Don't Tempt Fate - Fix that Plate (A True Story of a Crooked License Plate Ticket)

The Back Story - Let's Get It Straight

Why oh why didn't I listen to my 20 year-old that faithful Sunday morning on our way to church. After dragging him out of bed  - won't get into that - it's another blog, I couldn't figure out why he was so pressed to get the license plate fixed. It had been askew for a while. The right screw was stripped while the left screw was sturdy - sounds like a line from Prisoner Cell Block H - but it was true.

The license plate was still easy to read, everything else was in order. In fact when you straightened it out, it looked completely normal. The left screw was tight so you couldn't tell that the right side lacked one most of the time. In fact it had been like that for the better part of a year.

My son wanted to run to Home Depot that morning to pick up another screw.  I assured him that it would be alright, "No,  you're not getting out of church to play Mr. Fix-It" I countered ,"Come on,  we're late. what's the hurry to fix it right now?"

Twenty-four hours later I was looking at the multitude of paperwork that comes with the what I thought was a "fix-it ticket" - given for a correctable violation .  I know truth is stranger than fiction but come on. You cannot write this stuff. Really???  On the way to his girlfriend's house late that same night he ran into an eager rookie police officer and....believe me the laughs don't end there.

Gaining responsibility like a motorcycle eats the road, he got up early the next day to fix the plate. Would you believe my local mechanic charged him $35 for the privilege of adding the right screw?  Guess who's looking for a new mechanic? (again - another blog). To add insult to injury my county had instituted a $50 Driver Responsibility Fee. That means that even with the fix-It tickets you have to pay a fine for having the broken taillight or whatever - in the first place. The paperwork that the officer supplied included:

• a list of instructions stating that the repair must be completed within 24 hours
• the summons outlining the V&T infraction

We sent it off; the $50 , a receipt from my now ex-mechanic, the ticket checked Guilty (but we are so sorry).  it came back to us - check and all. We had to appear in court.  Hunh?? Court for a crooked license plate?  Mind you I am already $35 in the hole!

At court, I decided to sit back and let my son do the talking. The return mail stated that checks are not acceptable payment.  With a $50 bill in his hand, and all of the supporting documents he went to the window to face the "ticket for a Crooked Plate Music" - Not a pop tune, I assure you (the mechanic said it was the first he had ever heard of in 30 years).

I noticed my son looking back at me for help as the attorney berated him with the following; she'd reduce the infraction to a parking violation and the fine from the $200 to $140, a crooked plate is non-correctable,  the officer was wrong to inform that it could be corrected,  furthermore the officer is not an attorney and my son could not use the officer's misinformation as an excuse.  Once I opened my big used to be a law enforcement officer mouth we took the case to trial. A couple of months later we ended up paying $130.  All tolled,  a lost screw cost us $165! 

How to Avoid Crooked Plate Gate 

Though no points are assessed for the unsecured plate violation, the time, aggravation and MONEY spent were punishment enough. It moved me to action. We are taking a couple of proactive steps and enrolling in Online Defensive Driving and Traffic School. Online courses are easy, convenient and cost effective saving you valuable time and money. When it comes to driving ignorance - especially of California's Vehicle Code Book - is not bliss.