Paying the Price
I stood in line at the local courthouse—speeding ticket, driver’s license, and proof of insurance in hand.
On this particular Friday afternoon, the desk was short by one clerk and the line was long by ten people. Most likely, that was on purpose and waiting in line was part of the punishment for breaking the law.
While I waited, I sifted through possible explanations I could use to avoid parting with $162. I missed the posted speed? I was in a hurry to get home to my kids? I was distracted? Tired? Anxious? Out of state company was due to arrive in an hour? The 30 MPH speed limit on Park Road was lame? All of these things were true, but they were also flimsy excuses.
I gave up and turned to the lady next to me—who had on a cute pair of pink sandals. I flashed her a smile. “I like your shoes.”
“Thanks,” she murmured.
“Why are you here?” I held up my ticket.
“Ticket.” She held up a similar piece of paper and turned away.
The guy behind me looked friendly, so I tried again. “Speeding ticket?” I waved mine in front of me.
He angled away and studied the clock above the door.
I got the message. Traffic court was not a social venue.
With a heavy sigh, I stared out the window and worked some more on my justification for driving 42 mph in a 30 mph zone
Thirty minutes later, it was my turn at the counter. The clerk explained my choices for taking care of the ticket in the most monotone voice I’d ever heard.
“What’s my best option and should I hire criminal lawyers Brisbane?” I asked her advice. She must have done this a hundred times a week. Who better to ask? “Probation? Driving school?”
“I can only offer you choices, ma’am. You have to make the decision.”
I smiled my come-on-help-me-out-here smile. “Surely one’s better than the other?”
She thrust some forms across the counter, pointed to another line, and yelled, “Next!”
And all that brainstorming of good reasons why I broke the law went to waste. She didn’t even give me a chance to offer a defense. She didn’t care. She didn’t want to hear my side. She had no time for excuses.
When I reached the next window, I circled the box marked probation, handed over my debit card, and prayed I could drive well for at least the next ninety days.
On the way home, I made complete stops and set my cruise control to 30 mph on that slow stretch of Park Road. I was on the offensive. It hurt to hand over money. It made me think twice about following the rules, rules that were there for my protection, whether I thought so or not.
Just like God’s rules.
When I break them, I have to live with the consequences of my actions. I have to pay the price. I’ve learned while God’s forgiveness is vast and His love for me is overwhelming, the consequences for my actions still rest on me.
I think I’ve figured out why. If there isn’t a price to my sin–if there isn’t any pain–I don’t change. I wish I could be obedient every time. But I’m not. I wish I could avoid painful consequences. But I can’t. I wish I could learn the easy way the first time. But I don’t.
I also saw a case recently where somebody was facing DUI charges, they contacted a defense attorney that is well known for defending DUI charges in New Jersey and they were incredible to work with and did really well with that case. So they deserve a mention here, so if you need a DUI lawyer then they are a great place to start.
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14 Comments
Linnea Larsen
I love how you turn every day experiences into a spiritual learning lesson. You also have a terrific sense of humor with lines like: “I got the message. Traffic court was not a social venue.” I can see myself doing the same thing, trying to cheer people up in a no-win situation. 🙂
Lori Freeland
Not everyone is as chatty as us, huh? Oh well 🙂
DiAne Gates
Oh my, I had that same clerk a year ago. 🙁 She’s tough. But you’re right God’s kindness, love and forgiveness is always extended, but the consequences remain.
The truly amazing part of His love is that He gives us the grace and strength to endure those consequences as long as our heart and mind is stayed on Him – even when the consequences are lifelong whirlwinds. We “can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength.”
DiAne
Lori Freeland
I’m always trying to skip the hard stuff and learn the easy way. Doesn’t work out that way though 🙂
Brinda
Oh…you speeder you. 🙂 I’m a speeder sometimes, too. It’s good that there’s probation. So, you still had to pay the $162? Wow.
Lori Freeland
Sad to say, I get caught way less than I should.
Emma Moore
I like. This reminds me of years ago when I got a ticket. Two officers were ticketing people. I got the officer I didn’t know but when I saw I knew the other officer I told the one giving me the ticket to tell the other one I said hello. After it was confirmed by the other officer that I worked at the police department he felt bad about giving me a ticket. I was told if he had known he wouldn’t have given me a ticket. I could have contested that ticket in court. I thought the speed was the same as it was on the other side of the major street. I never saw a sign on that side of the street before. After hunting the reason was it was hidden behind tree branches. I let it go and paid it. Oh well.
Lori Freeland
Sometimes you have to let the money go…I hate that 🙂
Gwynneth White
You are lucky to live in a land where you have those options when you speed. In parts of South Africa where I live there is so much corruption amongst the traffic police that they will try and coerce you into parting with a bribe – or worse – if they catch you speeding. Often they make up so=called traffic violations you have committed. But we all remain God’s children, and he is watching over all, so all is well. Thanks for the post
Gwynneth
http://todayinshenaya.blogspot.com
Lori Freeland
Wow! Something like that didn’t even register with me. I guess sometimes the things that amuse us here take on an entirely different weight somewhere else. Thanks for sharing.
Traci Kenworth
I love how God uses the simplest things to teach us humility.
Lori Freeland
Me, too 🙂
Gloria Richard
YIKES on the amount of the fine, Lori. They are brutal.
FWIW and because I care, do not speed the next time you visit me in Westlake. They show no mercy for those driving more than 5 mph over the limit.
I know because we’re a small community and I get called for Municipal Traffic Court duty about once every three to six months. The jury pool is quite small here, and the speeding tickets are many.
Here’s a little known factoid about those speeding tickets. If you protest the ticket or the fine, you have your day in court (where you could have explained your I-wasn’t-thinking rationale). When it goes to the jury we’re charged with two things: did the defendant violate the law, AND did the punishment fit the crime?
Even the prosecutor on my most recent jury duty said he felt the evidence against the defendant was irrefutable, but said he did not think $200 was a fair amount to levy.
We deliberated for five minutes. Found him guilty and reduced the fine to $25. He was a family guy, didn’t look like he had a ton of money, had been trying to merge into traffic on 114 after his car overheated, and was focused on safely merging rather than on his speedometer.
Oh! While I’m in Public Service Announcement Mode: One of the violations I often see in traffic court is the law for passing emergency vehicles — including officers stopped on the side of the road to ticket someone else. I did not know about this law until it was explained in court. You are required to either (1) move to a lane away from the emergency vehicle (if it’s safe to do so), or (2) slow to 20 mph below the speed limit. “I had another car that would have rear-ended me,” is (IMHO) a valid reason to violate this law. But, a friend recently got ticketed in Arlington despite that argument. He’ll take it to court. They may find the extenuating circumstances warrant a not-guilty. Or, they may reduce his fine by a substantial amount.
THIS CONCLUDES MY PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT. 🙂
Vladimir (@socialmediatry)
Like anybody has ever seen a friendly clerk. Not a chance. Also, being nice to them can even make things worse. Eh…bureaucracy…