"500 on the docket"
August 1, 2001, 12:13 a.m.

I've added this background which is okay. The only reason I did it was to fix and spruce up my site so it could be seen in Netscape fairly well. So, for now, I'll keep it. Probably will change it out later.

Went to get my ticket dismissed at the courthouse today. Blew that. I was going to plead not guilty. The cop who pulled me over wrote me up for going 75 in a 60 zone and I wasn't even going 75!

Still, I pleaded no contest and I had to pay anyway and I still got the hickey on my driving record. I'm just too lazy to plead not guilty and ask for a trial by judge or jury.

Forget about it. It's too much trouble to go through to beat a speeding rap.

So, I've learned my lesson and my hand was slapped so to speak.

What I did notice was while I sat in the courtroom for 3 hours with 500 other folks on the same docket...that there are so many people getting tickets for traffic violations lately. And for piddly offences as well. Several folks got tickets for driving 65 miles per hour in a 60 mile per hour zone. I was amazed at the tickets for driving just 5 mph over the limit.

Then I remembered all the income that Houston needs not only to host the Olympics in 2012 which they want to win the bid for, but also for all the building and road construction that is currently going on and that will go on.

That one courthouse annex made quite a bit of money in fines and court costs today. There wasn't enough seating for everyone and they were told to come back.

I wonder is everyone so very bad or is it that the city needs to make money. I hadn't seen it like that before. But then again - I don't often get tickets so I suppose I'm no judge.

I got my first two tickets within the space of 12 months. Cops are everywhere these days.

Maybe they simply have the manpower now to ticket the violaters.

I think I my earlier thought is probably more accurate - the city wants more money.

Whatever. I hate going to court. It wears me out and my bottom gets so sore on those hard benches. It also doesn't help that my last name starts with a "w" and they always clear the docket alphabetically.

Lots of sitting - lots of waiting - lots of paying.