"License and registration please"

So I haven't gotten the chance to rant about this yet. I thought I was over it and then I saw my bank statement and it got me all fired up again.

A few weeks ago, I was pulled over for speeding. Here's what happened. I was going 75, the speed limit was 65. Then, I entered a work zone. I slowed down to 65 since I thought....eh ten over, that should be okay. It's not even an active work zone so I'll be alright. Then, I saw the speed limit sign. The speed limit was 50. I slowed down again and noticed a cop behind me. I  pulled over so he could go around me and lo and behold, he pulled over too and got out! And I was like: Are you serious? He's pulling ME over?? I had no idea what I even did.

So when he came up to the car I asked him and he said he clocked me at 67mph in a work zone where the speed limit was 50. I was apparantly going 17 over the speed limit. I explained that I just saw the sign and was slowing down just before he pulled me over. It didn't matter. What mattered was that for 3 seconds (he timed me) I was going 17 mph over the speed limit. If I had a guess, I'd say he clocked me WAY at the beginning of the work zone right when the speed limit changed. HOW IS THAT FAIR?

Luckily he didn't give me a ticket. I think he believed me when I said I had no idea that I was that much over, I thought the speed limit was 55. He DID give me a "citation." With it being a work zone, he couldn't just let me off with a warning. The difference being that a citation doesn't show up on your record and doesn't put points on your license. Just pay it and then forget it happened. So I paid it and much to my chagrine....the fine was over $100!! WTF?!?! First of all, the fine itself was $25, but they doubled it for it being a work zone...I can handle that. But then, I paid a fee for the car that pulled me over. I paid a small fee to the police company itself AND I paid the EMS...THEY WEREN'T EVEN THERE!!

Now, I know I was in the wrong. But seriously, the punishment should fit the crime. I wasn't going 30 or 40 over...I wasn't cutting people off....I wasn't endangering anyone's life...I wasn't tailgating anyone...I was going 15 over!!! The fine should be $15...double it for the work zone if you like, but I was going 15 over so I should pay $15. And if you want me to pay an extra fee for the car or the police department that's fine...but don't tack on all these dumb fees that have nothing to do with what I was pulled over for. I didn't need a freakin' ambulance so I shouldn't be paying the EMS!! I should be paying at most $50 for that fine. That's it! Save the big fines for the big crimes. When I'm endangering people's lives THEN you can tack on all those dumb fees.

All those times I go 80 or more on the turnpike and I was pulled over for doing freaking 67mph!!! What a joke!