5 ms·

I'm getting to the point where I can't stand local law enforcement. Combined with local governments, courts, and other entities, it just seems like a big racket

I'm getting to the point where I can't stand local law enforcement. Combined with local governments, courts, and other entities, it just seems like a big racket to keep money flowing. Yesterday, I was pulled over for not buckling my seatbelt until 2 blocks after pulling out of a parking spot. Turns out I had an unresolved fix-it ticket from 2013 which caused my license to be suspended (had no idea). CHP officer accused me of lying to him (I wasn't) and immediately impounded my car. Getting my car back took visits from 4 places (court, dmv, CHP office, tow yard) with fees at every turn. I can't imagine how bad it is for people living in larger cities.

rahimnathwani 12y ago
Do they not send you a letter or something when they suspend your licence? It seems strange that they would do it without you knowing. For the future: belt up before turning on the ignition. Seat belts save lives.
- dllthomas 12y ago
  "Do they not send you a letter or something when they suspend your licence?" Michigan claims they sent me a letter, but I never received one. I occasionally had trouble with my mail at that address, so I chalked it up to that, but they got a few thousand extra dollars out of me because of it so I've always been just a little skeptical. Oh, and later, when I hadn't been in the state for years, and had a license issued in a different state, and my MI license was years expired, they decided to suspend my license again, and claim this time they sent the letter to an old address of mine. Thankfully this time I discovered it without being pulled over. I've been calling periodically, just to check. I'm not the OP, but I can vouch that it's totally possible to discover that your license is suspended on being pulled over.
meowface 12y ago
Can't say I blame the cop for any of that. 2 blocks is plenty long enough to get into an accident. And he has no other choice if you're driving on a suspended license.
- fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
  >And he has no other choice if you're driving on a suspended license. He has a choice.
thrownaway2424 12y ago
In other words, you're an asshole. It's a shame they gave you back your car at all.
- ericd 12y ago
  Why do you use an explicit throwaway account to post crappy comments? You clearly know it's a crappy comment. Why post it?
  - thrownaway2424 12y ago
    This is my only account! Anyway I'm not even trying to make crappy comments. I'm trying to point out the absurdity of the parent's self-entitled windshield perspective. His entire complaint can be condensed to "I don't like the police because after I repeatedly broke the law and ignored the process of justice, they had the temerity to tow my car." That's ridiculous. People need to take responsibility for their own actions behind the wheel, then they can learn to be better citizens. People who complain that traffic laws are enforced against them have an infantile sense of morality and cannot meaningfully participate in our society until they grow up.
    - deleted 12y ago
      [deleted]
    - tim333 12y ago
      Many countries enforce these things more reasonably including the UK where I live where you are unlikely to get your car towed after being late doing up your seat belt and we have about half the road deaths per mile. I'm not convinced it's infantile to complain about it.
      - thrownaway2424 12y ago
        They would let you drive home in the UK without a valid license? I am disbelieving.
refurb 12y ago
So you don't like cops because you break the law and they go after you for it?
- callmeed 12y ago
  First, it's more the system, which cops are a part of, than just cops. Second, it's not so much about me getting away with breaking the law. Seatbelt violation? Sure, I'll take it. But suspending my license because of a fix-it ticket (which was fixed immediately but not verified)? Forcing someone with a suspended license to somehow get to 4 different places? C'mon. But here's the real issue IMO: what if I'm a lower-income person living paycheck to paycheck and don't have $800 available? (FYI the storage fees at the impound lot is $50/day). What if I'm a 1-car family? Is it ok if I lose my car or job all because of this? Maybe my main complaint is that everything seems purposefully inefficient and backwards in order to extract more money and keep more people employed–regardless of the effect it has on people. And, yeah, some laws should change. I thought HN of all places would understand some of that.
tptacek 12y ago
That problem isn't in-the-field law enforcement; it's how the state manages its compliance bureaucracy. I have the same problem; I get pulled over rarely, but any time I do, I worry that I might be suspended. I drove on a suspended license so long once that they gave up and reinstated me. At least in Illinois, the big problem is that it's a nightmare to (a) find out what you owe and (b) pay it. I had to call 3 different places, waiting on hold 15+ minutes each time, to eventually find someone to whom I could give a credit card number to. I got lucky that time; the last time I had this problem, I had to drive 3 hours into Indiana to find the courthouse that managed the speeding ticket I got. I don't blame the police for any of this. I blame the state administration.
rconti 12y ago
Parking spot 2 blocks from the highway? After all, it was the CHP that gave you the ticket.... In my experience, CHP is the EASIEST law enforcement agency to live with. 12 years here and not so much as a traffic stop. It's paradise compared to anywhere else I've been.
- callmeed 12y ago
  Yeah, that's the other weird thing. He was camped out several blocks from the 101 on-ramp.

rahimnathwani 12y ago

Do they not send you a letter or something when they suspend your licence? It seems strange that they would do it without you knowing. For the future: belt up before turning on the ignition. Seat belts save lives.

dllthomas 12y ago
"Do they not send you a letter or something when they suspend your licence?" Michigan claims they sent me a letter, but I never received one. I occasionally had trouble with my mail at that address, so I chalked it up to that, but they got a few thousand extra dollars out of me because of it so I've always been just a little skeptical. Oh, and later, when I hadn't been in the state for years, and had a license issued in a different state, and my MI license was years expired, they decided to suspend my license again, and claim this time they sent the letter to an old address of mine. Thankfully this time I discovered it without being pulled over. I've been calling periodically, just to check. I'm not the OP, but I can vouch that it's totally possible to discover that your license is suspended on being pulled over.

meowface 12y ago

Can't say I blame the cop for any of that. 2 blocks is plenty long enough to get into an accident. And he has no other choice if you're driving on a suspended license.

fnordfnordfnord 12y ago
>And he has no other choice if you're driving on a suspended license. He has a choice.

thrownaway2424 12y ago

In other words, you're an asshole. It's a shame they gave you back your car at all.

ericd 12y ago
Why do you use an explicit throwaway account to post crappy comments? You clearly know it's a crappy comment. Why post it?
- thrownaway2424 12y ago
  This is my only account! Anyway I'm not even trying to make crappy comments. I'm trying to point out the absurdity of the parent's self-entitled windshield perspective. His entire complaint can be condensed to "I don't like the police because after I repeatedly broke the law and ignored the process of justice, they had the temerity to tow my car." That's ridiculous. People need to take responsibility for their own actions behind the wheel, then they can learn to be better citizens. People who complain that traffic laws are enforced against them have an infantile sense of morality and cannot meaningfully participate in our society until they grow up.
  - deleted 12y ago
    [deleted]
  - tim333 12y ago
    Many countries enforce these things more reasonably including the UK where I live where you are unlikely to get your car towed after being late doing up your seat belt and we have about half the road deaths per mile. I'm not convinced it's infantile to complain about it.
    - thrownaway2424 12y ago
      They would let you drive home in the UK without a valid license? I am disbelieving.

refurb 12y ago

So you don't like cops because you break the law and they go after you for it?

callmeed 12y ago
First, it's more the system, which cops are a part of, than just cops. Second, it's not so much about me getting away with breaking the law. Seatbelt violation? Sure, I'll take it. But suspending my license because of a fix-it ticket (which was fixed immediately but not verified)? Forcing someone with a suspended license to somehow get to 4 different places? C'mon. But here's the real issue IMO: what if I'm a lower-income person living paycheck to paycheck and don't have $800 available? (FYI the storage fees at the impound lot is $50/day). What if I'm a 1-car family? Is it ok if I lose my car or job all because of this? Maybe my main complaint is that everything seems purposefully inefficient and backwards in order to extract more money and keep more people employed–regardless of the effect it has on people. And, yeah, some laws should change. I thought HN of all places would understand some of that.

tptacek 12y ago

That problem isn't in-the-field law enforcement; it's how the state manages its compliance bureaucracy. I have the same problem; I get pulled over rarely, but any time I do, I worry that I might be suspended. I drove on a suspended license so long once that they gave up and reinstated me. At least in Illinois, the big problem is that it's a nightmare to (a) find out what you owe and (b) pay it. I had to call 3 different places, waiting on hold 15+ minutes each time, to eventually find someone to whom I could give a credit card number to. I got lucky that time; the last time I had this problem, I had to drive 3 hours into Indiana to find the courthouse that managed the speeding ticket I got. I don't blame the police for any of this. I blame the state administration.

rconti 12y ago

Parking spot 2 blocks from the highway? After all, it was the CHP that gave you the ticket.... In my experience, CHP is the EASIEST law enforcement agency to live with. 12 years here and not so much as a traffic stop. It's paradise compared to anywhere else I've been.

callmeed 12y ago
Yeah, that's the other weird thing. He was camped out several blocks from the 101 on-ramp.