I am ashamed to admit it....

Tiny Tim · February 21, 2009, 06:52:39 AM

but my Daddy did end up raising one moron. Last night I left from visiting Dad in the hospital at about 7:00, got down to the highway and saw a local police officer who was going to turn and go the opposite way on the street I was on. Didn't think much of it, I turned the corner and went on my way. A few blocks later I look in the mirror and an officer pulls in line behind me. A few blocks later the lights come on advising me to pull over. I'll admit, my plates were expired and I 100% deserve that ticket. When he asked for proof of insurance though, I mentioned that it was on my desk at work....I was 10000000% sure that it was. So after a while he comes back to the window with 2 tickets, the one for the plate violation, and another for not carrying proof of insurance. Fast forward to about midnight when I'm laying in bed replaying the incident. I got to thinking a couple of months ago when I was taking a cold smoke box to the UPS shipper and had forgotten the address on my desk. That night I called Dad to bring that address out to my truck and grab the proof of insurance paper since I was going to be flying low to make it to the shipper before they closed. See where this is going yet? I cussed and then tried to get some sleep, deciding to check in the morning on my visor where the registration was. What do I find? That's right, the current proof of insurance paper. So now I have a $50 court cost bill (down from $380? fine and penalties) for being stubborn and not looking on the visor for a piece of paper that I was sure was on my desk.

When am I gonna learn?

deb415611 · February 21, 2009, 07:00:25 AM

Tim,

You are not a moron! It sounds like you have alot on your mind. Sorry to hear that your Dad is back in the hospital and hope everything is ok there.

If it helps I backed out of the garage a couple weeks ago right into my cleaning person's car - luckily she laughed at me when I went running back into the house saying "I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid, I'm so stupid, I"m sorry" . we all have non thinking moments.

It stinks that you will still have a $50 charge.

Deb

manxman · February 21, 2009, 07:05:22 AM

Now that is a bummer TT! ::)

However, with your dad in hospital I am sure you had other things on your mind and bet ya you are not the only one here who makes similar mistakes. My better half would be only too happy to provide you with a BIG list of mine! ::) :-[

Smoking Duck · February 21, 2009, 07:07:55 AM

I think having your dad on your mind doesn't make you a moron..........it makes you a caring son. God bless you for all you and your dad have been through, TT. I'm sure you've been the one rock that your dad can rely on and that makes you a genius in my book!

SD

Tiny Tim · February 21, 2009, 07:12:12 AM

Thanks for the kind words, ya'll are makin' me feel a little better.

Kummok · February 21, 2009, 12:48:28 PM

Everyone is saying it right, TT.....I'll just add that I've been the ticket issuer for many years and offer this experienced counsel: IF you have the time to go to traffic court, you're facts as just written, told to the magistrate will likely reduce the ticket to at least 50% and, (if you get a proper thinking judge), will likely get dismissed altogether. Might not even hurt to try to explain same with the issuing officer before going into the courtroom.... albeit most IOs will refuse to discuss tickets w/ the recipient.

I recall giving a ticket to a vehicle parked in a fire lane....later, I got a call from the RO (normally, we don't take calls from ticket "complainants" but the clerk told me that I'd probably "want to take this call"....I did, the clerk was right, and the young mother on the other end of the phone told me that her car was parked there because she was taking her baby and baby "stuff" into her mother-in-law's house because she was moving in with her until her husband, who had just been called up to the Gulf War frontlines, returned home. I bought her story but my hands were tied as the ticket had already been routed. Now the way traffic court works, if the issuing officer doesn't show the ticket is routinely dismissed (and most IOs do show because it's their duty AND because it's good for a substantial bit of overtime), . Since I couldn't void the ticket once it was issued, I told her to contest it and that I simply wouldn't show up and it would be dismissed (but also NOT to park in a fire lane because it just might be her baby that was choking when we were delayed trying to maneuver around a parked car). She did, I didn't, it was, justice done, lesson learned.....doesn't ALWAYS go down that way but it's great when things work right and it does!

seemore · February 21, 2009, 12:57:30 PM

Tim, nothing to be ashamed of.
You have a lot on your mind and that's enough said.
Please keep us updated on your Dad.
The Seemores

Habanero Smoker · February 21, 2009, 02:20:03 PM

I agree with the others, preoccupation does not equate with being a moron.

Though I have to add your state is tough. I always forget to carry my insurance card (New York), but even the small village patrol cars have computers to easily verify if the car is insured. Now our State Troopers and many of the county sheriffs have a camera to scan your plate into their on-board computer, and by doing that they get a read out if you are insured and register before stopping you. Sorry! I'm regressing.

La Quinta · February 21, 2009, 09:39:05 PM

Tiny...my Mom got pulled over for speeding the other day...the cop walks up to the car and asks her if she knows what she was doing wrong...she says...yes sir...I wasn't wearing my seatbelt...he let her go on the stupid factor for her seatbelt!!! Ticket for speeding tho!!!

We all do stuff when our mind is on something else...hell....I don't know how I got to work 3 or 4 days a week...I just ended up there!!! ;D

Mr Walleye · February 22, 2009, 06:11:26 AM

That reminds me of another true story...

My Brother-in-law is sitting at a red light at an intersection that does not allow left turns after 11AM. So... he's sitting there lookin' at the light... waiting... glances in the mirror... Whoa, cops right behind him! He glances at his watch and notices it's 1 minute after 11. So he thinks... I'm sittin' here with my left signal on... I can't just shut it off and go straight. So... away he goes turning left and carefully watching in his mirror. On come the lights and they pull him over. He was watching the 2 cops in the cruiser and they were laughing about it. Anyway the cop comes to the window and says, do you know why I pulled you over? My B-I-L says, ya... I turned left at that intersection and it's 11:01 but because I was already sitting there for a minute waiting I thought it would be alright. Cop says... That's not why I pulled you over... You drove through the red light! :D

Needless to say he got a ticket but it certainly shows you your mind can play tricks on ya when it's pre-occupied with other things. Don't worry about it Tiny, You'll look back on it at some point and laugh about. You have to, life is too short to sweat the details, ya gotta enjoy the ride! ;)

Mike

Tiny Tim · February 23, 2009, 06:42:57 AM

Thank you for the stories and advice. Walleye, I'm sorry for your brother in law, but I just busted out laughing at yours.

I'm probably not going to fight the court costs on the Insurance card deal, $300+ will be waived when I show the card to the Clerk of Court, leaving $50, and I've been pretty lucky when dealing with officers in the past. Including one night stopped for 70+ mph in a 55, no seat belt, with alcohol on my breath and not getting any tickets.