Councilman Berry: Tow the uninsured
I just caught a portion of a KPRC-2 on-air news story that said Councilman Michael Berry is proposing towing the cars of drivers who are uninsured.
Since I didn't catch the whole story, I'm not sure what details I missed, but I did hear Councilwoman Ada Edwards protesting that towing the uninsured is akin to towing the poor. The voiceover on the story (perhaps Bill Balleza's voice) said that Councilman Berry would settle for towing only drivers who have been in an accident.
UPDATE: It's unusual for my memory to fail me, but it did today. This towing proposal was first floated in February by Councilman Berry.
KEVIN WHITED ADDS: Councilmember Berry passes along the following note:
My comment to the news station was that I’d LIKE to impound cars who are even stopped for a violation and lack insurance. I don’t know that I can get that passed through council, though. I may have to settle for impounding cars which are involved in accidents when the driver lacks insurance, if I can’t get full support on the broader measure.
Richmond and Rosenberg do that, and some other major cities have done so as well.
Quite simply, if someone can’t afford insurance or fails to get it, then they can’t operate a motor vehicle on the public roads. It’s state law.
There will be those who’ll throw up roadblocks, like “what if law-abiding citizens don’t have their insurance with them, but they have it?” Call the insurance company. That is simply no excuse for ... cars driving with no insurance. HPD’s policy has been to let those lawbreakers drive away from an accident to go do the same thing again somewhere down the road. Then again, we won’t know how many of these offenders are illegal, since we of course handcuff our officers by preventing them from asking this important question.
Agreed on all counts!
UPDATE (08-17-2006): As expected, Councilmember Berry is talking about this topic (and the Veteran's Day parade, and the new Homeless Court) on his KPRC-950 talk show today. Email/Call him and let him know what you think!
Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/16/06 05:50 PM | Houston Miscellany | Print | Comments (14)
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