Trouble in 4KCSQ Land

[Tom Nas]

cobram at juno.com wrote:

>Transfers/sales/titles etc. procedures and norms are much better IMHO,
>here in the US than most countries I've traveled to.  Foreign license
>plates are usually attached to the vehicle for it's useful life, IF you
>don't check or pay to have the vehicle's background checked before
>buying, you as the new owner will be responsible for all previous
>tickets, taxes and fee's that may be due (sometimes many years worth),
>car can be confiscated by the State at any time till you settle up.  When
>selling, if you don't make sure that title is transferred, the buyer can
>drive around for years with the car in your name, with all violations
>etc. ending up on your record and ultimately being your responsibility.
>Alot simpler here, you just sign over the title, walk away with the
>plates, registration, receipt and cash & you're done.

Here in Holland the plates remain with the vehicle but the procedure is
pretty simple. You go to the post office with the previous owner, he signs
the ownership over to you (you bring your passport or driver's licence) and
he's done with the car. Every breach of the law committed with the car is
now your responsibility, but only from the exact minute that the
registration was in your name. It's registered in a central computer, no
problems there.
Should it go wrong somehow, the old owner gets a release form and he can
always use that as proof.
If the old owner has any outstanding tickets, they're in HIS name- not on
the car's registration. If the new owner is stopped and the question of old
facts comes up, you can just compare fact dates with the date on the new
registration.

Tom