Aw, Nuts!!!!!!!!!
Well, I guess it was bound to happen sometime.
Wednesday afternoons are my "substitute half-day off" for my "training/on call" time on Saturday, which is technically supposed to be a holiday. Are you with me so far? Anyway, that means that I'm totally free Wednesday afternoons and can leave ye olde academy without having to worry about using paid leave time.
It's really handy when I have a lot of errands to run...shopping to do...nations to invade, etc.. (Ignore that last one, please.) Today was such a day, so I bolted out of the school as fast as I could go. I hopped into the BLUE RAV4 and ran about Kashima a bit doing various things. Then I bought some lunch at a Lawson convenience store and turned my nose toward home.
As always, I came down the hill to the crossing of the Kitaura boulevard, known here as "Route 18". The light was red, so I took the opportunity to tear the wrapping off my sandwich and start eating. Just as I stuffed the first sandwich in my mouth the light turned green, so I punched it (I don't like messing around with the people behind me), zipped around the corner, and shot around the big S-curve that follows immediately afterward...
...right into a red flag that a police officer was holding across the lane. When I slowed down, he gestured me to turn off onto the narrow side street leading to the lake...where there was a whole bunch of cars surrounded by a whole friggin' fleet of police cars...
Uh, oh...how fast was I going, anyway? That's what I get for watching my lunch instead of my speedometer!
A policeman walked up to my car and, with many apologies and honorifics, informed me that I'd been going "just a little too fast". Specifically, I'd been 26kph over the posted speed limit...and up to 20kph over is the "unofficial accepted limit".
Actually, I was lucky. Yes, I got a ticket and, yes, I have to pay a fine, but only of the minimum category. If I don't get in any other trouble during the next few months it will be almost completely expunged from the record. (I say "almost" because the city of Kashima will keep my name on record as someone who has been naughty there...but it won't count against my license.) If I'd been going just 5kph (3mph) faster, the fine would have been more than double, I would have gone to court, and my license would have been in serious deep do-do.
I'd better be careful. I'm rather proud of my "gold license" status (which also keeps my insurance costs down). One more mark, and I'm back to blue...and in the case of my license that's NOT a good thing! Okay...time to drive like a teacher.
(Okay, Robin...feel free to say, "I told you so...")
Wednesday afternoons are my "substitute half-day off" for my "training/on call" time on Saturday, which is technically supposed to be a holiday. Are you with me so far? Anyway, that means that I'm totally free Wednesday afternoons and can leave ye olde academy without having to worry about using paid leave time.
It's really handy when I have a lot of errands to run...shopping to do...nations to invade, etc.. (Ignore that last one, please.) Today was such a day, so I bolted out of the school as fast as I could go. I hopped into the BLUE RAV4 and ran about Kashima a bit doing various things. Then I bought some lunch at a Lawson convenience store and turned my nose toward home.
As always, I came down the hill to the crossing of the Kitaura boulevard, known here as "Route 18". The light was red, so I took the opportunity to tear the wrapping off my sandwich and start eating. Just as I stuffed the first sandwich in my mouth the light turned green, so I punched it (I don't like messing around with the people behind me), zipped around the corner, and shot around the big S-curve that follows immediately afterward...
...right into a red flag that a police officer was holding across the lane. When I slowed down, he gestured me to turn off onto the narrow side street leading to the lake...where there was a whole bunch of cars surrounded by a whole friggin' fleet of police cars...
Uh, oh...how fast was I going, anyway? That's what I get for watching my lunch instead of my speedometer!
A policeman walked up to my car and, with many apologies and honorifics, informed me that I'd been going "just a little too fast". Specifically, I'd been 26kph over the posted speed limit...and up to 20kph over is the "unofficial accepted limit".
Actually, I was lucky. Yes, I got a ticket and, yes, I have to pay a fine, but only of the minimum category. If I don't get in any other trouble during the next few months it will be almost completely expunged from the record. (I say "almost" because the city of Kashima will keep my name on record as someone who has been naughty there...but it won't count against my license.) If I'd been going just 5kph (3mph) faster, the fine would have been more than double, I would have gone to court, and my license would have been in serious deep do-do.
I'd better be careful. I'm rather proud of my "gold license" status (which also keeps my insurance costs down). One more mark, and I'm back to blue...and in the case of my license that's NOT a good thing! Okay...time to drive like a teacher.
(Okay, Robin...feel free to say, "I told you so...")
posted by The Moody Minstrel at
5:13 PM
12 Comments:
MM, "Aw..Nuts!", but it could have been worse.
By
HappySurfer, at 6:09 PM
reminds me of my daddy... normally a very very careful driver, but when it is time when he's either hungry or tired, he would accidentally go over limit. aww, nuts!
well, shit happens. take it easy. hug hug.
By
YD, at 7:26 PM
On Maui the police always set up a radar trap near a one-store town where the speed limit drops from 55 to 45 to 35 within a hundred yards. They write tickets one after another as long as they want. I don't mind enforcement for safety's sake, but tricks like that really bug me.
By
Pandabonium, at 9:35 PM
I've been a "gold license" holder quite a while, but when I was younger, I got a lot of speeding tickets and the saftey trafic association gave me notice letters that told me if I would do one more breach, I would have to go to the license bureau and get a lecture. Every time I tried not to do any breaches for a whole year and got my minus points back.
By
Anonymous, at 10:26 PM
wah, will we have another new ruling?
when you EAT don't DRIVE, when you DRIVE don't EAT?
how fast were you anyway? single hand on the steering going thru the S-curve?? you very good leh hehehehe ...
By
Anonymous, at 1:17 AM
Haha, I just paid a ticket for using the cell phone while driving. And I've been slapped one speeding ticket so far. Those fines are so unnecessary...
By
gus, at 1:19 PM
now now.. u are a big boy now.. dun be too hard on yourself.
I told u so
I told u so
Arghhh.. shut up Metta...
how about putting a sticker on your windscreen to constantly remind u to drive slower.. or will a knock on the head do the same job.
By
Robin CHAN, at 6:48 PM
Happysurfer
Yes, you're right. Like I said, just a few clicks faster...
YD
I understand how your father feels.
I get a YD hug? Maybe the ticket was worth it! Almost...
Pandabonium
I know what you mean. In my school days, there was a mostly yuppie-populated town across the river from us that had the only 30 mph zone along the entire boulevard...and invariably a cruiser with a radar gun standing by right at the border. My father got his only ticket there. When I drove through that town once I made a point to drive exactly 30 all the way through...and a cruiser actually tailgated me really close to try to get me to speed up so he could nab me!
What was really depressing was that the cop driving that cruiser was actually my UNCLE! (Neither of us knew it at the time...till he wired in my license plate number.)
J-Apricot
I'm glad you managed to get through every time. You can bet I'll be careful, at least until the probation period ends.
Slurp!
The way things have been going, I wouldn't be surprised if such a ruling came up.
Actually, the S-curves on that boulevard aren't so sharp, but there are several of them in quick succession.
Agus
The fines don't bug me as much as the points lopped off the license and the threat of having it reduced in status if not revoked. Going to the post office and paying money is easy. Dealing with the bureaucracy sucks.
Robin
I don't know if a sticker will work. My BLUE car actually accelerates rather quickly (a problem I'm sure YOU'RE familiar with!), so if I push it just a little too hard for just a little too long, I'm over the red limit before I know it...and if I'm not paying attention I just might stay that way.
By
The Moody Minstrel, at 7:34 PM
the pickups, vans, lorries in SG are installed with speed alarm, you may like to consider one in your RAV hehehehehe ...
By
Anonymous, at 12:41 AM
Now its time to drive like a maniac, running down small trees, driving too fast in the wrong lane, laughing hysterically with your window rolled down, and giving the bird to every officer you see!
Bwoooo Hah hah hah!!!!!!!!
Once that vision of insanity clears, drive safe and all will be well.
By
DewKid, at 2:47 AM
I recently gota ticket fromphoto radar, I was all set to argue the ticket in court, but I had top move out of town, so I just ended up paying the ticket. Naturally my insurance has gone up as a result. First ticket in ten years, though.
By
Anonymous, at 3:45 AM
Draw a moral from that ticket!
Do remember: Driving in safe is the 1st rule.
Or you would like to buy another car instead of your BLUERAV? :-P
By
Anonymous, at 10:42 PM
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