WARNING! Why didn't ANYONE tell me.... (Charlotte, King: transplants, house, live in)

[eve11706]

I just want to relate my experience since my move to NC. It's been a year now and I think it's important that others from other states who move here hear this story...

Short Version:
Hubby wrote a check to gas station. (Surprise to us. We never knew a gas station would receive a check.) This was when gas prices $4.00 p/gallon. Well, checked bounced and delayed/ignored/forgot to pay bill. Months roll by ignoring notices regarding this thinking bank will take care of it. Letter from the county to go to court. Thinking he'll pay it (never did) Knock on the door it's a police officer. It's 6:45 am. I thought it was a joke. I asked to see his ID and the police officer just showed me his uniform. OK?! Hubby gets arrested for warrant "failure to appear to court for a bounce check." Where I'm from you just keep getting billed. You will never get a knock on your door for a bounce check or nonetheless get arrested.

Part two of poor hubby's experience:
Hubby gets arrested again! LOL. I tell him what did you do this time. Well, he went to court to show our tags were no longer expired but didn't bring his license. He got a ticket for expired tags and no license. They drop the charge of expired tags but had to return to court for his license. He FORGOT and never went back. Knock on our day again. This time it's 7:15 am. Hubby gets arrested for failure to appear in court. But he did officer! Well, he needed to go back for his license and never did. So now he has a new court date. Had to pay BOND. Which I was not familiared with. Had to research what the heck is a BOND? How do I get my money back? Is it better to get a bondsmen or pay the bond at the court?

Anyhow the lesson here:
DON'T MISS ANY OF YOUR COURT DATES HERE! THEY WILL ARREST YOU! Even if it's minut they will knock on your door. It's embarressing and humbling experience.

I've also learned after sharing this story with co-workers that if you pay a bond and the person you paid the bond for doesn't go to court. The payee will get arrested! So if my hubby FORGETS to miss his court date I will get arrrested. I found this interesting.

We're from NY. Hubby has gotten plenty of stupid tickets because he's ________. (Numerous things you can put in that blank) Tickets for no seatbelt. Tickets for talking on his cell. Tickets for parking meter expired! So yes I think now he has finally learned his lesson since his move here to NC. The law is different here. Maybe because there's less people that they have the time to deal with arresting people for petty charges. The cops in NY DO NOT COME KNOCKING on your door for a warrant as such. (They only catch you during a traffic violation and then you go to court. Which can take years.)

So to my dear folks moving here or who have moved here. I'll repeat DON'T MISS YOUR COURTDATES. And make sure if you pay bond for your dear loved one that they go to court.

Oh by the way I've also learned that if you file a charge on someone for hitting you and decide not to press charges. The county has the right to charge you for falseiphying (spelling) charges and will arrest you! If you fail to appear in court they don't drop the charges they will arrest you!

[Jake Ryan]

So basically you're warning everyone that they should follow the law and do what they're supposed to?

[Hoagie58]

I look at it this way- At least they arrested him at his house. How convenient is that?? If he'd been arrested during a traffic stop, you'd have had all of those expenses, plus a towing charge. See? They saved you money!!

Kidding aside- you dont really expect us to believe that you thought a bounced check would just go away, did you? Thought the bank would pay it? After it goes through a second time, checks ALWAYS get returned. I'm glad you were all given this educational opportunity! Now you can share it with friends.

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by eve11706

Where I'm from ...

Oh, dear

I guess you haven't been tutored by other transplants, or ignored their warning. That's one phrase you need to wipe from your vocabulary - pronto. Else you'll find yourself being told to just go back from wherever you came.

Except in the transplant enclaves, where the ghetto-ized populants gather to commiserate how things "aren't like where I came from", what you've just written is practically the A-#1 rudest phrase you can use.

Just a gentle admonishment from a fellow transplant

[Robin2007]

Sorry that you had to go through this. It seems that this could have been handled in a much more civilized way. After all, they have no problem letting the dangerous criminals back on the street w/out a second thought.

Warning...the speeding ticket situation is CRAZY here as well so make sure you research that before either of you get one. Even if you aren't speeding but a Police Officer decides that you are...it will cost you.

[silverwing]

Originally Posted by Robin2007

Warning...the speeding ticket situation is CRAZY here as well so make sure you research that before either of you get one. Even if you aren't speeding but a Police Officer decides that you are...it will cost you.

And the suckers turn up in the oddest places. We live in a rural community where most of the traffic is made up of tractors and hay loaders trundling down our quiet lanes. I've been boggled the last few weeks at the number of state troopers prowling the area and handing out tickets. I need to get down to the beauty shop and ask for the latest gossip about the area (best place next to the barber's shop for local scuttlebutt ). There must be something going on we don't know about

[cagman]

Why did he write a bad check?

In my buisness, I stopped taking checks from individuals. But when I used to, I'd always go straight from their house to their bank and cash the check before I send my product to them. You'd be surprised how many people write bad checks. I'd say 1 out of 5 checks I ever got were bad. It got to the point where I was shocked when a bank teller actually started to reach for the money to pay me. I have no sympathy for people who write bad checks.

[businessperson]

Sounds like your hubby is a slow learner. There is a law against writing worthless checks and a penalty for failure to appear.

[mullman]

Sounds like someone does not like to play by the rules...

It's not Charlotte's fault.

[emagine]

delayed/ignored/forgot to pay bill

Mistake 1 --- Sorry cant point the finger some where else on this one.