Help what do I do

[dave_k63]

My dad is at the dmv now they just dont wont to help but he will keep at them

Was this for speeding or DWI? DWI you're probably SOL.

[mitsguy2001]

Thank your lucky stars this happened in Florida instead of Texas. My son's license was suspended for nonpayment of a ticket. When he was stopped many, many years later for an expired registration sticker, he was arrested :eek: for Driving While License Suspended (DWLS). The suspension was invoked shortly after the "due date" on the speeding ticket but since then he had not only renewed his license, he had also received a couple of speeding tickets. Strange no one ever noticed his license was suspended until that over-zealous cop that stopped him for the expired sticker. :confused:

 

He had to spend a couple of nights in jail (due to the high arrest rate here, the Dallas jail is very slow in processing bail bonds -- it's a very "popular" place ;)) and his car was impounded. It was a very expensive ordeal what with getting the car out of impound, attorney / court fees and the bail bond. The slogan "Don't Mess With Texas" has taken on a whole new meaning for him.

 

I had an acquaintence in college who had his license suspended for 6 months begining Jan. 4 (don't remember the exact year; I think 1998; but the Jan. 4 date is what is important). 6 months later, on July 4, he was pulled over by a campus police officer for speeding. When he ran his license, it still came up suspended. Supposedly, because it was a holiday, his reinstatement had not been processed. So the cop arrested him, and he had to spend the night in the campus jail cell! Admittedly, he was stupid to be speeding on what he thought was the first day that his license was reinstated. But even 1 night in jail is, in my opinion, a punishment that does not fit the crime! Especially since there was a good chance that the only reason his license reinstation hadn't been processed was due to the holiday.

 

More likely, I think that July 4 was intended to be the last day of his suspension, with his license being reinstated on July 5. But still, especially given the doubt, he did not deserve to spend that night in jail!

 

Our police, especially small town police and college campus police, have far too much power. Most of them probably use their power for good, but unfortunately, there seems to be no way to stop the police officers who abuse their power.

[mitsguy2001]

Yes that's right, it was that darn "over zealous cop" that made your son violate the law by speeding, violate the law by failing to pay his ticket, lose his license,violate the law by continuing to drive, violate the law again by failing to renew his registration. How dare that "overzealous cop" expect your dear little boy to abide by the same laws as everyone else! Your son's ordeal was caused by your son's actions.

 

The point is that the punishment (jail time) does not fit the crime (speeding and expired registration).

[mitsguy2001]

And that really sucks about the Admin fee on GA tickets now. My tickets were $68 (16 over) and $82 (20 over). The only fees I paid were the $1 fees for the money orders from Kroger lol

 

A pet peeve of mine is the surcharges that insurance companies charge. At least in my state, they are usually far greater than the ticket, and are definitely a punishment that does not fit the crime. I was twice surcharged by my insurance company for very minor fender benders (in one case, the accident was not even my fault, but the cop either made a mistake or outright lied), where the surcharge was far greater than what the insurance company paid for the accident (in both cases, my car was un-damaged, and the other car had negligiable damage).

 

Because of those incidents, I switched to an insurance company that offers accident forgiveness, meaning they won't surcharge me for an accident. Unfortunately, they still give ridiculous surcharges for tickets. I cannot find any company that offers ticket forgiveness. I fail to understand why they'll forgive even a major accident (where there could be lives lost, serious injuries, and serious property damage), but will still give a huge surcharge for even a minor ticket, that is basically the cop's word over the driver.

[dave_k63]

Tickets are usually an indication of bad driving habits, behaviors and skills. Too many equals in most cases bad driving. Insurance companies are in the statistic business - the more tickets the more likely you are to have a wreck. Some of those crashes cost insurance companies millions. My daughter once got a ticket for coasting through a stop sigh. She obviously wasn't paying attention to her driving - or she would have seen the officer parked across the street.

[mitsguy2001]

Tickets are usually an indication of bad driving habits, behaviors and skills. Too many equals in most cases bad driving. Insurance companies are in the statistic business - the more tickets the more likely you are to have a wreck. Some of those crashes cost insurance companies millions. My daughter once got a ticket for coasting through a stop sigh. She obviously wasn't paying attention to her driving - or she would have seen the officer parked across the street.

 

But my point is that tickets are often (not always) given by an overzealous cop who is on a power trip. There are towns near where I live that are very affluent, and will give you a bogus ticket if your car isn't nice enough. Why should insurance companies forgive major accidents, but not a minor ticket? And, even if you want to argue that the surcharges are just, the amount of the surcharges are ridiculous! Very disproportionate to the crime. And then there are employers (even jobs that don't involve driving) who refuse to hire employees due to a minor traffic violation.

[Cousin Eddie]

The point is that the punishment (jail time) does not fit the crime (speeding and expired registration).

 

The crime that caused the arrest in the quoted post was not speeding or expired registration. Although the person in question was stopped for registration, and by the admission of the poster had been stopped several times prior for speeding.

The crime was driving on suspended. The DL was suspended for failing to pay a citation.

The responsibility lies with the driver. From the sound of it responsibility is not this person's forte.

 

In your example the responsibility to find out if the license has been reinstated before driving is again on the driver.

 

You can bemoan the so called "abuse of power" all you want. The fact remains that the law is clear that driving on suspended is an offense that you can be arrested for. If you violate that law and a police officer enforces that law, it is not an "abuse of power" it is the proper application of a law that you apparently feel should not apply to you or your friend.

[ccletzgo]

My last full on the ship. I have not gotten off at ports.Yes I spell like A 10 year tell me some thing I dont know.The only fax # I needed was the one at port. the $200 was for the ladys "son" at the courthouse to walk my paper work through the courts and fax my dl to me. yes only 5 over no tickets for over 30 years. there are alot of mean people on this sight. I have not posted on a heart ataick inless it was my father inlaw witch passed away. Thank you for your help.Work faxed a copy of my DL to the port that I used to get on the ship along with the ticket . I dont thank I will post again just read to much hate on cruise critic. now back to the cruise

 

It sucks. The rude negative comments you received.. I'm glad it worked out ok. Have a great cruise!

[mitsguy2001]

The crime that caused the arrest in the quoted post was not speeding or expired registration. Although the person in question was stopped for registration, and by the admission of the poster had been stopped several times prior for speeding.

The crime was driving on suspended. The DL was suspended for failing to pay a citation.

The responsibility lies with the driver. From the sound of it responsibility is not this person's forte.

 

In your example the responsibility to find out if the license has been reinstated before driving is again on the driver.

 

You can bemoan the so called "abuse of power" all you want. The fact remains that the law is clear that driving on suspended is an offense that you can be arrested for. If you violate that law and a police officer enforces that law, it is not an "abuse of power" it is the proper application of a law that you apparently feel should not apply to you or your friend.

 

He said that he was told his license would be reinstated on July 4. I think a reasonable person should have assumed that meant he'd be allowed to drive on July 4. Given the fact that there was doubt, sending him to jail was an abuse of power.

 

A more appropriate punishment would have been to impound his vehicle (he lived walking distance from where he was pulled over), to follow up the next day when DMV reopened to find out what the status of his license was, plus a ticket for speeding. If it was determined that he was not supposed to have been driving until July 5, then I'd say he deserved a small penalty for driving with a suspended license, but not the full penalty (and certainly not jail time!) because he had a legitimate reason to believe he was allowed to drive on July 4.

 

In my opinion, full penalties should be reserved for where the offender clearly had full consent and full knowledge. My friend, as you call him (he was more of an acquaintence), clearly did not have full knowledge, since he beleived his license was reinstated on July 4.

[daijayx2]

It sucks. The rude negative comments you received.. I'm glad it worked out ok. Have a great cruise!

 

I really didnt see too many rude and negative posts the forum is here to be helpful and when someone ask for help or opinions on something then if the OP isn't honest with the entire situation then it is hard to help that person.

 

Just wondering OP why didn't you just o to the DMV in Ga and either get ur license or an id card? Why drive all the way to the port? With no identification at all??

 

I for one am not a rude nor negative person as can be seen by other posts I have made. I am always willing to try to add my 2 cents for whats its worth and help out when I can, but when the facts don't add up then that's where suspicion begins to arouse. So if the OP is telling the truth about EVERYTHING why so many dif stories in their posts?

Any why not GO TO THE DMV IN GA!! Before leaving the state? Why not explain to the police officer that yea ok she was speding BARELY but she has to go thru u.s customs as well as custom agency's in other countries and she has no other form of identification and probably wont be able to board her ship, nor get off in any of the ports she spent her money on to go visit?? She said he gave her a paper to DRIVE, Now what sense do that make. So allow them to continue to drive but only this time if they are pulled over they have no license or identification at all to provide to the officer??

I know the law is the law and they have rights to do this that and the other but unless the police was just a complete a$$ she must have done something other than what she/he has stated. Just cause they have the right in some states to confiscate ur license I honestly don't know why an officer of the law would do so if the OP explained they was traveling out of the country and needed their license to prove their us citizenship and actual identity.

[dave_k63]

I really didnt see too many rude and negative posts the forum is here to be helpful and when someone ask for help or opinions on something then if the OP isn't honest with the entire situation then it is hard to help that person.

 

Just wondering OP why didn't you just o to the DMV in Ga and either get ur license or an id card? Why drive all the way to the port? With no identification at all??

 

I for one am not a rude nor negative person as can be seen by other posts I have made. I am always willing to try to add my 2 cents for whats its worth and help out when I can, but when the facts don't add up then that's where suspicion begins to arouse. So if the OP is telling the truth about EVERYTHING why so many dif stories in their posts?

Any why not GO TO THE DMV IN GA!! Before leaving the state? Why not explain to the police officer that yea ok she was speding BARELY but she has to go thru u.s customs as well as custom agency's in other countries and she has no other form of identification and probably wont be able to board her ship, nor get off in any of the ports she spent her money on to go visit?? She said he gave her a paper to DRIVE, Now what sense do that make. So allow them to continue to drive but only this time if they are pulled over they have no license or identification at all to provide to the officer??

I know the law is the law and they have rights to do this that and the other but unless the police was just a complete a$$ she must have done something other than what she/he has stated. Just cause they have the right in some states to confiscate ur license I honestly don't know why an officer of the law would do so if the OP explained they was traveling out of the country and needed their license to prove their us citizenship and actual identity.

police don't physically take your license and then allow you to drive. Especially they don't seize the license, and give you some sort of paper saying you can drive - but just not be positively identified. I think this post is "allegorical" at best.

[ladybug1s]

My last full on the ship. I have not gotten off at ports.Yes I spell like A 10 year tell me some thing I dont know.The only fax # I needed was the one at port. the $200 was for the ladys "son" at the courthouse to walk my paper work through the courts and fax my dl to me. yes only 5 over no tickets for over 30 years. there are alot of mean people on this sight. I have not posted on a heart ataick inless it was my father inlaw witch passed away. Thank you for your help.Work faxed a copy of my DL to the port that I used to get on the ship along with the ticket . I dont thank I will post again just read to much hate on cruise critic. now back to the cruise

 

I agree...I got the same thing on a certain post and got the same impression with some people on this site. Don't let it bother you, they are no better than any of us. Glad it all worked out for you! And some people that said you lied, that is crazy! Why would you waste your time to try to get help on this board to create drama? and my husband, you should see his spelling. He learned to spell it the way it sounds. lol

[sharecruises]

In Ga? You said Florida took it. I have lived in Ga all my life and they haven't kept my license for about 10 years. I just got another ticket the other week and kept mine.

 

 

Sent from Tapa-Talk. Please forgive my brevity and lack of punctuation.

 

They probably don't keep it cause you live in state.

 

For years there have been speed traps on the way down to Florida, well known fact.

 

I think OP should act logically and first contact Carnival and see IF the ticket is proof that he has a license. Contact Carnival and see what they suggest.....time is of the essence ! Hope this works out for you

[sharecruises]

Oh..I see that OP did make it on board..good news

 

Should be able to get off at all ports, only Nassau looks for your picture id, rest are just sign and sail but I have had forgetful peeps forget picture id at Nassau and they allow them thru just a bit slower

 

Have a good cruise :):D

 

Good reminder of why good to have passport, back up id, photocopies

 

I personally have passport, birth cert, drivers lic and photocopies of all, recently scanned and put online

 

Have seen way too many "near misses" ....I like to cruise and I want to get on my ship <grin>

 

I wear a zipped travel lanyard around my neck and triple check it

I want to cruise LOL:D:D

[flashdog_1]

So glad you made it on the ship. Wasn't it fine getting allt he advice from cruise critic?

[CruzinKatz]

So glad you made it on the ship. Wasn't it fine getting allt he advice from cruise critic?

'''

 

I was hoping he would tell us about his cruise but I haven't seen him back on here. I know it started out as a rough trip but hope it ended up as a nice cruise.

[DizzyDallasDi]

Yes that's right, it was that darn "over zealous cop" that made your son violate the law by speeding, violate the law by failing to pay his ticket, lose his license,violate the law by continuing to drive, violate the law again by failing to renew his registration. How dare that "overzealous cop" expect your dear little boy to abide by the same laws as everyone else! Your son's ordeal was caused by your son's actions.

 

My goodness...calm down Cousin Eddie. My "dear little boy" didn't know his license was suspended. Texas isn't required to send notification to the person when they suspend their license...they just do it.

 

Granted, he was remiss in not paying the traffic violation that resulted in the suspended license but he wasn't purposely driving on a suspended license. Everyone has a story -- ever been to a defensive driving course? May you continue to live on the obvious straight and narrow path you walk on and never trip over a pebble.

[Pellaz]

And the $200 fine referenced above is part of the Georgia Super Speeder Law that was passed a few years ago. The law was enacted to convince people to slow down and also to raise revenue for State counties since Georgia's current financial situation is horrid.

 

That last part is not completely correct. The proceeds raised from SuperSpeeder fines go directly to the State of Georgia for building/upgrading regional trauma centers, not to the counties involved. $200 extra if going 85+ mph on the interstate, and for 75+ on regular roads.

[RuthlessBoss]

'''

 

I was hoping he would tell us about his cruise but I haven't seen him back on here. I know it started out as a rough trip but hope it ended up as a nice cruise.

Checked statistics page, the last post was 4/27 when he said he was staying on board. The other statistic said his last activity on the site was 9:30 last night, so he's still around, just not telling about the cruise.

[StingRaysfan]

The crime that caused the arrest in the quoted post was not speeding or expired registration. Although the person in question was stopped for registration, and by the admission of the poster had been stopped several times prior for speeding.

The crime was driving on suspended. The DL was suspended for failing to pay a citation.

The responsibility lies with the driver. From the sound of it responsibility is not this person's forte.

 

In your example the responsibility to find out if the license has been reinstated before driving is again on the driver.

 

You can bemoan the so called "abuse of power" all you want. The fact remains that the law is clear that driving on suspended is an offense that you can be arrested for. If you violate that law and a police officer enforces that law, it is not an "abuse of power" it is the proper application of a law that you apparently feel should not apply to you or your friend.

 

 

 

This.. and even in Florida your son would have been arrested for driving on a suspended license. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and the law enforcement officer has a job to do. If you don't like the laws and punishments applied to them it is your right to get involved in the political and law making process.

 

The officer that pulled him over is not judge and jury. He/She upholds the laws that are put in place. If there was a miscommunication about when a license would be reinstated then it is up to the person arrested to take that proof to the attorneys or courtroom to have the charges dismissed.

 

All this aside. Sounds like the entire situation may have been avoided had previous tickets been paid for, or better yet, traffic laws that keep us all safer were followed.

[mitsguy2001]

My goodness...calm down Cousin Eddie. My "dear little boy" didn't know his license was suspended. Texas isn't required to send notification to the person when they suspend their license...they just do it.

 

Granted, he was remiss in not paying the traffic violation that resulted in the suspended license but he wasn't purposely driving on a suspended license. Everyone has a story -- ever been to a defensive driving course? May you continue to live on the obvious straight and narrow path you walk on and never trip over a pebble.

 

Well said. Not every violation of the law should warrant the maximum penalty. The person breaking the law does not always have full consent and full knowledge. And, cops are sometimes wrong.

 

This.. and even in Florida your son would have been arrested for driving on a suspended license. Driving is a privilege, not a right, and the law enforcement officer has a job to do. If you don't like the laws and punishments applied to them it is your right to get involved in the political and law making process.

 

The officer that pulled him over is not judge and jury. He/She upholds the laws that are put in place. If there was a miscommunication about when a license would be reinstated then it is up to the person arrested to take that proof to the attorneys or courtroom to have the charges dismissed.

 

What proof could my acquaintence have offered at that point. It was a major holiday (4th of July) so DMV was closed, and he was sent to jail at that point, and was not given an opportunity to prove he was right. Also, assuming that what he said was correct, that the computers hadn't been updated due to the holiday, what could he have done at that point?

 

I still argue that what he deserved was a speeding ticket, and possibly for his car to be impounded until they could have determined the status of his license. He lived walking distance from the incident, so it's not as if they would have been dumping him in a dangerous foreign port with no passport, as Carnival seems so fond of doing.

 

All this aside. Sounds like the entire situation may have been avoided had previous tickets been paid for, or better yet, traffic laws that keep us all safer were followed.

 

I agree that my acquaintence was wrong for speeding. But the punishment he was given (spending a night in jail) did not fit the crime. Just because a person is wrong does not mean that they deserve a punishment that does not fit the crime.

 

It's not an issue of getting involved in the lawmaking process. My point is that you need to use discretion and take mitigating factors (such as lack of full consent or full knowledge). Plus, in this case, it was really DMV that was wrong for not reinstating his license when they said they would, due to the holiday. If for whatever reason they absolutely could not reinstate his license on a holiday, they should have either reinstated it a day early (on July 3) or tell him that he can't drive until July 5. Either way, they shouldn't have forced him to spend time in jail due to their error.

 

Since you are going to point this out again: Yes, I understand he was speeding and that speeding is wrong. Yes, I agree he deserved to be punished for speeding. But jail time is not an appropriate punishment for speeding.

[kayhold]

police don't physically take your license and then allow you to drive. Especially they don't seize the license, and give you some sort of paper saying you can drive - but just not be positively identified. I think this post is "allegorical" at best.

 

So, when I said it has happened to me, you think I am lying? I am making this story up to defend someone here I don't even know? Really? And, the others here are lying, also?

 

I think its more likely you are just wrong than all of us lying.