I’m pissed off because yesterday I got a traffic infringement notice in the mail. $350 for running a red light. I remember the afternoon very clearly. I was late for a meeting and running out of petrol so I was in that special state of panic where you think if you don’t stop your car at all you’ll magically get to the petrol station without breaking down. In all honesty, I probably DID run the red light but I’m totally going to order the photo just to make sure. I need PROOF DAMN IT!
The thing that’s making me even more angry is that last year some maggot smashed my car window and I had to pay $450 to have it replaced. I received a phone call saying that the police had caught the guy. I was like, sweet! I get my money back. Not quite. I was told that they were going to order him to pay for the damages but that he probably wouldn’t ever pay it so therefore I can kiss my $450 goodbye. I’ll begrudgingly pay for my own mistakes but I’m getting pretty bloody tired of paying for every jackass that runs into my car and drives off and also for every dickhead who smashes my car window for loose change.
I had a wonderfully upbeat and positive post planned for today but I was so cranky last night I couldn’t concentrate. So I did about three hours of Angry Theoretical Shopping. Here’s the stuff I would have bought with the money I’m about to hand over to the Victoria Police. Sob!
Drape Jersey Splice Dress $129.95 from Witchery
Honey and Beau Curving The Kaftan $149.00 from Freez
Ruth Off-Shoulder Dress By Pia Gladys PereyΒ $289.00 from Gosh
Amorette Tatiana Black Wrap Dress $159.00 from Gosh
Floral Jacquard Pleat Dress $329.00 from Cue
Tell me friends. If you didn’t have to pay for school fees/car insurance/health care what would you spend the money on?
Feel free to share your fantasy purchases on Facebook. I’m a glutton for punishment.
25 Comments
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Magic swimmers that make me look skinny. Not actually magic like Harry Potter invisibility cloak, just super well cut and a nice colour
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Oh try online! Nancy Gantz does beautiful stuff!
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A new wardrobe. Which is what I would actually do if I didn’t haven’t to pay over $500 for textbooks for just this semester and bloody car insurance and rego π
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Car rego and insurance! It’s the worst! That’s another that pissed me off about the whole thing. I pay SO MUCH for car insurance and when things go wrong I have a) pay out even more money to get the insurance to cover it or b) pay for the damage so as not to destroy my no claims bonus. It’s totally fucked.
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I have had 3 tickets in 20+ years of driving – the problem was I got them all on the same day!! 1) red light fine for entering the intersection on amber (due to someone being right up my arse and not wanting to stomp on the brakes and risk and accident) and not getting out before the red on a notoriously quick set of lights, 2) speeding ticket for having put my foot down to get through said intersection due to the quick change, rather than have douchebag drive into my boot, and 3) a parking ticket upon arriving at work and parking in a spot that I (and numerous others) had been parking in for months, only to come out at the end of the day and find the council had put up ‘No Parking’ signs, then sent the rangers out to fine us all!!! I received the photos for the red light and speeding cameras with the infringements; I submitted a complaint on the basis that I was in the intersection rather than have an accident. They didn’t revoke the fines but they did agree not to take points off my licence. So I copped the cost and am glad to still have a clean driving record in terms of points. The third I fought them on and got revoked (seems a lot of people submitted the same complaint!). Still, $450 in fines in one day – oh man, I actually burst into tears!!
And rego and insurance are some of the reasons I didn’t bother replacing my car when it was stolen last year (on the upside, although it took 6-8 weeks when they said it would take 2, I still got more back from the insurance company than what I paid for the car originally due to being insured for book value and not the ridiculously low price my husband negotiated on the purchase!). I cycle and catch public transport. Even if I pay the maximum capped fares each month, it’s still cheaper than my petrol was on a small car. And that’s before counting rego, insurance and maintenance costs. And if I need to drive for longer trips or to do the shopping we still have one car, which my husband uses for work (ridiculous hours and no buses that go near his workplace).
The money I’m saving is going into our holiday fund to enjoy a trip at the end of the year.
Ok, I feel a bit better after that rant π Thanks Ms Smaggle!
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This is timely cos I think I will be receiving the same lovely notice shortly. First ever infringment notice in 10 years of driving, including parking tickets. I swear the light was amber still but it flashed as soon as I went across the line. And I know the camera is there so… what I would have spent the money im probably going to hand over on is a new pair of black leather knee high boots for winter.
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Mine came completely out of the blue! Good luck! Let’s hope for you the machine was broken. x
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I alternate between looking up flights to exotic destinations, or designing shoes online (e.g. shoesofprey.com) I get right to the online checkout stage and then quickly shut the page down before I click continue!
I would also love to be one of those people with regular manicures…
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ME TOO!!!! I’ve love a weekly manicure, massage and several personal training sessions. Better write that best seller or it ain’t going to happen!
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Dear Ms Smaggle ( I feel like being formal today). As I am in a good mood and full of useless advice, I suggest you take it to court and fight it. Use your good driving record and the lack of petrol as a your defense. It is called admitting to the offence with reason. I went to court and fought a red light and won. I also gained valuable info that day that people go to court and fight their speeding, parking, red light fines when they have wracked up heaps. If you save yourself $350 well that is a good days work.
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I’m actually thinking of doing that. What was your defense? (taking notes)
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Yes my defence your honour was I was texting a note to myself and just didn’t see the lights…. or the intersection. Oh was I driving??
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How is the lack of petrol considered an excuse or as you said it, a “defense”?
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Lack of petrol is a great defence. It is all about the being in an unfit of state of mind, worried that your car may stop.. You should have heard excuses used in the courtroom. There were some beauties.
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If I didn’t have to spend so much cash on bills, rent, etc I would have fortnightly pedi appointments and monthly facial appointments. Oh yes I would…
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Ah! Facials! I would love a monthly facial. Sigh!
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Ummm…you ran a red light
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I’m going to order the photo because I’m not actually sure that I did.
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I can tell you are in a bad mood, because all of the clothes you picked have black in them, or are totally black.
I got my car towed last year, $500 in total to get car out of the sinbin and the parking fine.I just sucked it up and am gonna try really hard not to do it again.
I just want to travel more, but this is dependent on available leave…..I have enough stuff (but continue to buy it….) -
My son his teeth issues and needs between 1.5-2hrs of dentistry work under a general. For 2 hrs work for my poor little guy – fees will be Approx $1064 for the anesthetist, plus $2,043 for the dentist. My health fund will refund a total of $1034. Out of pocket over $2,000 for 2hrs work. I earn $46 in two hrs – less tax. The world has gone freaking mad.
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Pearls. Lots and lots of big fat south sea pearls. And diamonds. And fancy pants handbags. And weeks at a day spa.
As it is, we’ll be paying the electricity bill and car rego. So glam.
I might have to settle for a glass of reasonably priced sauvignon blanc instead.
Good luck fighting the red light fine.
K xx
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Despite the shit of above (the fine not the frocks!) you still bought my EBOOK – thanks xx
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A brand new trench coat. It’s all I can think about this time of year because it won’t stop being slightly chilly and rainy. I could’ve worn the thing a million times already this spring but other things come first.
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Same thing happened to me last year – some wanker went on a crime spree and broke into 16 cars in one night (mine and my boyfriend’s included) for loose change. I spoke to my insurance company and they claimed my policy only covered windshield damage. He had smashed my driver’s side window, so I didn’t get a cent from them. $600 for insurance every year for absolutely nothing, and it cost me a further $500 to fix that window! Unbelievable π
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Well that is utterly shit! I hope you don’t end up paying that fine! I have a happy story about not paying fines to share π
When I was 17 I went on my first date with my boyfriend who I’m still with and I just wasn’t thinking because I was so excited. We were on the train and had our feet up on the seat (we were the ONLY ones in the carriage, so it’s not like we were being douche bag kids) and then out of no where, these fucking “train cops” – whatever you call those assholes who think they are kind of a big deal whacked us with fines!
What was particularly shitty was that my boyfriend was a few months off 17 and got away with a “warning” and I got a $150 fine! Back then that was A LOT of money for me and it nearly ruined our first date because I thought my parents would KILL me.
Anyway I was in such a state of shock and nearly in tears that I gave the fuckers the wrong address completely by accident! So I never did end up paying that fine, LOL.That’s $150 those WANKERS are never going to get off me π
