So, over a month ago I was driving home-at night-speaking to my Grandpa on the phone (Hi Grandpa!). As I visited with him I accidentally missed the turn to get to our road- it happens often for me :( - but on this particular night my absent minded driving was costly!
My conversation with Grandpa was interrupted by flashing lights behind me and the screaming of a Texas Police officer's siren. Needless to say Grandpa heard an abrupt good bye as I fumbled to find our newly acquired insurance cards. Having only lived in Texas a few short weeks, they'd been placed on top of some of the moving boxes instead of inside the glove box...sigh.
"Mercy please" was all I could manage to pray as the officer came to my car.
Mr. officer came to the window and gave me a kind but firm scolding about driving a car with an expired registration from another State. He said I was a red flag for sure driving with those old expired plates (the plates were from UT, and the registration had expired in SEPTEMBER, while the cars sat in our storage bin in Texas along with all our belongings). Then I could not produce proof of insurance, nor could I show him a Texas drivers' license even though I had become a resident of that Great State.
again I say...sigh.
Mr. Officer took the time to carefully explain the procedure. First, he would find out my address, then send a wrecker to that address to impound my car until I could bring proper proof of registration and post it as bail for the old suburban. Upon retrieving the vehicle, I would then be expected to pay a $500.00 fine for driving an unregistered vehicle on Texas roads. That would be justice served.
In addition, a $75 citation would be issued because I could not show proof of insurance.
I explained my story. We'd moved, car was in storage, just got to Texas, barely got into the house, working on registering the cars but first had to register my kids; into school. So sorry officer, we want to comply with the law...
pretty sure I threw in "we have 6 children" a couple of times so he'd be able to factor in that level of personal chaos that would ensue if we had no transportation for said number of children. I just wanted that picture in his mind as he weighed the impending punishment.
After my quickly constructed alibi the officer welcomed me to Texas with true generosity and mercy. No ticket. No impounding of the family auto. Only a promise from me that my car would be registered within 24 hours.
I could do that. I made the promise. I went on my way as he said one more time
"welcome to Texas mam. We're glad you've come to live among us."
Needless to say the car was registered within the promised time. And I got my mug shot for a new TX drivers' license on the very same day; that piece of ID came in my mailbox just last week. A promise kept. Sigh!
Happily, a month after that experience, John's car is finally registered too. I, after having the late night conference with the officer at my car window, could not bring myself to hardly ride in let alone drive John's unregistered car. What if I saw that officer again? My integrity felt compromised (and at some points my marriage too, not willing to drive the less gas consuming of our two vehicles when I was the only one traveling ;) But after a trip or two or five to the mechanics and some savvy scheduling on John's part he and his car are also legal in Texas.
Welcome to Texas indeed.
6 comments:
FEW! I was just imagining you getting cuffed and booked into jail for a night! They'll do that you know, one more ticket for Matt and no more license and a night in jail. (not sure he wanted me to share that information with everyone, good thing he doesn't read blogs!) So glad things worked out mercifully, you needed a big break right about then!
Few! is right.
we're sure glad you're in texas! welcome! those coppers can be brutal. glad you are now official!
So glad John's car is legal and repaired ( and more saleable if he so chooses) Now can he get the automated toll payer thing so he can drive to and from work faster? I so hope so ! Happy driving both of you.
Hey, Did John pick out the license plate or was it just given to him at random? It says g(i)rl(s) 2(Lucy) 4(Molly in August) 8 (Madi)! too bad there was not room for 10 (Bryn)! Fun and easy to remember, at least this year.
Funny you noticed the license plate. I thought it just meant we had too much estrogen in the family. Most families have girls 24/7. We have it 24/8. :)
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