ICBC Penticton, BC

[nomoreicbc]

This is what i have written to ICBC:

 

I actually have several complaints about the Penticton DL office.

 

Every time I have visited this place Its been a bad experience. I had a Manitoba drivers licence class 5A and and driver experience of over 20 years outside Canada. In two different occasions nobody there really knew what to do with me to exchange my license after hours and multiple consults they decided I have to take both knowledge and rd test, so they took my previous licence. So I took the knowledge test then had an appointment for the rd test. After it they took my only photo ID and asked to be returned to me. They wouldn't´t do it, maybe they thought was another licence in any case they kept me waiting for a long time when i had a list of stuff to do and people waiting for me, appointments etc. I asked the front desk person why are they not giving me my ID they are discussing about it responded. Discussing what? There was nothing to discuss it was my ID, after a while they just simply returned of course no apologies just arrogance. In the other hand the rd test was an absolute joke. Clearly I know how to drive well and safe but they dont care about that. They pointers the agent gave me made no sense like checking my right when i am turning which i always did maybe i just needed to be exaggerated in my body movement like a beginner. Also in the notes wrote that I was going 37 in main st which is a 50 km rd and westminster 40 which is also a 50km rd. True i did speed in a desertic playground zone. Also said that in stop i would not make a complete stop not true but of course who are you going to believe? Also in the agent's notes as a violation "turned right on a red light". Since when you cant do that? There was nobody else coming from other direction that wouldn't let me do that safely. Disappointing experience for sure but I guess cant do much about it...

[The_Squid]

@nomoreicbc your writing skills are lacking. 

I can only imagine that your driving skills are lacking too, since you admit to speeding during a driving test. It’s not ICBC’s fault that you’re not safe to be on the roads.   Please go buy a bus pass. 

Edited December 9, 2017 by The_Squid

[nomoreicbc]

I can confidently say that I drive better and much safer than the majority of people in BC

Edited December 9, 2017 by nomoreicbc

[The_Squid]

48 minutes ago, nomoreicbc said:

I can confidently say that I drive better and much safer than the majority of people in BC

Even the crappy drivers passed a test that you could not.  

[eyeball]

10 hours ago, nomoreicbc said:

I can confidently say that I drive better and much safer than the majority of people in BC

The problem is that you can't suffer fools gladly. 

[taxme]

14 hours ago, nomoreicbc said:

This is what i have written to ICBC:

 

I actually have several complaints about the Penticton DL office.

 

Every time I have visited this place Its been a bad experience. I had a Manitoba drivers licence class 5A and and driver experience of over 20 years outside Canada. In two different occasions nobody there really knew what to do with me to exchange my license after hours and multiple consults they decided I have to take both knowledge and rd test, so they took my previous licence. So I took the knowledge test then had an appointment for the rd test. After it they took my only photo ID and asked to be returned to me. They wouldn't´t do it, maybe they thought was another licence in any case they kept me waiting for a long time when i had a list of stuff to do and people waiting for me, appointments etc. I asked the front desk person why are they not giving me my ID they are discussing about it responded. Discussing what? There was nothing to discuss it was my ID, after a while they just simply returned of course no apologies just arrogance. In the other hand the rd test was an absolute joke. Clearly I know how to drive well and safe but they dont care about that. They pointers the agent gave me made no sense like checking my right when i am turning which i always did maybe i just needed to be exaggerated in my body movement like a beginner. Also in the notes wrote that I was going 37 in main st which is a 50 km rd and westminster 40 which is also a 50km rd. True i did speed in a desertic playground zone. Also said that in stop i would not make a complete stop not true but of course who are you going to believe? Also in the agent's notes as a violation "turned right on a red light". Since when you cant do that? There was nobody else coming from other direction that wouldn't let me do that safely. Disappointing experience for sure but I guess cant do much about it...

Personally, I wish that ICBC would be terminated. ICBC is just another cash cow and tax grab for the government. They are a government entity on to themselves. They rule and run the roads of BC. No insurance company should have that kind of power. At most times they do not do a proper accident investigations. They go by what someone says as a supposed witness which I found out one time that the witness lied. ICBC must go, now. Works for me. 

[nomoreicbc]

15 minutes ago, taxme said:

Personally, I wish that ICBC would be terminated. ICBC is just another cash cow and tax grab for the government. They are a government entity on to themselves. They rule and run the roads of BC. No insurance company should have that kind of power. At most times they do not do a proper accident investigations. They go by what someone says as a supposed witness which I found out one time that the witness lied. ICBC must go, now. Works for me. 

Tell me about it. It is just outrageous they control everything and there is no way you will win a battle against them. Sometimes people just have to get crazy to get the government's attention.

[taxme]

21 hours ago, nomoreicbc said:

Tell me about it. It is just outrageous they control everything and there is no way you will win a battle against them. Sometimes people just have to get crazy to get the government's attention.

The government should not be in the business of selling car insurance. That should be left up to the private sector.  We also have the BC government selling liquor in their own liquor stores and competing with the private liquor stores. Another cash cow no doubt. There is just to much government in the people's life. Fees for this, licence for that, permits for this and forced to wear that or else. There must be millions of laws and rules and regulations that we are forced to live with every day of our lives that can pretty much nail us on anything the government wants to nail you with. I am pretty sure that by the time you walk out your front door and walk to your car and drive to work you must have broken at least a few laws somewhere along the way.  The government has us all by the pubic hairs, and they always make it hurt.  

[blackbird]

On 12/8/2017 at 10:48 PM, The_Squid said:

@nomoreicbc your writing skills are lacking. 

I can only imagine that your driving skills are lacking too, since you admit to speeding during a driving test. It’s not ICBC’s fault that you’re not safe to be on the roads.   Please go buy a bus pass. 

Much of what he said may be valid.  Like the employees not wanting to give him his documents back and the behavior and delays of the office staff.  Some of his complaints may have some credibility.  He is correct about the average person not driving exactly according to every rule.  I have seen many people going past a small park and daycare school across the street over the 30 km/h speed limit.  (there is very rarely anyone in the park and there is a fence along the edge of the park and a fence around the daycare)   I go past always and have never seen any kids playing on the sidewalk of edge of street.  It is also a fairly wide street.  But I attempt to keep it at 30 km/h.  But I do admit that in a driving test, the examiner probably expects perfection.  You might lose some points for certain errors, but I am not sure that necessarily means you will fail the test.  Depends probably on what kind of error you make.

[nomoreicbc]

5 hours ago, blackbird said:

Much of what he said may be valid.  Like the employees not wanting to give him his documents back and the behavior and delays of the office staff.  Some of his complaints may have some credibility.  He is correct about the average person not driving exactly according to every rule.  I have seen many people going past a small park and daycare school across the street over the 30 km/h speed limit.  (there is very rarely anyone in the park and there is a fence along the edge of the park and a fence around the daycare)   I go past always and have never seen any kids playing on the sidewalk of edge of street.  It is also a fairly wide street.  But I attempt to keep it at 30 km/h.  But I do admit that in a driving test, the examiner probably expects perfection.  You might lose some points for certain errors, but I am not sure that necessarily means you will fail the test.  Depends probably on what kind of error you make.

I take responsibility of failing if that speeding moment is enough to fail but again the violation notes they gave me afterwards shows crossing a red light (not true, only did it once to turn left, as well he wrote in 2 different occasions I had a speed of 37 and 40km which doesnt make sense since those 2 roads are 50km ones so whats the violation? Then the advices he gave me were ok if you have been driving for a week anyways...

[Philip Hebbard]

It's true, that ICBC is the absolute pits, but for 16 years under the previous government it has been sabotaged. When in1973 (?) ICBC was created by the NDP, it was to be a not-for-profit plan to serve policy holders. At that time, many believed they were getting a raw deal from private insurers. Not surprisingly, today, many are demanding that ICBC be abolished. Rather than this, it's my hope that it be returned to the original plan. If necessary to oust the current directors to accomplish this, let it be so.

Edited February 18, 2018 by Philip Hebbard
Clarity

[taxme]

On 2/17/2018 at 10:09 AM, Philip Hebbard said:

It's true, that ICBC is the absolute pits, but for 16 years under the previous government it has been sabotaged. When in1973 (?) ICBC was created by the NDP, it was to be a not-for-profit plan to serve policy holders. At that time, many believed they were getting a raw deal from private insurers. Not surprisingly, today, many are demanding that ICBC be abolished. Rather than this, it's my hope that it be returned to the original plan. If necessary to oust the current directors to accomplish this, let it be so.

All ICBC was setup for was to become a cash cow for the NDP. They saw that this was going to be another way of getting their hands on more BC taxpayer's money. All the governments after that took advantage of this also. Even my vehicle insurance guy told me this. ICBC is a farce and a thief. They have become just another big government bureaucracy and there is no political party that will abolish ICBC. It is not in the interest of the government to be in the insurance business if there was not a buck to be made. 

Government is the problem, never the solution. 

[?Impact]

2 hours ago, taxme said:

All ICBC was setup for was to become a cash cow for the NDP. They saw that this was going to be another way of getting their hands on more BC taxpayer's money.

From what I understand, for the past few years they have not been doing that, and now is when the government has a surplus. I also heard that ICBC lost over $600 million last year, who is going to make up that difference?

[taxme]

20 hours ago, ?Impact said:

From what I understand, for the past few years they have not been doing that, and now is when the government has a surplus. I also heard that ICBC lost over $600 million last year, who is going to make up that difference?

Why the get screwed taxpayer's of course. There should be choice not be forced to buy government insurance. The government should not be running any business. That should all be left up only to the private sector. The private sector can do a better job at running a business. They know where and how to spend their dollars. The government just takes more because they do not know how to handle the taxpayer's tax dollars. Why do you think Canada and many provinces are always in debt? Government "IS" the problem and dam well never the solution. 

[?Impact]

Just now, taxme said:

The private sector can do a better job at running a business. They know where and how to spend their dollars.

The private sector has a singular focus, to increase their own profits. Insurance is a perfect example of where the private sector has driven up premiums to pad their own pocketbook.

[Michael Hardner]

29 minutes ago, ?Impact said:

The private sector has a singular focus, to increase their own profits. Insurance is a perfect example of where the private sector has driven up premiums to pad their own pocketbook.

There's no easy answer here.  Corporate monopoly vs. government one.  

[taxme]

34 minutes ago, ?Impact said:

The private sector has a singular focus, to increase their own profits. Insurance is a perfect example of where the private sector has driven up premiums to pad their own pocketbook.

The private sector works to make money and to run their company with efficiency as best they can while the government works to blow money and could careless about efficiency. The government does not have to work well to make their business work, they just take more money from the taxpayer when they need more money. Governments/politicians have proven over the centuries that they do not have a clue as to how to run a business and make money. That should be left to the people who know how to make money and a profit. Canadians are in debt for hundreds of billions of dollars because of politicians who could careless about the taxpayer's and their tax dollars. I do believe that all politicians do have this idea that money does really grow on trees. 

The whole point here is why the people of BC cannot have total private insurance here? What is the government afraid of? It would appear as though ICBC just may be a cash cow for them as my agent has told me. All governments pretty much have to make it appear as though they are losing money so they can go and steal more from the taxpayer's. Can you think of any government bureaucracy that has made money for the taxpayer yet?

If the government wants everyone in BC to have vehicle insurance than force them to have insurance of some kind or one cannot be allowed to drive a vehicle on the roads. It seems short, sweet and simple to me. 

PS: I read one time that some of the tax dollars that the government steals from the taxpayer goes into some kind of investment and they have billions stashed away somewhere. Anyone able to comment on this as to whether this is true or not?  Just wondering? 

[?Impact]

1 hour ago, taxme said:

The private sector works to make money and to run their company with efficiency as best they can while the government works to blow money and could careless about efficiency.

Yet the facts, especially in the insurance industry, speak very differently.

[taxme]

On 2/20/2018 at 2:12 PM, ?Impact said:

Yet the facts, especially in the insurance industry, speak very differently.

The government should open up the car insurance business to anyone who wants to take it on. If the government can do better than the private sector than it will show. Again allow competition. Short, sweet and simple. 

[Philip Hebbard]

On 19/02/2018 at 1:18 PM, taxme said:

All ICBC was setup for was to become a cash cow for the NDP. They saw that this was going to be another way of getting their hands on more BC taxpayer's money. All the governments after that took advantage of this also. Even my vehicle insurance guy told me this. ICBC is a farce and a thief. They have become just another big government bureaucracy and there is no political party that will abolish ICBC. It is not in the interest of the government to be in the insurance business if there was not a buck to be made. 

Government is the problem, never the solution. 

I must differ. ICBC was set up because the public was sick of the abuse it suffered from the private insurers. The initiation of the plan was what, largely, got the NDP elected. Let's not forget the 16 years of BC Liberal sabotage of that plan - a miss-named political party that would like to privatise everything that moves. There's a need to return to the original plan. ICBC: DON'T NIX IT - FIX IT.

[taxme]

8 hours ago, Philip Hebbard said:

I must differ. ICBC was set up because the public was sick of the abuse it suffered from the private insurers. The initiation of the plan was what, largely, got the NDP elected. Let's not forget the 16 years of BC Liberal sabotage of that plan - a miss-named political party that would like to privatise everything that moves. There's a need to return to the original plan. ICBC: DON'T NIX IT - FIX IT.

The liberal party did not do very much to try and eliminate ICBC or government liquor stores while in power. They had plenty of time to do the job but they did not. Reason being is because they both have to be cash cows otherwise why would the government continue to run a business that is making no money. The government had the liquor laws changed where we were suppose to be able to buy liquor, beer and wine in grocery stores. I am still waiting. The NDP will try and stop that from happening as much as they can. I say nix it and fix it alright. I say sell off ICBC and the liquor stores now. 

 

[eyeball]

I'd rather we expand the role that governments play for things like car insurance and wonder why ICBC shouldn't also get into home insurance as well.  Insurance for the masses should be like pharma-care where our governments can negotiate better prices for us by eliminating a vast swath of unnecessary middle-men.

I'm willing to bet the biggest reason for the inefficiency often associated with governments in these roles is due to political interference and that is an entirely different issue that has to do with the chronic lack of transparency that plagues just about every government on the planet;