Turn It Over To The Police

There was an article in today’s Seattle Times about a phenomena called curbstoning which, given their liberal definition of the article, any of us who have bought a vehicle from a private party have been involved with. Read the article for the juice on curbstoning.

What really struck me was that apparently our fine legislature has found some need to require that anyone who sells 5 or more vehicles during a year must buy a $500 license, have a commercial place of business and more. You fall under this legislation even if you simply negotiate on the part of another party. Go read the litany of gotchas. And for extra entertainment check out the Big List of Licenses.

Now your legislature critter would probably tell you that this is all to protect us from fraud or something. REally, though, if there is fraud or theft involved in a transaction that should be a matter for the police not some bureucratic licensing agency that:

Statewide, the licensing department has 16 investigators to keep track of vessels, motorcycles, registered tow-truck operators, scrap processors, and other activities besides curbstoning. Recently, however, one investigator was reassigned full time to monitor what’s taking place online.

This is just a small part of Washington’s DOL and if they are there just to make sure you are licensed we should send them home and either return the now unused money to the taxpayers or use it for something substantive.

If there is fraud or theft involved in a transaction between individuals then it is properly the role of the police, prosecutors and, yes, the tort system to provide for apprehension and reparation.

Perhaps when perpetrators find out that not only must they fully repay their victems but also pay court costs, all related legal costs, the cost of apprehension and the cost of incarceration if needed they will start deciding that they will be better off working at gainful employment.