take your car for a health check when it was in town, but I don't think the government can afford to keep that going. It last visited this island in 2009 and was due to return in 2011 but it hasn't.

It is still compulsory to pay annual car tax, but the government can no longer afford to produce the little stickers to put in the front windscreen so you need to keep your tax receipt along with all your other car documents. You have to download the form from the internet and print it out yourself before paying at the bank or the post office.

It is also compulsory to have car insurance, but the insurance companies have also phased out the little stickers to put in the front windscreen so you need to keep your insurance papers along with all your other car documents. Nowadays your insurance documentation arrives by email and you have to print it out yourself in colour, otherwise it is not valid.

If you cannot afford to tax or insure your car you must remove the government-issued number plate and hand it in at your local police station.

So the ministry for transport has a list of all registered cars. The local police supply them with a list of all handed-in number plates. From there it is a relatively simple task to work out which cars still on the road have failed to purchase tax or insurance. Presumably therefore the local police carry with them at all times an up-to-date list of all number plates who's tax or insurance has lapsed so that they can stop and ask to see paperwork.

I would have thought it was more cost-efficient to issue little stickers, then maybe the government could afford to keep the mobile vehicle testing station circulating round the islands and collect more revenue from that.

Or perhaps all one needs to do is paint a VW logo on your car ;-)
Just saying.

For the record, the right hand side brake light on this car does not work but the left hand side brake light does, but without its red cover it shines white. The hazard lights also work.