You may remember I was pulled over in the carpool lane last year (for the first time ever, after using it for over 20 years), see “License and Registration, Please” (April 3, 2104).
Well, I got pulled over again yesterday. I even had an opportunity to get onto the non-carpool lane before I came around the corner where the cops sit, but I didn’t.
Why? Partly because I relied on the sixth sense I’ve developed over those 20 years. (An apparently ineffective sixth sense that tells me when cops are sitting on the lower deck and when they’re not) But also because I know the ticket is only $20.00.
Except, the ticket isn’t really $20.00.
It’s $100.00.
This all of a sudden put a damper on my day. Not a good way to begin the week.
So why the $20.00 back in April??
When I got pulled over in April, the Trooper asked why I was in the lane, and I told him I was late for work. Well come to find out, he gave me a huge break, and just gave me a ticket for “failure to obey sign”, which can be as little as $20.00. However, “failure to obey sign, Carpool lane” is $100.00.
I just wanted to share this in case any of you have been cruising the Carpool lane b/c you read the post last year and thought the same thing as me ($20 bucks? No problem).
The Commish holds himself accountable for the dumb things he does from time to time. But under no circumstances does he want to be held accountable for the dumb things his Badgers do on their own.
Capiche?
And for the record, I didn’t use the carpool lane today.
I’ve decided to turn over a new leaf and the days of driving like this are gone.