What constitutes 'Intellectual Property'

pettyfog · Dec 7, 2006

Peoples Daily / Xinhua

Hundreds of thousands of drivers in California are expected to risk their auto registrations being suspended in the months ahead as the state's latest crackdown on uninsured driving moves into high gear, a report said Wednesday.

California Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV), the state authority for vehicles registration, has notified more than 180, 000 car owners since Oct. 1 for possible suspension of registrations because their cars are uninsured, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The suspension notices follow the department's first systematic comparison of a computerized roster of registered car owners with an electronic list of insured vehicles that is updated by insurance companies every time a driver buys, renews or cancels a policy.

With the new step, the department now has the ability and the authority to suspend registration if car owners could not prove insurance coverage, a department spokesman said.

Experts said the effort, if successful, could be costly for drivers who break the law because they can't afford insurance or simply refuse to buy it.

But the move also would probably bring down the price of insurance for many California drivers, who pay higher premiums to protect themselves in the event they are hit by uninsured drivers.

About 23 percent of drivers in the Los Angeles area, which has one of the highest automobile ownership rates in the United States, are uninsured, with some 1.4 million motorists uncovered by insurance only in the Los Angeles County, according to the latest statistics.

And even though driving without insurance has been illegal in California for nearly 40 years, some 15 percent of accidents in the state involve uninsured motorists, authorities said.

Source: Xinhua
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LATimes: State starts crackdown on uninsured drivers

SACRAMENTO — Since Oct. 1, the Department of Motor Vehicles has notified more than 180,000 car owners in California that it is moving to suspend their auto registrations because their cars are uninsured.

Hundreds of thousands more suspension warnings are expected to go out in the months ahead as the state's latest crackdown on uninsured motorists moves into high gear.

The suspension notices follow the department's first systematic comparison of a computerized roster of registered car owners with an electronic list of insured vehicles that is updated by insurance companies every time a driver buys, renews or cancels a policy.

"Driving without insurance is against the law, and now the department has the ability and the authority to suspend registration if we don't receive proof of coverage," DMV spokesman Mike Marando said.

The effort, if successful, could be costly for drivers who break the law because they can't afford insurance or simply refuse to buy it, experts say.

But the move probably would bring down the price of insurance for many California drivers, who pay higher premiums to protect themselves in the event they are hit by uninsured drivers.

Nowhere would the effect be greater than in Los Angeles County, where an estimated 23% of drivers are uninsured, compared with 14.3% in the state at large. According to 2003 California Department of Insurance statistics, the most recent available, Los Angeles County had 1.4 million uninsured motorists.

About 15% of accidents in California involve uninsured motorists even though driving without insurance has been illegal in the state for nearly 40 years.

Suspending registrations may be a harsh punishment for low-income drivers who need their cars to get to work, but something forceful must be done, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a San Francisco-based consumer advocacy group.

"It's not fair when people are spending money on auto insurance and other people are driving without it," Bach said.

On Oct. 1 the DMV was authorized by the Legislature to begin a systematic review of the 22.4 million private cars, light trucks and motorcycles registered in the state. The department is using its new powers to check the insurance status of car owners as they apply for registration or renewal.

A motorists who is given a suspension warning has 30 days to buy insurance and avoid the suspension.

Ignoring the DMV notice could lead to big trouble. If a motorist is cited for driving a car with its registration suspended, the vehicle can be seized. Fines can exceed $1,000.

What's more, uninsured drivers who are involved in accidents can lose their licenses for one year and be subjected to civil damages to compensate injured parties or to repair property.
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Reckon they translated into chinese then back into English? Wanna buy a bridge?

But this isnt about that..

Someone I know presented the concept of 2-way integration of the insurance databases to DMV to the Governor's staff right after he assumed office, then he consulted with them on the technical details for the bill that was passed.

He hadnt heard anything about follow-on recently and on enquiry was told "We're working on it, you'll hear from us shortly"

Well, he read it in the Times.

Summary: A concept, or idea, isnt intellectual property. Remember that next time you 'wonder why they dont...'

FFCinPCB · Dec 7, 2006

RE: What constitutes

IP is patents, trademarks, and copyrights.

Patents are for new, useful, and nonobvious processes or products (this includes applications of concepts or ideas).

Trademarks identify the orgin of goods or services.

Copyrights are original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium (which can be original ideas or concepts, or not).

If your buddy has records of his idea (and his contact with DMV), he needs to find an attorney.

pettyfog · Dec 7, 2006

RE: What constitutes

In theory, you're right.. in practice, not a chance.

Been there, seen that before.

FFCinPCB · Dec 7, 2006

RE: What constitutes

He'll never know unless he follows up. hate for anyone to be one of those sad sacks, moping around saying they had the next great idea, but someone stole it from them.

If he has records of it, I can nearly guarantee you an attorney will take the case on.

pettyfog · Dec 7, 2006

RE: What constitutes

He's going through 'inside channels'... that's how the system works.

What constitutes 'Intellectual Property'

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