Q. Dear Honk: In this era of smartphones where we can keep our car keys, credit cards, and gym passes, among other things, it’s easy to forget our wallets. Sometimes, I leave the house without my wallet and end up driving without my California driver’s license. I have a photo of my license on my phone. Can I show this photo to the police during a traffic stop, or will I still get cited for driving without my license?
– Stuart Pfeifer, Pasadena
A. Stuart, it’s best to carry the physical copy of your license.
According to Officer and Spokesman Mitch Smith from the California Highway Patrol office in Westminster, you are required to have your physical license with you while traveling.
However, if you do get cited for not having a physical copy of your license, it is considered a “correctable” violation. This means you can prove to an officer at a station house that you have your license and pay a small court fee, like $25 in Orange County Superior Court, to resolve the violation.
Anita Gore, a Deputy Director with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), mentions that they are testing a mobile app with a driver’s license feature. Currently, over 2,000 people are using it, and it will likely become available to the general public in the future. However, the mobile driver’s license does not replace the physical license, but rather provides an extra option for identity verification.
It’s worth noting that Stuart and Honk are close friends, and Honk found Stuart’s question interesting during a chat about college football.
Q. Hi Honk: My son owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra, and when it was time to renew the registration this year, a smog check was required. However, his car had been serviced recently, and there wasn’t enough data in the computer to pass the smog recertification. He went ahead and paid the registration fee, but he hasn’t been driving the car much due to the pandemic. What can he do to get the car registration? The mechanic suggested driving on the freeway for a few hours, but that would waste gas and time. Why would the service department erase all the data from the computer? Is there another solution?
– Patrice Day, Cerritos
A. This is indeed an interesting dilemma.
In many cases, the issue arises when a vehicle’s battery loses voltage, resulting in the onboard computer’s memory getting wiped clean. This can happen while the car is in a shop or due to other factors.
When the memory is erased, the readiness monitors that serve as safeguards fail. These monitors prevent repair shops from clearing the computer’s memory and check-engine light to pass a vehicle that shouldn’t pass.
Therefore, Patrice, your son’s car needs a driving history in its onboard computer before it can pass a smog check.
Online, your son can find various recommendations on how to create that driving history. Typically, a long, steady drive at a consistent speed, such as 50 mph, may suffice. Alternatively, multiple shorter trips over a few days might also work.
Honk suggests that your son contact a couple of Nissan dealerships or mechanics to confirm if the mechanic’s suggested drive time is necessary.
HONKIN’ FACT: On August 2 during rush hour, a California Highway Patrol officer pulled over a motorist in Novato on Highway 101 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The officer discovered a mannequin in the back seat, complete with a goatee, mustache, sunglasses, “tattoos,” and a big straw hat. The officer issued a citation for driving solo in a carpool lane, as revealed by Officer and Spokesman Darrel Horner from the CHP Marin County office.
To ask Honk questions, contact him at [email protected]. Please note that he only responds to published questions. For more from Honk, visit ocregister.com/tag/honk. You can also follow him on Twitter at @OCRegisterHonk.
Denial of responsibility! VigourTimes is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
