Felony for Driving on Suspended? Opinions

[rustyroger]

I don't want to but it is required by law 😱

Well that leaves you three choices;
#1. Go and live somewhere away from any other humans.
#2, Get involved in politics and try to make new legislation in line with your views.
#3. Get over not being able to do whatever you want and make the best of the American society.

Option ! is the hardest, I doubt there is anywhere comfortable to live still uninhabited, and you will be too busy surviving to enjoy driving a car.
Option 2 will leave you very little time for anything else.
Option 3 works for most people, nothing like a perfect solution, not even in the top 10 of good places to live index, but heaps better than much of the rest of the world.

Roger.

 

[pencero]

I don't know which all states are already doing it, but in 2015 it's being considered in several. It is still a misdemeanor in at least 42 states to drive on suspended [without aggravating factors*] I don't feel like dedicating my entire life to politics over a few minor transportation issues I was just making an observation about. I was just asking what you all thought about it. I guess I was just surprised to find out so many people were fine with people getting felonies for driving on suspended and even just for not having insurance. I am not a liberal nor a right-wing type of person but I would like to think the 364 days in jail max penalty is already potentially pretty stiff as it already is.. but if you all disagree and think people should be able to get sent up the river over what I would see as a petty offense but you may believe is more severe infraction, I guess we just disagree and that sucks. Why would I myself get involved in politics when I can just try to affect the changes I wish to see through other people?

 

[rustyroger]

Seems you are in a minority then. That sucks for you. no doubt.
Too bad. Most people on this forum think driving uninsured deserves stiff penalties.
Have you been caught driving unlicenced or uninsured by any chance?.

Roger.

 

[pontiacgp]

I don't know which all states are already doing it, but in 2015 it's being considered in several.

Your first post implies that law is already in place. To say it is being considered in several states then you must know what states are considering it.

 

[GP403]

The only reason I've left this open is because it has something to do with driving.

I listen to a police scanner pretty much all the time, and I can't count the number of times I hear some entitled ignoramus get pulled over and listed as no insurance, expired tags, expired or suspended license... quite often with points, last action for 20-over and reckless driving, etc. etc.

If you've got a suspended or revoked license, its probably for a reason. If you're driving with it suspended, at all, then you obviously don't give even the smallest sh*t about the punishment that was already handed to you. Please explain how there is a "first offense" for this, as its already proof that you've been through court at least once, usually several times. They generally don't hand out suspensions on a "first offense" unless you do something incredibly brain dead, malicious, or in combination with several other actions. You're giving the system the finger. The system doesn't like being flipped off.

Here's a tip: If your that concerned about getting to work, needing transportation, etc. , then maybe you should give a little extra consideration to following the rules, and the consequences of not doing so. Makes life easier for the rest of us who have to worry about getting hit by some guy with no license, no insurance, and 3 warrants for nonpayment of his last tickets.

Stop being paranoid. They're not coming for you.

 

[pencero]

It wasn't really an issue that I was having a hard time with. I had observed some family and friends that were otherwise law abiding citizens facing an uncertain future if these laws did come to pass. If I took an interest in second opinions it was more for fear of their future than private fears. Right or wrong? I think its not such a black and white issue. As you all have been quick to point out, perhaps the increase of these offenses to a felony would motivate the people I was talking about into just paying their old tickets. Still seems a bit harsh to slap them on probation with a 3year sentence hanging over their head b/c of a few old unpaid tickets that the court maxxed out to like $1,200 a piece...

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

I think making it a felony, especially for the first time is really overdoing it. Driving suspended should stay a misdemeanor. Just changing your insurance provider can get you a suspension. The state can use almost any reason to pull your license and it is easier to get jamed up by the system than you think. Many people lose their license because they can't afford to renew it instead of some kind of legal infraction. Also there is a difference between a suspension and a revocation. Once someone has three convictions for operating after suspension, or certain other offenses within a 5 year period, they can be classified as a Habitual Offender (HO) and their license will be revoked for three years. If they drive after revocation, they are subject to mandatory minimum penalties which include incarceration.

But it begs the question, at what point do people have the inherent right to do what is needed to survive? In this age, driving is often needed to survive. How exactly the basic right to move around freely became a "privilege" presumably "granted" by your Master, the State? Originally, with horses and buggies...and even in the early days of mechanized personal property, you simply traveled as you wished...no tags, no license, no registration, etc. You still were expected to obey the rules of the road..out of courtesy if nothing else, and could be held responsible criminally or civilly if you harmed another.


AAA statistics show that one fifth of fatal car accidents involve an illegal driver. Just because someone is a legal driver does not make them a safe driver, false security many here seem to believe. So 4/5s of fatal accidents are caused by "legal" "drivers" showing that being legal is four times as deadly as being "illegal" if you want to pervert statistics. 🙄 Of course what it really shows is that licenses and registration, and all the legal stuff does not make perfectly safe "drivers". Having a license doesn't mean you can afford insurance, either. What you are not "SAFE" from is harassment from an army of cops and officials that think they are free to harass you to whatever degree they wish and want their plams greased. As Franklin once said, those who give up freedom for security do not get either.

This is overcriminalization run amok. Our government has lost count of how many legal infractions are on the books, last estimate was 600,000 infractions to chrage a person with. As I said, it is easy to get jammed up.

 

[tc1959]

It's a felony here in AZ. As it should be. If you feel that it's Ok to drive on a suspended, You are an *ss hole and you should be in jail. You have already proven that you are an idiot by getting your license taken away. I for one don't want people like that on the same roads my family uses. Having a drivers license is a privilege not a right. If you lose it its because you screwed up and if you get caught driving without a license you deserve to pay the price.

 

[Ribbedroof]

If you feel that it's Ok to drive on a suspended, You are an *ss hole and you should be in jail. You have already proven that you are an idiot by getting your license taken away. I for one don't want people like that on the same roads my family uses. Having a drivers license is a privilege not a right. If you lose it its because you screwed up and if you get caught driving without a license you deserve to pay the price.

Well said. Too many people feel they have no responsibility for their own actions these days.

 

[pencero]

I'm not surprised to hear sentiment towards the felonies for suspended drivers coming out of AZ; I suspect you would not be willing to take a bet that at least 51% of drivers stopped for traffic are most likely minorities and your Sherriff is one of the most publicly documented racists in the history of the United States. Your state is a text book example of the point I am trying to make as a matter of fact. I could walk away from this thread and come back 10 years from now and we'll see how it worked out giving hundreds of people felonies for the equivalent of their 3rd traffic infraction and then forcing them to live in tents with queers, murderers and thieves. And Mexicans. Just thought I would add that, since you probably place mexicans in the same category as those other 3 types of people.