Why my husband is, in fact, the luckiest person in the world...

Something you should know about my husband is that he likes to drive... fast.

In fact, before he left for his last deployment he was commuting about 50 minutes each way for a few months and got himself 2 shiny tickets. For one of those tickets he was going fast enough to get his license suspended for a month. Nice. He also got enough points on his license that if he gets even 1 more he's going to lose his license for good (or, actually, a year... but for good just sounds so much more foreboding).

And, I remind him of this fact... All. The. Time.

Imagine my dismay a few days ago when I checked the mail and just inside was one of California's greatest gifts, a red light ticket.

Or... what appeared to be a red light ticket.

Let me paint this scene for you:
Me: (totally pissed off) If you think I'm going to drive your butt around for the next several months b/c you don't have a license you have another thing coming
Mike: (totally depressed) I hate my life. I hate my life. I hate my life.

After wallowing in his self-pity for a bit, he looked up the video of his red-light ticket online - you can do that, you know.

Here's the thing, though... he got a red-light ticket for turning RIGHT at a red-light. WHAT? He got the ticket b/c he didn't make a complete STOP at the red-light, but rather, did one of those tap the breaks and go kind of things that I think we can all agree we've done once or twice before.

Hmm..

Also, there was no information about what amount he should pay or to whom he should pay it. In fact, in bold print the notice said, "Do not contact the court about this ticket." And, the document was actually asking him to indicate whether or not he was the person driving the car. If it wasn't him, the document was asking him to indicate the name of the person who actually was driving the car.

Odd. Especially considering the fact that I had received a red-light ticket about a year ago and though the ticket looked much the same I didn't need to indicate that I was the driver, I was allowed to contact the court about my ticket, and it did give me payment information.

So he decided to do some internet research and he stumbled upon something mighty interesting indeed.

According to a very reliable website source (ok so who knows if it's actually reliable but it has a ton of what appears to be well-researched information and it all rings true to what Michael received in the mail, so I feel validated in describing it as reliable) the ticket Michael received in the mail was not a ticket at all. It was a fake ticket or a "snitch ticket".

You see, apparently, the picture that they nabbed of Michael was too blurry for it to hold up in a court of law. So, our local police department sent him this very official looking paper telling him that he needed to confirm that it is, in fact, a picture of him driving the car and running that red-light. And, if it's not him, they are asking him to supply them with the name of the person who is, in fact, driving the car.

Sounds a bit sneaky, eh?

According to this reliable website, legally Michael does not have to respond to this notice. Because, the vast majority of people look at this official looking notice from the police department, believe that they must SNITCH on themselves, and send the paper back confirming that is in fact them driving the car the police department then has enough evidence to send that picture to the court and turn it into a real bonafide ticket.

However, if you never write back and say, "yes, officer, that is indeed me running that red-light" they can't actually do anything about it. BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO EVIDENCE. (or, at least, the evidence that they have will not stand up in court which is why they didn't send a real ticket in the first place!)

According to the website, the police do not have any legal follow-up on the "snitch" tickets because they are so effective. I mean, if you get a letter from the police department you pay attention. Am I right or am I right?

Interesting, wouldn't you say?

Interesting indeed.

Yes... so my husband is officially the luckiest person in the world. And, the next time I feel like running a red-light I'm just going to put my hand up over my face so they can't get a good picture of me.

Just kidding.
Maybe. ;)