BE VERY CAREFUL OUT THERE!
THE LOS ANGELES TIMES HAS AN ARTICLE ON THE SUBJECT:
“FLOORING IT ON CAR FINES”.  PASS IT ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES!

Please be extremely careful in your driving, and your car registration & insurance matters.  The State of California is broke and they are trying to squeeze all of us hard to collect money.  

Effective immediately, if you do not stop at the red light, be ready to pay $436 in fines, or if you pass a school bus with flashing red signals, you will be charged $616.  The state of California is going for blood, so be extra careful in driving, you cannot afford to mess with them.  I have been hearing that Highway Patrols are under pressure to issue a lot more tickets than last year with at least 30% increase in fines over 2009, so beware of radar guns, highway and traffic cameras installed everywhere and the tougher enforcement of parking rules.
Just for your info, the next time you park in the handicapped zone, even for a minute, you will be looking at almost $1000 in parking tickets, so it’d better be worth it.

California needs money, so pay close attention to the rules of the road!

               Traffic Ticket Fines (Effective 01/06/2011)

VC 12814.6      $214          Failure to obey license provisions

VC 14600(A)     $214         Failure to notify DMV of address change within 10 days
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction
VC 16028(A)     $796         Failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility (insurance)
Note: This fine may be reduced with proof of insurance on or after the violation date
VC 21453(A)     $436         Failure to stop at a red signal
VC 22349           $214         Unsafe speed,  1 to 15 miles over the limit

VC 22350           $328         Unsafe speed, 16 to 25 miles over the limit

VC 22450           $214         Failure to stop at a stop sign

VC 22454(A)      $616        Passing a school bus with flashing red signals

VC 23123(A)      $148        Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, first offense

VC 23123(B)      $256        Driving while using a wireless phone not hands free, each subsequent offense

VC 23123.5        $148        Driving while using a wireless device to send read or write text

VC 23124            $148        Minor driving while using a wireless phone

VC 22500            $976       Parking in a bus loading area

VC 22507(A)       $976       Violation of disabled parking provisions, first offense

VC 22507(B)     $1876        Violation of disabled parking provisions, second offense

VC 26708            $178        Unlawful material on vehicle windows

VC 27150            $178        Adequate muffler required

VC 27315            $148        Mandatory use of seat belts

VC 27360            $436        Mandatory use of passenger child restraints
Note: This fine may be reduced by completing a court authorized child seat diversion program

VC 27400            $178        Headsets or Earplugs covering both ears

VC 27803            $178        Violation of motorcycle safety helmet requirements

VC 34506            $616        Commercial Driver – Log book violation

VC 4000              $256        No evidence of current registration
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction
VC 4159              $178        Notify DMV of change of address within 10 days
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction

VC 5200             $178         Proper display of license plates
Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction

VC 9400             $178         Commercial weight fees due

Note: The fine may be reduced with valid proof of correction. Look out for the money grabbers in Sacramento but don’t blame the cops. They don’t set the fines or collect them!

Safety Alert!
Here are some reasons why we don’t allow cell phones in operating areas, propylene oxide handling and storage area, propane, gas and diesel refueling areas.

The Shell Oil Company recently issued a warning after three incidents in which mobile phones (cell phones) ignited fumes during fueling operations.

In the first case, 
The phone was placed on the car’s trunk lid during fueling; 
It rang and the ensuing fire destroyed the car and the gasoline pump.

In the second, 
An individual suffered severe burns to their face when fumes ignited as they answered a call while refueling their car!

And in the third, 
An individual suffered burns to the thigh and groin as fumes ignited when the phone, which was in their pocket, rang while they were fueling their car.

You should know that:

-Mobile Phones can ignite fuel or fumes

-Mobile phones that light up when switched on or when they ring release enough energy to provide a spark for ignition 

-Mobile phones should not be used in filling stations, or when fueling lawn mowers, boat, etc.

Mobile phones should not be used, or should be turned off, around other materials that generate flammable or explosive fumes or dust, (i.e. solvents, chemicals, gases, grain dust, etc….)

TO sum it up, here are the Four Rules for Safe Refueling: 

1) Turn off engine
2) Don’t smoke
3) Don’t use your cell phone, turn it off, and leave it inside the vehicle.
4) Don’t re-enter your vehicle during fueling.

Bob Renkes of Petroleum Equipment Institute is working on a campaign to try and make people aware of fires as a result of ‘static electricity’ at gas pumps. His company has researched 150 cases of these fires. His results were very surprising:

1) Out of 150 cases, almost all of them were women.
2) Almost all cases involved the person getting back in their vehicle while the nozzle was still pumping gas. When finished, they went back to pull the nozzle out and the fire started, as a result of static.
3) Most had on rubber-soled shoes.
4) Most men never get back in their vehicle until completely finished. This is why they are seldom involved in these types of fires.
5) Don’t ever use cell phones when pumping gas
6) It is the vapors that come out of the gas that cause the fire, when connected with static charges.
7) There were 29 fires where the vehicle was re-entered and the nozzle was touched during refueling from a variety of makes and models. Some resulted in extensive damage to the vehicle, to the station, and to the customer.
8) Seventeen fires occurred before, during or immediately after the gas cap was removed and before fueling began.

Mr. Renkes stresses to NEVER get back into your vehicle while filling it with gas. If you absolutely HAVE to get in your vehicle while the gas is pumping, make sure you get out, close the door TOUCHING THE METAL, before you ever pull the nozzle out. This way the Static from your body will be discharged before you ever remove the nozzle.

As I mentioned earlier, The Petroleum Equipment Institute, along with several other companies now, are really trying to make the public aware of this danger.

I ask you to please send this information to ALL your family and friends, especially those who have kids in the car with them while pumping gas. If this were to happen to them, they may not be able to get the children out in time.