A little fisking of the NYT's article:
In 2014, Leah Jackson was ticketed for obstructing traffic in Ostego, Minn., after turning left at a red light. 1 That kind of thing happens to many people. 2 But, as Ms. Jackson explained to state lawmakers in 2018 testimony, she had just started a new job and hadn’t yet received a paycheck 3, so she couldn’t pay the $135 fine right away.
A few months later, she was pulled over, told her driver’s license was suspended 4 for an unpaid ticket 5 and cited for driving with a suspended license 6 — a new $200 ticket. Her job responsibilities as a retail store manager required her to make bank runs and other deliveries, so she kept driving in order to keep her job 7. In less than a month, she received two more tickets for driving with a suspended license. After accounting for the additional tickets and the resulting increase in her monthly insurance premiums 8, her debt from the initial infraction spiraled into more than $13,000 over four and a half years.
1 Ms. Jackson broke the law, putting other people in danger.
Bad choice!2 I have never done that, nor, in nearly 50 years of driving, seen anyone do this.
3 So, she had no $$ from the paycheck at her previous job? Or had she been unemployed (or on social programs)? And, either way, didn't have the sense to obey traffic laws during financial difficulty?
Bad choice!4 She would have been notified of this, unless she had moved and not notified her DMV. And if she had received the notification, she had not done anything about it?
Bad choice!5 She had been at her job for several months and still had not paid her fine?
Bad choice!6 Ms. Jackson broke the law, knowing that, minimally, she had a long unpaid fine for a moving violation.
Bad choice!7 Ms. Jackson knowingly continued breaking the law.
Bad choices!8 Ms. Jackson had a
moving violation. And then Ms. Jackson showed she was an even worse risk by continuing to violate the law. Of course her insurance company would increase her premium!
Bad choices have consequences!eggplant (3,298 posts)
9. I'm guessing because she is poor and money is tight.
The problem is a system that punishes those people who are living paycheck to paycheck.
No, DU-Moron, the "system" punishes lawbreakers and scofflaws!
WhiskeyGrinder (5,391 posts)
17. People are pulled over all the time for non-moving violations.
And sometimes, just for the heck of it.
No, DU-Moron, she made an illegal left turn, a moving violation!