Sunday, July 18, 2010

It's only money......

If you remember a post awhile ago about Mexican instant justice, as you know we are in Northern California right now, and boy have there been changes!

I got a ticket the other day.

California has what are called commute lanes. It is where they are designated for car pools and they are active generally between commute hours.
We were on our way to the airport to fly to Catalina to spend a few days to celebrate La Señora's birthday.
And her birthday just got a little bit more expensive.

What I was use to was that these HOV lanes ( High Occupancy Lanes ) are set up for 2 or more passengers and they start usually between 6 AM to 9AM then at 3PM to 6 or 7PM.
Well they are on the freeway and county that we just came from and they are in most parts of the state.

Except where the cop pulled me over.

There the lanes go to 10AM and you need 3 bodies in the car.
We only had two, and it was 9:52AM

Kaching!

Well, whats a hundred bucks when the state of California needs it? After all the schools need more money, the roads are full of pot holes, and the DMV ( Motor Vehicle Dept) is closed every other Friday because they can't afford to pay the staff.
Well Today in the mail I get the summons.


To my surprise it was only $ 466.00 dollars......

The paramedics have just left and I was told that I need to go to the hospital to get further treatment.

And I thought 200 or 500 pesos was a lot of change to pay for an soiree with the policia......

But on the positive side, I can pay $ 520 dollars plus 75 to a traffic school and the ticket will not be on my record.
Let's see, that's like death by firing squad or Electric chair.

OK, it was my fault, I admit to not knowing the geography of every highway HOV lane in the state, but $ 500 bucks?

The sad thing is that my money will not help the schools or fill any pothole......................

And you wonder why I like life in Patzcuaro.

I constantly think of what my $ 500 dollars would have purchase south of the border. I cannot wait until the car crosses the border in a few weeks and we return to sanity!

15 comments:

One Small Voz said...

Makes the Mexican bribe a whole lot more attractive ;-)

Jerry L said...

I would love to understand how in the world they arrive at such a figure. No wonder people can no longer afford to live in California.
Mexico sounds better and better every day, I have read people surviving quite nice on 750 dollars a month.

Steve Cotton said...

And I will be on your tail -- soon. I like it up here in Oregon, but I long to get back home.

Tancho said...

Leah: It's not a bribe, it's a subsidy.

Jerry: When you figure out how they charge and the rational, let me know.

Steve, You must be enjoying the cool summer up there, funny how quick one gets home sick for the calm, more sensible life....

Calypso said...

Tancho-

OMG! Why not send them an IOU chit like they are sending to people waiting for their tax refund - and that is their own money not being returned to them.

Truly you are in insanity up there - get home hombre!

Refried Dreamer said...

Aaahhh.... querido Mexico. ♥

Don Cuevas said...

It's the Tancho Share The Wealth Program.
California is grateful to you.

When the hell are you going to come to your senses and get back here to beautiful Michoacán?

Saludos,
Don Cuevas

Don Cuevas said...

Jerry L, WE could live on that here, fairly comfortably, although we'd have to cut way back on travel and dining out.

Well, maybe not dining out here, but those trips to Mexico City and fancy meals would have to be curtailed.

Seven hundred and fifty dollars ($9690.52 MXN) would be generous. That figure does not cover prescription meds and medical expenses. Maybe it would top $900 USD/month with medical related expenses.

Someday, I'm actually going to have to work up an expense sheet. Actually, la Señora will have to do it. I'm math-handicapped.)

Saludos,
Don Cuevas

Michael Dickson said...

The fee is so absurdly high because California is dead broke, and grabs any passing cash.

Why is California dead broke? Too many social programs. Social programs are great when there is money to fund them, but California´s social programs exceed the money available to fund them.

Alas, the federal government is on the same highway as California.

- Mexican Trailrunner said...

Wow! Amazing. Wonder how much it costs to cross the Golden Gate Bridge now.
Do you REALLY have to pay it???? It's not like they're gonna come flying down here to get you if you don't. Mexican plated car?
Hurry back, you 2, Steve too. Hurry back you 3. To the land of sanity and freedom.

Chrissy y Keith said...

I will be in Traffic Court tomorrow fighting a photo radar ticket that had me going 66 in a 55 that had just changed from 65. My cost is $208.00. I would rather pay a Mexican bribe anyday.

Tancho said...

Spot on Felipe, there seems to be lots of people now that cannot take care of themselves. Or if that is not the reason, they are there for the handouts, which are give without concern of the end result.
I can't imagine running a business that way....
Might as well put up a sign saying free groceries.
I am sure the state will get even more creative in the way they extract money from people.

Anonymous said...

This is the sort of madness that lead me to the conclusion that it was better to watch it from this side of the border. It makes me wonder..."Why do they put up with it??"

Tancho said...

The sad thing is that if you tried to fight it, which I though of for a minute, you have to go down to the courthouse IN PERSON, for open court. So it's not like you are given a date to show up. Open court means that if you get there at 6 am you will be one of the first, if you come in at 9, what they do to piss you off and make you pay, is after a certain number of people are heard they tell you, "sorry we have met our amount of people we can hear today, please return tomorrow"
So, by making it so inconvenient, you just give up and send them % 500 bucks.
Now....do you want to know how much a DUI costs by the time you finish....it's not about justice, it's about money, plain and simple.
A complete DUI will wind up costing over 15,000 DOLLARS, by the time you finish, that doesn't take into account who your insurance will go up. Thank God, I have never been stopped, up here, but I have had a few friends tell me that it is only the $$$$.
I should have never left to come up here, is the way I feel, can't wait to be back to some semblance of normalcy in Mexico.
And then they wonder when people go nuts and start shooting from rooftops.....

Tancho said...

Marilyn, I thought of that, believe me, but....with their computers now, and who everything is interconnected I didn't want to be held at the border or have my SS check garnished, which I am sure they will do or at least think of. You cannot win.....or at least I don't have the energy to fight this, this is not right, but "It's the law" and to fight the law is very costly....just ask Steve C.......
Hey, I never thought of that, Maybe I can get STEVE to do a pro-bono, you think?