UPDATE: I have received so many comments on this post that I will have to run at least two separate posts to get them all in. More on that later.
I am running my letter to the editor I just sent to the Manchester (New Hampshire) Union Leader newspaper. I highly doubt they will run it, but it did make me feel better.
I have had a home in New Hampshire for many years. My family has been coming to New Hampshire for well over 100 years. I used to think New Hampshire was a breath of fresh air compared to the bureaucratic nonsense that goes on in Connecticut.
Every time I felt overwhelmed and wanted an escape to enjoy peace and quiet in a state that I thought treated you with dignity and respect-I would get in my car and go to New Hampshire.
Well, It will be a cold day in hell if and when I ever return to the land of missing teeth and trailer park living AGAIN!!
New Hampshire CLAIMS it is LIVE FREE OR DIE. Honestly it should be LIVE FREE OR DIE, NOT EXACTLY, or LIVE FREE OR DIE WHEN IT SUITS US!!This is a state that allows people to drive with no insurance, and no seatbelts, blow off fireworks that can endanger others lives, whenever they want, have a lack effect on liquor, (the STATE OWNS AND OPERATES THE LIQUOR STORES), shoot guns on their property when they want, but they will deny a person their due process rights when it comes to a civil traffic ticket.
I thought Connecticut was hard. This state is WORSE.My friend gets a ticket in July and it TAKES THREE MONTHS to notify him of his date with the prosecutor WHO IS A POLICE OFFICER. In Connecticut and most other states that have indoor plumbing, the prosecutor is a STATES ATTORNEY!!
To make matters worse, one can only meet with the prosecutor ONCE A MONTH because it is voluntary in New Hampshire. You don’t have to meet with the prosecutor. If you cannot make that date, TOO BAD!! You then get sent a trial date.
I wonder why you only have meetings with the prosecutor once a month? Do they have to travel by chuck wagon to the other towns?
If and when you do try to contact Motor Vehicles, no one answers the phone and I called several numbers. Did you run out of telephone poles or what??
I am staying in Connecticut where at least our IQ is past our shoe size!! At least they answer the phone at motor vehicles, don’t allow people to drive without insurance, don’t allow people to shoot guns off on their property or blow their heads off or a neighbors heads off with fireworks that are ILLEGAL in just about every other First World state. Then the New Hampshire Government has the nerve to say my friend may have compromised public safety by traveling 45 in a 35 zone. I DONT THINK SO!!
No wonder they call New Hampshire the GRANITE STATE!!!Signed
Cynthia A Kleist
FORMER New Hampsha (they can’t even talk right) resident.
I am bringing this issue of receiving a traffic ticket up again because a friend received a ticket in New Hampshire. Now they do things a bit differently up there. The Police Department issues the ticket and if you plead “not guilty” they also issue the letter telling you when to go to court!! Believe it or not.
The State of New Hampshire has between 30 and 45 days to issue you a court date which is also strange. Have these people ever heard of speedy trial or due process?? I guess not!!
Plus, when you go to court and argue, you really have to be laid back. You can’t get in their face like here in Connecticut. That is offensive. Stating your case calmly, WHICH I CAN DO BELIEVE IT OR NOT!! and sticking to the facts, MY FACTS, NOT THEIRS is the order of the day.
Now my friend has a meeting with the prosecutor on Oct. 10 at 8:30 a..m in Manchester, New Hampshire. Keep in mind, my friend LIVES in Connecticut, so it takes at least three hours to get from the Cheshire area to Manchester New Hampshire one way. Oh God, we ought to be in a delightful mood that day!!
Now I am going with my friend to argue the case that all traffic tickets are illegal. unless there is a cause and effect associated with the issuance of the ticket; i.e. there has to have been damage or harm incurred as a result of the action associated with the issuance of that ticket.
I have played that Marc Stevens video many times from YouTube where he essentially states the same logic. The duty of our Government,which is represented in part by our Legal System, is to PROTECT an individuals rights. So, where does issuing a “complaint” ticket, for something like speeding or traveling unreasonably fast fit in with protecting an individuals rights.?
It fits in when there has been HARM or DAMAGE. A ticket cannot be issued unless SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED–CAUSE AND EFFECT. This means harm or damage. “You were speeding and hit a light pole and caused “DAMAGE.”
You were traveling unreasonably fast, lost control of the car and crashed into another car, damaged property, like you hit mailbox, or hit a pedestrian. YOU CAUSED DAMAGE. YOU CAUSED HARM.
Bottom line, no harm, no foul in PLAIN ENGLISH.
The only reason for traffic courts is to take your money away from you, as Marc Stevens alludes to. A complaint ticket cannot be issued IF NOTHING HAPPENED!! I know I am going to hear from lawyers and prosecutors on this one but think about it. If you don’t wear a seat belt–WHOM ARE YOU HARMING?? If you did not fully stop at a stop sign, but were careful and proceeded with caution and CAUSED NO HARM-WHAT IS WRONG??
Can a person be arrested and charged with murder if that person did not commit murder or HARM?? NO!! Can a person be arrested, or issued a ticket for shoplifting, if no merchandise was taken?? NO!! I know this is difficult to comprehend because we all have been brainwashed by our government, but so what if someone drove 40 in a 25 if NO HARM WAS DONE??
“Oh that isn’t right” WHY?? That is like saying I can be arrested for murder because a murder “might happen” because I am carrying a gun or a knife for that matter.
That is like being arrested and charged with shoplifting because I went into a department store with a large empty bag. “Something might get stolen.”" NO WAY!!
You are arrested for assault because you assaulted and INJURED, HARMED someone. You are arrested for murder because you HARMED someone. You are arrested for destruction of property because you “HARMED” There are physical injuries and property DAMAGE!!
How many times in civil court have people “sued for damages” and the court has determined there are no damages. Example: you sue for slander, the oral defamation of character, but end up becoming the CEO of McDonnell Douglas and go from a $30,000 a year salary to a $1.2 million a year salary. Guess what–NO SLANDER, even if the person called you every lie in the book!! WHY?? NO DAMAGE, NO HARM!!
Our laws are all bent out of shape. And we are so used to it, and so much money is made from it, that we just take it for granted. Now making noise can be a criminal offense if it occurs lets say, after 11 p.m. and it OFFENDS OR HARMS SOMEONE, prevents them from sleeping or relaxing in their homes. Just going out and screaming at 2 p.m. in the afternoon, is not HARMFUL. If no one complains, then so be it!!
After I studied this way of thinking, I agreed with it more and more. And no, I am not MAKING EXCUSES. I obey the laws. But if you really sit down and think about it and research, this does make sense.
The best example I can give about this type of rationale is Montreal, of all places. Now as most of you know, Montreal is pretty laid back. I have seen people smoking pot, drinking, yelling staggering whatever. But the police really do not get involved there UNLESS SOMEONE COMPLAINS OR SOMEONE IS HARMED OR DAMAGE IS CAUSED.
You see this seems as if I am condoning drinking or doing drugs or speeding. I am not. Because eventually, you probably will end up harming someone like yourself physically or getting into trouble. But bottom line you can’t charge people with things because SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN!! I know this will provoke arguments and dissenting opinions but that is good for the soul. It makes you think whether you agree with it or not.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Now I did receive some chatter from people who wanted to know what is going on with the Cheshire Police Officer Robert Regan who was CHARGED, with sexual assault 4th Degree and Risk of Injury to A Child.
I called the Waterbury Court and he is scheduled to go to trial sometime this year!! I called the court because I had heard gossip and wanted to make sure I had my facts straight. I don’t like raking people over the coals so I wanted to get the info from the horses mouth.
NOW REMEMBER:THIS MAN IS INNOCENT until proven guilty.
Here is a related (somewhat) story out of Norwalk where the officer was fired, not put on desk duty.
Someone’s personality or demeanor does not make him or her guilty. THIS IS WHAT COURT IS FOR. TO PROTECT A PERSONS RIGHTS WHEN HARM IS ALLEGED!!
And the person who hit my vehicle on ALLEGED DRUNK DRIVING and ALLEGEDLY EVADING RESPONSIBILITY AND EVADING POLICE, Mr. Shea, was scheduled to go to court Oct. 1.
The States Attorneys office did contact me several times. I told them the truth. I WAS NOT INJURED and the damage to my vehicle was swiftly taken care of by the defendants insurance. See now here is where a ticket SHOULD HAVE AND WAS ISSUED. DAMAGE AND HARM WAS DONE!!
Now I know what a lot of you will say. What about a person weaving all over the road. In that case, I would call the police. Let the police pull over the person driving and determine if it is a medical issue or a drinking or drug related issue. If a drug or alcohol test is given and the person is under the influence, then HARM was done and a ticket should be issued. Otherwise, the person should be taken off the road and driven home or have another person drive that person home or to the hospital if it is a medical situation.
We have ticket itis in this country and it seems like people are going just as fast as ever!! You do it. You slow down when you see the cop and then right after you are out of radar range you—yes, speed right back up now don’t you.
Much to my surprise, I guess the two other big gathering spots in town besides the Notch, is the Everybodys Coffee Bar area in the back of the store near the pastries, and the other big spot for local government officials seems to be that One Stop Convenience Store located in that little strip plaza across from Staples.
My husband says he sees our law enforcement officials and some town government officials in there. Now that he mentioned it, I notice I see black and whites pulling up there quite often. I guess maybe they serve a mean cup of coffee there. I know there is no place to sit , so I can’t figure out why they would go there. (Well, I can but it is only speculation). You know my inquiring mind. Whatever.
I know our Town Councilor Tim White will like this one: apparently Salem, Connecticut residents will be able to partake in their town government meetings in real time. They will be able to tune in on their televisions and through an Internet connection. They also will be ABLE TO EMAIL QUESTIONS WHILE THE MEETING IS TAKING PLACE!!
Could you see that happening in Cheshire, especially emailing the questions live? NO!! Why?? Because:
“This is not the time and place to be asking that question” !!!
And finally, a book about the Petit Home Invasion murders was released a few days ago. I don’t know what to think but I know that homeboy don’t have the info I HAVE. But you know from the old UTH For Members Only what went down. For real. Talk about exploiting a sad situation. Give it up!! Where did he get his info, the Town Managers Office!! LOL I mean like GET A REAL JOB!! Making money off of peoples pain and suffering. NASTY!!
