Please Forward This Blog To Family, Friends And Concerned Citizens

Dear Friends,

We ask that you forward this Blog to all your loved ones. Live Stop is not just some innocent program that is "getting the bad guys out there". Ask around. You will hear horror stories from family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and every day law-abiding citizens who have been abused by the Live Stop "program" in Philadelphia.

If all you do right now is become AWARE of Live Stop then we have done our job. But stand up and be counted do more. Forward the link to this blog to everyone that you love, care about and know. Write to your local and state elected officials and tell them that you want Live Stop "stopped" and that is an election issue to you. Tell them you want the Constitution to followed in Philadelphia which is the very Birthplace of the Constitution. Tell them you want your Civil Rights accorded to you by the Constitution, the Absolute Supreme Law of the Land, to override and terminate Live Stop.

Public awareness of Live Stop is growing and gaining momentum day by day as more and more Citizens are experiencing firsthand Live Stop's violations of their Constitutionally granted Civil Rights . Live Stop has seized over 100,000 cars in the city of Philadelphia since the city began having its police officers implement it. How many cars are there in Philadelphia to seize? Can all these people be criminals or is Live Stop unconstitutional and is it being used flippantly and abusively by the police force? Live Stop is a "law" that can be easily abused by a police officer wittingly or unwittingly.


We, too, were once a group of every day Citizens going about our daily routine and business that didn't know anything about Live Stop. Now, that we have been hit hard by it, we have united together and are spreading the word on the street and online. Our numbers are growing by the day. Now things are changing. It is ironic that Live Stop, a blatant violation of our Constitutional Rights has made us more aware than ever before of the Constitution and the sovereignty and liberty of private property that it accords us. So a great light is coming out of something that is quite dark.

It used to be, until Live Stop was implemented in Philadelphia, that if you forgot to put your insurance card in your car or if you forgot to register your car, that you were issued tickets and a court hearing in traffic court for such a violation. You kept on driving in your car until you get home and find your insurance card that you lost or misplaced and/or get your car registered. Then, when the time came you would go to traffic court show that you have your car insured and registered and the traffic court judge with throw your tickets out or decide that you had to pay them. This is called Due Process and this is Constitutionally based law and order. With Live Stop all that is currently over. You are simply thrown out of your car and your car which is your personal property is immediately seized and impounded. Often times you will find yourself stuck in the middle of nowhere car-less even though Live Stop mandates police to ensure that you have a way home. But what are you going to do? If the cop decides to whimsically leave you high and dry, then you are up the creek without a paddle. If you ask around you will see, as we have seen and documented, that a good chunk of Citizens that have been Live Stopped have been left stranded often with groceries or other personal effects in hand. Live Stop is like a meteor falling out of the sky right on you and your private property (you car) and any persons, whether young or old that may have been with you. It's time to bring the "old days" back when you were simply issued violations tickets and given a court date and hearing. The "old days" before Live Stop when Constitutionally based protocols were followed that respected by local authorities.


We do NOT and are not advocating lawlessness. We are NOT for people driving around the city of Philadelphia unlicensed, unregistered or uninsured. What we are for is the proper implementation of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, in particular, the Amendments thereof that deal with Search and Seizure, Due Process and the Citizenry's Rights of Property and Liberty. We are for Just Compensation when the local authorities have overstepped their Constitutional obligations and damaged and hurt ourselves and our Private Property.

We are NOT against our fellow brother and sister police officers who protect the public streets and the Citizenry from criminal elements. We are for a Constitutionally educated and just police force that is not reckless, heavy handed and randomly sadistic with the Citizenry they are supposed to be servants of as public and civil servants.

We are for a city that pays excellent wages for intelligent, emotionally stable and psychologically healthy officers to patrol the streets. We want the police officers, men and women, who are our fellow brother and sister Citizens, to have the best of benefits for themselves and their families ie., health care, school funds for their children etc. These men and women are to be role models of proper law enforcement in our city that are to enforce Constitutionally just and sound laws.

We are for a fiscally honest and sound city government that doesn't have corruption blowing everywhere so that when more money is needed for the city's coffers, the city doesn't go around looking for ways to cut police budgets thereby cutting benefits and wages belonging to our police force so that we have cops patrolling the streets that are stressed out, underpayed and just as worried about their futures as the average Citizen is.

To all the police officers out there that know in your heart of hearts that Live Stop has something seriously wrong about it, and you have let your fellow Citizen "slide" without having their car Seized without Due Process, we say 'thank you and God bless you and your loved ones'. You are respectable and honorable Citizens of this this great historical city where the Constitution was first signed and instituted. This very same city of Philadelphia which served as the Birthplace of Democracy and where the Declaration of Independence was signed by our political forefathers. This very same city that was this great nation's first capital. This City that hosts the grand Constitution Center and the Liberty Bell!

Yes, this our Grand Nation with its Great Constitution that gives us, the Citizenry of this Great Nation, the most marvelous Legal Document ever drawn up in History, in the name of and for the sake of Humanity, so as to preserve and keep the Dignity, Rights and Freedom of Humanity alive and well and free of dictatorship, tyranny and autocracy.

Knowledge is power. Know your Constitution and the Civil Rights it accords you or you will lose your power!

What we would do if we were "Live Stopped" again

Disclaimer :

The following does not necessarily reflect the views of this blog or its managers. The following was submitted to us by local Citizens that were unjustly Live Stopped like so many countless others. The following paragraphs, sentences and script are not legal advice are not to be misconstrued as such by any means. This is simply what the original authors of these words would do if they were to be Live Stopped again. We are not telling you what to do in any way shape or form legally or non-legally.

By proceeding to read, copy, repeat or print the below information, you acknowledge that the following is not to be taken as legal advice, legal guidance, legal direction or legal instruction in any manner.

It is simply an anecdote, a relating of what they would do if they were to be Live Stopped again.

This right is being reserved by We the People, Citizens of the USA living sovereignly under the Constitution and the Bill of Rights which guarantee all Citizens Freedom of Speech and Press and Assembly via the First Amendment which reads :

Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791


This having been said and stated, if these Citizens were to be "Live Stopped" again by police in the city of Philadelphia, they have written the following (We would like to thank you Lilian and Edward for this submission):


"If we were to be Live Stopped again this is what we would do :


1) We would inform the police officer(s) calmly and firmly that they are violating our Constitutional Rights and, hence, our Civil Rights by being the direct agents that are violating the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments which govern the government's protocol, in all 50 States of the Nation, on how to conduct Search and Seizure of Citizens' Private Property and that guarantee us Due Process before having our Private Property seized by the government. The officers must be informed that the Constitution is, without exception, the Supreme Law of the Land and that no State or Municipal law can violate It.

2)We would inform the officer(s) that we are going to sue them personally via a Constitutional Law or a Civil Rights Attorney and that we are going to go after them personally with a lawsuit for violating our Constitutional rights and that we are not going to sue their superiors, nor the Philadelphia Police Department, nor the City of Philadelphia but them, the actual officer(s) personally, for being the direct agents that are violating our Civil Rights by violating the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

Side note : The Constitution and the Bill of Rights are the Supreme Law of the Land. There is no municipal nor state government that has the right to override the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Live Stop doesn't qualify for this right. Police officers and government officials are PUBLIC SERVANTS. They are not autocrats, tyrants, nor dictators. We the People are not their servants and will not be their victims. We the People rule the land and government via the Constitution. America is not a monarchy. There are no kings and queens in this land. From the president of the Nation, to the governor of a state, to the mayor of city, all of us are are equal citizens.

3) We would then state to the officer(s) that they are operating outside the "Color of Law" which means that they are no longer indemnified from personal legal action against them. A police officer is a law enforcer and as long as they are enforcing the law, they cannot be personally sued for such because the "Color of Law" protects them while on duty. Since they are breaking Constitutional Law by implementing Live Stop and thus violating the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, they are now, in effect, operating outside the "Color of Law". Hence, they are no longer cloaked by indemnification via "Color of Law" and our Constitution Lawyer or Civil Rights Attoryey will be contacting them notifying them of a personal lawsuit against them the officer(s) for violating our Constitutional Rights and Civil Liberties and they will pay the price for their Constitutional violations. Not their superiors, not the police department, not the city, but they themselves will be held accountable for violating Constitutional law directly.

4)We would state to the officer(s) that we are going to report them to the Police Advisory Commission (aka PAC) and file a complaint against them personally via PAC for violating our Constitutional and Civil Rights protected by the Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment and that we are going to have this complaint put on their personal job performance record.

Sidenote : If a police officer treats you offensively, demeaningly or sadistically, this is something that should also be memorized and submitted on your Police Advisory Commission complaint. We are constantly hearing that many police officers are "throwing their weight around" and psychologically intimidating the average every day citizenry while implementing Live Stop. It feels and sounds as if we are back in the "Rizzo Era of Police Set Loose" . This is why PAC was established. This is what PAC is for.

The Police Advisory Commission's website is http://www.phila.gov/pac/index.html . PAC has no vested interest with the police department of Philadelphia. The people that answer the phones to help the public citizenry are quite well mannered, articulate and extremely well informed and ready to assist you in having a complaint filed or grievance filed. Your complaint is thoroughly and properly handled and pursued. It isn't just thrown into some shredder by some "buddy" police officer.

File your complaint against the police office with PAC first. If you do it via the Philadelphia police department with all its corruption, your complaint will probably wind up in a trash can or shredder or a blind eye will simply be turned to it.

Again, PAC is not part of the police department. It stands on its own and they will make sure that your complaint is seen through to the end and registered and that it takes its toll on the officer(s) for their actions.


So, to sum it up, we would let the officer(s) know that they are operating outside the "Color of Law" by violating your Fourth, Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments' Constitutional and Civil Rights by Seizing your Private Property and Seizing it without Due Process and that they, therefore, have exposed themselves to a Constitutionally based lawsuit to be filed against their persons and that you are also going to file and register a complaint against their performance via the Police Advisory Commission (PAC).

People, KNOW YOUR CONSTITUTION AND BILL OF RIGHTS. Go to http://www.usconstituiton.net/xconst.html Print it out. Keep a copy in your car so when you are Live Stopped you can educate the police officer on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Get to know a Constitutional or Civil Rights attorney personally. Most don't charge for initial consultations. It is a necessity that you know a lawyer specializing in Constitutional Law these days when the Constitution is flagrantly being violated across the board and across the Land. Type in Constitutional lawyer or Civil Rights attorney in Google or any other online search engine and the name of the city where you reside and get to know them. Also, there are many wonderful groups that you can find online that work to educate the people on their Constitutional Rights. Call your local Lawyer Bar Association and get their list of Constitutional and Civil Rights lawyers. Take action before you find your self and your children slaves of a state that you just wake up to one day.

For information's sake, below are listed some of the Amendments that we believe Live Stop is violating.
http://www.usconstitution.net/xconst.html

Notes for this amendment: Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Sidenote: Does Live Stop make you, the Citizen, secure in your persons, papers and effects against unreasonable seizure? Was a legally binding Oath or affirmation made before your car was seized?

U.S. Constitution - Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings

Notes for this amendment: Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

Sidenote : The Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and Bill of Rights guarantees the Citizenry a right to legal due process before the seizing and confiscation of private property.

Due Process can be defined as, "A course of legal proceedings according to those rules and principles that have been established in our systems of jurisprudence for the enforcement and protection of private rights."www.csc.noaa.gov/ptd/glossary.htm

It is also can be defined as follows,"In criminal law, the constitutional guarantee that a defendant will receive a fair and impartial trial. In civil law, the legal rights of someone who confronts an adverse action threatening liberty or property."
www.uscourts.gov/journalistguide/glossary.html

Amendment 8 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Notes for this amendment: Proposed 9/25/1789
Ratified 12/15/1791

"Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted".

Sidenote : The price to get your car back from the Philadelphia parking authority via Live Stop is outrageous. Are not the fines for being Live Stopped excessive? Seizing a person's car because they forgot to register their car or forgot to put their insurance card in their car is cruel and unusual punishment.

Amendment 14 - Citizenship Rights

Notes for this amendment:
Proposed 6/13/1866
Ratified 7/9/1868

(Note : Only the first section of the 14th Amendment is being listed here)

1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Sidenote: Again, there goes the key operative words DUE PROCESS. No State shall make a law depriving the Citizenry of Life, Liberty or Property without DUE PROCESS. When you are stopped and thrown out of your car because you are being "Live Stopped" by a police officer, they are messing with the Fourteenth Amendment which governs CITIZENSHIP RIGHTS of Due Process , Property Rights and Liberty (since your liberty to drive in your car freely and have access to your car were taken away).

Inform them. If the police academy and the school system they came from didn't educate them on the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, We the People, sure can. It's our obligation to them as fellow Citizens. Police are our fellow brothers and sisters. They are being weighed down upon by the same corrupt system that is weighing all citizens down with Live Stop. When they realize the personal cost to them that a law suit will cost them, they can decide if they want to procede with implementing Live Stop on you the Citizen or not.

Live Stop is basically telling us the Citizens that we are guilty before proven innocent. We the Citizens, then get a court hearing AFTER our Property has been Seized and if we don't come up with the money in time to get our car back from the Philadelphia parking authority (which isn't much time at all if you are short on money), the Philadelphia parking authority proceeds to auction off our Private Property to the highest bidder.

Remember, government naturally keeps on growing on the backs and expenses of the common man and woman until the common man and woman stand up and demand the Constitution and the Bill of Rights be implemented."

Philadelphia's Live Stop Program - Violation of the Citizenry's Constitutional Righs?

Have you been a victim of Philadelphia's so called "Live Stop" program where the police in the City of Philadelphia have you thrown out of your car on the spot "live" and they proceed to have your car immediately seized and impounded by the Philadelphia Parking Authority?

Were you left, like so many of your fellow citizens, stranded in the middle of nowhere? Were you coming home from food shopping with your groceries in your car and left not knowing what to do next while you watched your car be towed away? Were you struck in awe at how the government could seize your personal property without a proper court hearing and due legal process as the Constitution of the United States of America guarantees you as a citizen of the land?

Was your family left without a car until you could scrap up the money to go down to the Philadelphia Parking Authority's lot and get your car back?

Were you one of the many people who had their car's headlights left on "mistakingly" by the Philadelphia Parking Authority so that when you finally got to your car you found that your car battery was dead and then you watched the Philadelphia Parking Authority proceed to tow your car out into the street and plop your car next to the side walk while you had to wait for someone to come and give you a jump or tow your car to the mechanic's?

You are not alone. Every day, the City of Philadelphia's "Live Stop" program is having approximately one hundred of its citizens' cars seized and impounded "live" without a court hearing or any due legal process as promised by the Constitution.


What is going on? Is this the Wild West or is this Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the first capital of the United States of America and the home of the Declaration of Indepence and the Constitution!?

This blog is being set up by a group of citizens of the United States of America and residents of the city of Philadelphia in order to raise awareness among the citizens of Philadelphia about the city's "Live Stop Program" and all the harm and hurt it is causing every day non-criminal people.

This is a place to post stories, gather and unite, to petition the city and demand change so that the horrors of the Live Stop program can be stopped. Every day non-criminal citizens should not be thrown out of their cars and have their property seized on the spot. The constitution apparently even guarantees criminals their rights and procedures when it comes to their property.

Help us make a change ! At least get informed on what Live Stop is. Help inform others, your friends, loved ones so that they don't fall victim to this "program" which should be retitled a "pogrom". Forward this Blog's Link to as many people as you can.

Links To Help

The Police Advisory Commission
http://www.phila.gov/pac/index.html

Also known as PAC. PAC is a non-vested non-governemental group of very dedicated and informed citizens that oversee the behavior of Philadelphia Police and help you with complaints against police officers that step over the line of their professional duties.

When I was pulled over by Live Stop, not only do I believe my Constitutional Rights were violated by the police officer involved with improper seizure of property without due legal process, but I also got a lot of snide, cutting and biting personal remarks from a quite ignorant and clearly psychologically disturbed police officer. PAC was great with guiding and handling this situation. Being a cop in any major urban area surely isn't an easy job, but sadistic personalities shouldn't be allowed to continue operating in the police force. Apparently, the city of Philadelphia has potential cops psychologically screened before they become cops but once they hit the streets they are not psychologically reviewed periodically. Surely, being a cop is a very hard thing in any major urban area. And hats off to all the good cops out there of which there are many we all commend and thank you. For your mentally ill cops that suffer with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Sadistic personalities etc., you need to get help. Filing complaints against you is actually a good thing for you. It might get you some need help before you get any worse. We can go police Iraq and goodness knows how many corners around the globe but we can't get decent pay and benefits to attract good, sane, just cops on the streets of our cities in the U.S.A.



Hall Watch
http://www.hallwatch.org

This is a great watch dog group that stays on top of all the financial and political corruption, abuse and mismanangement that elected city officials are constantly bringing about in this city.


Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
http://www.pilcop.org/

Live Stop Causing More Problems Asks Poster At Phillyblog.com

http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/northeast-philly/10595-live-stop-program-causing-more-problems.html

Live Stop Program causing more problems?

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I am currently a manager at one of the businesses on Cottman avenue near Roosevelt Mall, and have had three very bad experiences within the last month or so, due directly to the live stop program.

Last night was the worst of the three, and it seems like things are only going to get worse unless someone changes the policies involved in leaving very angry criminals in a neighbohood other than thier own.

Here's what happened last night. A car was LiveStopped on Cottman outside of where I work. The three occupants of the vehicle were two large black men, and a black woman, all of whom were very clearly altered.

As has happened twice before in the past month or so, yet again they come into my place of work, and start asking to use the phone, scaring my employees and customers, and generally causing a serious disruption to business, as well as a rather dangerous situation for myself and my employees.

The three immediately set upon a young black man in my lobby, who happened to be waiting for his girlfriend to finish her shift. Because both she and he are black, the three started attempting the "help your people out" approach, then turned VERY aggressive when it didn't work. They were asking for money, and actually intimidated the young man into letting them use his phone!

I had multiple customers attempt to come into the business who were set upon by these three, aggressively asking for money, posturing in an intimidating way, and scared all of my patrons off. One had already paid for her purchase and was awaiting it's completion and was so afraid that she just left. I had to refund her money an hour later, after she called and sent her husband back, because she didn't even feel safe enough to return after I assured her everything was taken care of.

My employee, who lives in a pretty bad area of West Philly, and is no stranger to bad situation, was so unsettled that she had to sit in the office, taking a good ten or so minutes before she was able to stop crying and pull herself together.

I asked these junkies to leave repeatedly, and was actually ready to defend myself, so aggressive was the response I recieved. It took me having to get VERY aggressive, and have my employee dial 911 before they actually left, throwing things at the windows on thier way, and kicking over a trash can to boot.

This is a bad situaiton, that could have gotten MUCH worse, and it was caused 100% by the live stop policies. Has anyone else had problems in NE Philly with this program? If not, watch out, because it's getting worse, three in a month for my place of work. If so, how do you deal with this?

I think the LiveStop program needs to include those IN the vehicle. If the car is being taken, the driver is CLEARLY breaking the law, LOCK THEM UP TOO! If the passengers are clearly high, take them as well! These three were screaming at the police the whole time, so it's not like it wasn't clear what mindset they were in.

Any suggestions on trying to nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of hand?

Stop Live Stop ! Online Petition by Foundation For A Better Society

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-live-stop

Help us Stop the unfair practices of “Live Stop”.

Law makers got together and figured 21 days was enough time for you to get your MONEY and “AFFAIRS” in order to get your car out of the impound. They must know how much money you have at home under the mattress(or they just don't care, they just want you to shut up and pay).

Live Stop , Dead Cars - Citypaper.net - Almost 31,000 Cars Seized By July 2003 !

http://www.citypaper.net/articles/2003-07-31/cb2.shtml

Live Stop, Dead Cars

Lock and Key: scrappers are snatching up seized live-stop cars in batches of 25. Photo By: Michael T. Regan

City lots are filling up with seized vehicles.

by Daryl Gale

If you’re one of the nearly 31,000 Philadelphians whose car was confiscated under the city’s Live Stop program, you’re probably already familiar with the contents of this story and have started cursing under your breath while reading it on public transportation. For many others, some questions remain: Whose car gets taken? How do you get it back? And what ever happened to the promise that auto-insurance premiums would drop, since not even a penny has been deducted so far?

Here are the hard numbers. Between last July, when the administration started enforcing Live Stop, and the end of May, 30, 909 cars had been confiscated from drivers without a valid license and/or an up-to-date registration. The program is administered by the Philadelphia Parking Authority, which hauls away the cars and stores them in five lots across the city.

There they wait for owners to reclaim them after paying the necessary fees and acquiring the proper paperwork. That means you have to pay up any tickets and fines, the state's $36 vehicle registration fee, and of course, get some insurance. If no one stakes their claim, the car is auctioned off to the highest bidder. Parking Authority spokesperson Richard Dickson says confiscated cars go to the highest bidder in about a month, which officials consider enough time for owners to get their paperwork in order.

Allaying concerns that the PPA may run out of room to store the growing number of confiscated autos, Dickson says it has already bought five extra lots to meet the demand.

"We can handle the job," Dickson says. "We have the space and the good cars are being sold at a decent clip." But what about the not-so-good cars? It's no secret that a fair number of seizures aren't worth the gas left in their tanks.

"The ones we can't sell at auction to individual owners or dealers we sell for salvage. Scrap metal and salvage guys buy them in lots of 25 for as little as $25 apiece," he says. Seized cars sold at auction have a minimum $300 bid and are sold as is. There are rarely keys, so winning bidders need to tow the cars home, get a locksmith to open the door and have new keys made. Then, they have to get the car registered, inspected and insured. All that, and there's little information about the car's condition. Since there are few guarantees, if the car has serious problems, the winning bidder purchased a large lawn ornament.

Dickson says 14,925 cars seized since Live Stop started have been reclaimed while 21,475 were auctioned. ("I know that comes to more than the 30,909," Dickson explains, "but the vehicles we already had in our lots when Live Stop started were counted in those numbers.")

The goal, says Dickson, is getting unsafe drivers and cars off the road, thereby lowering everybody else's insurance rates.

"When the city asked the insurance companies for relief, this is what they said they wanted so we're doing that, and so far, the program has been a success," he says. "Now it's time to hold their feet to the fire and make sure that we get the relief they promised. We're doing our part. It's up to our elected officials to make the insurance companies do theirs."

Several officials are doing just that. Two months ago, Mayor Street formed an auto insurance rate reduction task force, and has gone on record saying that he thinks Philadelphians are getting shafted.

"It's the mayor's contention that the auto insurance rates are unjustifiably high, given the insurance companies' own loss ratios and risk factors," says Street spokesperson Barbara Grant. "We've created the new consumer advocate position and even taken the insurance companies to court. We're also working with the state's insurance commissioner to lay out our case. We're going to press in every court we can and every way we can to get relief for Philadelphia drivers."

The State Insurance Department agrees that Live Stop is a clear signal to insurance companies that the city is serious about getting something done but says the unusually high percentage of medical claims resulting from Philly auto accidents inflates insurance premiums.

"People are at a greater risk of being involved in an accident in Philadelphia, and it's more costly to make human and vehicle repairs," says State Insurance Department spokesperson Rosanne Placey. "But having fewer uninsured drivers means that consumers may feel more comfortable omitting the uninsured motorist component of the coverage, creating a savings."