traffic ticket nonsense

So, I took advantage of the slow day at work today to scoot down to the courthouse and take care of my traffic ticket. I think it's completely ridiculous that I didn't just get a warning… it was for turning left at 6pm in a "no turning from 4-7pm" zone, where the sign was not obvious, as I did not see it. And not for my lack of paying attention. Plus, I had just moved to the neighborhood, and it was honestly the first time in my life I'd ever even driven on that street! Whatever.

So I head down (to downtown LA, which I have always hated quite a lot) to the courthouse. And I proceed to pay 7 dollars to park (rip off!) and wait in a 3.5 hour long line. Full of degenerates. Seriously, I stuck out like a sore thumb with my Lacoste polo and Louis Vuitton purse, carrying my iPad for entertainment! I think I was one of the only people there without a neck tattoo!

Anyway, after that ridiculous wait, I finally get up to the window. My options: Pay to go to traffic school (212 dollar ticket, plus 200 something for traffic school; depending on where I go, and 65 dollars to get the proof of completion certificate. Really? I mean, come on! My other option was to contest it, so I set a court date and I have to go back through the whole rigamarole again in 6 months. At least I don't have to PAY for 6 months! And of course I'm really hoping I can get out of the entire ordeal without any points on my license. I have a totally clean record – I've never gotten more than a parking ticket since I was first licensed at 16. Here's hoping. The other nice thing is that my court date is a couple weeks after my insurance is due, so if I end up guilty, I think I can get out of a rate raise for a bit? Not clear on this, though. Ugh!