Texas does not let you renew your license or your car registration until you resolve your tickets. When you get your registration notice, it has a big stamp on it for unpaid tickets. You cannot fix it on-line. You must bring your court document to the county office. Does NY do it that way? Or do these people just drive on expired registrations? If so, then they deserve what they get.
20
Transportation Alternatives is a lobbying group for bicyclists (not for mass transit) which pretty much seeks to get vehicles off the streets and more street space for bicycles.
The past TA director was very vocal in seeking driver suspensions and would not have bothered to think through the nuances and complexities of some situations.
"...the interim director of the nonprofit Transportation Alternatives, which advocates for safer streets, said he would like to see suspensions employed even more liberally for motorists who have driven recklessly — but not to compel people to pay fines...."
2
Come on, you have a drivers license, purchase a car, pay insurance. Then decide not to pay your traffic ticket. Don’t notify DMV of your change of address—which is probably doable online. And then cry foul when you’re hit with the consequences.
27
The underlying problem is the insane cost of a ticket. How does a working person pay a $115 double park ticket? Moving violations can be even higher. If you don't have the money on time to pay, add some penalties. Before you know it you wind up in a hole you can't climb out of.
What happens if you drive for your job? What if you can't take a job because you need to drive or commute by car?
Lower the cost of the fines and keep the consequences for ignoring them. It may not completely solve the problem, but it will move us in the right direction.
6
Glad to see my taxes are going to a good cause! What a terrible joke. The officer pulled Ms. Coakley over because of headset!
In my neighborhood downtown I have seen numerous times officers driving while looking at their cell phones - really! I walk my dog early and they are out cruising just looking away at their phones.
This is such a sad story. She must have been so scared. I'm embarrassed my taxes are going toward these nutty and way over the top stops.
25
The late Senator Moynihan anticipated the thrust of this article decades ago with his phrase "defining deviancy down." You have a driver's license and you accepted the responsibility to pay your traffic tickets unless you get them dismissed. End of story
22
@Jerry Thank you Jerry. Though I don't quite think that Moynihan's phrase would apply to Ms. Coakley's arrest but thank you for the clarity!
4
There is another important mechanism in this saga - the interstate compact that lets the more than 40 participating states impose suspensions on residents of other participating states.
If a state believes unpaid or unresolved traffic tickets should not result in a suspended license, they need to leave this compact.
As an example, what does it mean for DC drivers to not have their licenses suspended for an unpaid traffic ticket if any such ticket in Maryland or Virginia will result in such a suspension?
2
It seems like the real issue here is the notification process. Most of us don't update our driver's licenses every time we move - particularly young, and urban people who are often moving apartment to apartment with relative frequency. So mailing people notices isn't sufficient. Perhaps we need state databases to include people's phone numbers and email addresses.
I have no problem with eventually escalating the punishment for unpaid fines, but people need to be made aware of what's happening. As others have pointed out, if tickets have no mechanism in them to force people to pay, who would pay them? Is the plan to give unrepentant bad drivers a "stern talking to," and hope that they suddenly voluntarily pay the ticket and become an exemplary citizen?
7
Or maybe people should understand that in 2019, no ticket just goes away. The incremental cost of keeping the ticket alive is zilch. Just accept that situation and get your problem fixed. It can, and will, only get worse.
14
It seems wrong to arrest someone with just one old non-payment offense which the officer cannot know for certain was not due to a mistake by the agency (e.g. mailing address issue). But regarding the effect on the poor in particular, the fines are there as a deterrent, and being low income should not excuse unsafe driving. Driving is a privilege and if somone of any income level can't avoid repeatedly getting tickets they shouldn't be on the roads.
11
You were arrested because failed to pay afine ,I am sure you received many reminders to pay up but failed to do so. Stop whining, you broke the law then did not make the restitution aka pay the fine so you were arrested. Next time pay your fines like everyone else and this won’t happen easy solution to a really nonexistent problem. If you had not been arrested when would you have paid the fine next week or never. We live in a society that requires each of us to do our part and obey the rules and when we break the rules we must make amends.
25
@EAH Do you hear yourself? A woman was arrested! What is wrong with you?
How about; we give you three days and come back to the where the officer is stationed and prove you have paid your ticket? That is what has happened to me with a tail light out - twice! But then again, I'm a white chick.
13
@EAH
Did you read the whole article? She moved, changed addresses. It happens. People are not perfect; certainly bureaucracy isn't.
10
The women was arrested for driving with a suspended license. Something, in my opinion, should be done more often. The only problem that I see her is that they probably let ten others go and racially profiled her, but other than that, be responsible and pay your fines. If not, don’t drive with a suspended license.
5
I'm of two minds about this. I think financial penalties are given unfairly to people who can least afford them. This is even more true in criminal court than in traffic court, and there should be some kind of means testing to insure that fines and fees do not place a crippling burden on those who are already struggling to make ends meet. Perhaps some kind of public service that did not jeopardize the offender's work schedule could be devised.
On the other hand, I remember that as a young man in Southern California, I was a bit of a scofflaw. I ignored a couple of traffic tickets, and was arrested a couple of times. The arrest warrants were not for the traffic offense, but for failure to appear – I was totally guilty. There needs to be an enforcement system in place in order for laws to have any meaning, but the punishment should fit the crime.
Of course the unwritten law in our great country is that it's a crime to be poor. The punishments are everywhere – in nutrition, in health care, in housing.
I don't think we can eliminate poverty (though we can make it somewhat less onerous) but we should be able to devise a system that isn't funded by those least able to afford it.
3
@michaeltide Oh but we can eliminate poverty. If we try. If we stop funding billionaires, oil companies and endless wars. Oh but we can.
7
@Lisa, I wish I could feel chastened by your reply, and I certainly agree with the measures you offered. What we can do is to insure that children don't go hungry, that people have the means to be clean, sheltered, well nourished, and healthy. But we would still have a spectrum of wealth that runs from rich to poor, with people at both ends who are undeserving of their situation. That's just the poverty of not having enough to live a full life.
We haven't talked about intellectual poverty, or spiritual poverty, both of which are demonstrated by rich and poor alike. I am heartened by your optimism, but you need to do the math.
Thanks for your reply.
5
I am no bleeding heart liberal by any means but the prison industrial complex and all of this criminalization to raise revenue had got to end not just in NY but all over the country. The police state has gotten out of control.
25
@pjm
So let’s end financial penalties for traffic violations and make up the revenue by raising everyone’s taxes- including the vast majority of those who don’t commit violations.
6
I have been driving for more than 40 years. I have never had an accident, not even a fender bender, nor have I ever even been stopped for a traffic issue. I drove in NYC for 40 years. City streets, city drivers, city challenges and frustrations.I watched the transition from not using devices in cars to using them. Makes no difference. I put my device down. I concentrate on what I am doing. I take an online defensive driving course every couple of years. I take care of my vehicles with regular maintenance. I maintain insurance. I remain respectful of the road ond of other drivers. I dont understand what is so hard about avoiding tickets and fines. I don't speed, I don't park illegally, I give way at corners to pedestrians. IF I did get a fine, I would fight it or pay it. The fine would not linger on my record. Why don't those that incur fines, just pay them. It is on the DRIVER to pay what they owe and to not expect the government to be fed up with them when they don't. I also do not drink or smoke or eat in the car. I don't use my phone hands free. I simply enjoy my time in the car. listen to some quiet music and get where I am going, safely and soundly with complete peace of mind. I really don't understand HOW people incur tickets and fines on the road and I don't think I am in the minority. There are others out there like me. Slow down, give a little courtesy to the next guy. SO WHAT if he is in front of you, I rather that's where he is so I can see him.
16
@ citizen
Consider yourself extremely fortunate
Don’t worry your luck is soon going to run out
3
If there is no punishment for failing to pay your violation tickets then what is the point of traffic stops? The violations and fines exist to try to get drivers to stop doing in the future what the cops stopped them for in the first place. If Ms. Coakley can simply ignore her tickets without any consequences then why should she be mindful of her speed; why should she stop using her cellphone while driving; why should she care about an illegal U-turn?
When I get a ticket, I pay it. I hate it, but I pay it. If I were to "forget" then having my license suspended would sure as heck make me remember next time.
27
@Sean David Wright From my point of view the issue is not suspending a license or even impounding a care . . . which does seem extreme. The issue is cuffing and putting in jail/incarcerating a person over a non paid ticket. The police state has gone to far . . . we now to casually cuff and jail people for not good reason, including ten year old kids who act out in grammar school . . . common sense has been lost.
13
@Sean David Wright
I don't think any NYC driver would suggest that Ms. Coakley shouldn't pay her ticket. The actions by the police officer were over the top. Again I cite the broken tail light scenario: give three days to prove payment and call it a day, but to drag a person into jail for this...it is not where I want my taxes going.
13
@Lisa
I love how people blame the police for carrying out their official duties (“over the top”) that are directed to them by the courts through warrants and orders, and the legislature through laws. They aren’t suggestions to the police.
13
Pay the ticket and avoid the legal consequences. Or better yet, don't park illegally. There is no point in having parking laws if no one has to pay for breaking those laws.
16
Enough. The article fails to state why she didn't pay the ticket in the first place. All the excuses are hollow. Any traffic violation is a trauma and all reasonable people pay the fines or go to court. What are the alternatives to ignoring the law? The woman also broke the law in some way as she was stopped for doing something illegal. The article is just a faux human interest piece.
22
@planetwest I would reread the article planet west. Ms. Coakley moved and stated she didn't even know she had an outstanding ticket. I'm sure her move would be easy to prove.
I live in Lower Manhattan where it is very windy - parking violations litter the streets after a storm all the time.
There are always exceptions but I'm afraid you didn't read the article closely enough - you failed and now we're going to have to cuff you!
10
Montana now forbids this reprehensible practice. On 7 May, Gov. Bullock signed into law HB-217, which "Remove[s] suspension of driver's license as punishment for certain crimes."
4
The delineation between a suspension for a parking ticket and a "Moving Violation" involving speeding,red lights, stop signs et al. A parking ticket used to be treated as a financial liability which would eventually be sold to a private collection ageny by NYC or NYS. I had two unpaid parking tickets in the 1990's and when I went to close on a house purchase I was not allowed to until I trudged up to Worth Street from Staten Island and paid all of the fines along with penalties. That was punishment enough-lesson learned. I never ignored parking fines again
9
Just another example of policing for profit
11
This article is a classic attempt at glossing over the real facts. This phrase is a perfect example: "licenses are suspended for outstanding debt." No, licenses are suspended for ignoring the legitimate government public safety sanction of a traffic summons. The author makes it sound like the scofflaw was arrested by MasterCard for failing to pay the minimum monthly payment. The traffic summons "debt" is a lawful fine for a traffic infraction. If you don't agree with the summons, fight it in traffic court. If you don't want to fight it for whatever reason, pay the fine. If you don't, well, you run the risk of more fines, license suspension, and yes, arrest. Government has to have teeth to enforce the law. Without it, people would simply throw summonses in the trash, and continue to disobey traffic laws, endangering everyone.
15
apprehending real criminals (of which SI has an abundance) can be dangerous and does not bring in any cash ..owing any fine on SI even as little as $125 can get the full warrant squad invasion of your home at 6am ..that includes your 6 year old child and wife held at gun point . all this while real felons are left alone
5
@domenicfeeney if you dont like that idea move away from the 122 precinct
The entire criminal justice system - police, courts, public defenders, jails & prison - is one big criminal enterprise shakedown operation, with disproportionate persecution of poor and black and brown people. Fees, fines, charges, arrests, bail, imprisonment, and assets seizure are all money making operations developed to generate revenues that should be raised by taxing the rich and corporations instead of giving them tax breaks and PILOT's.
It needs to be dismantled - root and branch - not subject to these minor reforms being considered in NY.
5
This sounds like one of those Guiliani laws against the poor and minority communities to get them the move out of the city or put them in jail where he believes we belong. UGH.
7
@ Brenda
Yup you hit the nail on the head
2
The DA has linked unpaid tickets to an increase in pedestrian injuries. Are the majority of these tickets related to moving violations or are they mostly parking tickets? I am not convinced his comment is reasonable.
I saw on the NYS DMV website that drivers can set up a myDMV account to, among other things, check the status of their license/driving privileges and obtain copies of their driving record. It is a good idea to check these records Regularly to keep yourself up-to-date and keep a current copy of these records in your vehicle to keep the cops honest.
7
@Lynn in DC was a pedestrian going be injured by a parked car
1
@Lynn in DC: Good idea. Another possible benefit of checking one's records regularly is to see whether one has any outstanding fines and pay them.
3
@Lynn in DC
I forgot to say people should set up a myDMV at the DMV of their state. Maybe that was clear in context but thought I'd specify any way.
@domenicfeeney That is my point. If the majority of the tickets are for parking, they have no effect on pedestrian injuries.
2
We must reject the idea that every time a law's broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for their actions.
22
These aren’t parking tickets - they’re moving violations. I’m tired of people ignoring their legal obligations. I have no problem with making fines fairer based on ability to pay, but if you assume you can get away with ignoring summonses, don’t be surprised if you’re eventually caught. Think about that the next time you’re swiping your Metrocard watching people casually enter through the exit gates.
20
This article reminds us that the police have the power to inflict serious personal harm for minor traffic offenses.
In 2009 I was pulled over for speeding in Crystal, MN...44 MPH in a 30 MPH zone. Even though I had a clean driving record and no warrants, the police seized my car. Inside the car were a lifetime of my invention records stored in boxes of DVD disks. I'm an electrical engineer, and those boxes contained the design files for the worlds first and only System-on-Chip (SoC) designed to prevent MALWARE infections on computer semiconductor chips.
I fought the ticket and lost. The police never returned my car or its contents. The judge ordered me to two (2) days of public service work, which I completed. But because of the actions by the police that day I lost a lifetime of work. Under Federal case law, the seizure of my invention records by the police meant that all of my patent rights for my inventions had been injected into the public domain.
Today the cyberwar continues on its merry way, and we still cannot protect semiconductor chips from MALWARE. Today there is still no company in Minnesota with the know-how to do this work. Today the economy limps along, propped up by Government handouts.
Some might call this justice. I call it a sham.
4
@w
There has to be other reasons they took your car it’s not adding up
9
I do not want the government to take away people's drivers licenses for fines or failure to appear. The cost to society of doing so is too high.
5
@Paul S
Is it higher than fostering the idea that legal summons and court orders don’t need to be obeyed?
8
@Paul S
For the many people who are reasonably well of, this is a sensible policy.
But for many people simply unable to cope with a several hundred dollar emergency (which is what many traffic fines have become) this can be a life-altering fiasco that could make someone so desperate they entertain committing more serious crimes.
Cops use computers in their cars while driving, but civilians who use hands free headsets get ticketed? What special driving school do cops attend that enables them to use technology safely when driving?
8
@Skip Bonbright
The assumed sobriety, alertness, competence, reflexes and eyesight of a working age professional driver on the job (who can pass a firearms test) are far higher than the standards for anyone with a license driving whenever they want to.
4
The trouble with traffic laws is that their enforcement is arbitrary and capricious. A policeman decides on the spot whether or not to pull over a driver doing 35 in a 30 MPH zone or changing lanes without signaling. It's a judgment call, like a foul in sports. Does this result in black motorists being pulled over more frequently than white? And the fines are so large, it would seem that the real purpose is not traffic safety but to soak the poor.
9
The article seems to gloss over the fact that when people commit moving violations, they are putting other people's lives at risk.
A vehicle, when not driven safely or properly, is a several thousand pound potential weapon that can and regularly does, kill and injure innocent people.
Therefore, I've got no problem with people who fail to pay fines for moving violations getting their licenses suspended, and getting arrested for driving with a suspended license.
Driving is a privilege, not a right.
These aren't parking tickets we're talking about...
25
@Matt it was a parking ticket in this article
3
@domenicfeeney: I see that in the caption to the photo but I don't see it in the text of the article. It does seem odd that with all the ink spilled over this the article does not tell us exactly what the original ticket, the one Ms. Coakley didn't pay, was for.
Unless I am missing it.
2
that is not correct. the woman was pulled over for using her phone and the man had an old speeding ticket
4
The solution is simple, pay the fine before it gets out of hand. I can’t see what all the fuss is about.
12
The fine system, with added court costs, is often ridiculous across the nation. Minor infractions potentially cost hundreds of dollars, costs imposed by legislatures and levied by courts eager to soak up ever more money.
That said, however, nothing in this article justifies simply ignoring a lawful ticket or summons. You at the very least have to appear in court. Judges can and often do adjust the fines within allowable limits if you're of limited means. If you 're fined, you can't just ignore it. One you don't show up or ignore it you may get hit with the maximum or at least lose the chance of a reduction. Most courts will work with you to arrange payments if necessary. The reason states moved to the license suspension is that when traffic offenses became civil rather than criminal that was the only way to put some teeth into addressing scofflaws.
Just like decriminalizing fare jumping or urinating in the street, those pushing for such "reforms" really offer nothing concrete to address disobedience of the law and civic responsibility. If you don't think thinks like peeing, not paying your subway fare, speeding or running a red light is irrelevant, fine - then just work to repeal those laws and no longer make it an offense. But if you have laws they need to be enforced, and there needs to be an actual consequence for doing so. You can't have it both ways.
29
@George S so we implement debtors prison so you can have your pound of flesh
6
@domenicfeeney
Hilarious. What is your suggestion for people who don’t comply with the law, don’t go to court, don’t pay fines...? Just a shrug and forget about it?
5
@George S its called ''garnishment '',i find it hilarious you have never heard of that
6
I spent two nights in the Manhattan Tombs when I was arrested after a routine traffic stop on Riverside Drive, because unbeknownst to me my NJ drivers's license was suspended in NYS due to an unpaid ticket for running a red light the previous year (I was living in NJ but the notices that were sent to my previous address in Rockland County were not forwarded to me). I was thrown in the back of a squad car handcuffed and given the Freddy Gray treatment, head bouncing back and forth. I was at the time (in 2006) a 49 year old white male in business suit driving a Toyota, surrounded by cops with guns drawn and lights flashing. The two nights I spent getting to know my cell mates in the overcrowded holding pen - mostly young black or Hispanic repeat offenders arrested for a mix of both minor infractions and more serious crimes - were unforgettable, but whatever life lessons I learned do not in my mind excuse the actions of an out of control police department, empowered ironically by the assent and willful ignorance of people just like me.
64
@Mike: So, just to be clear, it came as a complete surprise to you that you needed to do some follow-up on running the red light?
10
Reminds me of Florida where a citizen ballot got a vote to allow former felons to vote. It passed and the state legislature added all old fines have to be paid before these people can vote.
Most of these people are having a difficult time staying afloat in everyday life. They will possible never be able to vote.
14
@Donald Lukeand that should bother me why? It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.
3
Our “billionaire” president doesn’t pay taxes but these folks struggle for no real reason. There is something very, very wrong in the USA.
38
@ScottC “Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
3
@ScottC
And the unfortunate thing about that is that most people have no problem with it.
2
@Soldotna - I am not sure what you mean. I was not commenting on anyone’s opinion, conservative, moderate or liberal. I am very aware of all viewpoints - I read extensively and study quite a bit. Please don’t judge me, I am not judging you or your viewpoints, I respect everyone and their opinions. In the politics section of my bookshop are books of all political stripes.
1
Contest the charge in court or pay the fine: citizenship 101
37
"It’s not about someone paying a fine,” Mr. McMahon said. “It’s about someone getting a ticket for violating a law in how they operated their vehicle, most times in an unsafe fashion, and it’s the danger that poses to the people of Staten Island.
If someone operates a vehicle"in an unsafe fashion," that might be reason to suspend a license, but now the authorities don't do that unless the fine isn't paid? How does that make the operation of the vehicle become more unsafe?
10
@Thomas: It sounds to me like Mr. McMahon is explaining the reason for the fine. A punishment is supposed to be a disincentive for repeating the unsafe behavior. By your argument, we should put everybody in jail whenever they break the law so as positively to prevent a repeated violation.
4
@Mark no the fine is to be a cash cow for the city ..this insanity is just playing hard ball to collect
1
Charging the same fine to people of different means for the same offense is "not treating people equally", because the pain is not the same. Equitable treatment implies that fines should be based on ability to pay. A $20 fine to a homeless person may be far more painful to a $10K fine for a billionaire.
16
One of the Scandinavian countries does exactly this, a speeding fine is significantly more if your income is large as it should be, the pain of a fine should have a equal effect.
This woman apparently ignored her fine. That’s on her. The ability to pay could have been addressed by a payment plan.
I spent a night in jail because a paid fine was not entered in a computer by a clerk, it was paid and dismissed because I luckily kept the receipt. I attempted to sue for false imprisonment but guess what,the government gets a pass on that.
When I didn’t get a “We’re sorry” from the judgeI righteously went off on him.
12
@GKR
So you're implying that the exact same violation costs society more if the perpetrator is rich? Pretzel logic there. Might as well be saying that a rich murderer is much worse than a poor murderer.
4
I earnestly hope this article and others I've read about money traps run by cops in small southern towns continue to be publicized and aired as this poverty affliction seems a permanent condition to replenish our cities coffers.
There is no excuse to keep traffic fines on the books for decades, 10, 20 and 30 years.
And, YES, it is a financial trap as the majority of the finees are low income who depend on their DL to get them to work. A fine can erase 1/4 of their monthly income, and trap them in a cycle they can't get out of. A traffic fine for the rest of us is a cost that is payable altho even a $500 fine destroys the fragile budget of most of us.
States are belatedly admitting this as populace actually see this a justifiable reason for leaving a state and relocating, such as the surge in relos to Idaho.
24
@katesisco
This is not limited to the South. Other places seem to view citations as a profit center, with very predictable, unequal and harmful consequences.
6
A fine for a traffic violation is not a debt. It's a civil penalty for violating the law. The author makes it sound like she's been arrested for not paying a credit card bill.
That being said I wonder how many times Ms Coakley had been notified of the outstanding fine. I know I've received notices about unpaid traffic fines I forgot about. And I promptly paid them.
39
@GKR
Nice excusing of her civic responsibilities. Did she not know she had to at least go to court or to pay a fine? There is no evidence of that. Did she change the address on her driver's license within 10 days as required by law (and, gee, maybe they could have sent the notices to the correct address then)?
At what point is an adult held accountable for just ignoring the law?
33
@George S
Obviously not 72.
NYC makes more than $500 million per year by traffic violation fines. The entire system is built around trying to get your money with almost zero regard to public safety. They make a law that you need to park 15 feet from a hydrant (when practically only 5 feet would suffice) solely for financial reasons. If you ever try to fight a traffic violation in court, you are guaranteed to end up with a higher fine than the original; this will be justified because the so called judge will simply see another violation in the system from years ago and will find you a bad driver. I have ended up paying almost $500 for failing to signal changing lanes. After that, I lost all goodwill towards the system.
13
@Alexander
So you've decided that five feet is sufficient room for firefighters. And you've decided that signalling lane changes is unnecessary. (How about those silly rules about braking when people are in a crosswalk, or stopping when gates are lowered for a passing train?) Have you told New York where they should go with this?
9
@Rea Tarr
I would say 10 feet of space in total from a hydrant (5 in each direction) is plenty of space for several firefighters but I am sure you will disagree.
In my comment, I did not imply that signalling lane changes is unnecessary bur rather that $500 is only a way for the city to have additional revenues. Again, you may disagree but try to keep in mind that the "Excessive Fines Clause" (Eight Amendment of the US Constitution which is an incorporated protection applicable to the States) prohibits just that. In case you need explanation, excessive fines which are employed not for penal purposes but as a source of revenue are strictly prohibited.
3
@Alexander
Ten feet of space by a fire hydrant can accommodate several firefighters, but not a fire engine that needs the thirty feet in total to connect to the hydrant. That space for the engine also allows it to partially clear the traffic lane to allow other responding trucks to pass.
3
I would like to know statistics on how many tickets off duty police officers and their direct family members get as well as other high level government workers. Traffic violations and traffic rules and not levied equally on all.
33
@Leo Really good point. I knew a cop who said he didn't even bother stopping and ticketing expensive cars; he knew he would spend the day in court and the car's owner would just send a lawyer to get him/her off.
19
@Leo: What could be inferred from such statistics, if we had them? What would the statistics report? Would they reflect how many violations actually occur but aren't ticketed? How could they? If the statistics simply reported that fewer tickets are received by off-duty officers and family members, couldn't the explanation be that those people are more careful drivers?
5
@Leo
I have zero violations. I'm not in law. What's your supposition?
3
What is even nuttier in New York is that driving with a suspended license is a misdemeanor (i.e., a crime), while driving without a license is a mere traffic offense. The proposed reforms are long overdue.
37
@Floyd Schwartz
You're wrong about New York's law regarding driving without a license. Easily checked, even online.
2
@Rea Tarr: Yes, I think you're right. What Floyd Schwartz is describing would really be nutty if the worst that can happen to a person for committing a "mere traffic offense" is that they lose their license. :-)
2
Meanwhile our leaders in government are getting away with everything.
26
Ridiculous and shameful. What next, shoot the victim? Glaring injustice while we look the other way? Who are we, cruellos gratis?
3
This article is part of an ongoing series of NYT pieces that seem to be intended to portray law-breakers as victims and to develop sympathy for them.
Not only have these folks broken laws, but they have refused to pay the fines or other penalties levied on them. That makes them not only law-breakers but scoff-laws.
If they are foolish enough not only to break the law but to avoid paying the penalties, they are clearly looking for trouble, which in many cases they find.
These examples and others should be widely publicized to make law-breakers and scoff-laws aware that the arm of the law is long, and will catch up with miscreants sooner or later.
No one forces these folks to commit crimes and evade fines and penalties. The solution to all of this is simple: Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time or pay the fine.
58
@Mon Ray Let's see the stats whites vs minority. Then I will agree with you.
2
@Mon Ray Have you ever driven faster than the speed limit? If not, wow. If yes, get down from your high and mighty about "lawbreakers" and committing "crimes". How Americans got so mean, is surely worth the sociological study of the century. It didn't used to be like this, fifty years ago.
10