Oh The Humanity

New Bern, NC

We have wheels! You may wish to congratulate us. Hold off on that. Our friend Mary Ann offered congratulations. She said "Don't you feel sixteen again?" Well yes, but not the way she's thinking. I feel like a dumb teenager who naively went out and did something rash and foolish. I planned to blog today about how owning a car could threaten our life style, but circumstances overtook that.

Why did we do it? I wanted to wait until next spring and to buy. A car closer to the date of our road trip departure. Libby wants the car during the holidays. She pressured me to act sooner. So yesterday I bought a 2005 Ford Taurus from the local Honda dealer. It is a very nice car. Large enough, and in like new condition. The dealer assured me I would have no trouble insuring it and registering it in North Carolina. He loaned me dealer plates for up to 96 hours while I arranged things. Here's what I learned this morning.

1. I can't get collision insurance without proof of NC residency. A receipt from the marina won't due. Actually, we can't provide any of the normal documentary proof of residency for any state or any other place on this planet. Until today, that was one of the joys of being nomads.
2. I can't get liability insurance without a NC registration, but I can't get registration without the insurance.
3. Worst. I can't register a car in NC without proof of NC residency plus a NC drivers license!!!
4. I thought of trying to register it in Vermont, as plan B. That has major logistics problems, but other problems too because I bought the car in NC. I could be liable for NC sales tax, NC property tax, and Vermont sales tax.
5. For plan C, I hope to get help from my son David. He is a NC resident. I hope to have the dealer redo all the paperwork to show David and I as joint owners. Then, we can add the car to his insurance and register it in both our names. I can reimburse Dave for the expenses. Right now I'm waiting on the paperwork man at the Honda dealer to help me.
6. If plan C doesn't work we come to the end of a box canyon. I have dealer plates and dealer insurance that is valid for only 48 more hours. I can't park the car on the street or the hotel/marina parking lot without license plates. It will be towed away.

Man oh man, my head is spinning from all this red tape.. We have become totally inexperienced in the complexities of dealing with modern life in America. You could say spoiled. You would be right. I feel like the reporter witnessing the Hindenburg disaster, "Oh the humanity."