I really expected there to be at least one or two people who said "Poor thing, let her keep driving her car", but I guess after the Marine Corps recruiting rant and the ratemycop.com business, I have somehow dissuaded the Berkeley crowd from reading my blog.
Here's how I handled this hypothetical situation:
I towed the car. I cited the driver for ALL the violations. The driver bitched about not being able to get to work or school, and having to walk home that day. My response was that the bus stop and the train station were right around the corner.
I am not easily swayed by the sob stories. They are always just "trying to do the right thing". Trying to provide for their family. Well, guess what, so am I. I somehow manage to pay my vehicle registration and insurance, keep my license, and pay my own rent instead of relying on Section 8 to do it for me. That, I suppose, is the difference between me and that driver. I can support my family of four on my income. Oh, and I have an income.
I cannot take into account the driver's race, financial status, or most other factors when deciding whether or not to tow the vehicle. If the registration is expired over six months, the car should not be on the road. Sometimes, I will let that one slide. If your license is suspended and you are aware of the suspension, you should not be driving. I don't often let that one slide. If you have expired registration, a suspended driver's license AND no insurance, your car is gone.
Don't stand there and tell your kids to whine at me that they won't be able to go to school next week. Don't try to convince me that I am doing something wrong or illegal by towing your car. I know my job much better than you do. Don't tell me that your registration is current, then hand me a DMV receipt that says right there across the top "NOT A VALID OPERATING PERMIT". People have tried that one on me many, many times. It didn't work for them either.
Don't bother taking responsibility for your own actions. Just keep trying to convince yourself I'm the one who's wrong. There's a word for that... And it just so happens to be the word of the day!!
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6 comments:
Right on man!
Good for you!
I've always been "zero tolerance" myself...I used to have a dispatcher who called me "Captain Hook" because I was forever requesting tow trucks for dead tags, no permit, equipment violations, etc.
Snatch 'em all up, I say. The one you let go could be the one that causes the injury accident or fatal tomorrow.
From a private citizen's perspective:
I don't care about expired registration. I've gotten forgetful, lazy etc. myself. Always seems like something expensive breaks right around inspection time. Now, six months is pretty egregious, but if you feel like they deserve a break, good on ya'. I won't complain.
No license? C'mon now. How hard is that? $14 here in Missouri. Half hour of your time if you know the right DMV to go to. Once every 10 years for Pete's sake. But, if you feel like giving a mulligan on that one, fair enough.
No insurance? Get that #$%#^ off the street! Having been hit by "uninsured motorists", I've got no tolerance for that crap. Too many people out there - myself included - are driving older cars that it doesn't make economic sense to carry full coverage on. Yet, some deadbeat jagoff smashes into you and you've got to pull a couple grand or more out of your butt just to keep rolling.
Right call in my book.
Joe
Good for you! Yeah, whiny drivers get their vehicles towed. No brainer on that one!!
A day or two after I read the first post I came across this situation... it was Easter Sunday and there was a baby in the back seat. I called a friend for the four occupants and despite her sobbing I still hooked it. My cover officer was talking with them while I did the paperwork and afterwards he told me the driver's brother committed suicide that morning... I think that was the first hook I've done where I almost felt bad.
Driving is a privilege, not a right.
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