Common offenses and their punishments: Through experience

[MattGSX]

I thought it might be a good idea to get a couple of these out of the way so people don't post about them later.

These are offenses that you have little/no chance of getting away with:

1) Not paying parking tickets - Whoever owns your vehicle will get the registration suspended, and, in some cases, get their liscence suspended. Not a good thing, especially if that's you/your parents.
2) Unpaid speeding tickets/fines = Warrent out for your arrest. The police got your name and not just your liscence plate # this time, remember?
3) Credit card fraud - There are few people who get away with this, and many who do will soon get caught because of how often they do it. Nobody just cards merch "once in a while", and repeating the same actions will start you on the road to getting busted.
4) Not returning library books - If your library is a bit bigger, you'll probably get the overdue balance forwarded to a collection agency. At least, that's what just happened to me.

Notice how these are all "not paying" style offenses. I happen to know those because I got really far behind on bills for a couple of months and the hounds all just came out at the same time. Not a good thing to happen.

Another one would be writing bad checks. Not only will your bank rape you (assuming it's still an open checking account) but you might even get to go to court if either the bank or the businesses sue you. ROCK!

[.]

add Jaywalking

[MattGSX]

Yeah, I forgot about Jaywalking. But you don't usually get in too much trouble for that unless the cop is a total jerk.

Come to think of it, I've gotten yelled at for jaywalking, but never a ticket.

[Raptor]

what about punishments for crimes such as:

Owning/using a redbox

Beigeboxing

Putting a PLA sticker on a payphone

Prank calling someone on skype

Prank calling someone with IP relay

Uploading goatse to the fourms?

 

[MattGSX]

One and two are both toll fraud. That can mean federal pound me in the ass prison or just a long stint of probation for a minor.
Three is publicity, which may be unwanted depending if stickering is the only thing done to/with said payphone.
Four and Five are both harrassment if somehow caught. It's a felony if done interstate. Check state laws.
Six had better get you banned from the forums. If I had the power to ban, it would be.

[silentneep]

Putting a PLA sticker on a payphone might get some kind of petty vandalism charge, if someone really wants to stick it to you.  I seriously doubt it would happen considering all those "this phone is tapped" stickers that don't solicit any legal action, but it's probably worth noting that there is a charge that could be put against you.

[rbcp]

Putting a PLA sticker on a payphone might get some kind of petty vandalism charge, if someone really wants to stick it to you.  I seriously doubt it would happen considering all those "this phone is tapped" stickers that don't solicit any legal action, but it's probably worth noting that there is a charge that could be put against you.

Don't forget all the cab companies and tow truck companies that plaster their stickers all over pay phones.  I doubt they ever get in trouble for that.

[Solvent]

How about those terrible traffic offenses??? Changing lanes without indicating? Exceeding the speed limit by 1.5 mph?

About the cops. They are humans - 'eye' know it's hard to believe - and they usually use the 'attitude test' for shitty little offenses - give them a lil' respect and they'll let you slide...

[mrpeanut]

so they're humans who get off on having power over other humans.

giving cops power has stopped revolution.

[Solvent]

it might sound like a cliché, but if you don't like the cops (at all) next time you're in trouble call a pothead... Starting from the English office of Constable, police were given power to prevent offenses against the peace (of the Queen or the people nowadays). They were given power by the people to look after the people. They should (and most of them) don't take sides just enforce the law. They are not making the law, that's something the Congress does...

I don't know if you're just being sarcastic or you genuinely can't stand them, so I leave it at that...

[Raptor]

Dude the first letter of your name is 12 letters off

[Tachyon]

Five to the right, qwertywise.

[Raptor]

Six had better get you banned from the forums. If I had the power to ban, it would be.

[RijilV]

Yeah, I forgot about Jaywalking. But you don't usually get in too much trouble for that unless the cop is a total jerk.

Come to think of it, I've gotten yelled at for jaywalking, but never a ticket.

FWIW, in seattle the police spend a tremendous amount of effort busting people for jay walking.  We have motor cycle, bicycle, and foot patrol that when there isn't a black person downtown are busy writing up whitey for a jumping the gun on the walk sign.  Very odd for a large city, and I'd have more skepticism about it but I worked outside downtown for three years and I can't count how many people I saw getting a ticket..

[splynt0r]

Yeah, I forgot about Jaywalking. But you don't usually get in too much trouble for that unless the cop is a total jerk.

Come to think of it, I've gotten yelled at for jaywalking, but never a ticket.

FWIW, in seattle the police spend a tremendous amount of effort busting people for jay walking.  We have motor cycle, bicycle, and foot patrol that when there isn't a black person downtown are busy writing up whitey for a jumping the gun on the walk sign.  Very odd for a large city, and I'd have more skepticism about it but I worked outside downtown for three years and I can't count how many people I saw getting a ticket..

I'm still amazed that jaywalking is an offense in the states, In all the European city's I have been in I have never been ticketed for Jaywalking.