VIC: Help on Driving with expired Rego

[squala]

Look Dire, we don't need any more lectures here. It's everyone's right to appeal and you're not one to say that we are wasting taxpayers money in doing so. If you can't help in the situation, please don't post.

I call the system rather corrupt because they don't make it easier for people to check whether or not a car is registered but find millions of ways to fine you (and very heavily at that). It's not like there are facilities like Google where we can type in a rego and we get an instant reply if it can legally be driven or not.

[kalt]

Ahh I see what you mean now Al. The system is flawed in Victoria, as VicRoads mail out the rego sticker to owners sometimes 2 months in advance of the expiry date. It is quite easy for one to remove expired sticker and attach new sticker to glass and appear to be "currently registered". Police use the digital in-car camera scanners on the license plates to check for registration these days. rather than look at the colour and month of the rego label (correct me if I am wrong).

You CAN check registration here:

http://vre.vicroads.vic.gov.au/

[Dire]

How easier can it be than asking the owner? Jeez.

Your relative and their friend made a mistake, theres no argument. You're just hoping the police take pity due to the circumstances. But it wasn't an emergency, so I don't see how it matters.

And kalt just corrected you, it IS that easy.

Driver negligence. Thats it.

[LaNcE]

i think al the best way is to cop it, you guys trying to get it to court / summons will land you in bigger trouble than just $700.

there is no way you can pin it down to your friends depression as he wasnt driving the car, it was you family member. its just like driving your parents car crashing it, but you wont expect your parents to cop the fines / excesses associated with the crash because you are depressed while driving, because you are liable when you took the car out of the driveway / garage.

and I know you are upset about the matter, but dire is correct you are just going to waste tax payers money about something your family member should be taking responsibility for , who pays for magistrate courts blah blah? taxpayers = us. so technically you are wasting your own money somehow aswell. so dont get upset, you ask ? we answer.


all the best!

end rant/

[squala]

How easier can it be than asking the owner? Jeez. Your relative and their friend made a mistake, there's no argument. You're just hoping the police take pity due to the circumstances. But it wasn't an emergency, so I don't see how it matters. And kalt just corrected you, it IS that easy. Driver negligence. That's it.

We're already in a cr@pload of trouble here so the last thing we need is someone pinning us down even further. It sounds like you're just posting to condemn the person who committed a mistake. There's no need for you to put me or the person involved into more misery. We're just trying to reason out here.

As for kalt's advice, yeah, it turns out that it is easily accessible, though I wish they made more people aware of such system than wait for them to commit a very costly violation. Prevention is better than cure, but they seem to want more of the latter.

and I know you are upset about the matter, but dire is correct you are just going to waste taxpayers' money about something your family member should be taking responsibility for , who pays for magistrate courts blah blah? taxpayers = us. so technically you are wasting your own money somehow as well. so don't get upset, you ask ? we answer. all the best! end rant/

I know where he's coming from, but it's really his tone that's not helping here. He could say it in a form of advice, not scolding me like a teacher or something.

[debonaire]

I would've said you have no hope, and should wear the fine for driving an unregistered car. But....

If a current valid sticker was affixed to the car without it ever being paid (what the hell Victoria ??), perhaps you could consult a traffic law professional to see whether this is reason to protest. They may be able to argue you took reasonable measure to ensure the car was registered (i.e checking the sticker).

While the friend may be morally guilty, you can understand why it is the driver who must get fined - legally there is no registered owner of the car so the friend has no liability.

And as kalt says, I would change the title, I thought this thread was going to be about transporting unregistered cars.

[sleeper]

yeah, u could argue that there was a current sticker on the car and tell them u checked it visually.
personally i`d be inclined to contest it

[squala]

Thanks guys for all the advice. Victoria's system is a bit retarded, sending the new sticker before it's actually paid. We also don't have the yearly roadworthiness test; just pay rego regardless of car condition.

We will try what you said, Vaughan, and see how we go and post back here to advise others of the outcome.

[Beeble]

If you weren't in VIC I would say take it to court
but you have zero chance of winning the case here
and at the end of the day, the situation really sucks but it IS the onus of the driver to ensure the vehicle is registered.

I've been down this road a few years ago. same deal, friend's car which he forgot to pay rego on. he refused to come to the party and even pay half.... we're not mates any more because of it
Mind you, we swapped cars for a few weeks just for something different - whereas it sounds like your family friend was doing someone a favour letting them drive his car?

[squala]

You're right, Adam, it does suck. We were wanting to get some leniency or reduction in the amount of the fine, citing the owner's medical depression and the fact that the car is fairly new, meaning that not paying rego was unintentional.

[chris]

I think you may be able to get free legal advise on this matter, worth a try.

[XXVENUMXX]

Im sorry but i perfectly agree with dire drivers negligence end of story its like the old saying goes "dont assume as it makes an ass out of you not me"
i do have to agree though 700+ of a fine is abit steep but in the eyes of the law having such steep fines is there way of preventing things like that from repeating itself.
Just think about it if your caught speeding by a multanova in someone elses car then that fine get sent to the owners address theyre going to pass it on to you simple as that because YOU committed the offence NOT the owner.

In my honest opinion the court room would'nt see pity on it as they have things out there so you are able to check these things within the confines of your own home it will be palmed off as "well these things are readily available for you to access if you dont know about them too bad" which unfortunatley is harsh but it is what it is.

I wish when i got stung for speeding 3 times in one weekend that i couldve palmed it off to i had a bad day at work and i just wanted to get home but yeah good luck on trying to make that stand up in court.

theres no sense in getting upset with those who are speaking the truth cause thats all it is, the truth and sometimes the truth hurts.

anyways end of rant

[squala]

I read somewhere that you only account for one of the fines if you're caught more than once in one day. I'm not sure how Perth works, but here, you can appeal to have the other fines dropped and just pay for one.

But you're right with the rest, Brandon. The truth hurts, but there's no need to rub salt on an open wound. We're not trying to go unscathed, just a bit of consideration given the circumstances, that is, the owner suffering from depression, car not being beat-up and deliberately avoiding rego fees, stuff like that. Maybe there's a way that the fine can be reduced, I'm not sure.

[XXVENUMXX]

has the friend been diagnosed with depression by an authorised specialist??
if so then that should help quite a bit