Tuesday was just oh MAN. I did a signing about 20 miles away and then had to travel to Grant County which is a haul - the sun was setting. I’ve had a headlight out and meant to get it fixed but you have to park long enough to do that to do that and it got away from me.
I got off Highway 395 onto Highway 17 which is the middle of NOWHERE and after I left the well lit area of Highway 395, it seemed I didn’t have ANY headlights. But I was really in the weeds not sure where I was. I have driven that road a million times and kept going realizing I was going to have to cancel the appointment and stop at the first hotel until morning. Got 4 miles from the hotel and a state trooper pulled me over. I could have lied and said I didn’t realize both headlights were out but I didn’t do that.
So I get a ticket for $145 I paid $165 for a tow, $92 for a hotel room, lost the $150 contract and next day got the bulbs and a mechanic put them in for me.
Now I have to drive two hours to the courthouse in hope the judge will dismiss the ticket since I fixed them the next day.
And this is the slowest month in six months. There isn’t enough bubble bath or chardonnay to fix this week.
@Arichter I do Concur percent with your assessment; however, some of us do learn vicariously via the wonderfully supportive fellow members of Notary Cafe forum who share their direct experience of these types of Trials & Tribulations.
I had my share of auto problems that caused missed assignments. This week in Jacksonville, FL it was the unexpected winter cold weather. The bridges closed and lot of auto accidents happened, I made the decision to cancel today’s assignment. Back in 2018 on the way to an assignment, I was rear-ended on the highway. That auto accident caused me to endure three medical surgeries, one year of physical rehabilitation, out of work and medical expenses in the amount of $150,000. A few hundred dollars is not worth the risk of the a potential repeat of 2018.
The smart ones do. But too many think they’re special cases so ignore experience (until they’re either posting the bad stuff or have simply disappeared–hopefully into another less-saturated field where they can actually support themselves).
It’s quite unfortunate that the wisdom shared across the Notary Cafe forum on a daily basis (by those who have pounded the bricks & are sharing theirdirect experience) isn’t heeded . . .
It’s only when reaching the conclusion they’re operating in the RED do they confront the reality of the situation. Yet there are still those individuals who are “hawking their wares” & shouting from the rooftops that there is gold in those hills/a “6-figure income is EASY” - in spite of the ever-present reality of dwindling Signing Orders [SOs] & dramatically increasing numbers of professional signing agents [PSAs] coming onto forums asking how to get SOs, not how to create a solid business plan, etc.
I will keep taking the orders out of county. What’s funny is the next day the same service asked me to go back and handle it. But I would DOUBLE mileage re-printing etc. And I wanted my lights fixed. So I didn’t take it. But the notary assigned set an appointment time the signer didn’t like and the signer called me back. But anyway. I guess the lesson is - make sure your headlights work. And if they don’t - get off the road.
I have to disagree with ‘when operating in the red, they acknowledge reality’. Seems to me that many just double-down, spending more money on technology, more paid classes, take loser fees, all in the (laughable) belief that surely the next offer from Cheap Signings, LLC will be $200. Nope…way too many just slap another coat of rose-color on their glasses (making them so dark, they can’t see the truth in front of their nose).
Hmmm . . . you could be correct; however, I’ve observed only a FEW who many make this faulty choice, but that the majority (who don’t have a FAT CHECKBOOK to support their dreamy choice), do like to provide for themselves & their loved ones who will seek richer prospects.
Thus, as you’ve indicated previously, they tend to “disappear” from the forums relatively quickly as they accurately determine this is not an easy road & that a “JOB” may be a much better choice with a regular (reliable) salary, paid vacations, holidays, health & life insurance, etc., etc., etc.
On this forum, I agree (we do a fair job of educating them to reality). But, I’ve seen way too many on (mostly) Facebook & some educators groups who say I’ve got all the tech devices, have taken multiple classes, have done x number of lowballs, and still have no profit (or even a job) after 3, 6, 9 months…a year (!)… What am I missing or when do the big bucks start?..and the worst…WHAT OTHER STUFF DO I NEED TO SPEND MONEY ON TO MAKE A BIT OF MONEY? Altho’ they don’t phrase it that way…it’s usually in question form…Should I take this course, buy that equipment, join some directory?
Not a fun day at all. But, here’s a positive spin: Getting the ticket, encouraged you to get the lights fixed. What if you had kept driving\working with no lights for weeks? Worse things could have happened. YOUR’E ALIVE!! YAY!!!
Ohhhh that sucks! And you were just 4 miles from the hotel!? Would have been nice if the trooper had offered to let you follow him closely and lead you to the hotel rather than force a tow. Man, oh man. Get a lottery ticket, PeggySue! Surely you must be due for some good luck!
Carmen he was LIVID. He said 'We just CANNOT have this kind of behavior" and I said “How many kids do you have” and he REALLY wasn’t amused after that. LOL.
I just have an inability to lie to a cop so when he said "how long have you been driving aware that both headlights were out. And like an idiot I told him.
It certainly is, and it is so worth it to get the best plan they offer, the premium. If your ever broken down far away from home they will tow your car to your mechanic! I have a newer Range Rover but I live in the bonnies in New Hampshire, the closet Range Rover dealership is about an hour and a half from me, fortunately I have the premium with AAA. You never know when your going to need it!.
percent with your assessment; however, some of us do learn vicariously via the wonderfully supportive fellow members of Notary Cafe forum who share their direct experience of these types of Trials & Tribulations.
But, here’s a positive spin: Getting the ticket, encouraged you to get the lights fixed. What if you had kept driving\working with no lights for weeks? Worse things could have happened. YOUR’E ALIVE!! YAY!!!