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Interesting. I support it for the most part but it's going to be messy. Police wasting time having to tow some junker while other things going on.
JUST FYI
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/met....6d8b57fd.html
NEW: Beginning Jan. 1, police can tow vehicles of uninsured motorists
Web Posted: 11/17/2005 04:58 PM CST
Maria Moreno
Express-News Staff Writer
San Antonio Police Chief Albert Ortiz held a news conference today to remind the public that, beginning Jan. 1, motorists who do not have proof of insurance will have their vehicles impounded.
City Council recently passed the ordinance that calls for the towing and impounding of all uninsured vehicles. Some have criticized the ordinance for punishing the poor.
Ortiz said his department suggested the change because of the abundance of uninsured vehicles on San Antonio's streets. Over the past three years, officers have written an average of 59,000 tickets a year to d rivers who didn't have proof of insurance. Ortiz said uninsured drivers who cause accidents place an undue burden on other motorists.
Ortiz said that although his officers will be instructed to impound, the officer would be able to use discretion if an exigent cir stance exists. Ortiz gave elderly drivers as a possible exception, or if police officers are extremely busy.
"It's not a heartless ordinance," he said. "And certainly the Police Department is not heartless."
Texas Towing will tow impounded cars to the department's vehicle storage unit on Growdon Road and motorists won't be able to retrieve their cars until they show proof of insurance or they have the car towed to another location.
To get their cars back, motorists will have to fork over $65 in towing costs, a $20 impound fee and a $15 per day storage fee, Ortiz said.
If a driver has insurance, but doesn't have proof on hand, Ortiz said the officer could have the insurance verified by calling the insurance company, or he could give the motorist time to have someone bring the proof. If the car is towed and the proof of insurance is produced later, Ortiz said police would waive the impound and storage fees. However, the towing fee is non-refundable.
Interesting. I support it for the most part but it's going to be messy. Police wasting time having to tow some junker while other things going on.
You know, I work for SAPD and I could see a lot of this 'discretion' being used.
About damn time.
Sick of people getting into wrecks, it being their fault, and not paying anything cause,
oops, no insurance.
Oughtta start giving Jail time too.
police don't drive tow trucks.
I support it 100%.
Police need to fully enforce the law and leave the discretion to which donuts they are buying.
It's about time they start towing uninsured motorists! My dad was rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver, and when he reported the dude's license plate to SAPD, they found out he had no insurance. I think the courts need to start suspending, or even revoking driver's licenses to uninsured motorists, too.
Not going to solve a damn thing. Police aren't going to sit there and wait for a tow truck a good portion of the time. It is just like every other traffic law.
I don't really mind it on the books, but I don't expect it to work either.
It's going to be a waste of time...
That's why everyone should have Geico!
"Police aren't going to sit there and wait for a tow truck"
Waiting would be truly stupid.
They ticket the car, call for the tow truck, and leave.
I don't have a problem with that. Uninsured motorists suck.
This ordinance is racist in that it will disproportionately affect minorities
im screwed
Ridiculous. If you can't afford insurance, you can't afford a car. I've been in that situation. I parked the car in the driveway (actually the parking space at my apartment) until I could get insurance coverage. Don't make your crisis into my emergency.Some have criticized the ordinance for punishing the poor.
Precisely. Ortiz is not one of my favorite people (I was in some classes with him at SAC), but I gotta agree with him on this one. I'm tired of footing the bill for those who refuse (for whatever the reason) to be responsible and maintain insurance coverage on their vehicle. It's not fair to those of us who play by the rules and abide by the law. IOW: Don't make your crisis into my emergency.Ortiz said uninsured drivers who cause accidents place an undue burden on other motorists.
"It's not a heartless ordinance," he said. "And certainly the Police Department is not heartless."
stfu fat boy, they ain't gonna be pullin your white ass over.
it's open season on mexicans and brothers come Jan 1st.
damn, barely steal the and we gotta go get insurance?
gettin so we don't even get a fightin chance.
Good,
no insured driving os.
send them to jail too along with towing away their cars.
hey, we drive better than you!
we ain't got no gotdam insurance!
And what are they going to do if you just drive off before the tow truck gets there.
Another ticket
"Evading a tow truck."
damn thats cheap.To get their cars back, motorists will have to fork over $65 in towing costs, a $20 impound fee and a $15 per day storage fee, Ortiz said.
my dad got a DWI one time (ok... more than once ... but I'm just talking here about one particular time) and it cost me $800 of my own gotdamned $$ to get he car out of impound so I could go to work.
The police would be responsible for the driver and passengers to get home or at least find someone who can come pick them up before leaving. I doubt this gets strongly enforced but we'll see..."Police aren't going to sit there and wait for a tow truck"
next thing the police need to do is start enforcing people parking on the wrong damn side of the street.
Well Z it was inevitable....some ing sucker with no goddamn insurance rear ended me today as I was about to merge into the Highway.
Sure enough I'm sitting there waiting to get in and all of a sudden some screeching tire noise and crash!!!!
I get out and this piece of sure enough has NO INSURANCE!!!.;;goddamn it I'm pissed at this er
you should have poke his eyes out with an ice pick man
sorry to hear that
Umm...if I'm not mistaken, isn't there a STATE LAW in the books that REQUIRES you to have liability insurance to drive? And why aren't you challenging that law?
This city ordinance is there to enforce existing State Law.
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