Here’s a little story I have been holding off on writing about for a week or two. I think if you read on you will find something in it for everyone.

To begin, we must travel back to the end of 2007 when a young lady (let’s call her Wendy just for fun) traded in her green Mazda 121 bubble car which had served her well for ten or so years and bought a new Toyota Yaris. She paid everything she needed to and happily drove it around and about, to Brisbane and other places for the last three years. Little did she suspect that for half of that time she was committing an offence which would end up costing some money, as well as the respect of her more organised colleagues.

So let’s say two Saturdays ago Wendy and friend decided they would drive the half hour south to Childers to experience the Festival of Cultures. They had a lovely time in the huge crowds, people watching, listening to music and just generally wandering about. However, there is only so much time one can spend walking up and down the main street of Childers, so they jumped back the Toyota Yaris. Wendy said, “It’s early, why don’t we drive through Woodgate Beach on the way back to Bundaberg”. Agreement. So even though they had started driving back to Bundaberg they circled round the back streets of Childers and got themselves onto the Goodwood Road leading to Woodgate. No sooner than they hit that road than they were pulled over by the traffic police for a Random Breath Test. They were out in force trying to catch people who had perhaps sampled too much wine on their day out in Childers. It should be noted at this point that Wendy was not driving her car.

The RBT was passed with flying colours. The policeman walked round the car and then went back to his flashy red number. “Oh No” said Wendy, “he’s probably going to get me for my tyres or something”. That’s not too drastic she thought quietly to herself. The policeman appeared back at the car window wanting to know who owned the car. “I do”, said Wendy, who was starting to become a little suspicious. Hmmmmm.

Policeman: “Are you aware that you are still displaying a 2008 registration sticker?”
Wendy: No. I’m sure my rego is up to date though.
Policeman: Do you have any documentation in the car that would show this?
Wendy: (whispering because she is a little bit dumb about these sort of things) “what sort of documentation is he talking about?”
Friend/Driver: your rego documents or new sticker
Wendy: “I don’t have anything but I’m sure I’ve paid it”

Policeman goes back to his car to check it out.

He returns.

Drumroll please….”This car has had no registration since 2008 according to our records”

Cue Wendy feeling sick and wondering what happens next.

It went something like this.

Policeman confiscated my number plates and took the old sticker off the car and then left us on the side of the road, unable to drive home as I had no rego or ctp insurance. Friend is fined, with a summons to appear in court. Wendy was allowed to leave with no fine. Wendy calls the RACQ who an hour later turn up to tow the car home to Bundaberg. Everyone gets a trip in the front of the tow truck with a slightly eccentric young man who apparently was getting a tattoo of the Southern Cross on his back.

Back in Bundaberg Wendy bought CTP insurance in order to drive to the RACQ to get a roadworthy certificate which in turn allowed her to drive to the Department of Transport, pay new registration and get brand new numberplates handed to her over the counter. They are now proudly installed and my car looks new again.
And she vows never to put the rego sticker on the back window. It will always go on the windscreen for easy viewing.

The End.
(Except for the fine which is yet to be processed and paid)