Do you SERIOUSLY think we are that stupid?

[South Texan]

So I am working the desk for initial traffic ticket appearances. Fairly simple. People come in and either say they want to work something out, show proof that they had a driver's license or insurance (just not on them at the time of the ticket), show they got the car registered or inspected within the grace period, or say they want to go to trial and get assigned a trial date.

A guy comes in and hands me an AllState card that on its face looks legit. Except it is a photocopy and the dates of coverage are not the same font as the rest of the information. The prosecutor sees this and immediately calls AllState. Yep. Not only was the coverage canceled at the time of the ticket, the guy had made no attempt to reinstate the policy since getting the ticket.

The State Trooper was more than happy to escort the man out in nice, metal bracelets.

Not two defendants later, a well dressed man hands me a State Farm card that looks like no other anyone has ever seen. A quick call to State Farm confirms the card is a forgery. The State Trooper is standing behind the man in a few seconds. The man starts crying as he realizes he is toast. The prosecutor then rubs salt into his proverbial wounds by telling him that if he had purchased insurance after the ticket, he could have kept the charge off his record by keeping the insurance current for six months and paying a two hundred dollar probation fee. Now he will have to face a felony charge.

He soon is sitting with the AllState man in a small room with bars.

I cannot tell you how many people come in and try to pass off forged, phony or altered insurance cards. I understand that the prospect of paying a few hundred dollars is scary, but is it really worth getting charged with a felony for passing forged documents to a court?

[Getpowned]

i really dont know how many times i ve done that old trick but people need to be smarter than that. GOSH

[LillFilly]

People try making their own handicap parking cards and hanging them in their car windows all the time where I work. I've seen b&w photocopies, color copies but on 8X11 paper, color copies with the 2-sides taped together (you can see through them and the print doesn't match-up), and my favorite was a red temp card that they cut the date out of and spliced the top to the bottom. These people throw the biggest fit when they get a ticket!

[draggar]

Quoth South Texan

I cannot tell you how many people come in and try to pass off forged, phony or altered insurance cards. I understand that the prospect of paying a few hundred dollars is scary, but is it really worth getting charged with a felony for passing forged documents to a court?

because they think they'll get away with it or else they wouldn't have tried.

Quoth LillFilly

People try making their own handicap parking cards and hanging them in their car windows all the time where I work. I've seen b&w photocopies, color copies but on 8X11 paper, color copies with the 2-sides taped together (you can see through them and the print doesn't match-up), and my favorite was a red temp card that they cut the date out of and spliced the top to the bottom. These people throw the biggest fit when they get a ticket!

My wife is handicapped but we're only allowed one dangler and it is a pain for her to switch it between the two cars. So we use last year's in one car and this year's in the other. No issues yet. (crosses fingers).

[Broomjockey]

Quoth draggar

My wife is handicapped but we're only allowed one dangler and it is a pain for her to switch it between the two cars.

I'm sure you've thought of this, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. Does she have a purse or bag that she always takes with her? If so, why not just place the dangler in there? That way, no matter what car she's in, she's got the current dangler. I only mention because that's how my grandmother did it when she was still going out.

[jackfaire]

Quoth South Texan

Fairly simple. People come in and either say they want to work something out, show proof that they had a driver's license or insurance (just not on them at the time of the ticket),

Yeah uhm my friend got out of a ticket that way once the funny thing is if the cop had pegged us for the fact that we were speeding and had evaded him (it was high school and I told my friend to drive we could ditch him we didn't) then my friend would have had to pay. However because a ticket for invalid insurance was bigger he pegged my friend with that which was promptly thrown out when he went down with his Insurance card.

[JustaCashier]

Well, at least Mr Fake Allstate Client, and Mr. Fake State Farm Client have each other....



Mike

[Seshat]

Quoth Getpowned

i really dont know how many times i ve done that old trick but people need to be smarter than that. GOSH

Just as mod note here:

Don't do this, folks. Don't ever bring forged documents to a courtroom. Whatever country you're in.

Thank you. Move along. Nothing to see here.

[draggar]

Quoth Broomjockey

I'm sure you've thought of this, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway. Does she have a purse or bag that she always takes with her? If so, why not just place the dangler in there? That way, no matter what car she's in, she's got the current dangler. I only mention because that's how my grandmother did it when she was still going out.

Its not that sturdy and would break in there.

[Broomjockey]

Quoth draggar

Its not that sturdy and would break in there.

Dang. They make them flimsy there. oh well