Does a Judge have this much power???

[Michael]

you are whining

Guess I have a different set of ears. I don't hear whining; I heard someone trying to make the best of a situation that he's unhappy he got himself into and wants to resolve in order to be productive. The motivations of a lot of other 20-year-olds don't rise to that level.

And I hate reckless driving! We are undeserving heirs to the miraculous technological blessing of being able to cover enormous distances at speeds unthinkable from the time the world began until less than a century ago, and we abuse it thoroughly, arrogantly, contemptuously. It stinks.

So I speak as one who is daily disappointed (that's a euphemism) by others' driving habits, hastiness being a prime culprit for grossly unnecessary risk-taking. But I'm also aware how arbitrary citations can be. When traffic flow is 10-15 mph above the posted speed limit, getting ticketed seems to be the luck of the draw (if we can hope to discount profiling drivers on their appearance). Some kids even made a (kinda sloppy) video dramatizing the penalities that motorists sticking to the speed limit incur from other drivers.

While I respect anyone's fidelity to safe driving, I'd cut the guy some slack rather than counsel despair. To me it sounds like vcfd is going to be a lot more careful than many with whom he shares the road. And this is from a curmudgeon of caution.

[Dustdevil]

I think you're SOL, bro. Once a case is adjudicated, it generally cannot be re-opened for a new plea and disposition unless a higher court does so on successful appeal. That is what this would take, which would mean a lawyer and a lot of money. More money than you would make in six months as an EMT for some taxi company. Even then, it would take months just to try. It will very definitely not happen from you showing up at the judges bench by yourself looking for some handshake deal. And really, this job you are looking for puts you no closer to your misguided dream than you are right now. Education would put you much closer, as it would put you ahead of the competition, which is quite stiff. So you must ask yourself, do you really want to get closer to your dream career, or do you just want to wear a uniform and play with the siren as soon as possible so you can feel like you are closer to your dream?

Word of advice for the future. Drive like a responsible adult. Failing that, at least don't go pay your tickets. Traffic fines are for chumps. ALWAYS, and I do mean ALWAYS take your traffic tickets to a lawyer to get the best deal and prevent this sort of problem in the future.

Good luck!

[paramedicmike]

To follow up on Dust's wise words:

You're 20 years old? Are you so impatient that you can't wait the two years for the tickets to clear from your record? Is that why you've got three speeding tickets on your record? Impatience?

Also, at 20 years old, just what have you done to "work so hard for this"? At your age you haven't lived long enough to have worked hard.

It's good to have dreams, but if this is your only dream and you view it as hanging in the balance, you're in for a long life of disappointment.

Dust is right. You will be much better off getting yourself into college and obtaining a degree. You are only 20! You have time. Unless, of course, your dream is really only to drive fast and play with the siren. A college degree, however, will get your much further than being a fire truck driver will.

Also, nremtp has some wise words as well. From a manager standpoint, or from a HR standpoint, you've demonstrated that you prefer to disregard the written rules of the road (one ticket is one thing. Three tickets in less than 2 years shows callous disregard and a habit of excessive speeding.). Why should any manager hire you, put you at the wheel of a department vehicle, and trust you to behave accordingly when you've already demonstrated that you have no such regard in your own vehicle?

You said you're looking for positive feedback. I'm fairly positive you're not going to like much of what you've read here. However, whether you realize it or not, this is positive feedback. Are you adult enough to realize it and accept it for what it's worth?

After all, you are only 20.

Good luck.

-be safe

[Michael]

ALWAYS, and I do mean ALWAYS take your traffic tickets to a lawyer to get the best deal and prevent this sort of problem in the future

Well put. I thought of adding something in that line, but it would have been from hearsay.

It's funny how counter-intuitively things can work. You screw up, and then instead of public remorse, compliance, and obedience being productive, it can be better in the long run to act defiant (within prescribed channels) while feeling contrite (in order to discontinue messing up). The opportunistic egotist's natural reflex is to do the opposite, namely conceal contempt behind a hypocritical show of regret. And while a jerk who flaunts his arrogance may - but only may - get an early come-uppance, a true penitent entering the legal system needs expert guidance to avoid being compromised by his own sincerity. It's in the same way that apologizing at the scene of a fender-bender gets you in trouble, or a lawyer admitting in court that he's wrong - about anything - invites a malpractice suit. Funny old world. So drive carefully.

[CodeBlueEMT]

vcfd35s, I'm doubtful the positive feedback you were looking for will be found here. If you decide to be a politician or perhaps a pompas professor of rhetorical wordsmithing, pull up a chair. Don't let this get you down. Keep your chin up.

Shayne

[Michael]

doubtful the positive feedback you were looking for will be found here

:?

[CodeBlueEMT]

Michael, what's confusing about ripping a 20 year old kid apart? Does that fall under the "we did it for his own good" category?

Shayne

[spenac]

I hope they will work with you. More importantly I hope you have learned the important lesson that what we choose to do today impacts tomorrow. When young people come in doing community service I talk to them about it, hoping to get them to realize they could lose the right to choose a career because so many company's check your background. Yea I was young and did many things I should not have done. I still make mistakes all of us do. The key is learn from it and not make it again. I don't think you're whining I just think you have realized the above and now hope to correct your past and go forward. Even if get it removed and get an EMS job still should consider education.

[AnthonyM83]

that icon's going to confuse me...

[Michael]

Michael, what's confusing

Shayne, since the feedback vcfd received here included the responses that:

a) his legal situation might not be hopeless, and it would be "great"/"cool" if he were to get what he's looking for

he would benefit from the services of a lawyer to help him, now and in the future

c) advancing his education instead of immediately taking that job would resolve his problem as well as prevent many others

d) ticketing can be unfair, he sounds unusually mature and trustworthy, his motivations are praiseworthy, so let's cut him some slack

What confused me is your having concluded after reading the above that you're "doubtful the positive feedback you were looking for will be found here," because I fail to see what's not positive about it.