Bad Day

[Brent]

Hey guys, an update, been working hard today at finding a Traffic Attorney, found one, and I have an appointment on Wednesday. They say they can reopen the case and get it down a couple of MPH so that I don't have to send my license away and lose it for 30 days. Costing a couple hundred dollars, but well worth it so I won't be without my license, and there would be fees anyway to get my license back. They said if they file this week to the court I won't have to mail my license in by the 31st. So wish me luck.

This is what I should have done in the first place, but I didn't know, I don't get speeding tickets often :P

 

[Lindley]

Well, I hope that you at no time admitted to going 71 directly. That could damage your chances of getting things changed.

 

[Brent]

I pleaded guilty in the court, and I told the lawyer this, but they said they can still do something about it. I need to try, cause I really don't want to lose my license, there are a bunch of fees to get a new one everything again too, so either way I lose, but this is my best chance right now, gotta try.

 

[Holdfast]

This is what I should have done in the first place...

Yeah, pretty much.

Actually, personally, I would have tried to work out whether I was likely to spend more money in total on (fine + taxi fares) vs (legal fees + potentially reduced fine) and if there was a significant difference, take the cheapest option, or if similar, fight the case.

Before I was 17 and had a a car, I used taxis a fair bit and survived. If you use minicabs rather than black cabs (or whatever the equivalents for the two serivices are called in the USA), it doesn't even cost all that much for shortish journeys.

 

[Captain Ice]

^Problem is that here in the states, a suspended license can also result in your insurance premiums going up.

 

[DBR]

Before I was 17 and had a a car, I used taxis a fair bit and survived. If you use minicabs rather than black cabs (or whatever the equivalents for the two serivices are called in the USA), it doesn't even cost all that much for shortish journeys.

I'm curious about this.

Do you mean limousines (stretched or basically towncars) vs regular taxi cabs, I wonder? Or are there two tiers of taxi service over there?

I walk to work, which saves me a shitload of money I'd otherwise have to pay to park downtown, but whenever I have an appointment or something downtown or it is simply too cold for my tastes, I take a taxi. Costs me about $15 for the ride, but you can't beat the convenience.

 

[Holdfast]

Before I was 17 and had a a car, I used taxis a fair bit and survived. If you use minicabs rather than black cabs (or whatever the equivalents for the two serivices are called in the USA), it doesn't even cost all that much for shortish journeys.

I'm curious about this.

Do you mean limousines (stretched or basically towncars) vs regular taxi cabs, I wonder? Or are there two tiers of taxi service over there?

I wondered whether that would translate across; I can't recall ever getting a minicab rather than a taxi in the USA.

Black cabs = your typical taxi, like a US yellow taxi. Metered, starts when you get in, stops when you arrive at your destination, you pay whatever the meter says. You can flag them off the street or you can book them if you like, but the meter determines the fare.

Minicab = not allowed to pick fares off the street, only go to clients who have booked by phone/internet/whatever. Fee agreed in advance, rather than metered. Usually a quite a bit cheaper than black cabs for a given journey because of this, but a bit less convenient because you can't flag them down on the street. Also, if you use them regularly (which is what I did before I got a car), you can have an account with the firm and pay the total at the end of an agreed regular period, and can negotiate a discount for the regular business.

Ice: good point, would have to figure that in too.

 

[Kestra]

Sure it sucks! The point isn't that the fellow could ride the bus, or walk, or cart his rear around in a cab. The point is that when you are cruising along thinking that your life is sort of O.K. and then a big pain in the rear cuts your happy thoughts off and flushes them down the latrine, THAT is a real downer.

Complaining is not allowed in Misc! You must be reasonable and responsible at all times!

 

[Gryffindorian]

I'm sorry to hear about your predicament. Traffic tickets suck! Worst case scenario, you'd have to take public transportation or call a taxi, which could get really expensive. Since this is only a one-month suspension, let it be a lesson to be more careful with your driving habits.

 

[Brent]

I will never speed again, I'll tell you what, I've learned my lesson!

 

[Alex1939]

Honestly if I were you...

I would just drive anyway without the license. I would've been real damn careful to only go speed limit. But I would've just risked it and driven.

 

[Brent]

Either way I have to pay frees and stuff though, getting my license back isn't free, and the reinstate fee just went up here, so either way I lose

If I can get it worked out so I'm not taking the risk of driving without a license, I'll do it, I don't need anymore problems!

 

[Snaploud]

I don't get it. Why wouldn't the lawyer tell you about that provision before you admitted to your guilt before the judge? Or, for that matter, why wouldn't the judge mention this provision during his/her ruling...?

Edit: Apparently, the judge can give you a special dispensation for a first offense:

"Upon a first conviction only of violating subsection (a), the trial judge may when feasible allow a limited driving privilege or license to the person convicted for proper purposes reasonably connected with the health, education and welfare of the person convicted and his family"

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-16.1.html

 

[McCoy]

Honestly if I were you...

I would just drive anyway without the license. I would've been real damn careful to only go speed limit. But I would've just risked it and driven.

He might be a lot more likely to get caught doing that in a small town.

 

[Lindley]

I pleaded guilty in the court

First rule of the courts: Don't go to court without a lawyer. Second rule of the courts: Never admit to anything unless advised to by your lawyer.

This extends to all official interactions. When that cop asks "Do you know how fast you were going?", he's fishing for a confession. No, you do not know.

 

[Finn]

Brent, you are expecting too much from your sister. She isn't obligated to drive you around. And like Doubleohfive mentioned, she's still a teenager.

As for Thanksgiving, they don't have to invite you if it's someone they know through her mother. I expect nothing from my Dad's first wife. I met her several times. She's nice and all. She's the grandmother of my wonderful nephews and my niece/flower girl. That's all.

 

[Brent]

She's needs to grow up

 

[Finn]

She's needs to grow up

All teenagers need to grow up. If they were grown up, they wouldn't be teenagers, would they?

 

[doubleohfive]

She's needs to grow up

She's not the only one.

 

[Brent]

Just thought I'd give an update, there is hope. I went to the traffic attorney today, and she said she is able to get it fixed so that I won't have to mail my license off, so I won't lose it for 30 days, plus it will get the points off my license and it won't make my insurance go up, so yay. Cost a few hundred dollars, but worth it for all this. I don't even have to go back to court, they handle it all.