Get out of jail free card
I've got some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that I got hassled by the highway robbers tonight; the good news is that I got away scot-free!
Let me back up. The plan was to pick up Nik's old tv that he's donating to the Liberty Center; a nice 32" Sony. I enlisted Chopsy's help, and we headed towards downtown St Paul. Right around Lexington Pkwy, on 94E I see a jackbooted thug activate the bright flashing lights. I didn't even think it could be for me since I wasn't really speeding; I was maybe doing 63. It was me who he was interested in, though due undoubtedly to the numerous anti-government bumper stickers that my beloved Ranger sports. I was glad that I still haven't gotten up the cajones to put on the license-plate frame that I have that says "I dare you PIGS to search my car".
As a courtesy to the robber, I exited the interstate at Dale, practically within cover-fire distance from Lee and Luke's place. In accordance with my training, I had the window rolled down and hands on the wheel at 10&2 as he came up. He came up along the passenger side, though which startled both of us. He asked for my license and insurance. I replied that my license is in my wallet, in my rear pocket, in order to not startle him with sudden movements.
Then he came over to my side and started in with the questions, oh the questions.
"Do you know how fast you were going?"
the speed limit.
"Which is?"
55
"How fast were you really going??"
55, I think
"Honestly? If you were really speeding, just admit it!"
I don't think that I was!
"Where are you headed tonight?"
Downtown St Paul.
"Where were you coming from?"
Midway area
And on and on. Now, as tough as I love to talk, it all changes when you've got a flashlight in your face and a probably illegal weapon in your pocket. That's what the use to their advantage, though is fear and intimidation. Finally he goes back to his car and we wait. And wait, and wait. With the windows still open. After about 10 minutes, he finally comes back and hands me my license, expired insurance card and a ticket.
"I'm giving you a warning on the speeding; keep it down. Your insurance card is expired; do you have another one? (No.) Well, here's a ticket for that, there's a number to call for more information."
And that was it. Naturally, I have insurance on the vehicle. I don't carry a current copy of its proof, though for exactly the scenario that we ran into tonight. When the JBT discovers that your insurance is expired, he suddenly loses interest in the speeding ticket ($128) and salivates over a "No current proof of insurance" ticket which is a mandatory court appearance, and steeper fine. All that I need to do is grab my current insurance card and bring it down to the government to show, then they stamp my citation "dismissed". Whee!
Rex told me about this trick; he's gotten out of many many tickets that way. I strongly encourage others to do the same. Don't pay the damn driving tax!
Let me back up. The plan was to pick up Nik's old tv that he's donating to the Liberty Center; a nice 32" Sony. I enlisted Chopsy's help, and we headed towards downtown St Paul. Right around Lexington Pkwy, on 94E I see a jackbooted thug activate the bright flashing lights. I didn't even think it could be for me since I wasn't really speeding; I was maybe doing 63. It was me who he was interested in, though due undoubtedly to the numerous anti-government bumper stickers that my beloved Ranger sports. I was glad that I still haven't gotten up the cajones to put on the license-plate frame that I have that says "I dare you PIGS to search my car".
As a courtesy to the robber, I exited the interstate at Dale, practically within cover-fire distance from Lee and Luke's place. In accordance with my training, I had the window rolled down and hands on the wheel at 10&2 as he came up. He came up along the passenger side, though which startled both of us. He asked for my license and insurance. I replied that my license is in my wallet, in my rear pocket, in order to not startle him with sudden movements.
Then he came over to my side and started in with the questions, oh the questions.
"Do you know how fast you were going?"
the speed limit.
"Which is?"
55
"How fast were you really going??"
55, I think
"Honestly? If you were really speeding, just admit it!"
I don't think that I was!
"Where are you headed tonight?"
Downtown St Paul.
"Where were you coming from?"
Midway area
And on and on. Now, as tough as I love to talk, it all changes when you've got a flashlight in your face and a probably illegal weapon in your pocket. That's what the use to their advantage, though is fear and intimidation. Finally he goes back to his car and we wait. And wait, and wait. With the windows still open. After about 10 minutes, he finally comes back and hands me my license, expired insurance card and a ticket.
"I'm giving you a warning on the speeding; keep it down. Your insurance card is expired; do you have another one? (No.) Well, here's a ticket for that, there's a number to call for more information."
And that was it. Naturally, I have insurance on the vehicle. I don't carry a current copy of its proof, though for exactly the scenario that we ran into tonight. When the JBT discovers that your insurance is expired, he suddenly loses interest in the speeding ticket ($128) and salivates over a "No current proof of insurance" ticket which is a mandatory court appearance, and steeper fine. All that I need to do is grab my current insurance card and bring it down to the government to show, then they stamp my citation "dismissed". Whee!
Rex told me about this trick; he's gotten out of many many tickets that way. I strongly encourage others to do the same. Don't pay the damn driving tax!
posted by Insurgent at 2:59 AM
5 Comments:
Too bad it happened...but it does make for a good story where the real hero, an everyday joe/jane, scores a victory against the machine!
Jx2
Too bad you can't use that here. I haven't had insurance since I moved here.
Of course the roads are so curvy that the natural speed is quite often the same as the arbitrary marked speed.
PSNH is marking the poles on Friday. Backfilling starts today.
Yes, I forgot to mention that such a "trick" would be fruitless in New Hampshire, since the state government there does not force motorists to do business with an insurance company. I guess that I'll have to find another strategy. Now that I think of it, an idea comes to mind, courtesy of my good buddy Lee--The "Shoot'em in the Face Campaign"!
Seems like as good a solution as any...
Hmm, all I need is an expired insurance card and I can speed scot-free.
Nigel--Since we're not face-to-face, it's hard to discern what your tone was when posting that comment.
Motoring issues have become somewhat complex, but mainly the key issues are revenue generation and the stripping of freedoms. Cops have become little more than tax collectors, and if you get pulled over--gues what; it's just your turn to pay. You've been chosen to pay the driving tax!
It's liable to happen to ANYONE, whether you speed or not, because the methods they use to gauge speed are arbitrary and innacurate. Without going into a long-winded diatribe here, check out the National Motorists Association for more information. www.Motorists.org I've been a member for years, and have also been a professional driver for years--almost as long as I have had a license.
I don't encourage unsafe driving, but what passes for unsafe driving from a legal standpoint and what passes from a common-sense standpoint are usually diametrically opposed.
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