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Lowest Traffic School
I have a friend that seldom obeys traffic laws. A few years ago she was stopped for running a stop sign. Local officer pulled her over and asked “Do you know why I stopped you ?” her response “NO” . “I stopped you for running that Stop Sign. Did you not see it ?” Her response, “I saw it, I just didn’t see you.”
Humorous no doubt, she still got a ticket.
For the first 40 years of my life, I never so much as had any traffic violation. Last year, in my very first hub “Bail Bondsman Breaks the Law” I recount a very memorable first traffic offense. In it there was speed, the high of the stop, a bad girl, a sexy cop and a whole lot of imagination. I was kind of hoping my second encounter on the wrong side of the law would at least match the first. I signed up for the lowest traffic school I found online and was entitled to pay a reduced ticket fee. Still, traffic school boredom shaved years off my life. One good reason to obey traffic laws.
Avoid Road Rage
The best way to deal with a road rage situation is to get out of the way as soon as it is safe to do so and maintain clear and away from that vehicle and driver.
"Getting angry can sometimes be like leaping into a wonderfully responsive sports car, gunning the motor, taking off at high speed and then discovering the brakes are out of order." in The NY Times Magazine
Last week, on President’s Day I had visitors in town. They wanted to see some Keys Property for Sale and me being the hostess and tour guide that I am, I volunteered to drive them around. Normally, I’m a pretty good and safe driver, unlike my mother in law. I like to drive defensively no matter who has the right of way. I taught both my children when they were teens in the same fashion. Keep your distance (no tailgating), be aware of your surroundings, watch your speed, be on the lookout for road warriors, aggressive drivers, plian lunatics and always wear your seatbelt. By following this I have been able to avoid the law and traffic tickets rather skillfully too, up until now it seems.
I was minding my own business, blabbing away about which neighborhoods were the best in the area, dry lot versus canal front homes, short sales and foreclosures, giving my unofficial expert opinion. We had already viewed several homes and been in and out of the car a few times. I get back on the only highway in the Keys and out of nowhere this Florida Highway Patrol car creeps up to my side. One glance is all he needed to know I was not wearing my seatbelt. He switched lanes, turned on his red and blue lights and proceeded to pull me over.
Really, where the heck do these officers come out of lately ? $116 seatbelt violation ticket for not buckling up. My mistake totally, I was engrossed in the real estate deal like I was making a commission or something and totally slipped my mind to buckle up. For someone that’s managed only two traffic violations in a half a century you would think a warning would have been in order.
It stinks getting a ticket. Life is hard enough without feeling monitored at every turn you make with your car. Blinkers, seatbelts, stop signs, speeding are all such driving nuisances. In small towns like mine there’s no where to hide, no turns you can make that don‘t loop around to the same highway! Who made these rules? and why are officers such road Nazis? The fees you pay are random and excessive and you still have to worry about signing up and completing traffic school unless you want points on your license. Rack these points up and your insurance rates will soar. Lose, lose situation. I figure if I have to go to traffic school I might as well find one online and for the lowest price.
Problem now is do I pay the darn thing or subject myself to a lowly traffic school? I did it once to avoid points when I got the speeding ticket and it bored the living daylights out of me. Enduring the statistics alone is the equivalent of two doses of prescription ambien for me. Given the state of our economy I can’t afford to go to sleep for two days. Ticket-stickit. I suppose I’ll be more careful from now on.
Safety First
- Lowest Price Traffic School | Florida Online Traffic School
Florida Traffic School and Learners Permit Courses. Call 1-800-729-1997 for Florida DMV approved traffic school online, driver education and DMV practice tests.
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Comments
- Author
Tom T
Law enforcement officers have no sense of humor. I really wish they'd lighten up a bit. Not like they don't speed.
Thanks for the laugh and the comment.
Too Funny. Thanks for sharing your story. In California they have a 2 time loser school you can go to but it takes like 3 weekends. Now that is painful because the ticket was for going 71 in a 65! Great Hub. Keep up the good work.
- Author
opismedia
well...if I can discourage anyone for speeding out there I feel I've done my job. I appreciate the comment. Thanks.
A really helpful article, thanks and good luck :)
- Author
I've known people with stacks of tickets they swear will use as toilet paper. LOL I'm not sure how it all works but I'm certain you can't get arrested for not paying your tickets unless they are for a moving violation. That being said, tickets have been uncollectable up to now. I'm sure if not yet soon enough they'll fine you, suspend your licnese, or garnish your bank account to birng some money in.
Incidentally, Bail Up!, and I wish I could remember where I read this, somewhat to your and my point about criminals not paying their fines, there was a study conducted regarding more parking tickets being issued in affluent communities than in say, the inner city. In the inner city it was estimated that illegal parking was far more prominent, BUT poor people apparently don't pay parking tickets either. So, parking tickets were issued in more affluent neighborhoods simply because it is well-known that they will pay the tickets.
I won't say it was a scientific study, because I can't recall the source. But it does seem to sum things up.
- Author
Prasetio30
Thanks so much for the rate. I'm happy you and others can learn from my mishaps.
As a teacher, this is good information. I rate this Up!
- Author
wallacek
glad you liked the style. Thanks for the tip too. I keep hearing of people getting their tickets dropped especially those living in bigger cities. If the cop that issued the ticket doesn't show up voila , its gone.
Nice post. I like how you put a hilarious turn on something as dull as traffic violations. Next time that you get a violation, go to court and fight it. Based on my experiences, fighting a traffic fine in court is better than paying it out front. 50% of the times, the courts are so tied up that they dismissed my ticket just for showing up!
- Author
electricsky
Isn't technology great. No need for officers on the street just set up these cams all over the place.
- Author
Springboard
You are right, criminals don't pay fines, they just ignore them. So another warrant gets issued for them ,and so you and I have to keep the system alive by paying ours. Thanks for the post here.
depressing hub.
sorry you got the ticket.
they now have cameras and can monitor on the camera and if you run a stop sign or light they mail you a ticket.
more depressing thoughts.
I like the road nazi analogy. lol. Yeah, there's a lot to say about traffic cops when you think about all the crap going on in the world where we could REALLY use some police presense. But, the fact is, REAL criminals don't pay fines, and policing has become a business more than an institution to serve and protect.
There's never a cop around when someone pulls out a gun. But do 57 in a 55, and voila! They're right there on your tail with lights flashing and sirens blaring.
- Author
Truth From Truth-
Exactly my point. What do you have to do around here to earn a little forgiveness?
Cameciob-
Don't jinx me now. If it wasn't for bad luck I would have none at all. LOL
Great subject Bail Up. And only Two tickets!!! I cannot imagine how much greater this hub would have been with 3 tickets, or even four or five! just jocking.
Thanks for the good read.
Great points, You would expect to get a little leeway after years of driving safely.
- Author
Putz-
Point well taken. Thanks for the input.
Great hub and if you can go to school to avoid higher insurance premiums for the points you will have added to your license, do so.
- Author
Sheila B.
Thank you for reading and commenting. I appreciate you being a fan. Thanks :)
- Author
Partison Patriot-
First, Thanks for stopping in. Second, LOL and thanks fot the tip. Come on, a Porsche Boxster you were just testing the limits - Some judges just have no sense of humor!
- Author
Angela Blair
That's a hefty fine for 15 minutes. My husband I once drove our RV right through downtown Naples, FL to go to the beach. Being the first time taking the darn thing on the road my husband was a bit nervous. He parked on the first available parking space he found. Bad news is it was a private parking spot. Good news it was a $12 ticket. Best money we've ever spent for getting to hangout by the beach for about 4 hrs.
- Author
Thanks BreakfastPop. I think I will follow your advice.
I'll go to the boring traffic school. Just like I learned not to speed, I'll learn to buckle up before I take off ... sigh !
- Author
Pamela99
Good for you not getting any tickets. Thanks for the tip on the seatbelt. I definitely think that will work - buckle up before you drive! That could be the new Florida road slogan.
Glad your hubby made it home alright. Some scary drivers out there!
- Author
Ann Nonymous-
Glad you found the opening story humorous. If I didn't know my friend like I do, I'd swear she'd made it up.
Rubbber cars? great idea ! Have you run that by Ford yet?
Your story was great!
Bail up
Subject yourself to the school again. Personal story; when I first bought my Porsche Boxster I began racking up speeding tickets very quickly. Within a little over a year I found myself facing my third. Too late for traffic schools then, now I was faced with a forced appearance in county court.
Monday morning I found myself sitting amidst 26 other desperadoes; I was the only one not in an orange jump suit and leg irons. After 26 other cases were heard the stern judge was ready for me. I had planned a long impassioned speech based on entrapment; the officer was sitting some 50 feet within a speed limit change from 60 to 45 MPH, but I decided against it after hearing his displeasure with my 26 previous offenders.
So take it from me; go to school, avoid being the fool!
Good Hub - thanks, I enjoyed it. Recently had to pay a $65 parking ticket for being 15 minutes late -- now that's a wake-up call. I won't, however, ever park there again - expensive lesson. Best, Sis
Great hub. If it means no points go to school. If it's just a fine pay it. Personally, I think people deserve a ticket for endangering other people by driving recklessly. Not wearing a seatbelt doesn't qualify.
Bailup, I liked your opening story also. I had to go to traffic school once several years ago and there was no online or other way. The best thing was it meant no points on my license but OMG boring! Where I live you can only go to school once a year and fortunately I haven't had a ticket in many years.
Your defensive driving view is right on. My husband was coming home the other evening and was being tailgated by a pick up truck. The guy got off on the same exit as my husband so my husband decided to stop at the first store and the truck pulled in also which made my husband wonder if this was a really bad guy. They parked several spaces apart and my husband waited a minute, then the driver got out of the truck and fell down because he was so drunk. My husband just came home at this point because even if he called the police to report the guy they wouldn't have gotten there in time. Its scary to know someone like that is on the road.
I have no advice about your seat belt ticket except buckle up before you even start the car. I do that so I won't forget. Very good hub.
I loved your opening story...hilarious! This is a much needed hub, Bail Up! It's a scary place on the road sometimes because either all the other drivers are blind or I have my music too loud! My car bears the proof of other people’s recklessness so now I’m thinking about investing in an all rubber car! LOL
Great hub!
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