Sixth time’s a charm

29 days ago, I received a traffic fine for failure to display my license disc. Thing is, it was technically on display since it was on the dashboard – I hadn’t been able to find a sticker yet to stick it on. But, whatever.

Since then I’ve attempted to pay it six times.

The first time was on the day we received the fine. We got told it wasn’t on the system yet, which I can understand. I let it go.

The second time was two weeks later. We were told it wasn’t on the system again. Yep, our traffic department is just THAT slow.

The third time was last Saturday. We got to Gallows Hill at about 11 and, you know, assumed it would still be open since it was still a) morning and b) the only time many people have to make their way to city and traffic departments. We then tried the department in Plumstead too but by the time we got there, due to the detour to Gallows Hill, they were closed as well.

The fourth time was yesterday. We went through to Gallows Hill at lunch time only to be told the system was down.

The fifth time was this morning. I trudged my way into the building where I was then told that the smaller, alternative fine no longer applied and I had to pay the full amount. Of course, I only had the reduced amount on me so I had to bugger off.

The sixth time was, again, this morning. I had made a stop at the parents place to borrow the money that I didn’t have on me. After ten minutes of watching the lovely lady at the counter stare at the monitor, I started to fear the worst…but it eventually went through.

Six times people.

Six times.

SIX.

Now before you give me shit, I know there is the option of payfine. Thing is though, I refuse to have a credit card on the basis of how much shit I could get myself into with one and since payfine is credit card only, this path was out.

Can someone PLEASE tell me why I had to fight to give them money? Aren’t these the same people complaining that they never have enough money? Surely they’d want mine?!

I was honestly *this close* to actually letting the summons come and appearing in court to argue this whole thing – but I probably would have called someone a douche and ended up in a holding cell…been there, done that, had the scalding hot shower afterwards to wipe the germs off.

Which leads to an interesting story.

I’ve nearly ended up in jail twice in my young life.

The latter was, well, entirely my fault…but the first time…I was just a passenger.

25 and a half years ago when my mother was pregnant with me, she received a bogus parking fine. Being the argumentative and stubborn woman that she is (yes, I got it from somewhere), she ended up going to court for this fine of R100 or something ridiculous.

Standing in court my mother was informed by the judge that she could either pay the R100 or spend 30 days in jail…she said she’d take the 30 days.

Of course with her being pregnant and all the judge simply said, “I can’t let you do that”. To which my mother replied, “You gave me the option of paying the R100 or 30 days, I want the 30 days.”

The judge wasn’t having this though and proceeded to argue with her for half an hour until she eventually said she’d pay the fine. The way she figured it, the amusement and the time that she wasted of theirs was well worth it.

Unfortunately, I’m not pregnant so I felt that this probably wasn’t the way to go.

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