Published: April 05, 2008 09:56 am            

The costs of driving not open for negotiation

As a recently transplanted Okie, I’m having to get used to the many differences between the states of Texas and Oklahoma. The systems of local government are very different, and the tax structure is radically different at every level of government.

One difference I’ve found is worth mentioning, because Texas does it right. The state requires all motor vehicles to be inspected. The powers that be in Oklahoma dropped that requirement a few years back. Bad move.

I recently was ticketed for an expired inspection sticker on a company vehicle. I paid it without complaint, given the fact it was six months past due. To my defense, I’m not used to looking at the windshield for anything resembling an inspection sticker. The state trooper understood, he said, then wrote me a ticket.

As much as I hated to write the check, I’m glad the trooper is paying attention. It seems prudent to bring your vehicle in once a year, or every two years, to have it looked over for safety violations. We’re talking about working lights and blinkers, tires with tread on them, exhaust systems that don’t pollute too much ... that sort of thing.

The state of Oklahoma did away with them because gas station owners complained they didn’t make any money. It cost $5 a year at the time. I shelled out $25 in Weatherford last month. Rather than up the price, Oklahoma just did away with it.

A word of advice: Be careful when you drive north of the river these days. There are pieces of junk on the roads up there that are anything but safe.

Driving is not a divine right. It’s an earned privilege. We inherently must be responsible people to drive on public roadways in any state. I read last week where some advocacy group was planning to sue a North Texas city over its crackdown on uninsured drivers.

Like inspection stickers, liability insurance is an inherent cost of driving. Get it, or don’t drive. Get caught, and you should automatically lose possession of the vehicle you’re driving. If you’re stupid enough to loan your car to someone who doesn’t have insurance, that’s your problem.

Texas recently raised its liability coverage rates 4 to 6 percent, mainly to cover the increased cost of medical bills and damage to more costly vehicles. It was the first rate hike in 22 years. Now we’re hearing from every “advocacy” group in the state about how it’s an undue burden on the poor and disenfranchised (read: illegal immigrant).

That may be the case, but there’s no wiggle room here. Buy liability insurance or don’t drive. Anyone caught without it should lose his or her license and vehicle on the spot.

It has very little to do with being poor, disenfranchised or having upside down priorities. I applaud any city that takes a hard-line stance on this issue. The lack of liability insurance is a major crime and should be treated as such.

As for inspections, all I can say is I won’t let mine lapse again. At least not for six months.

        

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