So I'm tired of stressing like crazy over the fact that I have no license and that if I get pulled over again I would expect nothing less than being arrested. This being true I have decided to just go to court and face the music. All I want is to just be a legal driver and not come close to a heart attack everytime I see a cop anywhere near me while on the road.
My question is this. What going to jail be a possibility? Or is this something that community service and further suspension of license is the most severe punishment?
Here are some facts. I live in Southern Cali. I'm 25. The reason my license is suspended in the first place is because I didn't show up to court for a speeding ticket. I was doing 80 at midnight on the freeway, barely any cars, and being a stupid kid I decided to slowly pass a city cop (who was also going 80) thinking he couldn't pull me over. I was wrong. So I didn't show up for the ticket. Then - probably around 8-12 months later I was in a party town driving. I was confused where I was going, and touched the line. A cop, who was out looking for drunk drivers and was pulling over anyone who gave him a reason with the hopes that they'd been drinking. If you haven't been drinking then have a good day. I get the tactic, I say more power to you, drunks should not be on the road. Problem was, when I gave him my license, reg, and insurance my license came back that it was suspended. Now, I'm not gonna lie. I knew it was suspended. I got a letter in the mail. But I told the cop I didn't. He gave me a ticket but let my date drive the car since she had a Swedish drivers license.
The second time I got pulled over was around 8-12 months later. Different car. I was at a stop light, made the left turn, and into a gas station. As I entered the station a cycle cop pulls me over. Says I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. I told him it was a new purchase and that the seatbelt didn't work. He then asked for license, reg, insurance. Well I knew my license was suspended, but this time I didn't have any insurance. So he writes me a no license, and no insurance ticket and then proceeds to tow my car, says that since it's the second time he's impounding it for 30 days - no exception.
I then hear from a friend that if I transfer title of the vehicle then the new owner can get the car out of impound. So the day after getting pulled over I went the DMV, transferred title, and got the car out of the police impound. So I kept driving.
Third time. Probably another 8-10 months later. I was driving home and didn't see the cop behind me. I think I took the turn at the speed limit, maybe did 35 on a 30 turn. But the turn is uneven and bumpy, and my jeep has soft as hell suspension so it probably looked like I was hauling ass. If I took the turn at the 45 or 50 he said I was doing I would probably crash. He pulls me over as I'm opening the gate into my neighborhood. Again, I know I'm screwed and I better start lying quick. Now since I don't have a license I had to get a California identification card for ID. So I give him that. Tell him I don't have proof of registration or insurance. He comes back, says my license is suspended. I tell him I had no clue and that I knew it WAS but I had sent in payment for it. I live in a pretty high end neighborhood so it was probably a little more believable than if i was in a sketchy part of town. I tell him I just bought the car and I'm still waiting for the plates. I was running, and still am running, a paper dealer plate. Since the car hasn't been registered since 09' I figured a paper dealer plate is gonna get me pulled over less than if I run expired plates or no plates at all. So the cop decides not to tow my car and says not to drive until I get the license payment figured out. And let me go, but with a ticket for no license, no reg, and no insurance. I still had no insurance. ****, the car wasn't even technically mine. It was in my friends name since we never switched it back to mine. It is still to this date in his name even though it's my car and I drive it daily.
So that's it. That's the record. 3 driving with suspended license tickets. Two of which were also no insurance tickets. And one had a no registration on it. Oh and one had a no seatbelt as well. And it's been suspended for around 4 years. I would say from 2007-2011.
So what does this mean for me? Yes I've been a dumb ass and driven with a suspended license. But does that warrant jail time in the courts eyes? I'm a clean cut, well spoken, tennis playing, white kid who cleans up nicely. Unfortunately this matters to some people, if I was a tattoo'd up hard looking mexican dude I'm sure I'd be treated differently. So appearance does matter to some degree in the court, albeit a small one.
I think the only thing going for me is that fact that I'll be coming into court and showing them that I am serious about payment and settling my record. I figure if I wait till I get pulled over again and get arrested and THEN brought into to see the judge my change of heart won't be as believable.
My question is this. What going to jail be a possibility? Or is this something that community service and further suspension of license is the most severe punishment?
Here are some facts. I live in Southern Cali. I'm 25. The reason my license is suspended in the first place is because I didn't show up to court for a speeding ticket. I was doing 80 at midnight on the freeway, barely any cars, and being a stupid kid I decided to slowly pass a city cop (who was also going 80) thinking he couldn't pull me over. I was wrong. So I didn't show up for the ticket. Then - probably around 8-12 months later I was in a party town driving. I was confused where I was going, and touched the line. A cop, who was out looking for drunk drivers and was pulling over anyone who gave him a reason with the hopes that they'd been drinking. If you haven't been drinking then have a good day. I get the tactic, I say more power to you, drunks should not be on the road. Problem was, when I gave him my license, reg, and insurance my license came back that it was suspended. Now, I'm not gonna lie. I knew it was suspended. I got a letter in the mail. But I told the cop I didn't. He gave me a ticket but let my date drive the car since she had a Swedish drivers license.
The second time I got pulled over was around 8-12 months later. Different car. I was at a stop light, made the left turn, and into a gas station. As I entered the station a cycle cop pulls me over. Says I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. I told him it was a new purchase and that the seatbelt didn't work. He then asked for license, reg, insurance. Well I knew my license was suspended, but this time I didn't have any insurance. So he writes me a no license, and no insurance ticket and then proceeds to tow my car, says that since it's the second time he's impounding it for 30 days - no exception.
I then hear from a friend that if I transfer title of the vehicle then the new owner can get the car out of impound. So the day after getting pulled over I went the DMV, transferred title, and got the car out of the police impound. So I kept driving.
Third time. Probably another 8-10 months later. I was driving home and didn't see the cop behind me. I think I took the turn at the speed limit, maybe did 35 on a 30 turn. But the turn is uneven and bumpy, and my jeep has soft as hell suspension so it probably looked like I was hauling ass. If I took the turn at the 45 or 50 he said I was doing I would probably crash. He pulls me over as I'm opening the gate into my neighborhood. Again, I know I'm screwed and I better start lying quick. Now since I don't have a license I had to get a California identification card for ID. So I give him that. Tell him I don't have proof of registration or insurance. He comes back, says my license is suspended. I tell him I had no clue and that I knew it WAS but I had sent in payment for it. I live in a pretty high end neighborhood so it was probably a little more believable than if i was in a sketchy part of town. I tell him I just bought the car and I'm still waiting for the plates. I was running, and still am running, a paper dealer plate. Since the car hasn't been registered since 09' I figured a paper dealer plate is gonna get me pulled over less than if I run expired plates or no plates at all. So the cop decides not to tow my car and says not to drive until I get the license payment figured out. And let me go, but with a ticket for no license, no reg, and no insurance. I still had no insurance. ****, the car wasn't even technically mine. It was in my friends name since we never switched it back to mine. It is still to this date in his name even though it's my car and I drive it daily.
So that's it. That's the record. 3 driving with suspended license tickets. Two of which were also no insurance tickets. And one had a no registration on it. Oh and one had a no seatbelt as well. And it's been suspended for around 4 years. I would say from 2007-2011.
So what does this mean for me? Yes I've been a dumb ass and driven with a suspended license. But does that warrant jail time in the courts eyes? I'm a clean cut, well spoken, tennis playing, white kid who cleans up nicely. Unfortunately this matters to some people, if I was a tattoo'd up hard looking mexican dude I'm sure I'd be treated differently. So appearance does matter to some degree in the court, albeit a small one.
I think the only thing going for me is that fact that I'll be coming into court and showing them that I am serious about payment and settling my record. I figure if I wait till I get pulled over again and get arrested and THEN brought into to see the judge my change of heart won't be as believable.
