Rant to a Bad Tesla Driver

[chillaban]

So with the authorities and witnesses unable to take note of a license plate, the California traffic laws basically become unenforceable. Why is this allowed to happen?

it's California?

FYI: California Vehicle Code citations almost all require a peace officer to be the direct witness of the event. So even if you call in and send video of a car running a red light, speeding, driving aggressively, etc, that alone cannot be used to issue a citation. You have to hope for the cop to show up and see it himself.


(Note that a lot of crazy crap that people do in cars are likely against the California Penal Code too -- for example, cutting someone off or brake-checking them can potentially constitute assault if the intention is to physically threaten the safety of the other driver with your car... And a video works just fine for that.)

 

[lklundin]

a peace officer

I had to google that. I have to assume someone important in the USA read '1984' and thought: "what a great idea".

How else would one explain the name given to a government official who might make a citizen permanently peaceful by expending more rounds than, say all the German colleagues fire in the line of duty (so also counting warning shots) in a whole year?

Hope no one will be upset by this post and its link with an ICE, will try to be more PC from now on...

 

[kort677]

are you referring to the inept and chicken/intimidated cops in cologne?
What Really Happened at Cologne Rape Riot: Eye Witness « Clear Thinking

 

[CuriousG]

Problem with VIN#'s is the car may still be in the system as the previous owner. So park your car in the handicapped spot all you want and the previous owner will get the summons. Sure fight it,say you sold it etc.......but do you want to go to court? VIN may still be in process which could end up getting your car impounded etc..... I can come up with so many more scenarios but you get the point. California as usual does things "different" than others

I think if you park in the handicap spot in CA you'll get it towed before getting a ticket if they even issue it on the spot. The previous owner is not going to get the new owner's car out of impound.

 

[CuriousG]

it's California?

And we also pay a lot more in registration fees. So give us a break.

 

[kort677]

And we also pay a lot more in registration fees. So give us a break.

give you a break? you elected the people that make things like this happen, no break for you!

 

[XLR8OR]

Here's how bad the CA DMV can be. Three years ago I was driving my nearly fresh-off-the-boat BMW 6, which I had taken delivery of in Munich via BMW's superb European Delivery Program (my 4th such car). When you pick up the car at the dealer, you pay the CA sales tax and registration fee and get the temporary windshield sticker, which contains the VIN. It was now nearly 2 months after I took CA delivery, but still had no permanent plates. I had called the dealer, and they confirmed that the car was registered in CA, because you need the DMV computer link to print the temp sticker. So, the car still had the German export plates front and rear.

I got pulled over by the CHP for not having CA plates. I told the officer it was registered, but the DMV had not yet shipped the plates. He removed the temp sticker and went back to his patrol car to run the VIN to confirm. When he came back, he told me there was no record of the VIN in the DMV computer (!!). I politely reminded him that the temp sticker couldn't be printed without the DMV computer, hence I wasn't at fault; the DMV was. No dice - I got a fix-it ticket for no CA plates. No big deal, but you only have a short time window in which to remedy the ticket. When my time was close to expiring, I had to call the court and get an extension. Fortunately, the plates did arrive about a couple of weeks later, nearly THREE MONTHS after registration.

 

[CuriousG]

I got pulled over by the CHP for not having CA plates.

Was it just empty space or was it the temporary paper placard?

 

[XLR8OR]

Neither, actually. The plates - front and rear - were German. So, the car stuck out. I was finally able to transfer my personalized plates, shown as my avatar, to the car. They will also be transferred to my new S90D when it arrives next month.

 

[Elbie]

All this reminds me of a business trip to Ausin, TX about 10 years ago (I'm from The Netherlands). We were with six and picked up two rental cars.
The one I picked up had, to my utter surprise, no license plates, but temporary stickers. My colleague told me not to worry, that it's normal for brand new cars. I still found it weird. Such a thing is unthinkable in The Netherlands.
Here you never see a car without license plates, and if you would, it's likely involved in some serious crime.