Miata Mailing List: November 1995, Message #139
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   From: petra@euronet.nl (Petra van den Berge)
Subject: Dutch poison
   Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 17:05:47 -0500

Snakebite is a legal Dutch Miata now!

What a crazy day..
She has been checked out today, and all modifications were fine.

Actually, it was not too difficult. To modify an US spec Miata to an
European spec Miata, I had to do the following:
1. Replace the US seal beam headlights with Hella headlights ($80) and
readjust those headlights so that you're not blinding the upcoming drivers.
2. Replace the yellow parking/turn lights with white parking/turn lights ($2.5)
3. Plug out the four small lightbulbs in the four reflectors at the side of
the car.
I know it sounds stupid, but without those modifications you're not allowed
to drive such a car in Holland..

So I went to my dealer this morning, because they can readjust the
headbeams better than I can. After that I went to the place were they would
check my car. One hour (and a lot of photos) later (they really check the
car very thoroughly!) the only thing left to do was to go to the Customs
(again) and pay for the final tax.
So I went to The Hague, and of course I got pulled over again by some officer.

Help! Does anybody know how to readjust my dude-magnet? Right now it
attracts too many officers!

He wanted to check out the paperwork, and I told him I was glad that he
pulled me over, since the last time I was pulled over, I forgot to make
some photos of the situation. So I wanted to make a photo of him, standing
at my car with his motorcycle.
"Eh, let's check the paperwork first.
Is this your car? - Yes - Prove it.
Is this license plate valid for today? - Yes - Prove it.
Did you insure this car? - Yes - Prove it.
Did you pay all the taxes? - Well, I'm just on my way to The Hague to pay
the final tax, here's the bill - Ok.
Well, I guess it's time to make your photos then. Go ahead."

And he was standing at my car, pretending to checking the front license
plate (which is still not there).

I thanked him and went on my way to The Hague.

I wanted Snakebite to be as light as possible at the checkup. In Holland
the amount of tax you have to pay, every three months, is related to the
weight of the car. So I left the hardtop home, and got very little fuel.
So, when I was in about the worst part of The Hague, I run out of fuel :(
so I had to walk to the nearest gaz station. I was very nervous about
leaving her alone but I had no choice.. Well, nothing happened :) and the
guy at the gaz station brought me back to the car with some fuel.
Of course I was too late at the Customs, so I couldn't pay. The good part
about it was that the Customs made up the invoice (which I have to pay
tomorrow), but they never checked the car! They charged me for a basic
Dutch MX-5, which is really very very basic, compared to the 91B Snakebite
is..

Well, it has been a very busy day. Now it's only a matter of time (three
weeks) until I get my license plates. The adventure has come to an end.. A
happy ending!

Petra

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Petra@Euronet.nl                                         Petra van den Berge
and Snakebite, who lived happily ever after... :)        Zoetermeer, Holland
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