and the law was actually quite reasonable.
I don't want to drag you through the whole sordid saga, but I was stopped for speeding (allegedly - I plead no contest) the evening before Halloween. I thought the words "son" and "football game" might move the cop to let me off, but I guess he'd heard that one before. He then checked my license and told me it was suspended. What?!? Not this suburban station-wagon-driving mom! Well, it was. The epic of getting two people to show up on the Parkway to drive me and my car away was quite painful and kinda funny in the end, but that's another story.
So my license was suspended due to my paying another fine a bit late last summer (another alleged speeding ticket) even though that county said it had been cleared. Cancelled checks, suspension notices, paying fines in several counties and calling/visiting the DMV over and over took up more precious time of my finite life, but I did get my license back.
I was determined to fight the $495 suspension ticket, so went to traffic court Tuesday afternoon. Another interesting experience that's unnecessary to repeat. It was fascinating to watch the distractingly-handsome young judge weigh all these Talmudic decisions about people's speeding, seat-belt and insurance fines. I had all my papers in order and a little sequence of events all typed up, just like in "Alice's Restaurant." Anyway, to cut to the money part, his honor dismissed the entire "suspended" charge. I was thrilled to get away with only the $200 speeding ticket.
Lessons learned:
- Don't take the Clackamas County clerk's word for it when he tells you "Oh don't worry, it will all get cleared up." Even my judge smirked at that one.
- Don't be a sucker and send in the full amount of any ticket -- go to court to plead your case. The judge either dismissed or greatly reduced EVERYBODY's fines, even for the really scary people. Who knew?
- You can call up the municipal court early on your appearance day to check in so you don't have to wait for 60 other unfortunate people to plead their case well into the evening. Who knew again? Well, obviously repeat offenders, because they all got to go before I did.
- And of course, don't ever speed.
Isn't that wig itchy?
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