Monday, March 6, 2017

Scofflaw

After action report on, Officer Dickhead meets Citizen Hothead.


I mentioned in that post I intended to torture them before they got my money. We settled last Friday. My file had some twenty pages.

The rationale for traffic citations is to change the scofflaw’s driving habits and attitude. That may be true for some officers, they being the ones who deal with the physical carnage, but for the courts it is all about revenue. Example. In Weld County, CO should you be ordered by the courts to perform xxxxx hours of “useful public service”, you can take the hours times the prevailing minimum wage, write a check, and walk away. (Yes, I know because I’ve done it – thirty over reduced to driving faster than road conditions,  and many, many benjis)

My torture program, over time, involved three city attorneys, a judge and recorder, several clerks and summons to court for the officers involved. Yes, I know the officers get paid. Yes, I know that involves scheduling problems. Since I settled the matter four days before the court date my bet is the clerks didn’t notify the officers in a timely manner and they will show up tomorrow.  

Remember I said it was all about revenue? My original fine went from $155 to $172. Points against my license went from four to two.

I may not have the negotiating skills of an attorney. Several decades of sales and the car biz left me with some. Along with those, I’m seldom intimidated.


Very well WSF you are saying. What about all the time you spent? Hell, I’m semi retired. Time spent doing this kept me out of  bars.

17 comments:

Ami said...

Wait... your fine went UP?

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Additional court costs for me messing with them. Points went down.

Coffeypot said...

So, I guess I can take the Soap-On-A-Rope back to the store. You won't be needing it this time. Glad you had fun.

Ami said...

By the way, you posted a broken link.

Fredd said...

I would disagree slightly: it is not only about the revenue for the courts, it's also about the revenue for the officers, regardless of what they try to tell you.

The police are there to 'protect and serve.' Right. Whenever humanly possible, these officers have marching orders to shake down the general public for as much as the market will bear.

I don't care what they tell you. This is the way it is.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Post was on 12/8/16. The link works on my computer.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

The only thing that keeps me from fully agreeing with you is the number of LEOs in my extended family.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Probably blew my best chance for some action.

Momma Fargo said...

Bwhahahaha!

Momma Fargo said...

It tells me I don't have permission to view that and the link does not work for me either.

Momma Fargo said...

Well, never had those type of marching orders. The revenue goes to the city general fund. Police departments don't get that back to the department. Their budgets are determined the year prior and have no wiggle room. The courts don't get that as revenue either.

Momma Fargo said...

I am glad you fought the law and The Man. I am sad you didn't get full dismissal. Erg. Or just brownie points for court arguments to make them think twice and a dismissal. Of course, I would not have written the ticket.

Momma Fargo said...

Oh and a great post! Loved all the different views and comments. Very interesting!

Well Seasoned Fool said...

The copy the city attorney's file had handwritten NDBA on it. Probably shouldn't have told the officer to go fuck himself.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Glad you enjoyed it.

Fredd said...

That's OK, Fool. Everybody's gotta eat. We still need ditch diggers, garbage collectors, lawyers and LEO's. I think you fully agree with me, but don't want to say it out loud and offend Uncle Wally.

Well Seasoned Fool said...

Cousins and nieces.