[Bmcu] Lovely Rita, Meter Maid ... (long story with a moral)

[Gary Lindstrom]

For Utah Vintage Vehicle license holders:

Sunday a week ago I was shuttling cars around my shop and briefly parked 
my TR3 on the street (Wilson Avenue in east central SLC).  To my 
surprise it was ticketed for an expired registration.  I say surprise 
because it has a valid registration through January 2014.

Then I realized the problem.  Back when I got its vintage plates such 
registrations did not expire, i.e., they were good for as long as you 
owned the car.

But about 5 or so years ago our State Legislature realized they were 
overlooking a revenue stream and instituted a yearly registration fee of 
$10 per car.  Fine, but when they sent out the stickers they sent the 
current year e.g., 2013, and a "1" for January, even though the 
registration record showed expiration at the end of January the 
following year, e.g. 1/31/14.

Upshot: after the first month of the year the plates look expired, and 
parking tickets can ensue.  I took the ticket to SLC city hall where the 
hearing officer was quite sympathetic and dismissed the ticket, saying 
"get this straightened out with the DMV!"

Which I did this morning. The DMV office on 300 West in SLC was quite 
cooperative, and gave me new registrations with 2014 stickers at no 
charge.  The "new registration" is important, since the DMV has a new 
computer system, and the agent said this should take care of the problem 
in subsequent years, e.g., next year's renewal should be granted with a 
2015 sticker.  Time will tell.

Moral: if you have "legacy" vintage plates, i.e. those originally issued 
with lifetime validity, and are paying the $10 fee for new stickers each 
year, make sure the month and year you have on your plates are 
consistent with your registration record.

If not, pay a friendly visit to your local DMV office and get it 
straightened out - or don't leave your car unattended in SLC!

At least Rita Meter Maid didn't nail me for No Front Plate - which is 
another Revenue Enhancement Ploy widely practiced in SLC.

     --Gary
p.s. I highly recommend going the the DMV when it opens at 8am.  I got 
almost immediate service.