Sumter County Government - It's the Same Everywhere

[valuemkt]

most of us have seen once or a thousand times the famous Baseball skit of Abbott and Costello (who's on first ?) .. I endured a random traffic stop Saturday while returning from Spanish Springs and traveling south on Buena Vista north of 466. Asked for my license, registration and insurance, I provided the first two without incident, and, a victim of my messy glove box, found my last six years insurance card, but not the one that took effect on 4/11/18. MY bad .. Giving the officer the admitted expired one, I indicated that I had the same insurance company for x years, and surely if they did a lookup would find it was current. During the 15 minute wait I found the current insurance.. When he returned, he indicated that I was being given a citation, and it was too late for him to rip up the citation. That's the set-up to the skit.

He kindly told me that to clear this citation (it was NOT a ticket), I just needed to go to the Public Safety Building - where the firehouse is- on Morse Blvd, show them the card, and pay a ten dollar fine.

Simple enough., I thanked him, and continued my journey home.

So today, Tuesday, I embarked upon the simple task of clearing this citation.

A friendly lady responded to the buzzer in the lobby of said building, and I explained why i was there and could she nicely take care of this for me. She responded with a cheerful .. oh my, we don;t handle things like this here, you need to go to one of the Sunter Country government buildings .. you have a choice of two around here,,One, at the intersection of 466A and powell road - a nice new building in back fot he walgreens, and the other,over the bridge on morse at the intersection of 466.

Given that 466A and powell was more convenient for me, I trekked over there, confident that I would rapidly take care of this. I entered into what appeared to be a modernized version of a DMV and was again greeted by a very cheerful woman, who upon hearing my story gave me a number and asked me to sit and watch the screen or my number to appear. a short ten minutes later my number appeared and confidently I went to station 16 to pay my fine.

Upon hearing my story, the woman sypathetically told me I was again in the wrong place, that I needed to go to the Clerk of the Courts to pay my fine. And I had two options taht she could think of .. drive to Bushnell, where ever that might be (she indicated 20 miles or so down the road apiece), or the aforementioned Morse Blvd and Rt 466 location.. probably ten miles in a more convenient direction,. She looked up and printed out directions, as by this time my yearn for adventure was over.

Upon entering the building and being guided to said Clerk by a very accommodating gentleman, the clerk assured me that I had come to the right place. Confidently once again, I handed her my citation and proof of insurance, She looked up at me and said .. SORRY this incident ha NOT made it into our system - there's nothing I can do for you today.

She told me I had two options. One was to come back in a few days .. when it SHOULD be in the system .. The second was to mail a copy of my citation, proof of insurance and a MONEY ORDER to the Clerk of the Courts in BUSHNELL FL. I chose Door number 2 again, and she very nicely made a copy of both and even gave me an official looking envelope addressed to Bushnell FL.

I again mentioned that the sheriff had directed me to the wrong building to start this journey, and since they occupied the same building as she did, do they ever communicate issues like this to prevent confusion - the response was .. we talk to the lieutenant all the time, but that rarely does any good.

She then gave me admonishment ONE - if you mail that in, I still advise you call me with your citation number a few days later to make sure the mail got there and they processed it. You know how the mail is these days ..

I smiled and thanked her and as I walked away, she said in a louder voice - with admonishment 2. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE OF THIS WITHIN 30 DAYS ! To Which I replied, in a louder voice - I Tried to take care of it in 2 days .. and left

So, all the government workers from police officers to public safety to DMV to Clerk of Court goes home thinking they did their job just fine ., two plus hours later the fine isnt paid, a trip to the bank for a money order is necessary etc.

The moral of the story - Clean your friggin glove compartment out.

[My Post]

WOW.
Sad but not surprised.
The layers of Gov't and a run in with Barney Fife...I would need a nice vodka gimlet if I were you.

And yes let's make Gov't BIGGER!!!:ohdear:

[Viperguy]

I can get a copy of my current insurance card anytime on my phone from USAA. Wonder if the cop would take that as proof? I usually forget to print it out and put it in the car too.

[MSchad]

I'm sorry for your problems, it must be frustrating to say the least. But you do tell a good story!

[patfla06]

Unbelievable! 😳

[asianthree]

I can get a copy of my current insurance card anytime on my phone from USAA. Wonder if the cop would take that as proof? I usually forget to print it out and put it in the car too.

It depends on officer. I find the younger officers take the phone app with no problem. An older one not a chance mumbled not good enough and going to my car to write ticket for no proof. I said you don’t need to make the trip here is a hard copy. Didn’t make his day...but no ticket

[Toymeister]

Captain Obvious here

You were in the wrong by not being able to produce this document. The part to correct your mistake is never designed to be easy or efficient. Surely as a result of this experience it will never happen to you again.

I say the system works remarkably well!

[Fraugoofy]

I can get a copy of my current insurance card anytime on my phone from USAA. Wonder if the cop would take that as proof? I usually forget to print it out and put it in the car too.I do, too.

Sent from my SM-N920R4 using Tapatalk

[Taltarzac725]

most of us have seen once or a thousand times the famous Baseball skit of Abbott and Costello (who's on first ?) .. I endured a random traffic stop Saturday while returning from Spanish Springs and traveling south on Buena Vista north of 466. Asked for my license, registration and insurance, I provided the first two without incident, and, a victim of my messy glove box, found my last six years insurance card, but not the one that took effect on 4/11/18. MY bad .. Giving the officer the admitted expired one, I indicated that I had the same insurance company for x years, and surely if they did a lookup would find it was current. During the 15 minute wait I found the current insurance.. When he returned, he indicated that I was being given a citation, and it was too late for him to rip up the citation. That's the set-up to the skit.

He kindly told me that to clear this citation (it was NOT a ticket), I just needed to go to the Public Safety Building - where the firehouse is- on Morse Blvd, show them the card, and pay a ten dollar fine.

Simple enough., I thanked him, and continued my journey home.

So today, Tuesday, I embarked upon the simple task of clearing this citation.

A friendly lady responded to the buzzer in the lobby of said building, and I explained why i was there and could she nicely take care of this for me. She responded with a cheerful .. oh my, we don;t handle things like this here, you need to go to one of the Sunter Country government buildings .. you have a choice of two around here,,One, at the intersection of 466A and powell road - a nice new building in back fot he walgreens, and the other,over the bridge on morse at the intersection of 466.

Given that 466A and powell was more convenient for me, I trekked over there, confident that I would rapidly take care of this. I entered into what appeared to be a modernized version of a DMV and was again greeted by a very cheerful woman, who upon hearing my story gave me a number and asked me to sit and watch the screen or my number to appear. a short ten minutes later my number appeared and confidently I went to station 16 to pay my fine.

Upon hearing my story, the woman sypathetically told me I was again in the wrong place, that I needed to go to the Clerk of the Courts to pay my fine. And I had two options taht she could think of .. drive to Bushnell, where ever that might be (she indicated 20 miles or so down the road apiece), or the aforementioned Morse Blvd and Rt 466 location.. probably ten miles in a more convenient direction,. She looked up and printed out directions, as by this time my yearn for adventure was over.

Upon entering the building and being guided to said Clerk by a very accommodating gentleman, the clerk assured me that I had come to the right place. Confidently once again, I handed her my citation and proof of insurance, She looked up at me and said .. SORRY this incident ha NOT made it into our system - there's nothing I can do for you today.

She told me I had two options. One was to come back in a few days .. when it SHOULD be in the system .. The second was to mail a copy of my citation, proof of insurance and a MONEY ORDER to the Clerk of the Courts in BUSHNELL FL. I chose Door number 2 again, and she very nicely made a copy of both and even gave me an official looking envelope addressed to Bushnell FL.

I again mentioned that the sheriff had directed me to the wrong building to start this journey, and since they occupied the same building as she did, do they ever communicate issues like this to prevent confusion - the response was .. we talk to the lieutenant all the time, but that rarely does any good.

She then gave me admonishment ONE - if you mail that in, I still advise you call me with your citation number a few days later to make sure the mail got there and they processed it. You know how the mail is these days ..

I smiled and thanked her and as I walked away, she said in a louder voice - with admonishment 2. MAKE SURE YOU TAKE OF THIS WITHIN 30 DAYS ! To Which I replied, in a louder voice - I Tried to take care of it in 2 days .. and left

So, all the government workers from police officers to public safety to DMV to Clerk of Court goes home thinking they did their job just fine ., two plus hours later the fine isnt paid, a trip to the bank for a money order is necessary etc.

The moral of the story - Clean your friggin glove compartment out.

That sounds typical of government bureaucracy. Once in a while you will find a County or other employee that will help you jump rope over it. Especially if that person knows the ropes.

[Ronnie61]

To the ToyMeister, hope you don’t run Santa’s toy workshop. Last I checked, paying your fine or I mean the dollar amount was considered the punishment, not spending 2-3 days doing it. Obviously you don’t believe in government that serves its citizens.

[blueash]

I don't see that you violated any law at all and doubt that whatever piece of paper the officer said he could not void fails to show any violation of any statute.
Here (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.646.html) is the Florida law on production of proof of insurance to an officer. There is nothing in that statute that says you only have five minutes or fifteen minutes to find your documentation.
It also covers the issue of having your documents on your electronic device, which is completely fine. It even states that your presentation of the electronic device to the cop does not allow him or her to look at any other information on the phone. Strangely it also says any damage caused by the cop to your phone is not his fault.

I am quite sure there is a well established procedure for a cop to correct an error in a citation and that should have been done in your case. You did nothing wrong. A sloppy glove box is not a violation, nor is taking your time to carefully search for the "papers please" The fault lies elsewhere.

[Toymeister]

To the ToyMeister, hope you don’t run Santa’s toy workshop. Last I checked, paying your fine or I mean the dollar amount was considered the punishment, not spending 2-3 days doing it. Obviously you don’t believe in government that serves its citizens.
If I were the OP I would be mad as well, however, I would eventually come to terms that this inconvenience was because of my actions.

[Bill32]

As bad as the local bureaucracy can be at times i'll still take the Florida DMV over the Long Island DMV anytime!!....;)

[Chatbrat]

Based upon what the minimum insurance requirements are in Fl, IMHO--there is no real difference between having insurance and not

The real reason to have insurance is to protect my wife and myself and our assets--not to protect others

[Rapscallion St Croix]

I had a similar situation except the Sumter County Deputy allowed me to call my agent and have them email me proof of insurance. I did get a ticket for my driving offense, and paid it on 466 @ Morse with no problem.

[Carl in Tampa]

I don't see that you violated any law at all and doubt that whatever piece of paper the officer said he could not void fails to show any violation of any statute.
Here (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.646.html) is the Florida law on production of proof of insurance to an officer. There is nothing in that statute that says you only have five minutes or fifteen minutes to find your documentation.
It also covers the issue of having your documents on your electronic device, which is completely fine. It even states that your presentation of the electronic device to the cop does not allow him or her to look at any other information on the phone. Strangely it also says any damage caused by the cop to your phone is not his fault.

I am quite sure there is a well established procedure for a cop to correct an error in a citation and that should have been done in your case. You did nothing wrong. A sloppy glove box is not a violation, nor is taking your time to carefully search for the "papers please" The fault lies elsewhere.

Well, perhaps there is no time limit, given in minutes, listed in the law. But, the law says "... shall have in his or her immediate possession at all times while operating such motor vehicle proper proof of maintenance of the required security. That carries the implication that there should be no undue delay in producing the document. I would expect that most courts would consider 15 minutes an undue delay.

Now, once a citation is written it cannot be voided on the spot. This rule was established decades ago to guard against shakedowns of drivers by dishonest cops who would accept bribes to void tickets.

[Kahuna32162]

I just logged onto Progressive and printed my current proof of insurance, Thanks!

[retiredguy123]

The real problem is that the law about having insurance does not have an effective enforcement system. Why not require the insurance companies to issue a sticker to display in the car window or on the tag, so that anyone can verify that the car is insured?

[CWGUY]

The real problem is that the law about having insurance does not have an effective enforcement system. Why not require the insurance companies to issue a sticker to display in the car window or on the tag, so that anyone can verify that the car is insured?

:shrug: Wouldn't that only verify they were issued a sticker? Insurance could have been canceled the next day and the sticker is still affixed to the car.:oops:

[retiredguy123]

:shrug: Wouldn't that only verify they were issued a sticker? Insurance could have been canceled the next day and the sticker is still affixed to the car.:oops:
The same thing can happen if you show the policeman an insurance card. But the sticker would prove that the policy was paid for and I don't believe the insurance company can cancel a paid up policy. You need to display the tag sticker on your plate that proves you paid the tag fee. Isn't that the same thing?

[patfla06]

As bad as the local bureaucracy can be at times i'll still take the Florida DMV over the Long Island DMV anytime!!....;)

Yeah and at least here they’re nice!

But you have to love his story. No one seems
to be able to get him to the right place -you just
have to shake your head.

[ColdNoMore]

I don't see that you violated any law at all and doubt that whatever piece of paper the officer said he could not void fails to show any violation of any statute.

Here (http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0300-0399/0316/Sections/0316.646.html) is the Florida law on production of proof of insurance to an officer. There is nothing in that statute that says you only have five minutes or fifteen minutes to find your documentation.

It also covers the issue of having your documents on your electronic device, which is completely fine. It even states that your presentation of the electronic device to the cop does not allow him or her to look at any other information on the phone. Strangely it also says any damage caused by the cop to your phone is not his fault.

I am quite sure there is a well established procedure for a cop to correct an error in a citation and that should have been done in your case. You did nothing wrong. A sloppy glove box is not a violation, nor is taking your time to carefully search for the "papers please" The fault lies elsewhere.

Thanks for providing a link...to the facts. :thumbup:

[CWGUY]

The real problem is that the law about having insurance does not have an effective enforcement system. Why not require the insurance companies to issue a sticker to display in the car window or on the tag, so that anyone can verify that the car is insured?

I agree. There is a problem,but I just don't think a sticker will work better than a card.

:shrug: Wouldn't that only verify they were issued a sticker? Insurance could have been canceled the next day and the sticker is still affixed to the car.:oops:

We have a card in our "messy glovebox" to show proof now.



The same thing can happen if you show the policeman an insurance card. But the sticker would prove that the policy was paid for and I don't believe the insurance company can cancel a paid up policy. You need to display the tag sticker on your plate that proves you paid the tag fee. Isn't that the same thing?

Thanks for making my point! How will it prove more than a card?:oops:

[retiredguy123]

I agree. There is a problem,but I just don't think a sticker will work better than a card.



We have a card in our "messy glovebox" to show proof now.





Thanks for making my point! How will it prove more than a card?:oops:
Apparently, about 25 percent of drivers in Florida are driving without car insurance. However, I rarely see a car without a current sticker on the tag. So, they are paying for the tag, but not for the insurance. It seems to me that paying the police to stop drivers and ask to see an insurance card is very inefficient. The same information displayed on a sticker would allow anyone to see if the car was actually insured or not without requiring them to weed through the glove box. Wouldn't this increase compliance?

[Henryk]

Value, I feel your pain. The truth is if your insurance were revoked or canceled, DMV would be notified almost immediately and the cop would have known. Another unfortunate incident of STUPID cop. They do not like to be shown wrong.

[CWGUY]

Value, I feel your pain. The truth is if your insurance were revoked or canceled, DMV would be notified almost immediately and the cop would have known. Another unfortunate incident of STUPID cop. They do not like to be shown wrong.

:loco: That being said..... I don't feel your pain. :icon_bored: