Melati, Judge Judy and stuff I don't get.

JaeJae was too busy at the zoo on Friday trying to imagine how he could magic a giant tortoise into his mouth. Melati spent most of the day hiding, but towards the she was checking out the world in public view.






I am a recent follower of Judge Judy, mostly because I cannot believe - not just the things people sue one another over - but the differences in law and responsibility between our two nations, especially where things to do with cars are concerned.

There don't seem to be any rules about the condition a car ought to be in to be legally allowed on the road. People are suing over vehicles that would have been off the road decades ago. They are disputing insurance liability. And here I get really confused.

In a case broadcast today the statement was made that "the insurance follows the car". So you can lend your car to anyone (presumably with a licence) and your insurance covers the car as driven by them. They can write it off and not owe you a penny.

Well, folks, see if you prefer the UK version.

It's the driver who is insured. They can be insured for more than one car, and they can insure a car for more than one driver. This allows new young drivers to be insured on their parents' policies instead of paying more than the price of a car just to drive one. The pricier and faster the car, the more the insurance costs.

I can buy insurance that allows only me to drive just my car; I can allow another (named) person, or anyone I choose later, to drive my car. I can apply my insurance to any car I am qualified to drive. I can insure my car third party only, third party fire and theft, or fully comprehensive. The cost on these various options will vary. And I can phone my insurance broker at any time to vary my cover.

But I cannot decide on the spur of the moment to let someone else drive my car unless that is the kind of insurance I have taken out. I would expect them to be insured to drive it, and wouldn't let them anywhere near it if they couldn't prove that to me.

If the bright sparks on Judge Judy are anything to go by, a lot of folks in the US have NO idea what their insurance is and what it can and can't do.

Add to that our MOT test (stand for Ministry of Transport) which every car legally on the road must pass annually once it reaches the grand old age of 3 years. No bangers on our roads! I hope...

I'm glad I'm over here.