California DMV and Highway patrol both have a hotline so you can turn in your neighbors with out of state plates.
As a guy from Pennsylvania, I have to first ask how did things get so twisted in California that they are garnishing your wages over a car registration! In all due respect, probably 90 percent of the people reading this thread can't even comprehend what you are talking about. I guess I didn't make anything better by posting this comment, but reading this thread is like something from another planet/country. My apologies if I offended anyone Flatblackdave
Flatblackdave and the rest of the members, in my experience as a native Californian, I have found that the incredible liberal attitude here seems to be mostly from people that move to California and especially east coast transplants. So Dave, to answer your question, California seems to have been royally fucked up by those people that moved here with entirely different attitudes than those of us that were born here. I also live in one of the worst cities in this state in terms of entitlement, progressive attitude and government intrusion and that is what I have seen. I want to be clear though, I don't write this to offend any of you from the other parts of this great country. My experience is that HAMBers seem to be really good, sensible, down to earth kind of people. I'd gladly live next door to any of you...you couldn't be any worse than my current neighbors.
Yes - I worded it poorly. Meant to say that you learned not to be a rat. No one would call a tip line or tattle on anyone. Now that we have become a society of punk-ass cowards, though, it has changed as cowards can hide behind their sense of outrage. If you don't have the intestinal fortitude to confront someone to their face, then you should keep your trap shut.
Best to do every thing these days here strait arrow / by the book .they are desperate for cash (having wasted it all) and are takin it out on there employer ( the tax payer)
It's time to start looking at the obit section of that old newspaper to see who you sold that car to.... Liability in an auto accident can easily hit 100,000 for "specialists" in hospital care. Then then the lawyer wants more than you make in one year in one case
A buddy of mine had an '87 T-Bird, and sold it to Jose Nogreen- I ragged him until he sent in the release- he's a bit bullheaded about stuff like that. 6 months later he gets a letter from DMV, asking if he knows the whereabouts of Jose, as the Bird was found wrapped around a pole, with blood on the steering wheel. They confirmed that he was not liable or involved, as he had properly filled out and submitted the Release of Liability as required. I'm betting 'ol Jose was in TJ nursing a headache by then
Watch out for that. For the first time in 20 years, I sold something without also doing a bill of sale in addition to the title (it was a 93 2500 suburban) to a real shitbag in Springfield (this was november-ish) - who decided to leave it on the street there without plates for 4 weeks before putting it in his name. I got mailed the ticket for $60. Ignored it. Next week was one for $70 and a copy of the arrest warrant. I paid it, considered it a stupidity tax on myself, and made a mental note to never let it happen again. I'd thought of taking it out of the guy's ass, but I did some checking - he's got plenty of felonies and it wont be worth the hassle.
I sold my 67 Nova 2 door sedan to a co-worker--- filled out the release of liability---6 months later I get served papers from his mother's lawyers ---I 'm being sued for property damage to her home---turns out one cold Bakersfield morning he pours gas down the carb to start the old sixer up--- when the gas vapors reach the water heater in the garage--igniting he throws the flaming can of gas damn near burning the garage down and the front of the Nova !!! Keep in mind some dumb fuck wanted garages connected to the house ----well anyway I contacted the DMV and they had no record of the "release of liability"---well guess what --I had a copy and it was signed by a Notary !!!! Yes FUUUUUCKKKK THE DDDDDMMMMMMMVVVVVVV
We got plenty of nutjobs with guns here. Fotunately they tend to shoot their friends, relatives and the innocent bystanders. I try not to be any of those. What I love about California is when the temp. drops under 60 we get to bitch and whine about the freezing cold. And after two days if it hasn't warmed back up to above 80 we get to bitch and whine some more about when will this freezing temp. ever end. As far as the DMV goes, I've never had a problem. About ten years ago I bought a bike with no paperwork. The guy I bought it from didn't actually own the bike. He took it for money owed him. I went to the DMV. They told me go to the Highway Patrol and get the numbers run. Go to the Highway patrol, numbers run and found to be clean. Go back to the DMV, pay them $38 and walk out with tags and a new plate. Its a bit like this forum. Post a photo and a write up of your turboed Honda Accord and you find you getting a faceful of shit from the forum member and your post deleted. Go to the DMV with your paperwork screwed up and you get the same thing. Its their ballpark and ball. Play by their rules and its a breeze. Oh yeah. I was out working on my sidecar in the garage tonight. Shorts and a T shirt. Another reason I ain't going anywhere in a hurry. Its a California thing.
I'm beginning to think that CA's online release of liability form just doesn't work. I've sent in releases for two cars online, and I still get notices in the mail for both of them. One of them was sold about three years ago and is a track-only car now as far as I know, so it'll likely never be registered again. Hope that doesn't throw a wrench in things since I've long since lost the guy's contact info.
Yeah, the DMV sucks, but have to say letting them know you sold a car is actually mostly for your own benefit, both directly financially for fees as well as liability for whatever the next jackasses might try to pull with a car. So you guys can get on here and say F the DMV, F CA, I don't take no liberal BS, less gov. not more and all that. Or you can just do the right thing and let them know when you sell something so they don't keep charging you and thinking you are liable for it. It's pretty damn easy really and doesn't even cost anything and you don't even have to go there - do it on line or just mail it in. I had an experience once when I sold a car and I could just tell the buyer was not the following the law type. Sold it Sat. am and was on a bus to the nearest DMV 1/2 hour later with the transferred title info. in hand. Good thing. Tickets started racking up the next day and I was getting them in the mail left and right. I checked on it and they said as long as I put in the paperwork, don't worry about it. Took a while for it to hit the database, but once it did problem solved. About 9 mos later I get another notice in the mail that the car has been impound (pretty decent OT '67 muscle type car) because it had a bunch of tickets and got booted. They said they knew I was no longer the actual owner, but that I was the last known owner. They offered me the car back if I wanted to pay off the tickets which was less than half what I sold it for. I don't recall they even wanted any towing or storage fees. Said it would get sent to the scrap if I didn't want it. I kind of felt bad as it was kind of rare car and was in pretty decent shape when I sold it to him. My guess is they maybe auctioned it off instead. But anyway, I thought about it but then considered the guy knew where I lived and would maybe see the car out on the street and probably just steal it back if he wanted and I'd be out the car and money again before too long. Long story short, I was very glad I got my ass down there that day. Highly recommend it despite what others might think about f-ing the gov. and all that.
Being born and raised here in Southern California, I've had my share with DMV. If anything, this thread has made me more aware than ever to be diligent with any and all paperwork concerning my vehicles. I'll also echo a response on a AAA membership. Its well money spent, even for not having to deal with DMV employees but regular people, and no bulletproof glass....
I traded a tans am for a chevy truck in CA. The guy hit some kid and killed him in a hit and run with the car 6 months after the trade. The PD came to my door looking for me and my parents house. They told them I was working in Pismo Beach and ran me down with 5 cars in Pismo Beach when I was driving for work. I only got out of it because I had the paper work for the truck discribing the trade. I had turned in the paper work on the car when I did the trade for the release of liability. BUT it didnt go through or was lost and the guy who got my car didnt reg it. I would have been in prison if it wasnt for the fact I had traded the car for a truck.
Lance Speed "yeah, I recieved a certifeid letter 2 days ago stating it will come out of this weeks check. Hows that for a heads up? I work in "beautiful" Compton so I went to the Compton DMV (take your worst DMV experience and times it by 10) And they pretty much told me it was already in collections and I need to right it off as a learning experience. And that was after being the only white guy there and after 2 hours of waiting. Once again FUCK the CA DMV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE] I was right there with you-until you played the race card. What's with that shit? Now, I think you're just some punk who could have avoided all this by following directions and now is in a bureaucratic pickle but wants to blame everyone else. If you already know the California DMV is difficult to deal with, get and keep receipts for everything, send in stuff certified mail with return receipts requested and follow the rules.
Very interesting how often this form gets lost. I have never had a gov't paper that says I owe money get lost.....
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