Man charged with contempt for obscene message on check

Daily Press and Argus ^ | 12-15-02 | Jon Zemke

[Phaedrus]

Well, you didn't ask, but here's my letter:

Big Brothers and Sisters:

I do not usually write letters to the Powers That Be but they don’t often intrude upon my life. You have angered me and you are therefore being graced with one of my rare letters.

Firstoff: “It’s About Safety” is a lie. It’s about money, my money -- and your (government’s) insatiable appetite for more of it.

Second: Your green unmarked sedan police car is sneaky. Now I expect a cynical smile from you at this comment, my Big Brothers and Sisters. But please note that “sneaky” is not a wholesome law enforcement image.

Here is precisely why this traffic ticket is a sham:
1. Whether or not I wear a seat belt, or a motorcycle helmet, is none of your affair, period, no matter what or how many laws are passed. These are garbage laws intended only to generate revenues and they therefore do not deserve to be obeyed. All of this is intuitively obvious. And I don’t give a damn whether every person in this state but myself voted for the legislators that passed these laws. I am responsible for myself. You are not. End of subject.
2. A minority of my return trip to Seattle was accomplished at speeds of 80 miles per hour, along with the rest of the traffic. The point is not that “everybody does it”, the point is that on straight, level, dry road in a vehicle that has been well-maintained, 80 miles per hour is a safe speed. Now I know that laws must be specific in order to be enforceable, so my point here is weak. But I also know that when stopped for going 80 miles per hour, I was not driving unsafely. Mr. Policeman knew it, too.

Typically my Fuzz Buster saves me from this sort of situation but your sneaky green-car cop paced me. You don’t like my Fuzz Buster? Sue me.

If you have any question about any of the foregoing, write.

[TruthShallSetYouFree]

My wife got a twelve dollar ticket for overtime parking at a meter. She said it could have only expired within five minutes. Okay, she is time-challenged and I'll give the meter-maid, who was clearly lying in wait, the benefit of the doubt. But, the ticket never was put on the windshield. Dirty little trick, no? Now, she gets a letter with a double fine for non-compliance.

[Dimensio]

Thing is, I'd be less likely to be sympathetic toward someone who goes to write a rather rude remark on the check.

[Dimensio]

But, the ticket never was put on the windshield. Dirty little trick, no? Now, she gets a letter with a double fine for non-compliance.

If the ticket wasn't put on the windshield, how was it issued?

If the fine is increased for non-compliance because she was never informed of the ticket, I'd challenge it.

[Ken H]

... being held in contempt for "improper use of language".

Well, the judge may have a point.

The defendant should have written, "This is a B------ F----- ticket! Suck on it [the BF ticket]!"

That would have been a proper use of language.

Other than the fact that the man was not in a court of law, did not commit an illegal act, and apparently has a prior USSC decision that favors his position, this judge is on very solid ground!

[muawiyah]

The correct response is to cash the check before it goes stale. Those idiots are probably still holding the check to use as evidence!

Bet there's a state law requiring the check to be deposited FIRST. Or, maybe they did try to deposit and the check got attention drawn to it by the old "insufficient funds" sort of thing.

We expect to see more on this later on.

Bill collectors for public agencies really should not be thin-skinned types!

[Larry Lucido]

Now THIS guy's approach I can admire!

Leon Humphreys remained adamant yesterday that his right to fight a champion nominated by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) was still valid under European human rights legislation. He said it would have been a “reasonable” way to settle the matter.

[Trickyguy]

There needs to be a site where people can post the pictures
of stupid, corrupt cops and the ignorant things they do. Now that would be a money-maker!

[sam_paine]

"Traffic enforcement" is nothing more than "revenue enhancement" for the corrupt welfare state.

Mulder....are you trying to steal my patented. copyrighted, super-fantastic renaming convention???? shame on you!!!

LEO==>REO

(Revenue Enhancement Officer)

[CharacterCounts]

Tell your wife the next time she takes the ticket off the windshield, crump;es it, and throws it on the ground she may also get a littering ticket.

[Squantos]

I remember the guy who (alledgedly) got a photo radar speeding ticket with a picture of his car . The fine was 200 dollars. He sent in a picture of the 200 dollars . They sent him back a picture of a pair of handcuffs............

He went in and paid the fine in person next day :o)

As to this ticket I believe the memo line on your personal check is to remind youself as to what the check was for. If I so desire to scribe it was to pay some "BS Friggin Ticket" then sobeit. It's my reminder, not the courts.

Stay Safe !

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

I doubt they give a damn what your right as long as your check cashes.

[Dutchgirl]

The town of Waldo,Florida recieves the majority of it's city funding from one intersection where the speed limit drops from 55 to 40 to 30 MPH in the space of 200 feet. AAA warns drivers to avoid the area.

Unrelated to that, about ten years ago I showed up in court to contest a ticket. The State's Attorney who was "prosecuting" me was very helpful and understanding that it was a bureaucratic mistake, the judge wanted to make me pay extra court costs because I would not plead "no contest," so he could clear his docket and leave. The prosecutor suggested for me to have a continuance, and I wound up back in court 2 days after giving birth, as the judge would not set another date. The state verified that they had recieved a note from my insurance company, case closed
A few months later, the judge shot himself after he was found to have been recieving porn in his chambers. You never know what kind of nut job you may have to face in your quest for justice.

[strela]

There needs to be a site where people can post the pictures of stupid, corrupt cops and the ignorant things they do.

Best I could find is this one.

[xm177e2]

But that questions the legitimacy of government foreign policy, not legitimacy of gov't revenue-collecting policy. One is important to the court, the other is not.

[fightu4it]

His attorney, Ron Plunkett of Brighton, said his client can't be held in contempt of court because it violates his First Amendment rights

Paying the ticket was the same as appearing and pleading guilty.

Had he appeared voiced the same words he wrote on the check; he most certainly would have been held in contempt and probably fined.

[null and void]

and it doesn't pose a threat to the public good, like yelling fire in a movie theater.

And what do you say when the theater is on fire???

[contessa machiaveli]

that is exactly what happened to me. i tore the ticket up while explaining myself to the fascistic meter maid.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

"He (Wilmoth) highlighted that with a yellow marker," Plunkett said.

I love that part... clerical skills.