Yet Another Reason I'll Never Pass Character and Fitness...

A little "Law" called Driver Responsibility (Public Act 165 of 2003; Amended By Public Act 52 of 2004).

Now, in my short driving history (going on 7 years in June people), I have had 6 cars:

1. The Lumina "Dustbuster" Minivan my grandpa gave me when I started driving.
2. The Chevy Corsica my grandpa bought me since he felt bad after the engine fell out of the minivan while I was driving.
3. The Ford Ford Probe that "I bought" with the insurance money from the Corsica after some girl rearended me, while she was going 40 mph outside my high school. She was pregnant and smoking. She had been kicked out her parents house and had moved in with her cousin and was starting at my school that day. I was the first person she met. Over 1/2 the school was late because the accident stalled traffic so badly.
4. The Ford Contour I bought with the insurance money from the probe after I wrecked it driving back to school. I told my parents I was cut off by a semi but that I didn't really remember what happened. They were convinced I fell asleep at the wheel since we'd just had a turkey dinner. In reality: I was singing along with the radio, was about to miss my exit and cut across traffic, loosing control of my car and spinning out while going 80. I'm lucky the road sign was the only thing I hit.
5. The Sunfire my parents bought me after my brother "accidentally" let the Contour overheat (read: didn't pay any attention to the gauges) while I let him borrow it on Christmas break-he'd had his license for 2 weeks at that time.
6. The brand new Honda Civic I bought ON MY OWN after I totaled the Sunfire, I wouldn't have even gotten a car but I was starting 1L year in a month and 1/2 and I had to be able to commute to school. I do have to say buying a car and paying all the insurance and whatnot has made me feel semi-grown up. My dad seriously saved my ass on that one, as I'd been out on the lake drinking most of the day (it was a week after my 21^st birthday), I called him and he managed to get there before the cop did, he told me he didn't want to know how much I'd had to drink but that he'd talk to the cop.

Ohh and for good measure:

1. 2 Weeks after I got my license I borrowed my mom's then brand new Explorer (since it was 90 degrees outside and the Dustbuster didn't have "fully functioning windows" let alone AC; anyway, I hit my neighbors mailbox and giant rock and took out the radiator and the entire undercarriage of the car-and bent the frame.
2. 2 Weeks after I got the Civic I ran a red light and hit by a minivan-the car was in the shop for 2 weeks.
3. In December (I got the Civic in July) a law school friend rearended me while she was following me home. Another 2 weeks in the shop.
4. In February I was moving The Dude's car into a parking structure while he was drunk and having a fit that I was driving his car at all. I backed into a light pole.

So I think you get the picture: Elle Woods=World's Worst Driver who also supremely bad luck with cars and an uncanny ability to find other drivers who suck at driving.

So, I have 8 points on my record (the messed up thing-the tickets I got the points for aren't even listed) which makes me subject to Public Act 165 of 2003, amended By Public Act 52 of 2004. I had heard mention of it, and figured I'd have to pay a fee, but I didn't really investigate when it would need to be paid. Figuring, I'd get something in the mail. Wrong. In theory I did in December, but I never actually did.

So, January 23^rd, 2006 a letter was dated and sent to me. I have no idea when I received it-I just opened it last Friday...Yeah I am bad with snail mail. I know. Thanks. Mock away. This letter was to notify me that effective February 6^th my license would be suspended, pursuant to M.C.L. 257.732 (a), unless I paid my $150 Driver Responsibility Fee. Being that I was reading this on March 3^rd I figured it was safe to say that I had been driving around on a suspended license. Additionally the letter noted that, M.C.L. 257.320 (e) requires a reinstatement fee of $125 be paid to the Secretary of State. Ohh and, pursuant to M.C.L. 257.323 (3) the action is not appealable. Of course. So I figured there was no sense in even calling [Hours] and that I should just call the Treasury Department, pay the $150 over the phone and then go to the local Secretary of State and pay the $125 (at one point I was even hopeful that I could pay all $275 over the phone, and then I remembered how bureaucracy works).

So of course it wasn't that simple. No. If you pay it over the phone they have to mail you a receipt which you then take to the Secretary of State. This process takes 2 weeks. I drive roughly 60 miles a day, minimum. Clearly, not a good option given my driving record. So the people on the phone suggested that I go (read: drive) to my nearest Department of Treasury office, 45 minutes away in order to pay my $150 Driver Responsibility Fee and get a receipt. Then take that to the Secretary of State and finish up my ass raping by paying $125 for reinstatement. Not to mention the $5 I had to pay to park and $4 in gas. Plus my time. I bill at over $90 an hour people, my time isn't cheap.

All and all, the people at the Department of Treasury were rather helpful and the lines moved quickly; plus I know it isn't their fault that I:

1. Suck at driving
2. Wasn't effectively served
3. Didn't read my mail for a month

So I was rather calm by that point and had resigned myself to my fate. Essentially, I was the victim who doesn't fight back since they know they'll just be abused worse.

You thought it was over? Didn't you? No, it's not. I realized that on February 14^th I had been ticketed for speeding on the way to work, yes, I was ticketed on Valentine's Day. Fuck You Very Much Officer. No mention was ever made at that point in time that my license was at all suspended. (Here is where I think I can make some sort of reliance argument on top of the failure to serve one that I think I already might have).

Now, according to M.C.L. 257.904:

A person convicted of Driving While License Suspended, Revoked, Denied, or of any unlawful operation of a motor vehicle while the person's license is suspended, revoked or denied may be sentenced to imprisonment for up to 93 days or fined up to $500.00 or both.

So. Does that apply to me and my V-Day Ticket? Had the suspension not hit the computer yet and did I get a freebie? I don't know and I won't know until I get notice I'm assuming. Note to self, open mail more then once a month in the future so I at least know.

Whatever. I need a driver.