Lippard.Multics 1986-11-12 16:06:54 mst Wed Subject: Falling into the cracks Date: Wednesday, 12 November 1986 02:14 mst From: Paul Dickson To: {mbx >udd>m>jjl>misc>misc} yet another entry: From RISKS-FORUM Digest, Monday, 10 November 1986 Volume 4 : Issue 9 ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 9 Nov 86 15:57 EDT From: Subject: They almost got me! [A motor-vehicle database saga] To: risks@csl.sri.com I scored big on some DEC call options recently. I used the proceeds to purchase an expensive 87 turbo mazda RX-7. After driving it for a month I realized my driver's license had been expired for a year. Kentucky sends you a post card when it is time to renew. I simply assumed that mine got lost somehow and went downtown to renew. They took my license and told me it was suspended in February of 85! Arg! Since my license was suspended I did not get a renewal notice. The clerk was very helpful and gave me a phone number to call. I called the number and the gentleman on the other end told me that because my license was issued under an older system, it would be awhile before he could retrieve my record and tell me why the suspension occurred. The State was switching over to a social security number based system, and evidently the old system existed only in hard copy form. He then said, "By the way, may I have your social security number? Please call us back after lunch and we should have some information for you." I called back and found out that a speeding ticket obtained in February of 85 had pushed me to the limit of "points" and that the state had sent me a notice to appear at court to plead my case. If I had shown up, the judge would have given me "traffic school" and I would have kept my license. I never received any notice. I didn't show up in court so they suspended my license for 6 months in retaliation. I asked the clerk on the phone to tell me where they sent the notice. He said "6103 glimmer way apartment 4". After finding out what the procedure for getting my license back was I thanked the clerk for his assistance. (Plot thickens here) In 1981 I lived at 8103 glimmer way apartment 4. In 1982 I moved from there, and sent the state a letter informing them of my change in address. I did not include my social security number. Since the state was converting from an older system to the new SSN based system the address change did not get made. Evidently, they just re-entered all the data from the old system to the new system and mis-keyed my address. State law states that my obligation was to inform them of a change in address. So, bottom line, I was driving from March 85 to November 86 with a suspended driver's license. I continued to pay auto insurance. I rented cars during several business trips (I consult on the side). I get another(!) speeding ticket on the interstate. The officer called in to "run" my license, but since it was "old-system" they didn't give him the info that I was suspended. I drove off, paid the fine, never heard anything. My car was towed twice for being parked improperly, I paid the fines, showed my license, got the car back twice. Here is the real kicker. My insurance company states clearly that they are not liable if I have an accident without a valid driver's license. The loan on the unfunded portion of my sleek black RX-7 states that if I don't maintain insurance I can be sued for the loan. What if....I had gotten in my RX-7 and wiped out some people and the car? I'd have been found to be in violation of the law, been denied insurance coverage, lost the funds I put in to the car, and still been liable for the remaining portion of the loan I took out!!!! Well I have my license back now, smiling in my RX-7 (insured). I feel VERY lucky that nothing happened to me. The total cost for me to get out of this one was $38! It makes me wonder if there others are in the same boat (massive personal liability indirectly induced by a change from one computer record system to another). I just fell through the cracks and didn't even know it. Mark Hittinger/systems programmer iv/ocis south center University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky 40292 sysmsh%ulkyvx.bitnet@wiscvm.wisc.edu