I no longer own a car!!!!! Yippee!
Here's how it happened:
Phase 1: Prior to rego renewal time, I attempted 'ownership transferal' to my husband. Incomprehensibly, this was impossible to do online so we sent the papers to the processing depot in Parkes. There the papers seemed to disappear into a bureaucratic ether, perhaps as a result of this particular bureaucracy not knowing whether it's the Roads & Traffic Authority or the Roads & Maritime Services: who knows? - it certainly doesn't.
After a long silence from their end, a follow up phone call from us to them revealed that as a debtor to the state I could not transfer ownership - though I could sell it. But by now the rego renewal date had passed; the car was unregistered
Phase 2: Then just before Easter, my husband received a threatening letter from the RTA with a fine because he had not followed correct 'ownership transferal' procedure and had omitted to do whatever he was supposed to do with regards to actually receiving ownership!!!!
Phase 3: Ensuing phone call from me to RTA to sort out 'snowballing' muddle now revealed that I could renew my rego after all. Off I trotted to the Office of the Muswellbrook RTA to wait patiently with all the other suckers controlled by Big Oil
Phase 4: By way of statutory declaration, I was required to inform the RTA that my car was still in my possession and had not been transferred to my husband (don't ask me why I had to do this when the RTA had already told us that such an action was impossible because of me being a state debtor - sigh) - but anyhoo, all that aside, most excitingly, we got it registered!!!
Phase 5: Trying to quell palpable excitement at the immanency of my 'never-having-to-go-back-to-the-RTA', I filled out the Notice of Disposal on back of the rego form and sold my car to the young gentleman below (baby no.3, the first of my babies to own a car)
...what a process!
BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS?:
$$$ I will never have to go to an RTA again for any purpose whatsoever!!!
$$$ I will never have to have my photograph taken to renew a licence again!!!
$$$ I will never have my licence removed from me again!!!
$$$ I will never have to go through the angst when (if) I reach the age of 85 years of potentially failing my elderly person driver's test
$$$ I will never have to buy a car again
$$$ I will never have to insure a car again
$$$ I will never have to put petrol in a car again
I AM FREE - YAY!!!!!
Yay! Join the car-free club. I tossed mine many years ago and have never looked back - it opens up a whole new world of conversation in Auckland ... how is it possible? aren't people born requiring 4 wheels to get around?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jenny! - it's like having a special birthday!!!! - very exciting and so liberating!!
ReplyDeleteHi Sue . I had a Car for about two years way back in 1985. I had nothing but trouble over it and did not need it as I lived in the City. First off it was the time when Parking Meters was beginning to spread further out from the central core and they kept putting more in extra Streets. So I had to move the Car up the Hill in the morning before work before they came into use at 9am. Then I started bringing it to work about 1/2 miles away to escape the meters. Then I had a minor Accident and hit three cars at slow speed while turning a corner,my foot slipped on the Pedal and car lurched forward. After that some time later some Car crashed into it across from my House where it was parked overnight. They done a runner and towed their own car away. He was traced to a Hospital then eventually found at his Home. He was not Breathalized even though he had taken Alcohol,probably because of the time difference and he said he had taken a drink to steady his nerves after the event. He basically got away with it. I was paid the value of the car which was an old one,so nothing happened to him. No Ban or anything else. I got the car towed away and it was scrapped for parts. Have not had a car since then, no heavy Insurance or anything else to pay. I then had loads of money to do with as I pleased and not having to worry about where to park it,free free. That was 27 years ago and have not missed it one bit. I now live 6 KM in the Suburbs but I still dont need it,I Bike everywhere and if I need to walk into Town it is only an hour away on a slow walk.
ReplyDeleteWow!!!...what an amazing story - cars are definitely more hassle than they're worth - I'm certainly not missing mine one little bit!!
DeleteThis is great - I keep building myself up to being car free, but then shying away at the last minute. There are lots of reasons for this, but when they all get properly analysed, they're not reasons at all, but excuses.
ReplyDeleteI even worked out how much car ownership costs (and produced an MS Excel infographic for it - sorry, but I am that sort of geek), and your expressions of what it's like not to have a car all being prefixed with $$$ just about sums it up.
Do it, Karl!!!! - it's a fabulous release from tedious dealings with tedious bureaucrats - plus it's good for the planet and you!!!
ReplyDeleteDo it!!!