I have been away

[volaredon]

Sorry no post lately. But I have been on a bad luck streak.
(but I drove the 83 D 250 on a 900 mile 3-1/2 day trip to a fam reunion and a lil running ariund and it ran fine no problems. Though I had my tote loaded for kill, in the bed; new starter alt, 2 spare carbs, (another AFB and a TQ) 3 bottle jacks, a FULL toolbox I could barely lift to the tailgate, etc. never needed any of it the whole way)

Otherwise; April speeding tic came to a head; How in the FU** can a ticket that has printed RIGHT ON IT"offenses, NOT marked must appear in court; speeding, from 1 MPH over-20 MPH Over; $75 FINES AND COSTS (Dont say a word about costing more if you do go to court; wind up costing me $112 to settle for "COSTS" ONLY? I mean if I sell something for "cost" that means I make ZERO profit on it. I still have to pay 1-1/2 times that $75. THAT was the biggest crock of the whole situation. Da*n crooks. They may as well stand in the mall fully uniformed and snatch every woman's purse/guy's wallet that is unfortunate to walk by "their" corner. I hate judges cops etc. (especially lately); don't they have something better to do? I mean druggies, hookers etc that are more important to tend to? They wanted $215 til I told them of my Disability status and asked for Community service. They refused the Comm service and said "Oh we'll give you time to PAY". My point was to try and get out of it w/o spending one dime. I have yet to succed there; I'm tired of dealing with these revenue growers. More on that to come.

Added my 16 yo son to my ins. when he got his license. My 83 D 250 that WAS $26/mo is now "only" $86/mo. Not like I just went out and bought it when he got licensed; Ive had it 8-9 months already. Another ripoff.

Then my dishwasher broke. Had to go buy another. Good thing for "6 mo same as cash"; best I could do.
Then the Motherboard quit in my computer. I went computerless for a couple weeks. My old one was 10-12 years old bought used ~6 years ago. Been upgraded about 4X while I had it but not worth the price of a new mother board. My kid's about to be a HS jr. No way I could go w/o, when That is considered. sign another form, 18 mo same as cash via Best Buy and this clearance floor model that I'm now on came home. Another $700 w/monitor.

Then that trip for the wife's side fam reunion. (that I didnt wanna go on in the 1st place) Most fun (for me) was staying at my neighbor's hunting cabin, 5 hours from home but an hr. from the reunion. Free. (so I could not pass it up) I spent a day working on his Massey "65" and bush hog; fixed his overheating problem (fan belt too long, and no more adj) and tightened up the bush hog whose bolts had all vibrated loose, from years of doing its job; and another day-and-1/2 running it, on some of my neighbor's 24 acres. (he said I didn't have to but I figured I'd do it to "earn" my stay there somehow and show my appreciation for his letting me do so) my kid flipped his Crapsman rider on the "hill" and while running the Kawi quad the carb started flooding out and fouling plugs. Good thing I had the truck so I could haul it home (still gotta look into why; I think the disintegrating foam air filter had something to do w/it, I think a pc. got into the carb and got "stuck". 15 years old and like, NO maintenance in that time.

then the 1st da*ned day back, my wife decided to drive my 78 Fury to work. Got a ticket. 1st in 16 years for her. Of all things for lack of a front license plate. Not speeding, seat belt on, (unlike me) no Cali stop nothing. Pig did a U turn and followed her like 3 miles JUST for that; Think I was not LIVID?? I mean he COULD HAVE issued something (I think) they call a WARNING; IDK, I've never had one just TICKETS! "their" discretion; Screw them!
I mean the car was not rendered unsafe, it didnt cause a distraction so OTHERS could be caused to wreck; the cop was just asserting his "power" to be a "richard-head".(think of nick name for Richard, starts with a "d") Big ego. My car's older than he is. ANOTHER $75. Anyone have a front license plate bracket to fit a 78 Plymouth Fury????

[volaredon]

Oh. and I have been trying to get into the local comm college, under a grant for diaplaced workers and get off this SS disability. Went to resume'building workshop last week (conveniently right next door to cop shop--pig pen) Gotta see a counselor but they started me off at Step 3 instead of Step 1 (Initiation/orientation then get assigned to a Counselor; but they put me into this 1st instead--- meaning that I will in all probability miss this semester as my inition isnt til 2 days after classes start for the Fall.

[RAM MAN]

sorry to hear it

glad to see you back

things WILL get better

[bherder]

I was reading an article a few months ago .. About how the economic downturn has left states/counties/cities/towns scrambling for $$ ... And one of THE easiest ways is to start enforcing traffic laws 'To The Tee' and writing tickets.
And they're doing it too! All over!
Writing tickets generates revenue. Going out and catching/arresting/prosecuting/housing the bad guys costs $$ ... So, the math is pretty simple.

There is however, a really simple solution to all that. Don't give the cops any reason to pull you over...

[volaredon]

Bherder; not always as easy as it sounds; in this case, do YOU have a front license plate bracket for a 1978 Plymouth Fury laying around?? How much you want for it;

and what really set me off, is that MY WIFE got the ticket; I would figure that Mr Cranium could have let a WOMAN off with exactly 1 previous ticket from 16 years ago, slide with one of those things they (used to, anyway) call a warning.. Me, on the other hand, they definitely have "my" number. and bad economy or not, this courthouse has always seemed overly "busy" they should NEVER have to b*tch about not being able to cover the budget, ever; if they do, I may have to go postal on them; but why should I have to "ground" my car and not drive it, for something that stupid? It definitely won't keep say, the brakes from working. (I will qualify this next statement) in my opinion, cops have always been Richard Cranuims to me; ever since I hit 18 (now 42) I know they know what a break is, since I hear from so many people, that they get them. When they pull me over, they seem to "forget" that breaks do exist, and hang me from the tree for every little, petty, stinking thing. Constantly into my pockets. I have a wife and a 16 yo son to take care of 1st, but by the time I get done paying what the bastages "order" me to, I do not have enough left over to take care of the wife and kid. I donate as I CAN; its different when I HAVE to pay due to an order from a damn judge. and how "costs" over ride the original fine I have no clue. Doesn't the word "costs" seem to imply that I pay exactly what they do? Not around here! Thats what upsets me the most about these things. Thats where they take me to the cleaners on, are the so called costs.

[charlie1935]

Now you all know that enforcement of traffic laws and vehicle codes is in the interest of safety. Just ask any law enforcement official.
If you believe this I have some ocean front property in Arizona and a few bridges I would sell you at a bargain price.

Revenue is the name of the game!

[volaredon]

Charlie; I never realized you were also in "corruption", IL as well. I live about 4 hrs north of you. I was just thru there (your area) on I 57, 2 days before they "bent-over" my wife.
She has family around Anna-Jonesboro-Tamms etc and we had to go to a reunion. We had been on Cave in Rock the previous 2 days staying at a neighbor from up here's hunting cabin.

But yeah- what you say is EXCATLY what pi$$e$ me off so bad about all this;
I get hung for 1-1/2 times the face value of a speeding ticket, all supposedly chalked up to "costs"; then my wife gets this $75 ticket for something that certainly did not require one. (before I even get my next check so I could make my 1st payment on my ordeal, of 2 payments ordered by the judge)
We are not millionaires (not even close to "hundred-thoussand-aires") so why have they settled on us for their blood letting?? WE DO NOT HAVE IT!!!!! I will buy Girl Scout Cookies IF I can afford to; or an OCCASIONAL lottery ticket. but they keep DEMANDING, ORDERING us to pay them all this money! I went so far as to ask for comm. service on my ticket; they said No they'd give me time to PAY. (as in cash) I had something setup with the pastor of the church on the corner by me, in case I were to get hung for that. They blew it off like the wind and never let me tell them about the "groundwork" I laid to pay off whatever the fine would be by working for this church (I'm sure I'd have either been mowing or fixing their tractor,maybe both for at least part of that time.) but NOOO; that would not net them any revenue, now would it?? Azzholes.

[bherder]

Bherder; not always as easy as it sounds; in this case, do YOU have a front license plate bracket for a 1978 Plymouth Fury laying around?? How much you want for it;

No, I don't. But on the other hand, if you live in a state (As does WA.) that requires a front plate, I'd of fabbed something up until I had one. How hard could it be?
In fact, because my truck sits pretty high and has off-road lights, I carry print-outs of the WAC's (Washington State Administrative Codes) in the glove box dealing with that. I know that sometime, somewhere, some rookie will pull me over for 'uncovered' lights (They don't have to be here) or that it's too high (It's not .. They have measurements from bottom of the bumper to the ground which is different for different GVWR and I've got 2" to spare ) ...

Y'know, a LOT (If not most) of the time, a cops decision whether to ticket you, or give you a warning, is based upon how you act when they pull you over for something. Do you treat them like you write in these posts?
I've kissed ass before, even though they had me dead-to-rights, I have gotten off with a warning. Yeah, I hated kissing ass, BUT it didn't empty my wallet either.

You said they nailed you for speeding with no seatbelt? It's real easy to not let that happen y'know...
I have a solution for you. Just don't pay the ticket. Let it go to warrant and then turn yourself in. You can then pay it off sitting in the slammer. (Just call it 'Community Service' where you don't have to work and they feed you.. ;) )

[volaredon]

Bherder; not always as easy as it sounds; in this case, do YOU have a front license plate bracket for a 1978 Plymouth Fury laying around?? How much you want for it;

No, I don't. But on the other hand, if you live in a state (As does WA.) that requires a front plate, I'd of fabbed something up until I had one. How hard could it be?
In fact, because my truck sits pretty high and has off-road lights, I carry print-outs of the WAC's (Washington State Administrative Codes) in the glove box dealing with that. I know that sometime, somewhere, some rookie will pull me over for 'uncovered' lights (They don't have to be here) or that it's too high (It's not .. They have measurements from bottom of the bumper to the ground which is different for different GVWR and I've got 2" to spare ) ...

Y'know, a LOT (If not most) of the time, a cops decision whether to ticket you, or give you a warning, is based upon how you act when they pull you over for something. Do you treat them like you write in these posts?
I've kissed ass before, even though they had me dead-to-rights, I have gotten off with a warning. Yeah, I hated kissing ass, BUT it didn't empty my wallet either.

No I don't treat them that way; when I got that speeding ticket we (me and the cop) talked quite decently, like people should be expected to, and honestly it seemed he hesitated before writing that ticket. I didnt (and usually don't get PO'd, unless/until they come back to my window with a ticket. Then is when I go off since I know they "could have" let me off; being that they NEVER do let me off with a warning and instead decide to hang me and cost me dearly, I get angry at the fact that they didn't but "could" have.If I could catch a break even occasionally from them idiots maybe I could regain a little respect for them. Around here anyway they "forget" that you are a professional in your own CHOSEN profession; (which for 10 years included working on cop cars from this town, doing all their tires and alignments. that was my CHOSEN profession. Siince I did not DECIDE to be "one of them" I am the "dirt" they walk on, or thats how 98% of them make me feel. Yet they want me to respect them?

You said they nailed you for speeding with no seatbelt? It's real easy to not let that happen y'know...
I have a solution for you. Just don't pay the ticket. Let it go to warrant and then turn yourself in. You can then pay it off sitting in the slammer. (Just call it 'Community Service' where you don't have to work and they feed you.. ;) )


Yeah both da*n tickets will be paid; it will put me in a He!! of a bind, (they could care less how much of a hardship they cause) but yeah; the azzwipes will get their money.
No, they didn't get me for not wearing a seatbelt. (no mention was ever made, as to whether I was wearing one, upon that stop.)
the only mention of seatbelt I made was that when my wife got nailed for the license plate deal that she was NOT speeding, and HAD her seatbelt on. (more reason for that pig not to even give the lack of the front plate, a 2nd thought, and keep on driving to wherever ir was he was headed).
I gotta pay the scum $56 (1/2 of my "fine") now add the $75 for my wife's ticket when I get my SS check next week. and the other 1/2 of my speeding "fine" when I get my check in Sept.
What really set me off the most with my own ticket, is that though they reduced the fine to "costs only", that it will cost me 1-1/2 TIMES the face value of the ticket. I have an extermely difficult time understanding how it could COST this county $112 to dispense a simple speeding ticket, of which I'm sure they have thousands go thru there a year. No way no how. If I sell you something at my cost, that means that I make absolutely ZERO profit on the deal. Especially when I pay sales, property, gasoline, and other taxes that are SUPPOSED to pay those costs anyways. so they are double and maybe triple dipping. They have a staff that "mans" the courthouse daily, whether I am there or not. so there is NO WAY in the world that it COST them as much as they took me to the cleaners for!!!
Regardless whether I was guilty or not, (and you were not here riding with me or following me in another vehicle, to judge whether I was or not) on a costs ONLY basis, I got robbed!!!!!!!!! (they wanted $215 fines and costs to start off with)

[bherder]

Well, I'm not 'judging you' but if you were speeding, you were speeding, and you just happened to get nailed this time.. think about all the other times you didn't get caught for doing something. ;) Maybe it was just the Law of Averages catching up to you.

Y'know, most states, (Probably all) the actual 'fine' is pretty small, it's when they add all 'court fees/taxes/etc' ... is when it balloons up. I'm not saying it's right or fair, just the way it is. And remember, it's the same for everybody.

As for your insurance ... You didn't really think that adding a 16 year-old male to your insurance wasn't going to make it go up, did you? A $60 increase is not all that bad... I have some friends in Kalifornia and you'd be falling over dead if you knew what they have to pay...
Actually, it's the first year they really nail ya, which is why neither of my boys got their license till they were 17... Also (With my insurance anyway, State Farm) they got a 'good grades' discount (3.0+ GPA).. If they watched the State Farm 'Safe Driving' DVD and filled out the questionnaire, they got a further discount... If they didn't get any tickets for a year, a further discount... If they drive less than 10,000 miles a year, a further discount... Now my oldest son turned 20 and he got a further discount...
So, he pays $34 a month for his 94' Caravan. It's just liability, but not too bad. You might want to shop around for insurance.

[volaredon]

double post; fat finger.

[volaredon]

Well, I'm not 'judging you' but if you were speeding, you were speeding, and you just happened to get nailed this time.. think about all the other times you didn't get caught for doing something. ;) Maybe it was just the Law of Averages catching up to you.

Y'know, most states, (Probably all) the actual 'fine' is pretty small, it's when they add all 'court fees/taxes/etc' ... is when it balloons up. I'm not saying it's right or fair, just the way it is. And remember, it's the same for everybody.

As for your insurance ... You didn't really think that adding a 16 year-old male to your insurance wasn't going to make it go up, did you? A $60 increase is not all that bad... I have some friends in Kalifornia and you'd be falling over dead if you knew what they have to pay...
Actually, it's the first year they really nail ya, which is why neither of my boys got their license till they were 17... Also (With my insurance anyway, State Farm) they got a 'good grades' discount (3.0+ GPA).. If they watched the State Farm 'Safe Driving' DVD and filled out the questionnaire, they got a further discount... If they didn't get any tickets for a year, a further discount... If they drive less than 10,000 miles a year, a further discount... Now my oldest son turned 20 and he got a further discount...
So, he pays $34 a month for his 94' Caravan. It's just liability, but not too bad. You might want to shop around for insurance.

yeah I have State Farm too; I definitely knew it was going up; I just didn't expect it to be THAT MUCH, especially since I listed him on the only thing I don't have Full coverage on and it's a 26 year-old TRUCK fro Gods sake; not a Vette or anything; I pd $26 when I was "main driver"; now its $86; and thats WITH "good student" and their own safe driver deal. The kid did do that! plus I have "multicar" and "multiline" (homeowners is with them too) discounts.
I was expecting maybe double what it was with me driving it (~$50/mo) but not "triple-plus"! If the ins on it would have gone from $26 to $34 on this thing, I would never have even said anything (other than surprise that it would not have increased as much as I thought it might) One thing I know; the Fury is going away for the winter (and insurance removed) sooner than I had hoped I'd have to because of it!!!!

I remember paying $126/mo for minimum (at the time anyway) required liability on 1 vehicle; my 79 Ramcharger back when I was 21, back in '88! that was through "Farmers" insurance.

on the ticket-court thing; they wanted $215 "fine+costs" I got them down to $112 "costs only"; (how in the He11 can it cost 1-1/2 times "face value?)
I could have paid $75 if I wanted it on my record; BUT again it says RIGHT on it $75 for fines AND costs; nothing about going to court rather than mailing it in, nothing about superviaion/no supervision, making it cost more!!!!
THAT right there, is why I think they have NO authority/justification to charge me more than $75 for the S.O.B. and the root of my anger over it. and why I think that they are such arse-holes.
Maybe I was speeding. All I know is that I was watching the ROAD, not the speedo, at that very instant the azzhole clocked me. But why don't they have to practice truth-in-advertising? Make sense? (oh yeah; municipalities dont understand the concept of "sense")
then for them to stick it in and break it off on my ol lady for that other one; You tellin me that no license plate is equivalent to speeding? (thats what is again printed on there; so this month I gotta pay them $56 (1/2 of my ticket) plus the $75 for hers; I aint going to court over that one since $75 is already an excessive fine for that as it is! and the other $56 on mine next month. ALL my side money this month, has to go to the da*n courthouse! plus a few bux added in.