Licencing: This is total bullshit!

[General Septem]

So I took my road test today. I aced it. I was actually kind of worried because the examiner didn't say much, he just sat there and gave me some directions. Kind of not friendly, kind of typical DMVish. So I felt pretty good about myself for having passed the test. So my driving teacher drives me home (it's their school policy not to let the student drive after road tests because of the adrenaline high).

So I get home and I realize: I can't fucking drive! I have no fucking insurance! So basically, I was handed my licence and told:

"Congratulations. You got your licence. Now, you can't drive period, much less alone.

...Congratulations, though."

Let me rephrase this. I had my permit yesterday. I could drive yesterday. I passed my road test today, and now I can't do shit.

Who comes up with this bullshit? If I hadn't passed my fucking road test, I'd still be able to drive. Now I can't even fucking drive with another licenced driver in the passenger seat until I get fucking insured. And I can't get fucking insurance until I get a fucking job. And I can't get a job until I know one way or the other whether these asswads at Wegmans are planning on hiring me. If they aren't, I need to find somewhere else to apply.

Trouble is, I don't know where else to apply that's within walking distance. There are places I can apply, but I have to drive to get there. And I can't drive without insurance which I can't pay for without a fucking job.

Whoever came up with this bullshit is about as smart as yelling "Greedo fired first" at a fucking Star Wars convention.

[Brains_Behind_Operation]

Are you saying that your state requires every licensed driver be insured? Isn't it good enough to just have each car that's in use insured? It works pretty well up here...makes for cheaper insurance for those of us who have mothers with a spotless record :D

[General Septem]

Basically the vehicle has to be insured in the driver's name. Now a vehicle can be insured in multiple driver's names. So even though it's the vehicle that's insured, in a sense the driver is insured too. If I were to have three cars, I'd have a single insurance plan with three cars under it.

[Brains_Behind_Operation]

And so if you were out drinking one night, you can't have a friend drive you home unless you insure him on the same car that you took there?

[General Septem]

And so if you were out drinking one night, you can't have a friend drive you home unless you insure him on the same car that you took there?
That's a good question. I honestly don't know. Obviously you can not drive if you are drunk. I don't know the laws regarding borrowing someone else's vehicle. My dad would probably know.

[Brains_Behind_Operation]

I'd assume that you can drive any vehicle that is insured. My car, even though the title is in my name, is insured with my mother as the primary driver. I've had a couple of speeding tickets in my lifetime, never in a car that was insured in my name, but it hasn't caused any extra problems. If you have a license, there is no reason that you should not be able to drive any vehicle that has insurance on it. It is the duty of the policy holder to make sure that his car is being driven by someone that he trusts. If something goes wrong, the primary driver holds as much or more responsibility in taking care of issues as does the driver who was trusted with the car.

[General Septem]

It must be nice living in a state where the laws make sense. But I live in New York. Literally nothing makes sense here. I could look into it but I'm almost positive I can't drive unless the vehicle is insured in my name.

In any event, I have a little money stashed away that I plan to get myself a nice little used car with, and I can get insured then. Not a big deal after all.

[General Septem]

Well to answer your question, I think you can borrow someone else's vehicle so long as the vehicle is insured and you have at least one vehicle insured in your name. But you can't be a primary driver unless you're listed as one in the insurance plan. It's really not set up to make sense.

[Paisleyspeaker]

Insurance is a fraud anyway. You pay for them to cover you in case of a collision, but if you never wreck, if you were to switch companies, or cancel your policy, you din't get any money back. Though you may have givin them hundreds, or even thousands of dollars you don't get credit for any of it even if they never paid a cent out for you. It is a racket and should be covered by the RICO statues. You have to have it in all but 2 states. Your registration is revoked if you let in lapse. But it's not enough to just have the car insured. If you know someone was going to drive it regularly you ahve to have them on the insurance, and pay extra for them. You are insuring the car, and now the driver.
And registratioins another rip off. I understand the usefulness for law enforcement to have a list of who owns what car. It is how they caught the son of sam. But you should only have to tell them once, and why should you need to pay them to tell them. I doin't know why you have to renew it every year. The car isn't changing, the tags arn't changing. They just want your money. They get enough through license fees and tickets. If you think about the fines brought in by traffic violations it is astounding.

[Brains_Behind_Operation]

Yet we are still DEEPLY in debt. Maybe it really isn't as much as it needs to be....

[Paisleyspeaker]

or maybe we just pay too many people too much to do redundant jobs. On a state level it is not really as bad as it seems.. If you were to get the complete financial information from your state you would find that it holds assests and investments far greater than the amount is brings in and out any given year. It late, so I will add to this later with more facts.

[Zzyzx]

In response to the first post ---

That's the way it is. You'd be lucky to even have your license if you lived anywhere else in the developed world. Insurance is a necessary evil. Don't let that stop, you, though - there are millions upon millions of people who drive without insurance. The trick, however, is not to get caught.

I pay about three hundred for a year's worth of coverage. I don't care who you are - that's affordable. Then again, I ain't exactly a new driver, either.

[General Septem]

Well, I just took an insurance reduction class yesterday and recieved a certificate. When I give it to my insurance company they'll lower my rates by 10%. I'm not so upset about it now, but I was when it happened because it's like "congratulations, you can't drive period now." Just didn't make sense.

[Zzyzx]

No, it was more like "congratulations, you're one step closer to driving."

Oh, wait, I forgot - in New York they keep the fact that you need to be insured secret until you get your license, don't they? Those old DMV ladies just love the expression on your faces.

[General Septem]

No, it was more like "congratulations, you're one step closer to driving."
Exactly. That's why it was so odd that I could drive beforehand but not after. But like I said I was pissed off at the time but I'm not now. I've got a ton of money.

[Paisleyspeaker]

Didn't you know that the DMV is hell on earth. Just imagine the flames.

[Zzyzx]

Didn't you know that the DMV is hell on earth. Just imagine the flames.

I don't need to imagine anything. That place is hotter than even the deepest depths of hell and crammed with the scum of the neighborhood. Sounds like hell to me.

[Brains_Behind_Operation]

I don't need to imagine anything. That place is hotter than even the deepest depths of hell and crammed with the scum of the neighborhood. Sounds like hell to me.


Hey, follow some of those scum home and you'll realize that the DMV is nothing!

[MrBirdy]

where i live the insurance company will cover all dammage to the car, and the other cars, but if the driver isn't the guy that paid for the insurance, he gets half the coverage to any injuries he sustains... but i have full health, so no problem;)

[who897]

DMV in NJ is awsome, it's like going to a 3rd world country in south america, the only thing missing is the beaches, the drinks with umbrellas, and donkeys.