Ok, rant time.
About five weeks ago, I got a letter in the mail from the DC Photo Enforcement people, saying that I had been speeding on New York Ave in Washington DC. They provided a picture of the back of a car, license plate blurry and slightly hard to read. It said:
2L# 098 (Not the correct numbers, for illustration purposes only.)
The # is the debatable character. It was blurry enough that it looked like an N to the police, but I think it was a W.
Okay, here's why this WASN'T ME!!
1) As I mentioned, this wasn't my license plate. While this car happened to also be a Toyota, it clearly said "CAMRY" on the back of the trunk. I drive a Tercel. This car was silver; my car is green.
2) My car was in the shop. It had (and still has) an inoperable hole in one of the valves in the engine. From April 28th on, that car has had its engine in pieces, parked at my mechanic's in Maryland.
3) I was out with the family that night, driving our van! We were getting portraits done at Sears in Bowie, MD. Nowhere near DC, and I certainly wasn't driving my Tercel (see #2).
So I dutifully put all my ducks in a row to fight the ticket, which was due into the DC Photo Enforcement Court by July 3rd. (Yes, next Monday.) I got my mechanic to sign a letter stating the condition of the car on the day of the supposed infraction... I got my own statement notarized as well as the form I was supposed to send back in... I included a nice, well-worded statement telling them basically what I told you tonight. Sent it on 5 June via certified mail, so I would have proof that I sent it and that they received it by the due date.
Never heard back from them, so I called last Monday to verify that they'd received it. Called and they said "no, we haven't received it." I responded incredulously, "What do you mean? I have proof that you received it in my hand."
"Nope, don't have it."
"How long does it take to process it then?"
"About a week. Maybe two."
"My certified mail receipt shows you got it on the 8th. And today's the 26th. And it's due a week from today. What is up with it?"
"You'd better send it again then."
So I did. Monday afternoon. Kept copies -- learned that from the Army. Sent certified mail again, of course. Should be there tomorrow; I'll check my certified mail receipt online... again...
All this for something that isn't even my fault. Life is stupid sometimes, huh?