Friday, May 30, 2008

Scream: The Sequel

Total cost of 4 unpaid tickets: $696.
I talked to MSB (which, apparently, according to NPR this morning, has raised over 27 million dollar for the state in previously unpaid tickets, and its no wonder, because probably all of these people had no idea that they had tickets, and Muncipal Services Bureau is the only one who actually knows anything) and the woman there explained to me that if I did not pay this ticket, the one that she was given the case for, that my license may be revoked, I could be arrested, and there could be a stop on any car registered under my name. So I paid for that one. I asked her if I could pay the other tickets. She could see that there were three others, but since the cases were not assigned to the bureau yet, she did not know any other details. She directed me to call Kaneohe district court, who I have already talked to several times.
Phone calls to Kaneohe district court go like this:
Me: "I need to pay a ticket, but I don't have the ticket number."
Idiot: "Oh, you need to call 1-800..."
Me (interrupting): "No, I've called that number. I need a ticket number."
Idiot: "It's on your ticket in the upper..."
Me: "Yeah, I know. You've told me that the last 4 times I called. I DO NOT HAVE A TICKET BECAUSE I NEVER RECEIVED ONE."
Idiot: "So you don't have a ticket number?"
Me: Yes.
Idiot: "Well, I don't know... uh... give me your number so I can look it up."
Me: "I don't HAVE a number."

This goes on for about ten minutes. I give him my social security number, my driver's license number, and nothing comes up. He tells me to call another number (this is about the 50th time I've been directed somewhere else.) This is also when I am wondering if I actually even HAVE a ticket, if no one can find it.

When I call the other place, we go through the whole, 'give me your number' 'I don't have a number' game again, and she tells me to call the other guy again.

This time I get it through to him that he MUST find my ticket number, otherwise I will forever be in limbo. He finally gets a grand idea and finds my numbers. He tells me the first number, and then I ask for the second one. He is quiet for a while, and repeats the first number. I say, "that's the same one." "Oh, yeah. Hmmmm... Did I tell you this number?" He repeats the same number.
We finally get all the numbers right. I then ask him which ticket I've already paid, because I paid MSB, and I obviously don't want to pay it twice. He has no idea how to tell which one has already been sent to the agency. He also has no idea what the cost is on any of the tickets.
Although I know it's fruitless to talk to this idiot, I explain the situation to him in a loud and angry voice and ask him what the exact law concerning this situation is. He doesn't know, and says I can request a court date.

I call another number, now finally armed with my information, and ask how much my tickets will cost. Someone finally tells me something. And that something is not a good thing.

Now, I was driving home, fuming mad, and saw "Click it or ticket. $90." Will someone please tell me why DRIVING WITHOUT A SEATBELT, which is obviously dangerous and results in a loss of life, is LESS expensive than a ticket for a car, needing to be repaired, sitting on the street? They will GET their money for the registration and safety eventually, because they make you pay all back registrations, along with all of their late fees, so this $700 is just extra on their part. Why would each ticket be almost twice the amount of actually committing an illegal act?
And the most important questions:
Do I risk the last three tickets being put into collections while awaiting a court date that may not benefit me?
Or do I pay the Idiot?

No comments: