7 Stories: Lessons Learned (suggested theme)

Some thoughts to get you thinking about the month’s suggested theme, “Lessons Learned”

If you’ve lived more than a day, you have learned a thing or two. Some lessons stay with us throughout our lives. One lesson that it took me awhile to learn after getting my driver’s license, was to pay attention to the speed limit.

I was returning to San Jose from a house hunting trip in Los Angeles. I wanted to get home quick so took highway 5; exceeding the posted 70 MPH speed limit once I crossed over the Grapevine. After several hours on the road, I stopped for a break at a rest stop. I told myself that when I got back on the road, I would go the speed limit so I wouldn’t get a ticket. I got back on the freeway, did the speed limit for a mile or so, while being passed by cars including a Celica like mine. I also saw the mileage sign for Pacheco Pass – 15 miles; the time? 6:50. My thought in the moment? If I speed up, I could be on the Pacheco Pass by 7.

With that thoughts of avoiding a ticket went out the window; I put the pedal to the metal. Within 3 miles, I was pulled over by the CHP. The officer issued me a citation for excessive speed 85 mph in a 70.

A ticket that much over the speed limit required a court appearance, at the court closest to where the ticket it was issued. For me that meant going to Los Banos.

The day of my court appearance, I drove the 125 miles to Los Banos. My case followed several others. Along with speeding, CHP cited me for a ‘fix it’ for an expired registration. (The new tabs were in the mail—really!) The judge was satisfied with my proof of current registration then asked me about my speed. I foolishly said “I may have been going more than 70 MPH, but there is no way I was going 85!” His next comment “So you would admit in open court you were driving in excess of the speed limit?” I could only respond with I think I just did.

The judge assessed a reasonable fine and required me to take a driver education class. With that I learned my lesson, ALWAYS pay attention to that little voice in your head that tells you to do (or not do) something, because it knows best!

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