THE EDITOR, Sir:
I HAVE had traffic violation encounters with police officers on more than one occasion and more often than not the experience was unpleasant. I generally find the police officers brusque and high-handed. Wisdom tells me never to argue with a police officer because I know persons who have tried that and paid for that thru dem teeth.
It is almost embarrassing for me to take an approach at the other extreme - plead and beg like a little pickney who really wants to have his own way. On the last occasion that I was accused by a police officer of an alleged traffic offence I felt compelled to ask for his favour as I believed that I was being unfairly ticketed. As if I did not exist he proceeded to write the ticket and I signed and went on my not-so-merry way.
I paid the $4000 ticket fine six days before the stated deadline, but I was in for another surprise. More than a month after I had paid the ticket a police constable came to my home with a warrant for my arrest related to the same traffic offence I mentioned earlier.
"But I paid the fine", was my initial response. The officer asked for a receipt and I frantically searched for it in my car and inside the house but to no avail. The officer informed me that I could obtain a duplicate of the receipt from the Revenue Department and he kindly gave me a number to call him when I had obtained same. Though quite shaken by the incident I was very grateful for a compassionate officer who was just doing his job. Before the day was out I got the duplicate receipt and the officer picked it up at my house the following morning. He apologised for the inconvenience before he left, that was nice.
Be warned motorists - never lose your receipts for traffic fines.
I am, etc.,
GRATEFUL
GYkoygoy05@hotmail.com
