This morning I had a ticket on my truck underneath my windshield wiper. Carolina and I had been unloading some stuff from my truck, and had needed to swap around the vehicles in order to start parking the car in the garage again. I left my truck parked in front of my house, and figured that rather than go out again last night and move it, I'd just drive it today, then park it in the driveway when I got home.
But a Corporal from the Mt. Juliet police department (I'll withhold his name) gave me a ticket at 3:51am. Apparently, I'm not allowed to park my car in front of my own house between the hours of 1am and 5am. And why did I decide it was ok to leave my car there last night? BECAUSE THE POLICE OFFICER WHO LIVES DOWN THE STREET FROM ME LEAVES HIS CAR PARKED ON THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIS HOUSE EVERY NIGHT.
I'm one of those types who tries really hard to be respectful of police, and I even contribute annually to a charity that assists families of officers killed on the job. I never make "oink" noises or donut jokes, I don't buy gangsta rap music about cop killing, and I don't support people who do any of those things. In an effort to be respectful, I'm going to pay this ridiculous ticket. But Mr. Corporal, next time, could you please find some criminal to go after, rather than sneaking around a completely silent street in a safe neighborhood giving tickets to people who pay taxes and try to make your life easier? Surely you could find something better to do. At least you could be consistent in applying the law to my neighbor as well.
You should go down the street and talk to the cop and see what he says. He might even know the guy and be able to help you out of the ticket, or at least explain why you get one and he doesn't.
ReplyDeleteYeah. I'm thinking about doing that. Then again, it's a pretty small ticket ($20), and I think if this whole ordeal takes up more than an hour of my time, then I would probably rather just pay and not worry about it. My time and happiness is worth more than $20. I do need to meet that guy. He's a policeman in a different area of town, though, so I don't know if he could really do anything.
ReplyDeleteEven though it is a small ticket it feels like a power trip to me. The cop thinks he can do whatever he wants and just hands out tickets willy-nilly. You should take it to the supreme court and get a constitutional amendment. Also, I could use $20 for spelling lessons.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, think the Mt.Dew is kicking in.
I think I'd have to forfeit a night of sleep - park the truck there again...watch - when he comes by to post another ticket - go out, point to the car down the road and ask him why. If you do it, check the ticket, wait till the same night of the week to do it.
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