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T police find new way to keep themselves busy
By adamg on Wed, 11/28/2007 - 10:20am
Barnz reports MBTA police conducted a sweep through the Hingham ferry parking lot yesterday - and had a tow company tow every single car with expired inspection stickers and registrations:
... As I do everyday on my way home I got off the commuter boat at Hingham today, walked to the parking lot, up the aisle I thought I'd left my car in... and then down another aisle... then up the previous for good measure... after 30min of this and some concern for my mental wellbeing I walked to the MBTA office and asked a question I never thought I'd have to ask. "Hello... have... uhm... any cars been towed or anything from the lot today?" ...
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Comments
It's tough for me to have
It's tough for me to have too much sympathy if the inspection stickers were expired. You have a month to get a new one and it's a pretty easy process. There are always people out of town for a month or something that can't get it done in time, but I doubt that was the case with anyone parking in this lot.
mass towing
That sucks! So much for encouraging public transportation...
Expired registration?
If you let your registration expire, there are no excuses. They even send you the renewal notice in plenty of time, and your insurance agent WILL give you hell if you let it lapse, because you go uninsured for that time as well.
But being towed for expired inspection stickers? That's truly lame. A fat ticket I get, but it isn't the same thing as an expired registration. Somebody's vaseline buddy towing outfit made some bucks off that one!
I certainly see your point
I certainly see your point but I look at it as if you let your inspection sticker expire, you voluntarily assume the risk that you can get pulled over for it, get a ticket, or even get towed. Just because the towing doesn't happen very often doesn't mean it's not out there.
Really? I had mine lap a few
Really?
I had mine lap a few years ago and didn't receive any mail or any word from my insurance.
It was just a case of my mind off somewhere else I guess, but there were no reminders (besides the big old 8 on the sticker).
How to Renew a Registration
About 2-3 months ahead, the RMV sends you a form notifying you that you are due to reregister.
If you have a computer to work with, you can renew it online. You will need your insurance info to type in too. They send out the new sticker and registration paper for your glovebox.
If you don't, you stop into an RMV and pay the tab. Bring your insurance info. I don't know if they give you the stickers right away or if you get them in the mail.
We only had a 1 year reg on our new minivan, and we renewed it in September for an October expiration. I then took it in for inspection in mid-October, managing the inspection, a trip to Home Depot for a flooring sample, and lunch in an hour lunch break.
The only reason I think this might not work is if you have outstanding parking tickets or something else. I think they send it too you all the same, just with the notation that you need to pay up to reregister. If you moved and didn't notify the registry, well, you aren't supposed to do that!
RMV
I think Swilry and Ruhh are speaking of different stickers. The RMV will send you a letter when your registration is due to expire.The inspection sticker is up to you.I generally dont feel bad for people who get towed for not playing by the rules.Everyone else has to pay so why not you? Ive been towed for expired registration after being pulled over, ticketed for retired inspection stickers and now I pay ontime.Grow up folks, pay your bills or dont bitch when the car is towed.
your insurance does not
your insurance does not cancel when your reg expires.
When your registration runs
When your registration runs out, you are no longer insured. When you pay the fine for driving without registration, you have to prove that you are insured to get back on the road. Been there, years ago.
two words
Revenue Generation
re: revenue generation
Bob, Revenue generation - exactly.
Let's just call it what it is and not pretend that this particular mass towing is for the good and safety of the public... please!
No need for long-winded detailed explanations of how to renew inspection stickers and/or registration. I'm sure the original poster can figure that out for himself.
All I want to know:
Did they have to break out the big black party bus in order to handle this task?
This is a scam being run by
This is a scam being run by some towing companies (NOT THE POLICE). Violation of inspection stickers is a citation not towing. The towing companies have no authority to police those laws and to steal your car for ransom. Besides that, if you go to the DMV web site you will see that it is not manditory to have the sticer displayed only recomened. The proof of inspection does however have to be in the vehicle IF YOU ARE OPERATING IT!!!