GOWNS

we get rowdy before bedtime

“hey you fuckin piece of shit”

- matt on how to properly begin your commentary on a reblogged post

matt: do you think people who wear google glasses are gonna  get beat up

me: what if they got beat up, then the dude took off the glasses, took a picture of them with the google glasses, then put it back on them, so they could  take a good look at themselves

Where in the dickens did you get that marry me steve buscemi shirt? I really need it.

Anonymous

my friend andi made it for me when i was 18

if you were wondering what it’s like to hang out with me

Lena Dunham: “Voice of a Generation,” In a Sarcastic Voice

Rebecca Gowns: “The New Danny Devito,” In a Very Sincere Voice

i have the exact height weight and body mass of danny devito

look the story here is — even if someone is in the wrong, that is an OBSCENE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PAY for a minor traffic infraction

$600!!

that’s got to hurt a lot of lower income families

you guys, i can’t get over that community service thing. even the judge was wincing at the catch-22 of it when he was announcing it. “If you would like to do community service, that’s an option. The most it can pay is the base rate, which for this group, is $100. The fee for the community service option is $100.”

freemasonic-yowl replied to your post: i have some advice for california drivers

Is turning right on a red not ok in California?

IT IS OK, LITERALLY EVERYONE DOES IT, but the red light cameras are robots and can’t tell. most people that pay this fine are people turning right on a red light. it’s a way for the state to get money.

i have some advice for california drivers

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR RED LIGHT CAMERAS! The fines are BRUTAL!

» $490 « and with traffic school it’s $540. (This does not pay for traffic school, it pays for the “administrative costs of having the option for traffic school.” The actual traffic school will cost extra.) The cameras do not discriminate — they will take your picture as you go past a red light; or turning right on a red light; or if you’re at the end of a yellow light turning to red; it does not matter what your speed is.

The camera technology has improved; they have a hi-def photo of your face from several angles so you can’t use the old excuse of “it wasn’t me” (if you look for advice, old websites will recommend this). Not all cameras have signs posted. Please keep an eye out, and most importantly, drive safe; when in doubt, just slow down and stop for the yellows. (Certain red light camera intersections have purposefully made the yellow light faster so they can catch more people trying to beat the yellow.)

Another thing: in the past, you used to be able to go to court and request a reduction of fees. Courts are directed to no longer allow this haggling; a judge will refuse your request for a lower fine. The most you can hope for is a payment plan.

Another thing: you used to be able to request community service to pay off your fine. Community service is now capped at $100 — no matter how many hours you do, it will only pay up to that amount (it’s the base fee of this traffic citation, but other citations have different base fees, usually lower than $100. Community service only covers the base fee.)

The administrative fee of taking community service is approximately $100.

You would pay $100 to get $100 taken off your fine.

—

I am sharing all this with you because I recently got a ticket for turning right on a red light in Orange County, and the camera got me. There’s hi-def photos and a video link to it, so there’s no way I can plead “not guilty” or “no contest.” I chose to take traffic school, so that’s $540 + the cost of traffic school. $600 for turning right on a red. There is no more contesting — the judges are ordered to give no more leniency. The only way to get out of these is if there is a different human being other than you in the driver seat.

If you google this citation, old websites and forums will recommend different ways of attacking the fine. It’s basically impossible now to deal with this in any way other than paying it (perhaps because so many people requested reductions of fines, or brought up that the cameras are unconstitutional, or paid for by private companies)…they’ve heard it all, and they don’t want to hear it anymore. They won’t humor you.

Be careful!