an update on the tyranny

I’ve spoken to my British form of legal council that the Air Force gives us for free… it’s “officially” recommended that I take the Safe Driving Course. Apparently the fact that I didn’t cause the accident is not what’s being disputed (and isn’t what I would be prosecuted for). They assume that I wasn’t following at a safe speed for the distance in which I was following the cars in front of me. And if I was following at a safe speed, then I wasn’t following at a safe distance and I am thus to blame for the accident. The way it was explained to me, I’d be prosecuted for actually hitting the person, not for the accident itself. And, boy, you should hear the spin they’re putting on the whole situation.

So, unfortunately, I’m being forced to cough up approximately $410 for this day-and-a-half course. I’m going to learn how to be a “more aware” driver… a safer driver in England. They’re even being nice enough to me to let me attend the course in a different county. What nice guys.

This is a great goodbye present from the country that I’ve actually loved for the past three years. It’s definitely made the prospect of leaving easier to deal with. I’ll still miss my friends (of course) and the “beautifulness” of this country, but there’s no way I will miss this country and its asinine laws.

Let me clarify - I have nothing against the people of this country or most of its laws. Just against the way they decide someone’s at fault for something and the way they decide who to prosecute.

So, yeah - that’s the skinny I guess. I’ve pretty much been told to “shut up and color”. And color I will - with red, white and blue.

a jacked up situation (or, a legal form of distortion)

I was in an accident back in May (you can read an earlier post about it - describes the situation). Because I rear-ended someone in an accident that I did not cause, the British Government has decided that it would be a good idea to give me two choices: pay almost $500 to attend a two-day safe driving course (and two weeks after attending the course, leave England for good as scheduled) or be prosecuted for “Driving without Due Care” of other drivers.

This accident was not my fault. How can the British Government, in all its splendor, actually get away with this? I am, of course, fighting it as best I can. But how much can I really do? I did not cause the accident - someone who pulled out in front of someone else and then immediately drove off caused it (kind of like a hit-and-run, only not actually hitting anyone - just causing the hit and running). So why am I being prosecuted? They say there is “sufficient evidence” to prosecute me. What evidence? I was never given a ticket (or “citation” as they say over here), and there wasn’t any evidence to speak of. My statement matched the statement of the guy I hit almost exactly… so what’s the issue?

I talked to the person who schedules the Safe Driving courses, and she said that maybe the person I hit received the same type letter. Again I ask you - in what world does that make sense? Two victims possibly being prosecuted! It’s insane.

There’s got to be some way to speak out against this to keep it from happening to other American drivers over here in England.

stress-less?

I’m a little less stressed these days. Leave was great. I’m leaving England soon. I have an apartment to live in once I get to Florida (I could even possibly move in to it the day I get to the States). Adam and I are closer to being together than ever before. Things are looking good.

I sort of got a job offer while I was on leave. It was in a field I’ve never really considered (Computer Forensics), but it sounds interesting. The job offer came in this form: “If you get all the qualifications/certifications you need for this field, either I or one of my friends will hire you.” How often does that happen? I really hope it was a genuine job offer.

I can become a full-time student when I get out of the Air Force in 2009. The US government is going to pay for my schooling. Not only will they pay for my schooling, they’ll pay for my books, any kind of licensing testing (up to $2K, I believe) and they’ll pay me upwards of $1,100/month for rent/living expenses, etc. One of my major decision makers on whether to go to school after the military was just that - living expenses (ok, that and where to go to school - I’m looking at somewhere in PA). Plus, now that I know what I need to do to get a job (in a field that actually does sound interesting), things are looking up.

That’s all I have to say. Nothing too special. But it has been over a month since I’ve written, so I decided I should write something - even if it’s super short (compared to the normal length of my blogs).