January 8

Unbelievable!!!
You hear about how this country has corruption but until you see it first hand...
Well I saw it today!
It took every ounce of my being not to stand up and shout at the top of my lungs Corruption!!!!

We entered the judge's chamber and the first thing he said was I hear Miss Parker that your car is fully insured? I replied Yes.
He then says then why are you wasting the court's time with this frivolous case when your insurance can cover the whole thing and be done with it?
I replied because if I am found guilty this will count as an accident against me and my insurance rates will go up.
He replies irrelevant. A case like this puts undo stress on our families waiting for the outcome...
I looked at my lawyer with I am sure a big old question on my face!
WTF!
He then said that if I plead guilty prior to the charges being read I would not be required to pay the large fine for the traffic infraction but if I wanted to proceed I would have to pay the fine.
I replied if found guilty your honor.
I cannot see how I would be found guilty with the other defendant passing me on the left in an intersection at an elevated speed while I was making a left hand turn. He asked did you have your flasher on? I said absolutely yes, I am Canadian and follow the rules of the road, always wearing my seat belt and using my flashers.
The judge said I find that hard to believe!
Again WTF!!!!
He then asked me one more time if I wanted to plead guilty and I replied no that perhaps the other defendant would like to plead guilty?
The judge said I don't think so miss.
He then asked me what I am looking to gain and I said I am not looking for any monetary gain only to prove my innocence to keep my good record with the insurance company.

He then started the proceedings.
Taking my statement then the other driver's, who went on about the velocity his car was moving at and how he was going slow. Really? as per the police drawings his car was 12 meters from my car when we stopped moving! How slow was he going????
He then insisted that I was on the shoulder and not in his lane when I made the left.
My witness Daniela stated the facts. Was asked a few questions and answered them well.
The other driver's witness made some errors like saying he was directly oat the edge of the shoulder and the road when the collision happened. So how was my car on the shoulder if he was? When my lawyer asked him to explain he said oops I meant I was back further. She then asked could you see the flasher on the driver's side was it on or off and he replied no he could not see but he knows it was not on because the other driver later told him so!!!!!!!
The judge then took an hour recess and came back and found me guilty because I did not take the necessary precautions when making a left hand turn, that I should not only be aware of oncoming traffic but who is passing me from behind!
Oh yeah and the big fine was $40 plus 30% interest! Not like the hundreds of dollars he made it sound like at the beginning.
Wow I was in shock! When we left the judge's chambers my lawyer said sorry but I felt we had lost this case in the first 5 minutes...She asked would you like to appeal? I asked what would be the point?
All this because the other driver did not want to have to pay to repair my new car!
Oh yeah did I mention the police refused to give the other driver a breathalizer at the time of the accident?

Feeling a little lost this afternoon...definitely disappointed...