Yesterday, I got done with my classes and walked to my car, nonchalantly contemplating all that I had to do that evening and thinking about the job interview I’d had that morning–nothing much really.
When I reached my car, I stopped short at the sight of–no it couldn’t be–
But it was. A parking ticket. How on earth? My mind ran through the options. I’d parked there at 3:45 pm, the area was two hour parking between 8 am and 5 pm with no limit after 5. So I only spent 1 hr and 15 minutes there between the regulated hours.
I was considering my options, thinking through the appeal process, when I opened the envelope and discovered the true issue.
“Invalid registration.”
My mind tried processing this new information.
“Let’s see, I bought Lucy last year after the car accident. The car accident was at the end of February. I drove a rental through March. And I bought Lucy in April, right?”
Except that I checked when I dropped off my recycling at the recycling collection place.
No, I must have bought it in March.
Oh, that’s what happened. I’m remembering it now. I bought JACK, my previous car in April–and so I’d paid registration through April on the car that was totalled in the accident. Didn’t they try to arrange something to reimburse me for that extra month or something?
Yeah. That’s right.
Okay, so my car does indeed have invalid registration. My plates expired last month. I’ll accept that.
The question is–why didn’t I get a postcard reminding me that registration was due and telling me what I owed?
I haven’t changed my address. I’m the one who gets the mail, so I doubt it’s a matter of the postcard getting lost on my end.
Hmmm….
Conspiracy theories arise in my mind–and I’ve suddenly got it figured out.
They’re doing some old-fashioned revenue generating. Save $0.28 on the postcard, get $100 from the ticket, and still end up getting the registration in the end. It’s a fantastic racket.
So do the smart thing and check your registration today. Put the expiration on your calendar and don’t get caught by the racketeering state and local government.
Aww, that’s unfortunate. =(
I got a postcard before my plates expired, I wonder what happened between Jan and March… strange.
That’s too bad, sorry love!
=D Thanks for the tip – although gleaned and shared with an expensive ticket attached!
ARG for sure!
P.S. I like that you name your cars.
I got a “Fix-it!” ticket a while back, but it was the more humiliating got-pulled-over kind, but for the same reason. Except I *definitely* had gotten my registration renewal in the mail and had just lost it in the mail pile.
My favorite part was waiting nearly four weeks for my ticket to be processed before I could have it dismissed. I mean, the sheriff’s office is all the way downstairs from the Justice Court, so three weeks plus is understandable…