Done for out of Rego. Reminder Came When Overseas

Hey all,

My brothers a tradie and was overseas a few weeks. Had a bit going on and his rego expired when he was away. Reminder would have sat in a pile of mail. Went back to work and got pulled over and hit with a stupid sized fine.

Has anyone successfully had these downgraded because it is very easy to get done now. The situation just seems pretty rough when it's pretty obvious that the vehicle is roadworthy.

Thoughts?

Comments

  • +115

    Not getting the reminder isn't an excuse, you still have to register your vehicle whether or not you get a reminder. It should be in your phone calendar so you don't forget. I believe there has been a thread on a similar topic in the recent past.

    • +1

      I believe there has been a thread on a similar topic in the recent past.

      For most people, e.g. OP and the "brother". Information that increases knowledge but does not increase personal awareness or skills will not be productive in inciting behavioral change.

    • +2

      It should be in your phone calendar so you don't forget.

      And don't be a fool (like me!) and put the actual date of the renewal in, with 1 day notification. Ouch.

      Not nice having to park your car for 2 weeks while doing repairs.

  • +7

    So he got it and therefore he is SOL.

    • +16

      Even if he hadn't received it, it's the driver's responsibility to ensure they drive a registered and roadworthy vehicle.

      • OP said "Reminder would have sat in a pile of mail.', so we can only assume OP got it and was too lazy to even check.

      • Yep. They come via email in Qld now (probably most other states too), so you don't even have the piece of paper to stick on the fridge to remind you. Put it in your phone.

        • -1

          Put it in your phone.

          It's already in your phone:

          They come via email

    • liquidate ur sol

  • +29

    They’ll tell him he should have signed up for the emails

    • +1

      Yeah I get the emails and the post. In VIC.

      • I only get emails in vic.
        No mail anymore, didn't opt out that im aware of

        • Hmm, maybe only some things, the last post reminder I got was for drivers license not rego.

      • I pay for my rego on both cars in 3 months payments. I got a renewal today with a due date of 31/12. But both cars get the email renewal on 1 of my email addresses

      • Supposedly the revenue from unregistered car fines has dramatically increased?

        I had a cop confirm this to me as I was pulled over being unregistered myself. He said since the sticker labels had gone, more and more people are getting caught out.

        As for the nanny police in this thread talking so high and mighty like they do no wrong…sh#t happens.

        • +3

          He said since the sticker labels had gone, more and more people are getting caught out.

          Don’t forget it’s also an automated system for the cops to find unregistered cars now. They don’t even have to search for them, the computer just beeps. I’d argue more people getting caught out is more likely due to the camera system than the stickers.

          • @Euphemistic:

            I’d argue more people getting caught out is more likely due to the camera system than the stickers.

            You are correct, but the what I'm getting at is, because people don't get that label in the mail and that physical reminder on their windscreen anymore, is causing people to unintentionally forget about it.

            • @pufffdragon: We’re still learning how to cope with all this online automated reminder stuff. People seem to need more than a calendar entry to remember stuff.

    • Wow, I didn't even know this was possible. Thanks man, just signed up for e-notice.

    • +30

      The stickers have been gone for years. Has he had an infringement every 6/12 months since? No? Well stop using it an excuse because it isn’t.

      • +4

        There has been a significant increase in revenue since they got rid of the stickers.

        • Got any source for that?
          And when you say 'revenue', it would really have to be 'revenue from infringement notices' to be correct in what OP is saying.

          • +3

            @Sleeqb7: https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/sa-government-making-m…

            SA govt claims their own revenue increased by huge amount by scrapping the stickers, and it's stayed higher since then. Similar publications for other states with a Google search.

            • +1

              @Assburg: Good to know.

              However it does also point something else out - The change happened 11 years ago.
              If someone has had 11 years to adjust to a change as simple as "Remembering when your rego is due", then it's really hard to have any sympathy for them.

              • +2

                @Sleeqb7: I mean, the government acknowledge more people forget without the sticker than with…

                If it's a genuine safety issue and the govt is worried about people not being insured (such that it's one of the most expensive traffic fines going), you'd thing they'd use this "one surprising trick that halves the rate of offences (you won't believe how simple it is)"

                That said, I also have no sympathy for someone who has been back from a holiday for 2 weeks.

              • +3

                @Sleeqb7: There's nothing stopping you from putting a piece of tape on your windscreen with the rego date written on it. There's also nothing stopping you from putting it in your phone.

            • +2

              @Assburg: Is that because they scrapped the stickers or because they started monitoring for unregistered cars with traffic cameras?

              • +1

                @freefall101: It is ambiguous, but, growing up I remember pretty consistently my parents like, always seeing the sticker and saying things like "oh that's almost due"

                Think of how often you've driven with one of those mechanic stickers saying "next service at 22456km or 22/4/23"…it's just human nature to read things that are in your peripheral vision

                • @Assburg: Good point, same reason I put notes on the fridge to remember stuff, if you keep seeing it then it helps. But at the same time, the number of people driving unregistered continued to rise and is up over 4,500 a month in 2018 (I couldn't find any more recent numbers). Not sure if people are getting dumber or drivers are that common, but I have plenty of bills in my life that I just pay when I get the reminder (house insurance, for example)

                  I can see where the govt came from, spend less money on stickers, make more money on fines, it's win win!

      • It would be nice to get a sticker with your rego papers with a simple sticker with an expiry date. Non binding but simply a one liner. Exp. Day/month/year

    • +15

      Make your own sticker if you can't remember to pay it.

      • Just don't use an inkjet as it will fade out in the sun before the year is up…

        • Laminate the printed page. Should last longer in the sun!

          • @DoctorCalculon: Just use marker pen write it on windscreen

            • @dcep: UV will kill all, laminate or not. Film in front would need to be UV blocking, not to mention, UV stable.

      • +1

        My mechanic's service sticker has a rego date spot on it

      • I'm sure I remember seeing someone was actually making a business of printing rego stickers out for people… (my 5 seconds web-searching (unsurprisingly) didn't turn up anything…)

    • +5

      Just got to get the priorities right. I can’t remember kids birthdays, but can remember when rego is due.

      • +3

        Umm, cause kids will remind you of their birthdays constantly.

    • +2

      Sticker was there so cops can check it, as if you check the sticker every time you get into the car lol

      • +1

        Highway patrol friend used to love the stickers. Could spot an unregistered car 100m away (in Vic the colour changed every 12 months). Now a camera and computer performs that task on his behalf.

        • Means they can concentrate on other infringements and react to the camera system when it beeps.

    • Yeah I struggled with the no sticker but then ultimately missing the mail. Ended up selling off my car as it wasn't worth the roadworthy I'd have to had gotten. So disappointed in myself but were not all 100% switched on all the time with everything. Sidenote i went from shorter regos to longer and didn't login when paid on vicroads so no option of email reminder being sent.

    • Just set a reminder in your phone in the future or pay bills as soon as they come in. I guess now you know how seriously they take it. For sure it’s annoying but managing this stuff is a life skill.

    • +2

      How would have the stickers helped in this case? The stickers would have still arrived in the mail which he still would have ignored in the big pile. Maybe, just maybe he would have noticed that the old sticker on the far side of the car had an old date, but I'm betting not.

      Email FTW and adding a calendar entry in your phone 2-4 weeks out.

    • +2

      Lol. No mate. It’s just you
      Stop posting stupid threads

  • +36

    If he was driving an unregistered car, then there’s no valid ctp insurance- if he or someone else was hurt in an accident, the tac wouldn’t pay the medical/hospital/rehab bills. It was an honest mistake by your brother, but the impact could have been devastating

    I can almost guarantee it won’t be downgraded

    • +2

      Only becomes uninsured after a month from date of expiry.

      • +3

        In every state? Either way, I don’t think we should be reinforcing the idea that any amount of unregistered driving is ok

        • In qld at least. I didn’t comment on the merit of driving unregistered, I merely corrected your factually incorrect post.

          • +3

            @Downvoter: Apologies - I must have misread your intentions a little. And you’re right, I didn’t realise that in one or more states there was leeway on the ctp coverage.

            If you intend to fact check someone then you need to be specific and correct - maybe even include a reference link

            Only becomes uninsured after a month from date of expiry.

            Does not equal

            In qld at least.

            • -3

              @barge-in hunter: I don’t have the energy to reply to every pedant.

              • +3

                @Downvoter: Good chat.

                • @barge-in hunter: agree with you 100% mate
                  dont bother with em. if you have to explain it they wont get it

                  • @ChatCPT: If they find the expectation that if you post information it should be accurate so onerous, maybe they should take your advice a bit more literally and not bother posting it at all…

    • Sad we actually have to explain this shtt
      Scary the number of mentally disabled out there driving around :$

    • TAC is no fault, so pays for any situation, no rego, no license, drunk driving, high on ice etc etc.

  • +4

    I know of a fella who got a fine for unregistered vehicle, similar scenario in that he missed the reminder, he sent them a letter and ultimately got the fine over turned apparently due to him have a clean driving record and no priors. This was about five years ago, I think it's pretty un-common to get out of it. Pay the fine and move on imo. Lucky nothing worse happened.

    • Was he a food delivery driver? 😉

      • This was before all those hooligans on the road!

        • +3

          So before cars were invented?

          • +1

            @ESEMCE: I'm sure they would've had certain horses with an attitude back then too!

  • +11

    Well, if he can afford to go overseas, he can afford to pay this fine.
    Sorry Shane034. Just tell your brother to set a reminder in his phone for the next instalment.

    • +14

      You mean. Shane034 to set a reminder in his phone for the next instalment.

    • +2

      In this day and age why isn't it tied to his email? I get email reminders

    • +1

      Tell him to work on the muscle between his ears

  • +4

    Last time i checked you have something like 3 months to pay (but you can't drive.)
    Sometimes when you take on the privilege of owning a car you have to take on certain responsibilities, this being one of them. Unfortunately the DoT isn't there to hold your hand the whole time.

    TBH they're SOOL.
    Pay the fine
    Move on.

    • -2

      Eh most jobs require a license and any hope at living a decent life requires a normal person to get a decent job.

      "This is a privilege" argument is sort of suggesting that doing anything more than the bare minimum is a privilege rather than a right. But, healthy food is expensive, living near your social connections is generally expensive, being hygeinic and healthy doesn't come cheap either.

      Getting a license for many is….a necessity. We wish we didn't have to drive, and that our cities were planned better and our public infrastructure was properly funded, but it's not the case, and it won't change in our lifetime.

      • +4

        Lets not forget this is a car rego and not a license
        And if he hit someone that person wouldnt be covered by cpt which would cost the op even more and possibly bankrupt them. So yes
        This is a privelege
        Play stupid games
        Win stupid prizes
        The op can always get a job that doesn't require a car

      • I would love to see your source for the claim that "most jobs require a license".

        Public transport in most major towns and cities is also perfectly adequate (generally not amazing I agree, but functional).

        • +1

          I wouldn't hire someone without one as it's generally only weirdos without one…same for literally every other professional industry person I know. Maybe an exception would be for a software/IT role because it's acceptable to be a weirdo in an almost entirely internal role.

          Anything blue collar, unless you're an apprentice on your Ls. Otherwise you absolutely need to be able to drive, lest you be ridiculed out of your job.

          Food service/retail is more akin to slavery than work, but they'll very much prefer you to have a license so they can call you into a shift on short notice or to another store location without worrying about how long it'll take.

          It's like asking me for a source on saying most jobs require a year 10 education… Driving is just as, if not more important, than basic literacy and numeracy in this country.

  • +16

    Somehow millions of people remember to pay their rego so the system must work.

    My brothers a tradie

    What does your brothers profession have to do with it? Going to get even less sympathy for a tradie who was getting drunk in Bali every day for a fortnight.

    On the other hand…

    My brother was overseas for 6 months curing food shortage problems in western Somalia and forgot to pay his rego on return to Australia….Poor dude. Start a go fund me and I'll give him a fiver.

  • +15

    Well, well, well, if it isn't the consequences of my own actions..

  • +9

    Go watch a few episodes of Highway Patrol. The officers seem to quite often fine unregistered vehicles. The drivers' excuses are typically, 'I was going to', 'I never got the letter', 'I was on my way to VicRoads right now'… The reason to watch is the officers' responses which would possibly provide you clarity on where this objection will go.

    The on-going vehicle registration is not to do with the cars road-worthiness - so it doesn't matter if your brother's car is a brand new Toyota Hilux.

    • +1

      Heck, I've been watching Judge Judy re-runs and the number of at-fault drivers that "just happened" to get into a massive accident when their insurance policy had "just lapsed the other week" is a running gag there, too. Impatience for unregistered drivers appears to be a worldwide constant.

  • +29

    Aww poor Hilux-owning tradie going overseas enjoying life comes back to a fine because they didn't set a reminder or realise when their rego is expired.

    I will cry tears for him as I fall asleep tonight.

      • Stop using up all my negs!
        Ozbargain give me more negs limit!
        Just goes to show how stupid your comments are if so many people use up their limited negs on you!

  • +4

    Rego is not something you can shop around for a better price on so just set up a direct debit

    • +3

      Won’t work in NSW. You need to get CTP and possibly and inspection separately first.

      • -1

        … and why would anyone willingly store their PII and bank details on a permanently compromised computer system accessed by thousands of different ppl every day, or even suggest it…

      • My understanding is NSW has really strict laws with vehicles, that's why a few years ago you could repair a write off in Victoria that came from NSW
        It was at least a decade if not more !

      • +1

        It’s definitely one thing I don’t miss about living in NSW. TBH annual seems like too often to me for the inspection. The majority of accidents aren’t caused by poorly maintained cars, more so speeding, in attention etc.

        • I prefer that they do annual inspections. At the very least it means there are likely to be more working lights and decent tyres on the roads.

          • @Euphemistic: I can see both perspectives. I just look after my tyres and lights etc regardless (partially because I value my own life). I’ve certainly appreciated one less thing to do since moving to QLD.

  • +2

    tell him the money helps pay for hospitals and schools.

  • +1

    There has been a spate of increased vehicle reg fines since they got rid of the stickers which reminded people,

    mind you people are still going to forget,

    • -4

      It's true. A Sydney Uni professor got done and went on a fact finding mission and found revenue soared after ditching the stickers. But it is what it is and we need to be attentive to such things.

    • Was also thinking this would be the case. Probably a good idea to make up your own sticker with the expiry date and stick it below your oil change reminder sticker.

  • +4

    Ignorance is not a legal defence. Getting fined for a lapse in your awareness sucks but think of it as a lesson to set a reminder in your calendar for the next renewal.

  • +2

    $30k Hilux?? So it's a late 90's model?? And if it is like most tradie vehicles, lucky you didn't get slammed with unroadworthy with all that shit hanging off it, the 10 driving lights, bull bar most truck drivers would envy and 15" wide mud-digger tyres well outside the wheel arches.

    What are we talking here, a day, week, month or 6 months out of rego??

    • +2

      2 weeks out.

      • +15

        Tell your 'brother' that it shouldn't take him two weeks to sort through three weeks worth of mail.

        • +1

          Hahaha

        • +1

          Yeah. Especially when mail these days is hardly anything with the amount of places changing to email for bills and such

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