This is called being a busy body. You have no idea what reasons this person has for having out of state plates, you have absolutely no proof what so ever that a crime is being committed. Why on earth did you even post this if you had already made up your mind?I’m not planning on making a federal case out of this. I’m going to verify that the law I am thinking of says what I think it says and then I’ll address the issue.
I see nothing wrong with confronting someone who may be violating the law. I can hope that he is either acting out of ignorance or that the law doesn’t apply to his situation. Given what I know, I feel compelled to say something about it in a charitable way.
I hadn’t thought about this creep factor, good point.Should you decide to “confront” the car owner, if it’s a woman and you’re a man, I’d proceed with caution. I carry mace and wouldn’t hesitate to use it if I felt threatened in any way in a parking lot - especially if it were after hours and someone were freaking me out.
And just so you know, a random stranger confronting me about my legal residence and my car registration would sooooo fall under the category of things that freak me out.
For the sake of you both, I really really think you should let this one go. You are soooo going to come off looking like a nut.
We have laws in place to protect us. And according to scripture, Jesus’ example, and the Church’s teaching, God recognizes the authority of governments. To violate the law is to go against God as well as against the social order. We can’t just sit back and let people break laws hoping it will eventually catch up with them.wow. If this person is a criminal, they will get what’s coming to them eventually without you getting involved. I’d say don’t worry, and that justice will be done when the time is right. I dont’ see how it is your responsibility here, as you are not a cop. About breaking the law being everyones business, would you consider calling the cops if you saw somebody going 5 miles over the speed limit as well??
The OP has NO IDEA if a law is being broken. He’s just assuming based on the very limited information he has. Following Jesus’ example, his time would be better spent volunteering at a food pantry or some other worthwhile cause.We have laws in place to protect us. And according to scripture, Jesus’ example, and the Church’s teaching, God recognizes the authority of governments. To violate the law is to go against God as well as against the social order. We can’t just sit back and let people break laws hoping it will eventually catch up with them.
I agree that we should be vigilant to our surroundings and what may or may not be happening, but in this situation the OP can not be sure a crime is even being committed. At what point should someone keep investigating a situation that is just based on assumptions and not on any evidence or personal first hand knowledge to the situation?We have laws in place to protect us. And according to scripture, Jesus’ example, and the Church’s teaching, God recognizes the authority of governments. To violate the law is to go against God as well as against the social order. We can’t just sit back and let people break laws hoping it will eventually catch up with them.
Law enforcement can only do so much, and they rely on private citizens to bring things to their attention that may escape notice. We can’t all have the attitude that you must have 100% certainty that a crime is being committed before reporting it; it is up to law enforcement and the justice system to determine whether any laws have been violated.I agree that we should be vigilant to our surroundings and what may or may not be happening, but in this situation the OP can not be sure a crime is even being committed. At what point should someone keep investigating a situation that is just based on assumptions and not on any evidence or personal first hand knowledge to the situation?
True.Law enforcement can only do so much, and they rely on private citizens to bring things to their attention that may escape notice. We can’t all have the attitude that you must have 100% certainty that a crime is being committed before reporting it; it is up to law enforcement and the justice system to determine whether any laws have been violated.
Dispatcher: Hello, may I help you.Law enforcement can only do so much, and they rely on private citizens to bring things to their attention that may escape notice. We can’t all have the attitude that you must have 100% certainty that a crime is being committed before reporting it; it is up to law enforcement and the justice system to determine whether any laws have been violated.
There are crimes, and then there are nuisances and I would think this falls under a nuisance. The car is registered, seems to have all the plates and necessary tags, just not for the state the OP resides, which may OR may not be a crime according to the DMV in the state of CA.Law enforcement can only do so much, and they rely on private citizens to bring things to their attention that may escape notice. We can’t all have the attitude that you must have 100% certainty that a crime is being committed before reporting it; it is up to law enforcement and the justice system to determine whether any laws have been violated.
Seriously. Look, I can make up a story too:Seriously?
I was in a hotel once on spring break and a couple people came to our door selling t-shirts. The girl asked to use the bathroom while the guy showed us his wares. After they left I reported it to hotel security. Was I being a busybody? Maybe so, but it turned out to be a theft scam and I was the only person to report it and because of me they got caught.reporting something as petty as someone’s car possibly not having the proper plates is taking things a bit too far.
That’s a totally different situation and I hope you know that. Why would you even open a hotel door to a total stranger??I was in a hotel once on spring break and a couple people came to our door selling t-shirts. The girl asked to use the bathroom while the guy showed us his wares. After they left I reported it to hotel security. Was I being a busybody? Maybe so, but it turned out to be a theft scam and I was the only person to report it and because of me they got caught.
Not so different. The heart of the matter was being a busybody when there was only a slight chance of someone breaking the law or I didn’t know the whole story.That’s a totally different situation and I hope you know that. Why would you even open a hotel door to a total stranger??
It is completely different. The OP’s situation is comparitive to the kids down the block that didn’t get the proper permit from the town to operate a lemonade stand and someone turns them in for operating a stand without a license. Your situation has the potential for anybody in the hotel to be a victim of a violent crime, worse case scenerio.Not so different. The heart of the matter was being a busybody when there was only a slight chance of someone breaking the law or I didn’t know the whole story.
The door was already open anyway because our group had several rooms in the same hallway.
It is quite conceivable that something as innocent as a lemonade stand can become a serious food safety issue. Like I said, the laws are there to protect us.It is completely different. The OP’s situation is comparitive to the kids down the block that didn’t get the proper permit from the town to operate a lemonade stand and someone turns them in for operating a stand without a license. Your situation has the potential for anybody in the hotel to be a victim of a violent crime, worse case scenerio.
And fyi, the asking to use the bathroom would have been the first red flag when there are public restrooms located off the main lobby in any hotel.
Why would your first thought have been that a crime was being committed? Why would you jump to that conclusion first?So even though I suspect a crime is being committed I should do nothing because it isn’t any of my business?
I work in a large corporate complex that houses several companies. There is a new Toyota in the parking lot that had a dealer sticker from the Seattle area. Several days ago I noticed that it now had Washington plates.
I live in California and know that the law is fairly specific that if you operate the vehicle primarily in the state, you must register it in the state. I don’t know who drives it or where they work, so I was considering leaving a polite note that had the law listed so they would hopefully rectify the situation.
I am making the assumption that they are ignorant of the law and that there is not some special circumstance that would make this arrangement justifiable. In reality you are making the assumption that they operate the vehicle primarily in California–an assumption–based on what–that the car is parked in the parking lot. Could the person be in California on temporary business? How many days have you seen this car–has it been several months with the car there every day–or do you see it a week here and a week there? Maybe you should monitor the situation before you jump to conclusions. I have clients who travel by car doing business all over–sometimes you might be on a temporary consulting assignment for 6 or 7 months in a location returning home on weekends. That doesn’t make the primary place of operation for my car California. The first conclusion you jumped to would have been the last one I jumped to.
Does this seem un-Christian? I figured my three options were to ignore it, report it, or this.
Any other suggestions?
So you’re the sort of person who would report some kids’ neighborhood lemonade stand to the health department???It is quite conceivable that something as innocent as a lemonade stand can become a serious food safety issue. Like I said, the laws are there to protect us.
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Exactly. There’s a middle ground between ignoring everything that’s going on around you and reporting everything that may look suspicious.Why would your first thought have been that a crime was being committed? Why would you jump to that conclusion first?
Do people in California routinely drive out of the state, 300 miles through Oregon and up into Washington to by a new car? And do they routinely license them in other states? Is it even possible to license a car in Washington if you are a California resident? Washington is an expensive state to license a car in–if this person was looking to cheat California and save money–they’d have picked Oregon not Washington.
Isn’t it more likely that someone who lives in Washington and works for this large multinational corporation is on a temporary assignment at the California location? Doesn’t that make more sense and fit the facts better?
Mark
Painting me as a bad person for upholding law and order won’t change the fact that the law is the law.So you’re the sort of person who would report some kids’ neighborhood lemonade stand to the health department???