So as everyone knows, I got a speeding ticket in October. The nice officer says he caught me doing 16 mph over the limit. I was guilty. For speeding, not the 16 over. The lovely letter came at the end of November saying that I owed $315 to the East County by December 19th and on top of that I could pay for traffic school! (if I was eligible - which I was, since I haven't had a speeding ticket since 1989!)
Today I went to pay the fine and turn in my traffic school diploma. At the payment desk I mentioned to the kid (really, he looked younger than my 15 year old) that I was not in fact doing the full 16 mph over the limit for which the officer wrote the ticket. He let me know that 16 is the magic number which raises the charge for the ticket and asked if I wanted to talk to the judge (for crying out loud - DID I?!?!?) Off I went to the courtroom reserved for flagrant traffic violators, like me. (I should probably mention here that I sat outside the courtroom for 5 minutes before realizing that I was supposed to wait inside. It was a little embarrassing, but nobody knew - until now.) Luckily, they hadn't yet called my name. So I sat watching as folks plead guilty and not guilty for different offenses such as speeding, driving at night with no lights (that one was kind of interesting) no proof of insurance, driving on a suspended license....
Can I just insert here that my whole life I have LOVED the energy in a courtroom even this traffic court! My turn came, and I stood up and plead guilty but noted that I was not going 16 mph over the limit. The judge asked how fast I thought I was going and so I told him between 5 and 12 over. (truth be told, I don't think I was going more than 10 over, but I wasn't sure he'd buy it). He offered me traffic school (oops - already did it!) no problem just give the original certificate to the court clerk (maybe I should have made a copy - too late!) "Ms. Batson, since you have a clean record I will reduce the fine to $235. You have a nice day."
Okay, I know $235 is crazy!! My friend who got a ticket for going 16 over in San Diego only paid $189 and she didn't dispute anything! But it was reduced by $80 which was worth the hour that it took to take care of it and I got to spend a few minutes in a (traffic) courtroom, and talk to the judge.
I was tempted to go upstairs to the civil courtroom of my former professor, but 1. I wasn't sure he would remember me and 2. If he did, he wouldn't be able to chat with me, go figure.
Here is where I ended up (in my head) after my field trip:
I so wish that I could just take the freakin' LSAT on an A.S. degree and get into law school! One of the local schools used to allow that! and:
If I went to work at the courthouse just to be around the "environment" I would end up with a job in the back room, processing people's payment of fines. Not exactly the place I'd want to be.
******I DO owe a big, fat thanks to Justyn and her sister Erin (the best hair do-er in the world!) for prompting me to take the route of trying to get this lowered - IT WORKED!***************
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4 comments:
See I told you they usually reduce it, not much but worth it- right!
you go girl! criminal intent....SVU here you come. ps i am so obessesed with law and order as well...pss freakin expensive ticket, yikers happy holidays right!?!?!
im so glad to hear they lowered it! they were, unfortunately not as nice to my husband. he went in the other day because he had missed his court date(by 2 days!!) for a ticket he had pled not guilty to and they charged him $300just for missing the court date!! and if they find him guilty he still has to pay for the dang ticketon top of that!! bummer. ps thanks for the best hairdresser comment!!
Now im in a really bad mood because I had no idea how high my ticket was going to be. I was going 80 on the freeway which is normal in SD, cars were passing me but he said he pulled me over cause I was in the outside lane. That was my fond farewell from the CHP!
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