Tuesday, August 3, 2021

Crime Doesn't Pay

It's more than a little alarming to find a notice in your mailbox announcing that the County Superior Court is going to issue a bench warrant for your arrest if certain actions are not taken within twenty days, even more so when you realize that the date mentioned is long past.  The notice was without an envelope so I can only think it was originally put in a neighbor's mailbox and they finally put it in mine.

This saga began back in April when I was pulled over and given a citation for out-of-date tags.  It was a fix-it ticket, but it was the first and only ticket I've ever received in all my years of driving.  The print was teeny-tiny and/or nearly illegible.  The only thing that was clear was smog needed.  No big deal, right?  I went on line to pay back fees, but found I couldn't until a smog check was performed.  Time was ticking, but these pesky health issues took over and everything got delayed.

Because of Truck's antiquity, my local shop couldn't perform the test, but they pointed me to a place down in town.  It took a while to get an appointment, and when I did, they opened the hood and said, "We can't do it.  A part is missing."  Aarrgh.  The locals could fix it, but they were booked for nearly two weeks.  When they finally replaced the part, they told me to drive it for awhile before the smog check.

There I was, driving around with out-of-date tags, a citation in my purse, and an appointment, at long last, for the necessary smog check.  As I wrote, Truck passed.  That was the same day I found the notice of intent to arrest.  It was last Friday, and I spent the weekend with visions of being hauled off in handcuffs, not a pretty sight.  Yesterday, Monday, I finally got fees and penalties paid and can breathe a sigh of relief.

Take my word for it, crime does not pay.

Stay safe,.  Be well.

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