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(Quad City Times) Obvious "Man tries to pay old traffic ticket in pennies". If you've been on Fark for more than a week, you know why it's "tries" and not "succeeds"   (qctimes.com) divider line 82
More: Obvious, traffic tickets, Iowa Department of Transportation, Clinton County, Scott County Courthouse, Ron Seys  
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7403 clicks; posted to Main » on 04 Nov 2011 at 9:32 AM   |  Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook   more»   |    Get this fabulous T-Shirt and impress the methane out of your friends! shirt it!



82 Comments   (+0 »)
   

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2011-11-04 12:25:43 AM
I do find it confusing that a limit can be placed on the amount of coins used for legal tender, especially considering the fee is state mandated.
 
2011-11-04 09:24:31 AM
My brain kept replacing 'pennies' with 'penises,' and continued to do so for at least through the first paragraph of the article. "Why is he paying them with penises? What kind? Is he Chinese?"

It's going to be a long Friday.
 
2011-11-04 09:36:53 AM
So, it turns out the pennies not mightier.
 
2011-11-04 09:37:24 AM
He should have used nickels.
 
2011-11-04 09:38:15 AM
Frederick: I do find it confusing that a limit can be placed on the amount of coins used for legal tender, especially considering the fee is state mandated.

It's because of idiots like this.
 
2011-11-04 09:38:28 AM
He could've used nickels. It's still nearly 2000 of them.
 
2011-11-04 09:38:55 AM
What a farking idiot. Leave the poor secretary girl alone, she doesn't want to count your change. She's already working 9-3, has a furlough every other Friday, pulling in 25k a year to do shiatty clerical work.

You got a fine in '96 and never paid it. You fell through the cracks. It's supposed to be forgiven? How about them not penalizing you for being fifteen years late?
 
2011-11-04 09:41:23 AM
If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.
 
2011-11-04 09:41:25 AM
So a guy gets a ticket, doesn't pay it, get's told he has to, get's angry and tries to "make a point" to the cops?

What's his Fark handle?
 
2011-11-04 09:41:27 AM
Ass pennies ?
 
2011-11-04 09:43:11 AM
"Did I do this on purpose? Yes, I did, to make a point," Seys said afterward.

To make the point that you're a churlish, vindictive asshole with no personal responsibility? Well done, point taken.
 
2011-11-04 09:44:33 AM
Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

agreed. If pennies aren't a valid means of payment, then get rid of them.
 
2011-11-04 09:44:43 AM
Ohhh one of these guys. And yet again a news agency is there to give him the attention he craves.
 
2011-11-04 09:46:29 AM
Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

So when you go to 7-11 to buy a six-pack with a one hundred dollar bill and they won't take it.....is that free beer?
 
2011-11-04 09:46:41 AM
As usual, if you're an adult and your cunning plan sounds like something a ten-year-old would think was way awesome and totally rebellious and will blow people's minds, dude, it isn't and you shouldn't do it.
 
2011-11-04 09:47:10 AM
If he'd left them in the rolls, I'd be on his side, but he dumped that shiat all over the damned place so I'm on the side of that poor clerk. You want to make them haul the pennies to the bank with their next deposit, fine, but don't be a complete tool about it and make people crawl around picking up pennies.
 
2011-11-04 09:48:38 AM
Frederick: I do find it confusing that a limit can be placed on the amount of coins used for legal tender, especially considering the fee is state mandated.

Ah, but the key here is that he was not using it for legal tender but for a political statement. That is why he would have been given a harassment charge, if he had not vacate the premises.

More then that their was no contract or tender agreement in this case that would force the recipient to accept the pennies. While they are by law a form of legal tender, which means they are recognized as a means to cancel debt and must be accept as a means to cancel contracted debt, the clerk does not have to accept that form, because their was no contract. They can not accept any non-legal tender, i.e. foreign currency, trade, gold, etc..., but do not have to accept legal tender and cancel the debt.

This is where people generally get confused, just because you are billed for a service or fee does not mean the issuer of the bill has to accept payment, even if it is legal tender. On the other hand, if you and they have entered into a legal contract that incurs debt then they do have to accept legal tender, no matter the form, to cancel said debt.
 
2011-11-04 09:49:03 AM
Vinz_Clortho: Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

So when you go to 7-11 to buy a six-pack with a one hundred dollar bill and they won't take it.....is that free beer?


I like your plan.
 
2011-11-04 09:50:15 AM
On the one hand, I understand where he comes from and the feeling of "sticking it to the man" any way possible.

On the other hand, "the man" is some poor clerk who only wants to get through the day.

So fark him, grow up and either fight the ticket, or pay the ticket. Paying like a douche doesn't help anyone.
 
2011-11-04 09:50:18 AM
Got a penny? (clicky pop)
 
2011-11-04 09:50:31 AM
here we go again. they have to take it. its a debt. The money is for all debts public and private.

At the store with beer there is no debt. they can just say no and not sell you the beer.
 
2011-11-04 09:50:32 AM
"Yes sir, we'll be happy to take your pennies as payment. You'll need to count them out for us to confirm you're providing the correct amount. Oh dear, we'll need to also have someone from our office double-check your totals..."

(gets on intercom)

"Could you send in 'Slow Agnes' from accounting? Yes, have her bring her abacus."

(turns to assclown)

"I certainly hope you have time set aside for this process. This could take days. You'd be out of here already if you had paid with a check, but I'll bet making your point is more important, eh? OK, let's get started. 1...2...3...4..."
 
2011-11-04 09:51:07 AM
Vinz_Clortho: Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

So when you go to 7-11 to buy a six-pack with a one hundred dollar bill and they won't take it.....is that free beer?


If I *completely different situation* is it free then?
 
2011-11-04 09:53:42 AM
I paid a couple of fees in pennies a while back. Like, in 1984.

I was 15 and didn't understand that the only point I was making was that I was an idiot.


/have found *all new* ways of making the same point.
 
2011-11-04 09:54:02 AM
OK, so the guy is a complete douchebag for trying to pay his fine using US currency. Who remembers the NJ Turpike toll increase revolt and the ensuing traffic jams caused by drivers who paid their tolls in pennies? Seems like the entire universe supported them.

Is this so different? Is a group action more valid than an individual's? Discuss.

\the toll increase was rolled-back shortly thereafter
 
2011-11-04 09:56:40 AM
gfbabbitt: /have found *all new* ways of making the same point.

xkcd.com
 
2011-11-04 10:00:06 AM
sniderman: "Yes sir, we'll be happy to take your pennies as payment. You'll need to count them out for us to confirm you're providing the correct amount. Oh dear, we'll need to also have someone from our office double-check your totals..."

(gets on intercom)

"Could you send in 'Slow Agnes' from accounting? Yes, have her bring her abacus."

(turns to assclown)

"I certainly hope you have time set aside for this process. This could take days. You'd be out of here already if you had paid with a check, but I'll bet making your point is more important, eh? OK, let's get started. 1...2...3...4..."


"55,020..55021..55.?..Oops, I lost my place Guess I'll have to start from the beginning again. Also I'd better check each penny to make sure it's not a Canadian penny. I hope you took the week off because you have to present while I count this."
 
2011-11-04 10:01:38 AM
As much as would like to see this guy win, it clearly states you can only pay $3 in pennies. The nickle option, offered by smarter Farkers, is a great idea. I'd probably try that.

Now, were I the clerk and some one walked in with a bag of nickels. I'd ask him very nicely to stack them in piles of 10 nickels each. It's for the security camera, I would explain. They have to get a record of you paying the full amount so they can't come back and say I pocketed it. The same way, I'd ask you to put both twenties, a ten and a five on the counter. Then, I would proceed to knock the piles over in a variety of different ways and then ask him to restack. All the time watching the line of people grow. "Sorry folks, he's paying in nickles. Gotta accept that legal tender."
 
2011-11-04 10:02:59 AM
Kygz: If he'd left them in the rolls, I'd be on his side, but he dumped that shiat all over the damned place so I'm on the side of that poor clerk. You want to make them haul the pennies to the bank with their next deposit, fine, but don't be a complete tool about it and make people crawl around picking up pennies.

This
 
2011-11-04 10:04:05 AM
Wow, 2 Iowa articles in a row, and it isn't even a full moon!
 
2011-11-04 10:05:35 AM
Honest Bender: Vinz_Clortho: Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

So when you go to 7-11 to buy a six-pack with a one hundred dollar bill and they won't take it.....is that free beer?

If I *completely different situation* is it free then?


You sound like a guy that pays his traffic fines in pennies.
 
2011-11-04 10:08:22 AM
STOP BREAKING THE LAW ASSHOLE!!!

\that scene always cracks me up
 
2011-11-04 10:09:01 AM
In this corner, "It's legal tender stick it to the man blargh"

In this corner, "What a farking asshole"

ding ding
 
2011-11-04 10:09:14 AM
spin359: here we go again. they have to take it. its a debt. The money is for all debts public and private.

At the store with beer there is no debt. they can just say no and not sell you the beer.


Tell your credit card company or mortgage company or student loan company they can either take your pennies or you're off the hook. See how that works out for you. You're wrong.
 
2011-11-04 10:10:20 AM
Yet another story of another idiot who doesn't want to pay a fine for breaking the law and acts like a jerk when the law tries to make him pay
 
2011-11-04 10:13:58 AM
i would have suggested he try paying with a drawing of a spider but from what i read on Reddit that David Thorne guy is apparently a bit of a crook.
 
2011-11-04 10:15:16 AM
jdamaral: What a farking idiot. Leave the poor secretary girl alone, she doesn't want to count your change. She's already working 9-3, has a furlough every other Friday, pulling in 25k a year to do shiatty clerical work.

You got a fine in '96 and never paid it. You fell through the cracks. It's supposed to be forgiven? How about them not penalizing you for being fifteen years late?


My only problem with things like this is that the method of fines for parking violations is haphazard.

Never happened to me, but I'm sure there are plenty of jerks who will pull tickets from cars so the owner never sees the fine until the city mails him the fine, declares it is past the 30 day contesting period, and tacks on a late fee.
 
2011-11-04 10:17:14 AM
It's completely fair not to expect any civil servant to be able to count past 300. It just can't be done.
 
2011-11-04 10:21:58 AM
ALL DEBTS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.


/this means you too, gov't.
 
2011-11-04 10:27:44 AM
exterminate_teacake: In this corner, "It's legal tender stick it to the man blargh"

In this corner, "What a farking asshole"

ding ding


Ref is playing common sense but the bout is a bit lackluster. We need some ring girls.
 
2011-11-04 10:28:18 AM
The definition of irony is that now that he has 56 dollars in pennys, the bank will probably refuse to take them back. It'll be against their 'policy' to take that much coinage at one time.
 
2011-11-04 10:29:28 AM
spin359: here we go again. they have to take it. its a debt. The money is for all debts public and private.

At the store with beer there is no debt. they can just say no and not sell you the beer.


Show us the spot on a US Penny where it says the part about all debts public and private.
 
2011-11-04 10:30:17 AM
soakitincider: ALL DEBTS PUBLIC AND PRIVATE.


/this means you too, gov't.


That is provided they have a mechanism for accepting that form of payment. You can't pay your taxes in cash. You can't use nickels at a quarters-only parking meter. And if they don't have a coin-sorting machine at the DMV then it's reasonable for them to tell you they can't accept payment that way because they can't determine if it's accurate or not - go to a bank and come back with $20's.
 
2011-11-04 10:31:16 AM
From the US Treasury website:

I thought that United States currency was legal tender for all debts. Some businesses or governmental agencies say that they will only accept checks, money orders or credit cards as payment, and others will only accept currency notes in denominations of $20 or smaller. Isn't this illegal?

The pertinent portion of law that applies to your question is the Coinage Act of 1965, specifically Section 31 U.S.C. 5103, entitled "Legal tender," which states: "United States coins and currency (including Federal reserve notes and circulating notes of Federal reserve banks and national banks) are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues."

This statute means that all United States money as identified above are a valid and legal offer of payment for debts when tendered to a creditor. There is, however, no Federal statute mandating that a private business, a person or an organization must accept currency or coins as for payment for goods and/or services. Private businesses are free to develop their own policies on whether or not to accept cash unless there is a State law which says otherwise. For example, a bus line may prohibit payment of fares in pennies or dollar bills. In addition, movie theaters, convenience stores and gas stations may refuse to accept large denomination currency (usually notes above $20) as a matter of policy.
 
2011-11-04 10:32:13 AM
Few years back, I was closing my cellular kiosk on Christmas Eve (always fun to do). We closed at 6 & had the next day off with pay, but still. Anyway, around 4 this guy comes in looking to upgrade all 4 lines on his plan as Christmas presents for the family. I process the upgrade for him, explain the contract stuff, and ring up the phones...it comes to $300 or so in total. He hands me hist debit/credit card, I swipe it, it gets declined. Try it again, same thing. He tries writing a check instead, surprise surprise, it also gets declined. The guy is genuinely mortified, I'm groaning inside but trying to explain stuff like banks not clearing funds that have just been deposited etc., he says "Hang on, I'll be right back," and I'm left standing there with 4 activated cell phones and a half-done transaction clogging up the register.

At 5:45 he comes back in with (I shiat you no not) a bucket full of quarters and dollar coins. We (by which I mean, I) count that out along with some paper money he has on him, and he's still about $35 short. At this point it's already 30 minutes past closing & I just want to get home, so I chip in the rest of the money for him, we get his phones set up and I bid him goodnight. I finally got done rolling all the coins & doing the rest of the closing work at around 8:30. To make things even better, Christmas fell on a Saturday that year so the next work day was a Sunday (meaning banks were closed), so I had to do extra paperwork to explain why my petty cash was over the allotted amount because I couldn't deposit all those coins in the overnight drop. Then come in on my scheduled day off (Tuesday) to make the bank deposit.

tl;dr - I totally understand why they wouldn't accept 5,940 loose pennies.
 
2011-11-04 10:35:13 AM
"Since when is it wrong to use legal tender?" he said.

When you are using it to be a dicktard. If I was that clerk, I WOULD have had someone take him to a room with a large table and then have HIM count out the entire stack. Then, we could then count it ourselves while he was there to verify. Mr Dicktard and all other people who think they can use a bag full of pennies to pay a fine think they can just walk in and drop the bag on the desk and walk out clear of the debt. They seem to think that the clerk would just assume he really is handing over $59.40 in pennies. A typical transaction is when the person paying counts out the amount and then hands it to the clerk, who then counts it themselves to verify. It doesn't matter if it's a store or a fine being paid, it's just the way it is done. When I worked at a gas station people would pay with coin rolls all the time, but our boss made us weigh every roll and compare it to a list down to the 100ths on a digital scale and also have the person give an ID with name and phone number to write on the roll. He had to be a dick and unroll them, after he was a big enough dick to go to the bank first to get them.
 
2011-11-04 10:41:18 AM
Dude is an utter tool. I'm with the "make him count it in front of someone" camp or state clearly, as they did, that they won't take more than 300 pennies because they have to count them all before the debit is paid and more than 300 is unreasonable.

Why do people who hate government do this kind of thing? I mean, it gives government more things to do and is a complete waste of government resources, which you wanted to cut in the first place.

THIS kind of thing is what happens when we make our own government a "them" as the GOP and the sovereign citizen sympathizers do. Our government are all citizens honestly trying to do the job of making the country work in ways big and small. If there's a mistake, petition, don't just be an asZhole. It's your government!

And next time, don't get a fine you tool!
 
2011-11-04 10:42:05 AM
The US should just pass a law like Canada did that clearly explains how many coins you can use and how many stores are forced to take. The law here is:

(2) A payment in coins referred to in subsection is a legal tender for no more than the following amounts for the following denominations of coins:

(a) forty dollars if the denomination is two dollars or greater but does not exceed ten dollars;

(b) twenty-five dollars if the denomination is one dollar;

(c) ten dollars if the denomination is ten cents or greater but less than one dollar;

(d) five dollars if the denomination is five cents; and

(e) twenty-five cents if the denomination is one cent.
 
2011-11-04 10:46:21 AM
In Canada the rules are:

A payment in coins is legal tender for no more than the following amounts for the following denominations of coins:

1. forty dollars if the denomination is two dollars or greater but does not exceed ten dollars;
2. twenty-five dollars if the denomination is one dollar;
3. ten dollars if the denomination is ten cents or greater but less than one dollar;
4. five dollars if the denomination is five cents; and
5. twenty-five cents if the denomination is one cent.

Our bills state on them "This note is legal tender". Our coins say no such thing.
 
2011-11-04 10:56:55 AM
Vinz_Clortho: Honest Bender: If you tried to pay the debt with legal tender and they refused, I'd call that debt forgiven. Take them to court to clear the ticket off your record.

So when you go to 7-11 to buy a six-pack with a one hundred dollar bill and they won't take it.....is that free beer?



Paying for a $10 item with a $100 bill requires that the store provide you not only with the item, but additionally with $90 in change (which they may not have available). That's a legitimate reason to refuse the sale.

Paying for a $59.40 item with 59 dollars and 40 cents doesn't require the payee to provide you with anything other than the item itself - in this case the cancellation of the debt. The guy's not coming in with a check written on an egg. He's not bringing in a $1,000 bill and demanding change. Whatever his motivations are for his method of payment, the fact remains that he's bringing them all the money he owes them, in legal currency and exact change. If they refuse his payment, this does constitute forgiveness of the debt.


ElwoodCuse: Tell your credit card company or mortgage company or student loan company they can either take your pennies or you're off the hook. See how that works out for you. You're wrong.


Actually, no he isn't. It would work out for him just fine (pops).
 
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