Traffic Tickets and Procrastination
Many years distant, I mean to the point that it’s slipped off my traffic record? Last time I pulled my driving record, neither infraction was still listed, but years ago?
I had a bench warrant for an unpaid speeding ticket. It was so long ago, it was when the jail was in its old location, on top of a federal building, part of the court system. I was on my way to work, speeding on a motorcycle, and I was stopped, dutifully pulled over, and then running my license at the time? It popped with an unpaid ticket, which then meant a trip downtown — jail.
I was wearing a bright orange Hawaiian shirt with light purple floral shorts. Summer. Think I had on sneakers of some sort because I was headed to work. Someone hollered out the window, while I was stopped, “Hey Kramer! Caught you?”
Ha. Ha.
It was 5:30 PM rush-hour traffic, and I spent a few hours getting booked then the tip jar paid my fine. Forgot about the experience.
Not more than a few years later, same experience, unpaid traffic fine, trip downtown, and the tip jar paid the fine. Third time, I wasn’t so lucky, and I had to spend a night in jail, and gratefully, it was a Thursday night, but in all the examples, it was simply unpaid tickets. Just ignored them and hoped the problems would all go away.
“I’ll fix it later.”
Hint: it doesn’t go away.
The next two traffic tickets? Court appearance for any reason? I showed up on time, and usually nicely attired, sport coat, jeans, boots.
I was thinking it happened twice, but there was a murky third time in there, as well. Plus another “evading arrest,” but I swear, to this day, I pulled over as soon as I saw the flashing red lights behind me. That I crossed county lines? I just shrug.
Last time I was in front of a judge? I won on the appeal. I explained that I learned the error of my ways, I didn’t break any of the rules of the road, not in a mighty long time.
Traffic Tickets and Procrastination
But this isn’t about a bench warrant for evading arrest, which never was a thing, and it wasn’t about going to jail, not exactly. It’s about putting off certain, inevitable actions.
Locked up three times for something as stupid unpaid traffic tickets?
Suggested as the follies of youth? Don’t procrastinate.
It is so much simpler to pay the fine rather than do the time, whatever is required, a little action can prevent a couple of hours’ delay while sorting through bail, bonds, and time away from what we want to do. Overnight, one time, something as simple as merely paying a speeding ticket would’ve prevented a night in jail.
Traffic Tickets and Procrastination
What did we learn?
As Lady MacBeth would say?
“What’s done is done.”
(III.ii.12)
So, what did we learn?
