A couple of weeks ago I posted a part of an incident that happened to me in Lauderdale Co., on Facebook. A lot of comments later the problem has been resolved. Most of the participants learned new, interesting, and valuable lessons because of this. It showed me that I don't know as much as I thought. It brought to light some interesting facts of civil law, rights-of-way in MS, and the necessity of having and using respect.
Three weeks ago I was parked in a spot that I had parked numerous times before. It's a great place to park my truck because the ground's hard, it's out of the way, I rarely have people stop and ask unimportant questions, I can get some paperwork done before I get through with my day, chill out a few minutes before I go home. This spot is on the county right-of-way. A person who identified himself as the adjacent land-owner asked me to move my truck away from his property. I told him I was parked on the county right-of-way, to go away stupid, and to call the cops if needed. The assumption was strong in me that day.
A week afterwards I was parked in the same place, looking up some information on my laptop, when a LCSO patrol car came up with its lights on. The officer got out, motioned me out of the truck, had me place my hands on the push bar, placed me in handcuffs and told me I was under arrest for trespassing, and who did I want to tow my work truck. I was (amazingly) very respectful with the knowledge that I was on the side of truth and justice. It's how Superman got his start. After the lecture about being where I wasn't wanted, not to do it again, and running my license, I was un-arrested and advised to get out of here. I drove home as irritated as if I had gotten 6 tickets. I couldn't believe the nerve of some people to flout the law. I couldn't believe that this could happen to me while I was on duty. I couldn't wait to find me an attorney and show up in court. I was already thinking how big a boat I could purchase with the settlement.
This problem was resolved this past Friday. After writing a letter that evening, delivering it to the LCSO Chief Deputy, him telling me that it would take 7-10 days to research, and meeting with me Friday afternoon. I went into the meeting clear-eyed and full of righteousness. After about 45 minutes of discussion with the people who are charged with enforcing the law, getting a better understanding of how many complaints are filed each week, getting educated on the law, I apologized and left there a better person, I think. A smaller and less sense of self-importance person literally. Pursuant to section blah blah blah, the property rights adjoining roads that were placed under county maintenance are referred to as an easement and the property goes to the centerline la la la la la you were trespassing yada yada yada. I really just heard that middle part. I was wrong. Boom.
I was listening to a Tom Petty CD the other day and "Learning to fly" came on. The chorus struck me as perceptive as to how I, and most humans, act when we think we have enough knowledge. "I'm learning to fly, but I ain’t got wings. Coming down is the hardest thing." I crowed around here for the past two weeks thinking that I knew "what's up,” when I didn't know squat. If I had made any effort to know the law I could have learned this lesson on my own, without making an jackass out of myself. I do have great respect for LE. I am so thankful that I had the sense to be respectful that day. It hasn't always been so. I am so thankful to be able to apologize and say thank you to LCSO for your patience with a fool. Until next week. ags.
