How stupid are these losers??

[Hagar]

I wonder if the solution needs to be cycle-only streets, separating the cycle and auto traffic...

Don't suggest that or I won't be allowed to use my car at all. The whole place will be taken over by cycle lanes. You think I'm joking don't you? Well, I couldn't be more serious.

The whole thing's so ridiculous you gotta larf, as my old mate Foz says.

[jordonj]

Except for one thing...we are running out of oil...

Part of the solution is an alternative fuel, but personally, I think an alternative to the auto would be more to the point.

[Hagar]

Except for one thing...we are running out of oil...

Part of the solution is an alternative fuel, but personally, I think an alternative to the auto would be more to the point.

Indeed & an established local company named IAD was developing an electric-powered car for Los Angeles a few years ago. I often wondered what happened to that. A friend working in the next building told me he sometimes saw them testing it in the car park & was extremely impressed with what he saw. IAD no longer exists & the premises were taken over by Daewoo whose European headquarters happened to be in Worthing at the time.

PS. http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?tr7trxf.htm

[Katahu]

As this topic involves young 'joyriders' would you be prepared to shoot a kid maybe as young as 10 or 11 years old that stole your car for a bit of fun?

I was refering to Beefhole's comment regarding the law in Florida. It almost seemed to me that Beef wasn't up-to-date on Florida laws. It's just jeewizz info.

[Hagar]

No problem Kat. I was just curious as to the general feeling about this in your country. It's all very well to say it's perfectly legal to "shoot" at anyone who is threatening their life and/or property. How this law would apply in different circumstances like pooping off at young kids is possibly something that you hadn't thought about.

[Katahu]

If you're that curious about us, just come on over to visit us Crazy Yanks. You'll be surprised as to the things that can happen here.

[jordonj]

Indeed & an established local company named IAD was developing an electric-powered car for Los Angeles a few years ago. I often wondered what happened to that.

It wouldn't surprise me if the oil companies conspired to end it...they don't want alternative fuels or fueled cars marketed.

[H]

If you were to shoot at a car with teenagers acting like...well...teenagers, do you really think it would be justice? Can you put your hand on a bible and say you never did anything stupid when you were that young?

I never did anything like that as a teenager, although I've had a relative do that, and worse, even later in life :-/. Comparatively, I did nothing so, as you term it, stupid. Other people's property was other people's property.

Here in Northern Michigan, there is a huge population of elderly.  I'm talking people who drive too slow (such as 25 in a 45 zone), who have very poor reaction times due to things like poor eyesight, beginning of dementia, or both. Or those who have dizzy spells due to diabetes.  People who obviously shouldn't be driving. You have to practically move Heaven and Earth to get a driver's license revoked for such a person (outside of their being involved in some catastrophic accident ::) ).  Sometimes doctors or police can rever them to the Dept. of Transportation, but it's usually the families who have to resort to tricks to keep them from driving.

You herewith remind me of my episodes with my mother. NH still doesn't require insurance unless you're under 21 or already involved in an accident. My dad never had insurance in his 40 plus years driving and my mother didn't have any until I sort of tricked her into it. When I bought my Camaro I told her I needed another thousand for the down-payment and would have to get insurance per a lender on the rest. Insurance rates are lower on multiple vehicles and, if she was providing the added thousand, I could insure her car, as well. She went for it but I paid the seller off right away (I know, I didn't outright lie to her but I wasn't quite honest, either -- but, hey). I then sent her money to pay back the thousand along with the insurance payment (since the agent was in her town and I was over 1500 miles away). That proved a mistake. Finally, I sent her the money and she sent it right back -- along with the previous payment: I'd sent her enough to cover the thousand and she figured we didn't need the insurance. She had also held it long enough so that the insurance had expired -- and, yes, she did that on purpose!!! Now I was driving a vehicle half-way across the country with no insurance . I had to pay a monthly fee equal to what I'd been paying for the year just to get coverage.

[Hagar]

If you're that curious about us, just come on over to visit us Crazy Yanks. You'll be surprised as to the things that can happen here.

I've visited your country several times & probably seen more of it than many of you Crazy Yanks. I've also met a fair number of you.

Not sure where you call home but I might not have been to your part of it. The USA is a huge country compared with mine & I haven't seen all of that by any means.

[Hagar]

NH still doesn't require insurance unless you're under 21 or already involved in an accident. My dad never had insurance in his 40 plus years driving and my mother didn't have any until I sort of tricked her into it.

Another difference. It's illegal to drive a car in the UK without at least 3rd party insurance cover. It's not possible to tax any vehicle without a valid certificate of insurance & the tax disc has to be renewed regularly (annually or every 6 months) & displayed on the vehicle. It's illegal to drive a car without a valid tax disc displayed on it so in theory this proves that the driver is insured. Unfortunately criminals are hardly likely to worry about that so many people are driving around here illegally with no road tax or insurance.

[H]

Another difference. It's illegal to drive a car in the UK without at least 3rd party insurance cover. It's not possible to tax any vehicle without a valid certificate of insurance & the tax disc has to be renewed regularly (annually or every 6 months) & displayed on the vehicle. It's illegal to drive a car without a valid tax disc displayed on it so in theory this proves that the driver is insured. Unfortunately criminals are hardly likely to worry about that so many people are driving around here illegally with no road tax or insurance.

Most every other state in the U.S. has mandatory insurance (for liability, at least) or you cannot register your vehicle. In some, however, it is able to be dropped soon after registering (not legally, but if not caught...). Similarly, about the time that NH changed from mandatory 6-month vehicle inspections to yearly, Nebraska declared their annual inspections "unconstitutional" and dropped them completely.

[Hagar]

In some, however, it is able to be dropped soon after registering (not legally, but if not caught...).

Not really as different as it might appear then. These are the people responsible for increased insurance costs for responsible drivers, not those joyriders. If everyone obeyed the law it would make it a lot cheaper for everyone. Unfortunately this is never likely to happen.

[Hai Perso Coyone?]

Idiots...and yet, they still havn't been caught

[Flt.Lt.Andrew]

Ah ha, a bit of non sequitor on my part it seems.
What I meant to say was, due to these kind of people, insurnace is driven up....see in Australia, when these kinds of people get their cars, the hot them up to make them "fully sick" , drag race them and crash them.


A.

[TacitBlue]

I imagine that is universal. People do that here too. As for driving without insurance: Even if it is legal where you live, I wouldn't reccomend it. I was in an accident and didn't have any insurance and had to pay they guy back out of pocket. He was nice enough to let me pay him in instalments, and I still had proof of insurance (even though it had actually expired), so I didn't get a ticket for that. Not everyone can be that lucky though, and it's better to just pay for the coverage.