Of course it’s possible! Honestly, the sky's the limit with Excel, but you haven't really told us where your personal "limits" are, so we don't know where to start helping. Are things like VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, auto filters, complex formulas, or even VBA macros totally foreign to you, or are you already comfortable with those?
- If all of that sounds like gibberish to you, it’s going to be a bit of a climb here. For starters, just learn how to use auto filters—it's the quickest thing to pick up and it solves a huge chunk of what you're asking about.
- Just mark all your Columns, head over to the DATA tab, hit FILTER, and just play around with those little filter buttons for a bit.
You can only answer an open-ended question with an open-ended answer—of course you can! Excel is an incredibly powerful tool, but you haven't really framed the problem in a specific format yet.
- You start with a set structure or a given framework, and from there, you hunt for the solution.
feralwolf12 said:Just set those fields you don't want showing up to white color.
Honestly, just do what the guy suggests. You can always delete it later if it looks bad, right? And regarding the page size in your print settings—just use the "Scale to Fit" option and set it to a percentage, like 90%, so everything actually stays within the margins.
So, you've basically got nothing left to do but give it a shot. It might actually work! Just maybe throw in something really heavy—something that explains why you were stuck away from home for eight whole days. Having some kind of proof or documentation to back that up would definitely help your case.
Michael Reed12 said:I didn't show the cops my ID (told them I didn't have it) when they pulled me over, but two buddies of mine confirmed it was me, and the officers took down their info from their driver's licenses. What if those two were wasted drunk and can't remember a thing? Does testimony given while someone is hammered actually hold up in court? Like, could I argue in front of a judge that it wasn't me because the people who identified me were too intoxicated to be reliable witnesses? Can I just ask for the charge to be dropped based on that?
In a word? You're screwed. Totally. You can't really claim it wasn't you when your own friends verified your identity and the officer recorded their details. Police reports carry massive weight in court. You should be pretty certain the judge is going to trust the official police report over the word of your friends—especially since lying under oath is a one-way ticket to much bigger trouble.
Michael Reed12 said:Here's another scenario: a cop pulls me over on a street that's normally one-way, but at the exact moment he stops me, someone has ripped out the sign, so there was no sign visible. So, how can I "not know" it's a one-way street if the sign simply wasn't there?
You’ll have to prove that the sign was actually missing that day. If it really wasn't there like you say, but the officer sees it standing there now, there will be a paper trail. There’s usually a work order or a maintenance log for installing or repairing signs. They can easily check if there was a specific window of time where that sign was missing. And honestly, if there's no record of any recent roadwork, it's going to look like nobody ever touched that sign.
Both of these excuses are so thin that even a con artist in the US wouldn't try to sell them, let alone a judge.
Unfortunately, it’s just another case where judges are backdating rulings just to dodge the statute of limitations. DISGRACEFUL. Are we seriously supposed to believe we live in a country governed by the rule of law?
Douglas Miller64 said:Unless you happened to rack that up over in Canada. About ten days ago, I got absolutely fleeced by some locals there; the radar claimed I was doing 44 miles/h, supposedly accounting for a device tolerance of 5—meaning it was actually 41 miles/h—even though they didn't bother writing that down anywhere. They demanded $125 on the spot, and according to the guy, the standard fine for a local would be $250, but they just slap foreigners with half that amount😂 --> what a load of crap!😠 There wasn't even a speed limit sign right there; there was just a sign for some village about 250 meters back, even though where they caught me was nothing but woods. It’s clearly a trick they play.
I happen to have this unfortunate situation where we own a Vineyard in Canada, a family property passed down from my great-great-grandfather from back when people in that region probably weren't even recognized as a distinct group yet, so I find myself crossing the border pretty frequently for business.
To make matters worse, the officer tells me I have to pay immediately, and I obviously didn't have that kind of cash on me. So, he grabs my passport and tells me I'm not allowed back into the States until I settle up, claiming my passport is being held at the nearest police station in some tiny hamlet. It was a total nightmare. I couldn't cross the border, I didn't know anyone to borrow money from, I had no roaming on my phone, and zero signal to call for help. They walked off with my passport, and honestly, things got pretty dicey. I barely managed to scramble my way out of that bus depot mess. If you guys are interested in the rest of this disaster, I'll gladly tell the whole story later.☕
So now I'm wondering: has anyone dealt with anything similar? What kind of fines are these that get slapped on travelers at half price? How is it even possible for these kinds of absurdities to occur? Honestly, I doubt their radar reading was even accurate because I was driving incredibly slowly; I'm not a fast driver, period. That's the style I carry over from driving semi-trucks to smaller cars. I highly doubt I was doing 44 miles/h, especially since it was a residential area, which in Canada usually implies a limit of 40, 50, or maybe 37 miles/h?🤷 This all went down in the evening, but when I drove back through that same spot the next morning, I saw them pulling over an older lady in a car with American plates—it felt like they were specifically targeting American drivers. It’s just a side road running parallel to the highway where you need a toll pass, which I don't have.
Thanks!🙄
Hit edit and finish the story!
There aren't any double fines for locals versus tourists in any country in Europe. It’s just how it works—you get a citation on the spot so you can pay right then and there, which usually comes with a cash discount. But if you decide to fight it in court? Well, then they just strip you bare with all those extra fees and legal costs.
John Palmer4 said:We had a little debate over on the NFL forums recently about those legal disclaimers you see at the bottom of emails. We basically decided it’s all a bunch of nonsense, but it got me wondering—what’s the actual legal reality behind them?
So, in the US, does an email actually count as a document that carries any criminal liability?
Thanks!
It’s pretty common knowledge that info sent over email can be tampered with, even if the sender isn't doing anything to change it.
Honestly? Just head down to the collection office. Ask if they have an attorney on-site. Trust me, a little bit of charm goes a long way these days—I’m not talking about anything shady, just being persuasive. I've been there. Spin a little tale about how your friend suddenly felt sick and you had to rush her to a nearby clinic or dentist near the parking garage. Throw in that you're a college student, too. Most of those older folks working there are retired or just looking for a reason to be kind.
I mean, would a decent lawyer at one of those firms really turn away a girl in distress? Don't go thinking they’ll just forget about your ticket.
BTW—from what I know, once you register, you usually have a fifteen-minute grace period before the ticket officially hits the system. Tell them you were planning to sprint back to the car, but your friend needed you to stay by her side, and you were so panicked you completely blanked on checking your phone.
Yeah, a good story combined with the right attitude can sell just about anything. Definitely.
darkraven17 said:Ugh, I honestly don't get how I got hit with a fine from $333 under Article 45, Section 4, when that exact same section says the penalty is $167????? 😕😕😕 Is it actually possible the officer just totally blanked or something?
He was even showing me the Traffic Safety Act, pointing out which article and section I supposedly violated. I read the first paragraph of the article and stopped there because, newsflash, I didn't know the Law inside and out yet—I had no idea the penalties were listed right there. Then, fifteen minutes later, my citation and the payment slip both say the fine is $333. 🤷
Also, does it matter who called the police to the scene? Some friends are telling me that whoever calls the cops ends up paying them. What is that supposed to mean, and how much does it cost? 🤷Because I called them thinking I hadn't done anything wrong, and then... well, this happened.
And here's a little personal observation. I'm a Midwest girl from New Orleans, driving my fiancé's car with plates starting with VK..., the accident happened in San Diego, and honestly, I feel like I got targeted by local bias. 😲It feels like people from San Diego can do whatever they want on the road, while anyone else with out-of-town plates gets picked on. 😠 I’ve noticed the same thing at parking lots, too. The guy checking for parking permits seems to only target cars with out-of-town plates, while he just breezes past the local ones. I actually pulled over once just to watch him work!!! It's unbelievable! 😲Is it like this in other cities too?
Honestly, it’s pretty much the same story in every city out there—especially the smaller ones—including yours. You could almost call it a "positional rent."
A citation issued by the Municipal Court has to include specific instructions regarding the right to appeal. It needs to state exactly who to contact, how to file the appeal, and the deadline for doing so. It also has to warn you that if you miss that window, the citation becomes final—meaning the fine will be forcibly collected or replaced by community service or jail time, strictly according to the Law. Plus, the notice will remind you that if you’re found guilty, you'll be responsible for covering the legal costs of the proceedings.
(1) Whether it's the defendant, their attorney, a corporate representative, or an authorized agent, anyone can file an appeal with the issuing agency within eight days of receiving the citation. And don't worry—if the appeal is filed on time, it stays the execution of the fine while things are being sorted out. (4) Your appeal just needs to clearly identify which citation you're contesting, along with your address and signature. You actually don't need to provide a detailed explanation in the appeal itself. However, if you're requesting to present any evidence, you definitely have to explain why those proofs are necessary.
Honestly, it would've been the same deal even if you hadn't signed it, so don't sweat the small stuff. Just get moving on that appeal process.
Once an appeal is filed against a citation, the issuing agency voids the original ticket. After the review is complete, they'll issue a formal decision. In these cases, the agency can't just slap you with another quick citation; instead, the court has to hold a formal hearing, or the administrative body must follow the full procedure mandated by the Law.
p.s. were all four of your brake lights actually working when you were reversing?
jadeorca42 said:I’ve heard people say you can just write up some kind of formal statement and send it straight to the Highway Patrol—basically telling them you never actually received any notice from the Municipal Court, just to try and justify the situation. I guess... does that even make sense? Do you think they'll slash the fine if I didn't hand over my license for inspection within that 8-day window?
Look, let's break it down like this: 1. Based on a request from the police, the court issued you a citation and slapped you with a fine without even holding a hearing or letting you defend yourself—which is totally legal since it was triggered by a police request. 2. You filed an appeal within the deadline. 3. The VPS accepted your appeal and overturned the initial citation. 4. At this point, you and the police are the two opposing parties in a legal proceeding, so there's really no point in trying to negotiate with them directly. 5. Until there is a final, binding ruling in the case, you and the police are effectively "opponents." Since you are opposing parties, they can't just come after you to take away your license.
jadeorca42 said:So, I’ve got a bit of a situation regarding traffic violations and statutes of limitations that I wanted to run by everyone. Back on June 11, 2006, I committed a violation—well, actually two—and I ended up appealing the citation through the VPS. Then, a few days ago, a process server shows up at my door with two envelopes. One contains a decision from the VPS dated April 16, 2008, which basically overturns the initial citation and sends the whole matter back to the municipal court. The other envelope is just a summons from the police telling me to show up at the station and bring my driver's license with me—no explanation, no context, nothing. I called the Highway Patrol to see what was going on, and they told me they’re suspending my license for three months because of those old violations. But here’s the thing: I never received a single notice for a municipal court hearing, let alone any ruling stating my license was being taken away. When I asked them what legal basis they were using to suspend my license, they claimed there was a Municipal Court ruling from September 15th. Now, I’m wondering... shouldn't the statute of limitations have kicked in after two years (by June 11, 2008)? Or am I missing something? Should I actually hand over my license before I get a chance to see that actual court ruling? I tried digging for information about this supposed decision, but honestly, they just gave me the runaround—nobody could tell me which specific ruling they were even talking about. To top it off, the clerk was being incredibly condescending, basically telling me that the existence of the ruling doesn't change the fact that I have to comply. I had to remind them that under the Traffic Safety Act, I have a right to see that document, and I have the right to appeal if that's even an option.
-In your case, the absolute statute of limitations would have been June 30, 2008 (counting to the end of the month), provided there wasn't a final judgment already in place. The High-pressure solution becomes final the day it's issued and can't be appealed, especially since it overturned the first one. -They can't take anything from you without a final, binding judgment.
The judge thinks you're just playing silent games. But you’re pointing out that your summons clearly states they can hold the hearing even if you don't show up. Look, nobody is coming to pick you up. They'll just mail the decision straight to your house, and then it's up to you whether you want to file an appeal or not.
The judge is definitely prioritizing efficiency here—basically, get it done fast and move on. And since you won't be there to explain the circumstances, you might find the fine ends up being a bit steeper than expected.