Sometimes I drive a little bit too fast. I try to watch it, but I have a pretty sweet car, and it has happened that I haven't noticed how fast I was going before it was too late. Fortunately for me, there have only been three occasions on which a friendly officer of the law actually noticed me going too fast. I was 20 years old when I got my first ticket. I was driving up Provo Canyon to a ward party with my roommates. I was not thinking about driving. I was thinking about Jeff. I had liked him for over a year, and his roommates had been preparing me all week to ask him that night if there was ever a chance for us to date. They assured me that I would get a positive answer, but getting that ticket was a bad omen. And then Jeff flirted with my roommate all night, so I didn't talk to him after all. I also didn't pay the ticket--not on purpose. It's sometimes a bad idea to have all your mail go to your parents' house but live somewhere else because then when the police department sends you your ticket, you don't get it. In fact, when they send you a letter telling you there is a warrant out for your arrest due to not paying that speeding ticket, you don't even find out until 3 months later. I didn't have to wait 3 months to find out what was up with Jeff, though. He called me the next day and told me that we should date. So I was also 20 years old when I got my first kiss.
After my next ticket, which happened to be four and a half years later (driving home for lunch between shifts at the MTC), the policeman told me that since I had a clean driving record, I could go to traffic school, and it would be erased from my record. So I went to traffic school. I remember thinking that there was nothing that they could say to me at traffic school that would have a long-term impact on my lead foot, but I was wrong. After an hour of stories about people like me who had been driving just a bit too fast and then hit a small child, maiming or paralyzing him for life, I have changed my ways. Being a danger to myself, I can handle. I'm the one that has to live with it. But the thought of potentially hitting some innocent kid who was just running out into the street to get his four-square ball, and damaging his life forever has permanently slowed me down. For the most part.
My third ticket I received about two months ago. The story is uneventful. I had no idea that the road I was driving on was a 30 mph zone. With two lanes both directions, who would guess that? I can't really blame the cop. I was definitely speeding, but it was a transgression rather than a sin because I didn't knowingly violate this very important traffic law. So today, I had my very first experience in court. I pled "guilty with an explanation." I explained to the judge that having recently moved here from Utah and was unaware of the speed limit. The judge pondered a moment, and then said, "I'll take your word for it," and he lowered my fine. That is what our legal system is all about, and I'm proud to be a part of it.
So, tell me about your traffic violations... Have you gotten off? Does crying really work? Don't be shy...
6 comments:
Do attractive women like yourself, get off easier though? I think so.
I don't drive for the same reason. Well, I could pass the eye test for a restricted license, but I figure I could still hurt someone pretty bad because I did not see them...
On a rather unrelated note, I did back the car into the neighbor's basement window when I was 2. It was a prefect fit! No one was hurt, thank goodness.
First kiss at 20, huh? Nice.
Michael, you give a good evidence why 2-year-olds are not supposed to drive.
I once got a ticket and didn't pay it. It wasn't really my fault either. I just kind of forgot about it and then kept putting it off.
Then, about three months after the ticket was due I got pulled over and summoned to court for driving on a suspended license, which apparently is very serious offense in Fairfax County (worse than DUI) even if the only reason your license is suspended is for not paying a ticket. To your last point, Bethany, it's all about the fines. I never expected the judge to ask me, "Are you aware that this is punishable with jail time?" When he then asked if I would like a lawer, I responded that I would.
Another court date and $1,200 in legal system fees later, I vowed to always remember to pay those fines on time. Unless I forget.
Yowsa!! That is a lot of money...I'm actually feeling pretty good about the $107 that I had to pay. (The fine itself was lowered to only $40, but then they tack on a $57 processing fee and $10 for court costs...) But if the judge hadn't been merciful, it would have been closer to $200, so I'm not going to complain. And that would have been really sad if you'd had to do jail time for not paying a ticket... Good story!
I got a span of 3 tickets in 3 months once. The first was for running a red light. No one was around, helping someone out who had run out of gas, etc. Cop was right behind me. I just laughed. The second was speeding in a speed trap. They lowered the speed limit from 35 to 25 over a weekend and on Monday I didn't know about it. I was going 32. The next was for a broken headlight. I went to band practice with two headlights and drove home with one. Got a ticket, got it fixed and the judge wouldn't lower or take away the fine. I guess it would seem like I was an irresponsible driver. But those are the only 3 tickets I got, well, unless you count the time when I first got my dl and was driving 86 home from a stake dance in the boonies.
Being beautiful and blonde does count when an officer of the law is staring down at you through your driver's side window. I have to admit that I was only 18 when this story happened, but nevertheless, it is a good one. I had been playing sand volleyball with a bunch of friends until way too late one night. As I was driving home, I got pulled over for speeding. Nothing too bad, just 45 in a 25 zone. Come to find out that I also had a tail light not working, and I couldn't find my wallet to show proof of a drivers license. At this point, the kind officer ever so politely asked me to join him in his car while he called in my info. As I stepped out of the car I learned of another great law in Utah. It is illegal to drive without shoes on. As I have said, I was playing volleyball in the sand and as luck would have it I forgot my flipflops that night and you can't put socks and shoes back on if you have sand in between your toes. How many offenses are we up to? Oh, who's counting anyway?
Long story even longer, I went back to his car and had a lengthy conversation with this cop about the world's greatest sport, volleyball. As is turns out, his daughter plays volleyball and as I had truthfully explained the lack of shoes, the conversation quickly changed. After my driving record came back clean as a whistle, he escorted me back to my car and like any good dad, told me to be careful driving home. Not even a written warning. So, if an infraction of the law is not written anywhere on paper, did it really even exist?
Being blonde, beautiful, athletic and full of charm sure worked that night.
Bethany, I love reading your blogs. Keep them coming! Your long lost friend for CVJH, freakinlucky13!
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