Coffee and the law (part IV)

A smartly dressed middle-aged lady came into the shop this morning. She had that relieved happy look of someone who has just got the all clear from the STD clinic. In conversation she lets me know that she has just been found not guilty on a reckless driving charge. Ever eager to engage my customers in friendly banter (aka sticking my nose in other people’s business) I enquire if she had been driving at more than 20 mph over the limit. No she replies, I skidded on some gravel and rolled my vehicle into a ditch. Well I think that you will agree that doesn’t sound reckless and indeed she had just totaled her car so it all sounds somewhat vindictive to me. It transpires that here in Kissbotty (and maybe where you live as well), if you do over a certain amount of damage it is regarded as reckless, regardless of the circumstances. Now the officer (and let me go on record here as a staunch supporter of the thin blue line) told her that the Judge would probably throw the case out, nevertheless she endured 30 days of worry. As it happened, 30 days of needless worry as Judge Mental did indeed throw it out. Doesn’t this strike you as a monumental waste of my tax dollars (actually that is an exaggeration as the Boss does not pay me enough to warrant taxes, but you get the point). And here is another point. You rise to the top of the legal profession and after many years of selfless service, get called to the bar (as we say in England). Now you are listening to this nonsense. I can’t help but to wonder how Judges keep their sanity.

On second thoughts this gives me an idea. If all motoring offenses, regardless of how trivial, went to court then a fair percentage are bound to end up in the Coffee House. Maybe I could sponsor the traffic cops. Perhaps a small ad on the ticket itself.

“When in Court visit the Smalltown Coffee House.

We put the fine in caffeine”.

OK I am off to change the speed sign outside the police station to 100 mph.

Cha ching

TCB