California Drivers Go Broke!
Blog, Vlog: Angelica Arreola & Young D // Blog: Alicia Marie,
Jan 26, 2010
Editor's Note: YO! Blogger's Young D and Angelica discuss the insanely high fines for California drivers. And Alicia Marie blogs on her experience with the many fees of the road.
I am one of the many suffering from California’s need for money. I’ve been driving for years now and have not received one ticket until 3 weeks ago. I was driving back up highway 5 from Los Angeles. Anyone who has driven up that road knows there is a speed trap. They make the speed so low that you can’t help but to break the law and cruise. I just so happened to be “cruising” along and noticed many cars who had passed me were being pulled over by highway patrol. I silently laughed to myself thinking, “haha, you got busted” as I went 100 miles per hour. Little did I know there was one stray officer right ahead. I passed him and he pulled me over. Due to the fact that it was my first ticket, he was nice to me and didn’t write down that I was going 100. For those who don’t know, if you are going over 91 or even 25 mph over the posted limit, you can't attend traffic school. He put on the ticket I was going 88 MPH.
Three weeks later when the ticket came in the mail, I was shocked! $317 for speeding! I mean, come on. It wasn’t as if I was drunk or reckless, I was keeping up with traffic. I could understand it being $200 tops but $317? That’s way too much. Then here is how California gets you. If you want it cleared off your record you have to attend traffic school. To even request traffic school is $61. To attend traffic school, it costs between $10-$150. Oh and let’s not forget, the guilty plea, $21. So by the time I’m done paying it’s going to be well over $400 for going 23 MPH over the speed limit.
I could understand if you have the money, but for people like me who’s on a very fixed income, it’s unnecessary. The fines and fees are more than my check! California lawmakers really need to sit back and check themselves. Because of their bad budget making, I’m suffering for a small mistake. And not just a slap on the wrist, but a give me your whole pay check so we can have one!
-- Alicia Marie
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