The last day of the first month of 2007 will be a day long remembered for me, because it was my big day in court for my third traffic ticket within a year. The theme of 2006 was my propensity to get traffic tickets in Los Angeles; I got three moving violations: the first two were within a week of each other in January of 2006 when I was in the process of moving out of my apartment and into my current place, and the final one was a California rolling stop I was sited for late one early October evening.
Well, I was really dreading my court date and was pretty sure I would get the point on my driving record because I'd already taken traffic school for the two previous tickets. In L.A. (perhaps also in other areas) they allow you to take a 12 hour, in-person traffic school (also called "Second-chance" traffic school) if you have a second ticket within 18 months and you request it. Anyways, it turns out that the officer who cited me didn't show up for my trial and I was sectioned off with about three other people who's cases were dismissed for that reason, then they told us our bail money would be refunded and let us go! Oh my god! What a relief, this is enough for me to become religious! I have been driving super carefully, I obey all traffic laws and posted speed limits, and I will continue to do so - as long as I can. If you are driving on Mulholland or Las Virgenes / Malibu Canyon Road and get stuck behind a Corolla that is going at or under the speed limit, give me some room and enjoy the scenery, I'm just going to keep obeying the speed limits.
Thank you God, Allah, almighty, Karma, or whatever is responsible for this wonderful day!