• Front page
• Receive letters on your RSS reader

Mike Tornabene (no hometown provided) writes:

Not too long ago I was driving down the street when the woman who was driving next to me didn’t see me and decided to make a u-turn. I was very irritated when she slammed into my 3/4 ton diesel truck to the tune of $3200. She told me that she wasn’t familiar with our streets being that she was from out of town. The Denver PD responded, took the obligatory report which included the admission of guilt by the other party. When the officer handed me a copy of the report he informed me that this woman had no auto insurance. To make a long story short, my out of pocket expense to make my truck whole again, was $500 to take care of my insurance deductible and $200 for a car rental. This doesn’t take into consideration any of my wasted time attending to scores of details. My insurance company told me that they would go after the individual in question to try and make her pay and that if they got her to pay any of the money back that I would be the first to be repaid. That’s nice even though I’m not holding my breath waiting for my check.
I have a better idea. How about if we confiscate the law breakers vehicle and sell it to repay the victims. This way criminal is the one who is punished and inconvenienced rather than the victims. If there’s money left over after everyone is repaid and the cost of impounding, towing, etc., is covered, then the excess money would be returned to the perpetrator. If all they had was a bucket of bolts and it was deemed worthless then sell it for scrap. I’ll take the $50, it’s probably more than I’m going to get anyway.
I truly believe that we are a nation of idiots. We accept....whatever. Let’s put our collective foot down and say enough is enough. This is an easy way to show the people driving around without insurance that we are serious.

This letter has not been edited.

READER COMMENTS

Look at it this way Mike, it sounds like her name didn't end in an A or a Z since she hung around for the cops. An A or a Z would have beat feet and ran away.

Many years ago, I had a mid-20's white inDUHvidual with lightning bolt ear rings blow past me and then pull up short causing me to rear end him.

This idiot looked at his car and my S-10 pickup and said the damage wasn't bad, even though my truck took the worst hit since early 80's S-10's didn't have 5-MPH bumpers. The dummy then admitted to me that he was late for work and didn't have insurance. I busted a gut laughing and told him we are calling the cops. I knew I was going to get a ticket; but making sure this little turd got popped for no insurance was worth it to me.

The cop apologized for having to give me a ticket, and then he reamed the kid a new one with a lecture. The kid was real late for work that day.

but you have to feel sorry for her as she cant afford insurance and the government should do it for her because they gave her the right to drive and she needs the car to get around and if she makes a booboo its not her fault but yours for not watching out for her because she was not smart enough to look or realize that there was someone else on the road. and if she did get a ticket she will be let off anyway.
sorry about your truck

Hey wait a minute, QBT my name ends with a Z you know names like Heinz, Bramowitz, Dietz...so what's up with that?

The lady did say she was "from out of town", if I read correctly. Did that also mean "out of state"?

Not all States have compulsory insurance laws; and visitors are not obligated to buy insurance to travel into Colorado.

Your name and the names and their variations you provided are excluded "A".

Was she on a cell phone Mike? If she was and can afford a cell phone, then she can afford insurance by ditching the cell phone.

QBT,Got it.. I'm a little sloooow today! Duh!!

Let's not be coy about it, QBT hates Mexicans. They're all the same to him, and he seems to be unable to resist making snide or ugly remarks about "them" even where ethnicity has nothing to do with the issue at hand. In short, QBT feels he is a "superior" person living in a world populated by "inferior" people.

I sympathize with the letter writer's plight for I, too, have been hit by uninsured drivers in the past. As to his suggestion that we confiscate their cars, there is our "unreasonable search and seizure" provision of the constitution that might come into play. And what if the driver doesn't own the car?

Old Grouch.. I didnt know that in some state you didnt have to buy insurance,,, which states are those? Just curious...

You're right Anderson, I don't like Mexicans and I make no bones about it; but you can bet your last nickel that most of the illegals on the road are driving without insurance and a license, and if they do produce a license and an insurance card, it is fake.

The Gummint seizes the assets of drug dealers, so why not uninsured motorists. Both are breaking the law. Oops, let me guess; you are an uninsured illegal alien dope dealer.

Rich M,

Excuse my nit picking; but you don't "have to buy insurance" anywhere.

If you mean States without compulsory insurance Statutes - with penalties for operating a vehicle without it - Nex Mexico coes to mind immediately. (Though I could be wrong there now. I understand there was a Bill in the Legislature to require it; but I haven't heard the results. Most of my friends there, however, have much the same reaction to those without insurance as up here, except they don't seem to have much recourse at law.)

Wyoming also lacks Statutory provision mandating insurance coverage. And, again, the last I heard, Arizona also. I'm not all that familiar with Statutes as one goes East; but Mississippi also comes to mind, and Arkansas; at least insofar as I heard from friends who have lived there.

The first 3 are a problem, simply because they have large Native American Reservations within State borders; and enforcing State Statutes - particularly those dealing with revenue, tax, and separate authority, such as vehicle regulations - has to also deal with Reservation Rights and exemptions. The State can't make the Navajo, for example, comply with all the rules and regulations that those not on the Reservation must follow. For instance, gambling is illegal in New Mexico - with the exception of Bingo and Raffles licensed for Churches and Non-Profit Organizations - OFF those Reservations where the Nations have Casinos. But the State cannot tax, or prevent, or regulate gambling in Reservation Casinos.

Kansas and Nebraska, largely rural/farm States - where farm machinery is driven on public roads by youngsters who can't yet get a driver's license - also lack the kind of Statute we have in Colorado.

Unreasonable search and seizure??? Were talking auto insurance here Anderson. The law is to have insurance on a motor vehiecle in this state, the driver "even if from out of state" is RESPONSIBLE" for knowing that, no excuses. The problem here is Anderson and those who think that way. Tell me why do you think its ok for this person to break the law, and a u turn at that, if one doesnt know the city they dont do u-turns( thats not the safest route.) Im with Mike, if you cant afford the insurance take alternate transportation, and if its not the drivers car, same outcome (take it away) Hey Anderson, wanna pay my insurance,there are other things I would rather have?

Insurance is only required for those that have something to lose. If you don't own anything, you have no reason to buy insurance.

I like the "sell the vehicle" approach.

mae,

As Anderson points out, the action of confiscating the vehicle - as proposed by the letter writer - would most probably fall under the area of "Unreasonable search and seizure". There would need to be several major changes in the Law to have it otherwise.

The law in Colorado already specifies that there can be a very large fine - up to $500 for the first offense, if memory serves - and a penalty of jail time as well, for not having automobile insurance - or "proof of insurance", as some people can be, and are, self-insured, rather than carrying a policy from an Insurance Company.

Having had a similar experience to the one outlined above - a left turn across me from the right hand lane - and having had to spend the time in Court for the other driver's trial to contest the ticket he got, etc., etc., I can understand your frustration.

But there are really two different legal situations there. A u-turn, or turn from a wrong lane, may well be a matter of more or less universal prohibition, with the corresponding responsibility to know this on the part of every driver. Are you suggesting that we confiscate the vehicle for traffic tickets?

Other motor vehicle regulations however, are not necessarily uniform all over the country; and insurance coverage happens to be one of these. Way back in the days of the horse and buggy, or stagecoach, it was clearly the law of the land - the Constitution - that no State could enact Legislation to restrict, or control, entering, or crossing, its borders.

Thus, people from outside Colorado really do not have to be responsible for knowing, or following Colorado insurance law.

No one would argue that it would not be much better all round IF everyone did know; and/or IF all States had similar Statutes. But, absent the ideal situation, things stand as they are.

I was rear-ended by an uninsured driver from Colorado. Not only did I have to pay, but her insurance company back dated a proof of insurance form when she payed up. So she avoided any fine or jail time. When I tried to claim on the 'reinstated' insurance, they stated at the time of the accident she was uninsured. So this driver got off scott-free and I paid my deductable and ate the costs to me. Now how is this fair!

Old Grouch, thanks for your calm reply to Mae's hot retort. She certainly made a lot of (incorrect) assumptions about what I was saying.

Old Grouch, As a Wyoming Law Enforcement Officer I can guarantee you that WY requires auto insurance to drive. If you don't the first offense is $410 citation.

See WY State Statute 31-4-103. Failure to maintain liability coverage; penalties; exceptions.

(a) No owner of a motor vehicle required to be registered shall operate or permit the operation of his motor vehicle without having in full force and effect a motor vehicle liability policy in amounts provided by W.S. 31-9-405(b) or a bond in amounts provided by W.S. 31-9-102(a)(xi). Violation of this subsection is a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) nor more than seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), or both. On a second or subsequent violation of this subsection, the person may be fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) nor more than one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00), imprisoned for not more than six (6) months, or both.

Thank you, WY LEO.

I stand corrected; and I apologize. I was going off some information given me by a Wind River Reservation resident at a Pow-Wow some time back, when the subject of the old Colorado No Fault and the proposed return to a tort systm of coverage came up. He was explaining why he didn't have coverage at the time; and I guess I took for granted he was not just slinging the bull - as he must have been.

Again, thanks; and my apologies for not checking it out further.

POST A COMMENT

• 'Kid Nation' reality show a new low
• Rivers a shameful hire
• Too little news
• ‘Diesel’ fumes
• Unlocalized story a disservice to readers
• Riled up by Christian music
• Darling of the left
• Solutions too costly