It was one of those hard hitting snowstorms that Missouri is no stranger to. From experience, I knew that it was not a morning for elective travel, however; Sharon had a routine procedure scheduled and you don’t miss these things less you are prepared for a long wait to be rescheduled. We hit the road and began the trek to the clinic via US-65, which was bumper to bumper, with the road mostly snow and slush covered. I am a proponent of adequate following distances and noted the profusion of brake lights ahead, indicating an event. I slowed down, the jackass behind me did not and punched the back of our car. The conditions contributed to this event, but having his head in rectal seclusion was the primary problem. Now the fun begins.
After checking on him and his 19 YOA “baby momma” (his description), I quickly ascertained the following. He was a 20 year old man, driving a 2019 Nissan Armada, bearing no license plates, and looking like it was a survivor of Hiroshima. It was an “auction car”, still moving but clearly not far from the crusher. He had an operators license, and for this report, we’ll call him Nick. Nick and his baby momma (pregnant) were actually living in the Armada. Nick had a title that was out of assignments, given to him when he purchased the car in July. His chariot was not insured, no sales tax was paid, and he had no address. I explained to him who I was and he was cooperative with a “what me worry” attitude. I thought it best to summon an officer, as Nick needed to be arrested for one of the myriad of violations that he was responsible for.
As you might guess, no officers were available from the Springfield Police or the Highway Patrol, but when free, a Springfield officer would come. We waited an hour, long enough, so I worked the accident myself and walked the report into the Springfield Police Department. I explained to Nick that had I been an officer, I would have sacked him up for a couple of his litany of charges, including a less colorful version of D.W.H.I.A.
It will be a miracle if Nick is ever found, or suffer the consequences for his actions. Here we have a man who was driving while unconscious, in a car that bore no semblance to legality with no abode. The Missouri Automobile Association is powerful. They have managed to contribute enough money to the politicians running this state to stave off point of sale sales tax collection, which leads to no titling or registration. The ridiculous excuse offered by the department of revenue that it takes years to develop a data base to begin this obviously needed consideration is unadulterated bullshit. Dealers don’t want to collect sales tax as it constitutes extra work and extra money, thus reducing sales. It does not take years to develop this system…….
It was a weather event, and one would expect delays in getting to accident scenes by responding officers. That being said, I worked in these conditions, and it was rare that some police authority did not respond to a crash. Enough said about that consideration, however a citation or two would at least tease Nick into court.
The ultimate assault on our sensibilities is insurance. This jackass hits me and I get to pay the deductible through my insurance, even with our having uninsured coverage. Our system is broken and provides absolutely no incentive for Nick to do anything other than buy a junker and drive it off with little fear of penalty, with a minimal or no financial outlay.
We contacted a dear friend, who came to the scene and picked up Sharon and she made it to her appointment on time. I worked the wreck and filed a claim and made an appointment for a bid on Miss Sharon’s X-3. In keeping with the Mamdani school of socialism, don’t worry, be happy, I’ll pay for your illegality out of my pocket.
Watch the weather, carry plenty of insurance, and enjoy the disfunctional system we live in. Great isn’t it!
SR
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