Around midnight between March 31st and April Fool's Day, I was pulled over by a University of Kentucky police officer after going on through a yellow light on my way to pick up a friend. Normally, I would have stopped. It was late, I knew the turn light that I had was going to stay red through the next cycle (it alternates that late at night), so I went on through. The police officer said that I'd run a red light, when it was yellow as far as I was under it, but hey, I didn't have a witness and it was the first time I'd ever been pulled over, so I presented my documents, was respectful, and decided not to argue. I still rather think there was some quota involved, since it was the last night of the month, but hey, what do I know?
The officer had not written, as they are supposed to, the amount of the citation, so I called the court to find out. I was given two choices: pay $110, plus $15 for traffic school, and have no points on my licence, or pay $125, not go to traffic school, and have 3 points on my licence. Note that the price is the same. Since I'm on my mom's insurance at the moment, and I didn't want to muck with my record, I chose the former, paid my ticket, and started the process of getting into traffic school.
In the midst of the move, I didn't get the info about traffic school and that I had 30 days to sign up. They apparently don't forward stuff from the transportation cabinet. Except, then they did, a couple weeks later, sending me a letter saying that since I hadn't responded to my summons, my licence was suspended. I immediately did what anyone would do--called the court. I was in total good graces with them. They suggested it was over the failure to schedule traffic school. So I called the transportation cabinet, went down to the local office, paid my $15 and, instant reinstatement. This got me scheduled for traffic school
On July 16th I was notified that my traffic school date was set at 8/11/04 on Richmond Road, from 6:15-10pm, with one reschedule possible in case of emergency.
For those of you who have been reading lately, that was the day I was dizzy, nauseous, feverish, and finally, puking my guts out. But before the time I was supposed to be at traffic school, I went online and rescheduled; this time Richmond Road was no longer available, so I chose Waller Avenue. I then went back to bed to be good and thoroughly sick.
Tonight I came in, found a letter from the transportation cabinet, fully expecting notice for the new time and date.
No. Oh, no.
This was dated 8/8/04--3 full days before my traffic school date, telling me my licence has been suspended for failure to answer a court summons (something that I haven't received, and last I checked, I was perfectly in good graces with the Fayette District Court in this matter. This time they're saying I have to provide proof, and oh, yeah, pay a $40 reinstatement fee.
Mind you...and I'm about ready to shout:
- I didn't run the freaking light in the first place, but didn't see much reason to fight it since it was my word against the cop's.
- I paid my citation (after having to get the amount from the court myself) on time--even though it put be behind and directly contributed to my having to move since I couldn't pay my rent, because, silly me, I put legal costs above a roof over my head.
- If I'd just paid the $125, trashed the idea of traffic school and been done with it, I'd have 3 points on my licence, but I NEVER WOULD HAVE HAD THE THING SUSPENDED.
- Once I realised my error in not getting the traffic school scheduled, I did so immediately and it was treated as no big deal locally, despite an ominous letter.
- Then bam! they suspend my licence 3 days before I'm even due in school???????
AAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!
Oh, and the best note about this Friday the 13th incident? I didn't get it until after everyone's closed for the weekend, so I'm not sure I can even figure out what the hell is going on until Monday, and although it looks like some sort of clerical mistake, I can't do a thing about it. I did check with the district court (they're available 24/7) :) I'm in perfectly fine standing with them, the case is a dead case, taken care of, paid, happy, is all is well. But I can't drive, because doing so on a suspended licence--even if it's not my fault, and some glitch in the system--means an instant arrest if I'm pulled over (and trust me, with my luck, I would be). So now I have to figure out how to get my paycheque from KET, go to my lesson, get over to the game on Sunday, and go to my neurology appointment very, very early (i.e., before the Commonwealth opens for the day) on Monday. And work. Dwana might be able to help with the first and last, and I can take the bus on Saturday (I'll have to check and see if they stopped running the Sunday ones).
Deep breath. Well, at least it's Saturday now, so the Friday 13th nonsense (and I had 3 major bits of bad luck today) should ebb eventually. Hope it went better for you.
PS I did get a couple of bits of GOOD news today. I have an interview for a part-time reference position (well 2 of them, actually) at the Lexington Public Library week after next and I got the paperwork from Berea saying they'd gotten my application and just needed a couple of in-house forms filled out before sending it on to be considered for the Project Archivist position. The LPL would work well together with my present job (and it pays $3.50 more an hour) to bring my salary from a paltry $14,000 to about $34,000 per year. The Berea position is a two-year appointment paying in the mid-thirties. Either would go a long way to help get me back on my feet after a year post-layoff, and even more importantly, bring me the professional fulfillment that is lacking now that I've had to cut back so far in my present position due to half the hours. Both would work well with my experience, and I think I would enjoy them.
So, wish me luck--good luck, that is. I'm ready for some. :)
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