Encounters with traffic department

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zululami

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So yesterday I head to the Post Office to renew my licence disc at Centurion Mall. I fill out a form and stand in a queue nicely. When I get to the front - the lady says there's a warrant of arrest out for me because of 'infringements'...

I am like - that sounds serious :wtf: and she says as a result she can't issue the disc - I try and beg her and tell her that the 'grace period' is ending today. She says no amount of begging will help because it is a system restriction.

I am like now what? And this is where she tells me to go to the traffic department and pay for the infringements and then she will issue the disc. I am like, if there's a warrant of arrest out for me, what will stop the cops at the traffic department from arresting me - since I am a wanted man - she assures me that I will not be arrested, but they will arrest me at a road block if they catch me.

By that time it was too late and I decide to go home. Today - lunch time - I take some time off work to speedily rush to the traffic department to find out how much I owe and try make a payment. I am coming down John Vorster Drive from Highveld towards Lyttelton Regional Metro cops department - they are trapping and they have me doing 91km/h in a 80km/h zone. I get stopped and my disc has expired.

So I figure that today I am going to jail. So I say to this young fresh female cop [in Zulu] 'I know you will not believe me, but I am rushing to pay for my traffic fines and I am sorry for this indiscretion' ... And she looks at me and says "so you never learn, do you"?... At this point I am out of words and she asks for my licence and walks around the car.... "Ah, and an expired disc", she exclaims! I was like "I know what it looks like, but I want to pay for my fines so that I can get a new disc"... And I show her some print out from the Post Office and at this point she starts laughing at me and basically tells me to go get my **** together because when she catches me next time, she will have me locked up! We exchange smiles and I leave. Get to the Post Office and it looks like I have quite a LIST of fines, but they were only interested in only two that they have jurisdiction over - I paid some R960 and they told me to go get my disc!

What I day!! SO later I am going to get that disc renewed because I am worried that if it is not up to date - there is a clause in my insurance contract that states that this will invalidate my claim. Forgive my spelling errors, Zulu is my first language!!
 
You're a lucky man.
Also most insurer's will require you renew your license before they settle a claim bit won't repudiate your claim, that's if you with a decent insurer.
 
One thing I've learnt in life is that as jaded and cynical as I am when it comes to cops, it never hurts to be nice and friendly to them when the need arises.
 
As I have one fine that quite literally says I was driving a 9000kg truck, and another that says I failed some sort of inspection somewhere, I'm waiting for the warrant of arrest or incentive to drive to town to sort out this mess :/
 
zululami said:
So yesterday I head to the Post Office to renew my licence disc at Centurion Mall. I fill out a form and stand in a queue nicely. When I get to the front - the lady says there's a warrant of arrest out for me because of 'infringements'...

I am like - that sounds serious :wtf: and she says as a result she can't issue the disc - I try and beg her and tell her that the 'grace period' is ending today. She says no amount of begging will help because it is a system restriction.

I am like now what? And this is where she tells me to go to the traffic department and pay for the infringements and then she will issue the disc. I am like, if there's a warrant of arrest out for me, what will stop the cops at the traffic department from arresting me - since I am a wanted man - she assures me that I will not be arrested, but they will arrest me at a road block if they catch me.

By that time it was too late and I decide to go home. Today - lunch time - I take some time off work to speedily rush to the traffic department to find out how much I owe and try make a payment. I am coming down John Vorster Drive from Highveld towards Lyttelton Regional Metro cops department - they are trapping and they have me doing 91km/h in a 80km/h zone. I get stopped and my disc has expired.

So I figure that today I am going to jail. So I say to this young fresh female cop [in Zulu] 'I know you will not believe me, but I am rushing to pay for my traffic fines and I am sorry for this indiscretion' ... And she looks at me and says "so you never learn, do you"?... At this point I am out of words and she asks for my licence and walks around the car.... "Ah, and an expired disc", she exclaims! I was like "I know what it looks like, but I want to pay for my fines so that I can get a new disc"... And I show her some print out from the Post Office and at this point she starts laughing at me and basically tells me to go get my **** together because when she catches me next time, she will have me locked up! We exchange smiles and I leave. Get to the Post Office and it looks like I have quite a LIST of fines, but they were only interested in only two that they have jurisdiction over - I paid some R960 and they told me to go get my disc!

What I day!! SO later I am going to get that disc renewed because I am worried that if it is not up to date - there is a clause in my insurance contract that states that this will invalidate my claim. Forgive my spelling errors, Zulu is my first language!!
Click to expand...


Just imagine if she was a Pedi or something.

You were lucky though. Its nice when they act like human beings.
 
deweyzeph said:
One thing I've learnt in life is that as jaded and cynical as I am when it comes to cops, it never hurts to be nice and friendly to them when the need arises.
Click to expand...

This. I always treat them with respect.

In November, on our way to Bela-Bela, one pulled us over. He looked and my license and his eyes lit up. He says "Hey, your name (surname) is half of mine! Nelson!" (my surname is Nel). I am sure he would not have been this polite if I was a twat to him.
 
deweyzeph said:
One thing I've learnt in life is that as jaded and cynical as I am when it comes to cops, it never hurts to be nice and friendly to them when the need arises.
Click to expand...

True. You don't always to be badass each time you're stopped by cops. Sometimes a bit of humility and humour goes a long way... They are also human!
 
Ho3n3r said:
This. I always treat them with respect.

In November, on our way to Bela-Bela, one pulled us over. He looked and my license and his eyes lit up. He says "Hey, your name (surname) is half of mine! Nelson!" (my surname is Nel). I am sure he would not have been this polite if I was a twat to him.
Click to expand...

That would make him Twatson.
 
Just sommer by the way, zulu... you have 3 weeks grace on licensing.
You will only get fined for an out of date disc from tomorrow ;)
 
Thanks for this post, reminded me to check something:

I'm always nice, still didn't stop me getting fined for driving without a license despite handing him my license. No amount of explaining that it was a Zimbabwean license(which is legal here) and that our vehicle codes are different(A,B,C instead of 1,2,3 etc), even though they are written and explained on the back of the license, would convince him that I did indeed have a valid light vehicle license. Fined me like 2k!

Anyway I accepted it and appealed, just checked now and it has indeed been cancelled.

There's really no need to get worked up, if they want they can make your life a living hell. As the AA says, "the roadside is not a courtroom", appeal later, although it can be a mission.
 
ScottulusMaximus said:
Thanks for this post, reminded me to check something:

I'm always nice, still didn't stop me getting fined for driving without a license despite handing him my license. No amount of explaining that it was a Zimbabwean license(which is legal here) and that our vehicle codes are different(A,B,C instead of 1,2,3 etc), even though they are written and explained on the back of the license, would convince him that I did indeed have a valid light vehicle license. Fined me like 2k!

Anyway I accepted it and appealed, just checked now and it has indeed been cancelled.

There's really no need to get worked up, if they want they can make your life a living hell. As the AA says, "the roadside is not a courtroom", appeal later, although it can be a mission.
Click to expand...

You can only drive on a foreign licence for 1 year after arriving in the country permanently. They can and often do ask to see your passport in order for you to prove that you have not been in the country for longer than a year.
 
deweyzeph said:
You can only drive on a foreign licence for 1 year after arriving in the country permanently. They can and often do ask to see your passport in order for you to prove that you have not been in the country for longer than a year.
Click to expand...

I wasn't in the country permanently at that stage(study visa), I am WELL aware of the laws.
 
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