Terry Goes To Traffic Court

Sunday, February 12. 2006

Let me start by saying that I am not hyperactive, nor very impulsive. My mind is, but that is a different article for a future post.

What happened was, back in November, I got a call from my mother that she was on her way to admit my step-dad to the hospital. He was horribly ill. She had dropped off their dog, Suki, to the groomer and needed someone (me) to pick him up. I hopped in my car and sped- yes sped- to pick up Suki, and take him back to my house quickly, so that I could meet up with my folks at the hospital.

:: Bear with me- I am getting to the point ::

Anyway, yes...I must have been speeding because a cop stopped me and asked, "did you know you were speeding"? Before I could explain the situation, I was given the ticket (oy, second one in a year)and was admonished for going 5 <ahem> over in a school zone.

Now to the point.

I paid my ticket ($130!) and included a short note about how I was rushing due to a family emergency. Shortly afterward, I was sent a letter to appear in court to plead my case.

I went online to read about fighting traffic tickets. Everything I read said that if the officer didn't show up, you'd be off the hook. All I really wanted was to remove the points from my record, though getting reimbursed would be nice, too. But that was magical thinking. Descriptions about massive swarms of people sweating in courtrooms flashed on my computer screen. Suggestions on how to beg yourself out of the situation were numerous. I got records of the hospital admission and waited for the court date.

When I arrived, there were about 50 of us waiting in the corridors. One by one, our names were called. When they called mine, I was shocked when they led me to a tiny cubical where I sat across the desk from a judge (?) who briefly flipped through my file and quickly said all points would be taken off. "NEXT".

I said, "don't you even want to hear what happened?" He said, "No..you look like a decent person. Besides, I'm running behind here".

I walked out, thrilled to have the points taken off, but it made me really wonder about the system. I don't have stats, but I'm sure the great majority of motorists do not fight their traffic tickets. How many are written a day? How much money is paid a year? And it made me wonder, too...if the whole idea of traffic copping is to keep motorists safe, why are they hiding behind barracades and bushes? Why not be out in full view to remind us that we need to pay attention to the spedometer?

Ok, end of tirade.

[In case you're wondering, my dad is recuprating after major surgery...whew.]

Terry, "What sign?" Matlen

Posted by Terry at 22:55 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

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I once got a ticket for speeding though I was quite sure that I hadn't been because the transmission was going out in the car I had been driving. I paid the fine and pleaded not guilty and waited for my court date. On the way to court my car broke down, though I was able to get a note from the cop who stopped to help me, I decided that it just wasn't worth it to fight the ticket. Surprisingly enough it was the only ticket I've ever gotten, only time I was ever stopped too, guess I've been lucky. My mom who has ADHD hasn't been though, she's been to traffic school twice in one year!

#1 Lisi (Homepage) on 2006-08-18 09:26 (Reply)

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