Though the violation was simple, it was replete with lessons to be learned. I am relating this story as the Saher traffic management system is introduced in our country in the hope that traffic organizations would benefit from the new system while preserving the right of the citizen to appeal against traffic tickets and go to court if necessary.
The American traffic police officer stopped me as I was apparently driving on the hard shoulder. When I told him that I was trying to avoid a collision with the car in front of me, he gave me the option of paying the fine or going to court. I chose the latter.
A few days later the court informed me of the date for my hearing. I replied with an apology and requested a postponement. The court agreed and fixed another date, which was also not suitable for me because I was preparing to spend the summer vacation in my country.
I replied but did not wait for the court’s response. When I came back, I found a letter from the court in my mailbox informing me that it had accepted the plea for postponement.
The court fixed a new date for the hearing. I was surprised that the court would twice accept a postponement request. I went to the court asking myself all the way whether this was possible. However, what happened in the court was more astonishing.
I found the officer in the court waiting his turn. I asked myself, why did the policeman take the trouble of coming to the court in person?
Was it not possible that the judge would trust his report? The officer did not look at me in anger. On the contrary, he treated me with respect.
He told the judge that I went out of line and claimed to be avoiding a collision. I told the judge that I did not come to the court to rescind the fine, claiming it was clear that my mistake was not intentional. I said to him that I would hate to leave this country with an unintentional traffic violation on my record.
The judge said he appreciated my good intention but added nicely that the violation was obvious. He asked me not to worry about a simple traffic mistake, which would not affect my record.
We should have a court like the American one. It guarantees the right of appeal. There, the driver is not asked to pay first and then complain.
The driver there can object without fearing that the fine against him will be doubled. People are not against the Saher system, which will definitely reduce the number of accidents on our roads, but they are only asking for a mechanism to give them the right to appeal traffic fines before paying them.
They also do not want to be responsible for paying for the mistakes of their drivers, who then escape any penalty.
