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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!bellcore!decvax!ucbvax!ucbcad!kevin
From: kevin@ucbcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Drivers TO: tektronix!tekig5!david
Message-ID: <217@ucbcad.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 3-May-85 01:50:15 EDT
Article-I.D.: ucbcad.217
Posted: Fri May  3 01:50:15 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 5-May-85 02:57:31 EDT
References: <133@pyuxh.UUCP>
Organization: UC Berkeley CAD Group, Berkeley, CA
Lines: 37

> I knew that they couldn't be bothered, they never will.  I have tried to
> report reckless drivers before and all the cops want to know is if you
> can identify the driver.  What the hell are license plates for, to let
> everyone know what state your from?
> 
One reason why the police like to know if you can identify the driver
is because the vehicle COULD have been stolen, and not yet reported
(there are many reasons why), and the driver could claim he wasn't in
the vehicle.  Your word against his, and you probably know how that
works out.  I once chased after a car full of Black folks that I saw
coming up on me real fast, almost hit me passing in front of me, then
hit a poor VW rabbit that was in the lane next to me, which then almost
hit me on the rebound off the center divide (they seemed to recover ok).
Well, pissed off, I zoom after them (my car a Honda accord, theirs a
lincoln probably with a V8) and since they're not expecting anyone to
be chasing them, I get close enough to get their plate.  Well I think they
noticed me and took off, I tried to follow, just to see where they were
headed, and they quickly took an offramp and I got boxed in by being
in the wrong lane.  Anyway, I call the CHP and tell them the scoop, and
they ask me if I think I could Identify the driver.  No, I don't think
so.  Well I then asked what's going to happen; local police get notified,
but the car was probably stolen (out of state plate) and I can't 
identify the driver, so not much else is likely to happen, in the CHP's
words, low priority since the occupants of the car hit were not injured.
Oh well.

> To make a long story short, the cops, DMV or anyone else with access to
> the driver-address files will not give you an address.  A friend on the
> inside will.  Then you get them!
> 

As far as I know, in California you can get the name and address 
associated with any license plate, but it cost about $15 AND the
person you're looking up is given your name and address as well.
(This happened to a friend of mine about 3 years ago).

Kevin