i was stopped a couple of years back at a checkpoint and asked to produce documents within 10 days as i didnt have my licence with me. this i duly did and thought nothing more of it.
about a year later i was walking up the road -a small cul de sac- on my way home from work and was passed by a garda punto going the other way.
when i got home i found a summons stuffed in the letter box.
i can live with the fact that they didnt even ring the bell to attempt to hand deliver it, but the best thing was that the court appearance was supposed to be the very next day at 10 o clock although it was dated 7 months previously. 15 hours notice to appear in court. i went straight over to the local station to verify the fact that i had produced the docs on time to be told that "the old book is filed up in the attic, theres nothing we can do. when asked, who delivered the summons so that i could prove the short notice, he said "i wouldnt know that. couldve been any station in dublin.
on principle, i decided not to take a day off because of the guards gross incompetence and instead, rang the clerk of the court who told me to write a grovelling fax explaining the circumstances and stating how heartbroken i was not to be able to attend in person.
this i did and apparently, it was struck out, that is according to some clerk i spoke to on the phone.
any day now, im sure there will be a swat team outside my house.
what a great country we live in.