steve kwan user experience designer

Steve Kwan, public enemy #1

(January 13th, 2007 - 3:32PM)

My loyal readers may remember the TransLink ticket fiasco from 2006. Well, I'm back in the VPD's crosshairs again.

I was driving to work yesterday in the left fast lane. A cop car was directly in front of me. The officer drove to the right lane, then continued right until he was sitting on the shoulder. Suddenly he blared his sirens, flew back into traffic, and was right behind me.

I moved out of the way to let him pass. He moved in behind me. That was when I realized, "Shit...he's after ME!"

I pulled over to the shoulder. The officer walked up to me, and I asked him what the problem was. The conversation went something like this.

Steve: "What's going on?"

Officer: "You were driving in the HOV lane."

Steve: "No I wasn't."

Officer: "Yes you were. I was watching you."

Steve: "Well, I'm a new driver, so help me clarify something. The HOV lane is the left-most lane, correct?"

Officer: "Right."

Steve: "And were you in the HOV lane?"

Officer: "No. I was in the left fast lane."

Steve: "Well, I was the car directly behind yours. And I haven't changed lanes. So if you weren't in the HOV lane, I fail to understand how I could have been."

Officer: "I'm going to write you a ticket for driving in the HOV lane. You also did an illegal lane change over a solid line, but I'm going to let you off the hook for that."

Steve: "I appreciate that, but I neither did an illegal lane change, nor was I driving in the HOV lane, so you're not actually doing me any favors."

Officer: "Have a nice day, Steve."

So I'm off to court again to dispute a ticket.

When I got my original TransLink ticket, I was really pissed off. This time, however, I'm not upset. I just find it kind of funny. I learned enough about traffic law from my last go-around that I know I'll probably have this ticket waived. Plus, the officer was really nice to me, and I could tell he was just doing his job. He honestly believed he saw me move into the HOV lane, and was ticketing me accordingly. Unlike the other TransLink "cop" who ticketed me, I don't have a grudge toward this one.

But all the same, I hate having to waste my time going through courtroom procedures to get tickets waived. I was really hoping 2007 would be a better year than 2006, but it's only mid-January and I've already received a bullshit ticket and been screwed out of $1,700 by my ex-roommate. I guess I'm going to have to be a bit more aggressive in ensuring that things start going my way.