Don’t Be An Idiot! Why You Should Always Pay Your Tickets In NY!
Trying to be slick almost got me sent up sh*t’s creek!
It was a late October night, I was heading down Central Ave from a bar in White Plains. It was 2 a.m. and Central Ave was empty! I was feeling good, the music was loud the cool autumn air hit me as I drove my 85 Camaro. It was a perfect end to a good night.
All the lights were green as far as I could see! As I got near the intersection in Yonkers where the old “Nathans” used to be, right in the middle of the intersection the light was green and then quickly turned red! I was already in the middle of the intersection, so I kept going.
Minding my rearview mirror, I thought I was in the clear until I saw some flashing red and blue lights from far away. I thought, was it for me? Nah! He’s too far away, but that gnawing feeling was telling me otherwise. The Yonkers cop was hauling ass down Central Ave and by this time I began to realize that it's for me, so I gently pulled the car to a parking lot and sure enough, the fucker pulled up right on my ass!
Opened my windows so that he could see me since they were tinted. All the lights were flashing from his car causing drivers to slow down and look. Hands on the steering wheel and had my papers out and license ready.
He came up to the passenger side and told me to give him my paperwork and I did. Outside I played cool, but inside I was fucking mess! You see I heard Yonkers PD like to beat people up from time to time, so I was on my best behavior. A few minutes went by and I’m starting to wonder what is taking so long. Of course, my mind started those “what if” thoughts! Something told me this event is going to fuck up my whole night and cost me money.
The cop came back and told me that my license was suspended and my heart just dropped to my balls!
He asked me to step out of my car which I did without arguing. I’m over here trying to compose myself, but I felt like screaming because I was so scared! I’m not built for jail! I would say to myself as the cop puts the handcuffs on me and sat me in the back of the patrol car as he searched my car for shit. I guess they were looking for dope or some gun, but I’m not one of those guys. I’m a straight arrow in a world full of crooked arrows.
What am I going to say to my Father? He’s going to be hugely pissed at me for this fuck up. Two more police cars showed up to help the cop, I guess it was a slow night for them. After a few minutes, the cop came back and the tow truck showed up to impound my car. I was numb watching my whole life turn to shit in an instant.
The cop hopped back in his car and we took off to the precinct. This guy was flying in that patrol car as I was trying to hold myself to keep from slipping in the back seat. I did not say a word to the officer and just kept quiet. We finally got to the precinct, it was an old precinct that was near the river in Yonkers. He stopped got me out of the car and walked me inside. They put me in a cell by myself and since I was not fighting they actually left the cell door open.
It felt like forever when I was in there. Worried and stressed as well as embarrassed about what happened. What am I going to say to my parents because they will find out once the police call the house.
The cop came back and asked me to come to the office with him to speak to his sergeant. I had no cuffs on and I sat down and he began to tell me that since I was not aggressive towards his officer I’m going to let you go. You will still have to go to court as driving with a suspended license is a misdemeanor in NY.
So, with my car impounded I had to cab it all the way back to the Bronx and by this time, the sun was starting to come up. As I walked towards my parents' house I can see the lights on inside. I stopped to prepare for the onslaught of words that come when something like this happens. I walked and they of course did not go off as expected and instead got a huge sermon. I stood there quietly with my head down because I knew I messed up.
I was at work the following day since during that time I was working in retail. The whole day my mind was at that event! I was so stupid thinking that it was ok to not pay for my tickets. I was like how many tickets do I have that they suspended my license and now I have to go to court for this as well!
My Dad called me to tell me that he was able to get the car back and that I had to pay him the $600 dollars it took to take the car out of the impound yard. The rest of the day I was off because of me thinking about what is going to happen at the courthouse. Will they send me to jail? I have no idea since I have never gotten in such trouble like this in my entire life.
Two weeks later, I show up at the courthouse and sat there waiting for them to call me. I was there the whole day watching people come Upstate their issues the judge will either send them off with a fine or send them to jail. Today, the judge must have been in a bad mood because the old boy was sending people to jail left and right. I sat there stressed out because for sure I was going to jail. I wanted to run away from there so bad but I knew if I did that this issue will definitely become worse for me.
I sat there all day puckered up as I watched people come in and go to jail.
There was one guy who thought he was slick and started giving fives to his boys like he was untouchable and when the judge saw that he stopped the guy and started yelling at him about disrespecting his courtroom and changed his decision and had him arrested right there and hauled off to jail.
I swallowed hard like in the old cartoons when the character is about to do something scary. I started to sweat! I had no lawyer I just showed up like a fucking tourist. It was like 4 p.m. and they finally called my name I came up with my appointed lawyer and he told me to tell him what happened. I stood there quietly with my head down, ashamed and unworthy.
He asked me a few questions and I answered with “Yes you Honor.”. He started small talking with me as he looked through my paperwork and noticed that I was a Military Veteran and asked me what branch I was in. I told him and he was also in the Navy as well. After a few minutes, that seemed like forever he came to the decision that since this was my first time getting in trouble that he was going to let me go with a fine.
Then he told me “ I better not see you here again Mr. Romero! Because next time may you will not be able to get off!” I remember telling the judge “Your Honor, I give you my word that you will never see me here again!”
I quickly shook the lawyer’s hand and thanked him for his help and I quickly left from there. When I opened the doors all that pent-up stress released and I took a deep breath and went off to pay for my tickets. I was wondering if I might owe a lot of money since they went out of their way to make this as uncomfortable as possible. When the clerk came back and I saw the paperwork, I noticed 2 tickets, both parking tickets. I was like damn! They will send your ass to jail for 2 tickets! Then I saw the fine and each ticket with fees and whatever else they add to it came out to about $600 a piece.
I went ahead and paid it although I was going to be broke, it did not matter as I never want to go through that shit ever again!
In the end, I want to say this! If you owe any tickets in NY you better pay them. Mess around you might get pulled over one day and get arrested much like I did over 2 tickets. Be smart when driving read the parking signs and if they are too hard to understand like they are in Manhattan, then leave your car in the driveway and take public transportation. That whole bullshit set me back $1,800 dollars. Luckily for me, I was making money so I had some saved up, but I took a big hit nonetheless.
In the end, don’t be an Iidiot and pay your fines!