Name: Lucas Michael Haas
From: North Charleston, SC
Votes: 0
THE
NEED FOR SPEED (GONE WRONG)
Teenagers
are all about speed. Faster smartphones. Racing through homework. And
getting from point A to B. But, sitting in the Town of Mt. Pleasant
Municipal Complex Courthouse, I wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Sitting among a motley of people, each hailing from different
socio-economic classes, I couldn’t help but wonder: How the hell
did I get here?
The
explanation isn’t as exciting as you’d expect. When I approached
the stand, I made my plea, “No contest, your honor,” expecting a
reduction in fine for speeding 81 in a 55. While my fine was reduced,
I’ll never forget the cold, uncompromising look of Judge Goldstein
as he explained that the six points on my license remained–unlike my
license: suspended for six months. In that moment, I’d never hated
anyone more than Judge Goldstein.
To
be fair, living without my car wasn’t that
bad…but
it was a major inconvenience. Even though I’d only been driving for
five months, I was shocked how accustomed I’d come to having a car.
I couldn’t meet up with my friends at Chick-Fil-A or make it to
soccer practices and games. It was even more of a hassle getting to
work multiple times a week. How, I wondered, had I ever lived without
my car?
The
more I adapted to an auto-less life, the more I began to think back
to the people who shared that courtroom with me, the single moms who
forgot to renew their registration, the expecting mother who
thoughtlessly drove by a stopped school bus on the way to the
hospital, and the culprits who drove without insurance. I wondered
how their lives would be affected if they lost their licenses.
Thinking
about all this, I couldn’t help but be grateful and mindful at the
same time. Grateful because I was at a time in my life when I could
lose my license without too
much
trouble. Mindful because it never hurts to remember how easy it is to
take things for granted.
So,
despite the cold glare and uncompromising attitude, I’m thankful
for Judge Goldstein’s tough love.
