The Dude Goes Bye-Bye.

[JustADude]

I'm heading for the airport in about 90 minutes to catch a red-eye so i can deal with some legal crap* back out east that's interfering with my starting my new job.

As always, I'm getting preflight jitters and I just wanted to leave a little note so I have something to look back at and feel stupid about when I make it back safely.

I know it's safer than driving, statistically, and I'm fine once I'm up, but I get antsy before I get on the plane, and I can't help but worrying about things coming up with the short straw this time.

If you guys don't hear from me again by the 8/4/07, well...



* Turns out a store waited about 9 months to cash a check I'd written them, and in the mean-time I'd moved to where I am now and closed the account... which means I have an outstanding charge for a Misdemeanor Worthless Bad Check sitting out there. The flight is going to cost me more than the legal fees and check put together, and the court costs alone are about twice what the check was.

Yeah, I'm pissed they wouldn't just let me send them a wire-transfer or certified check.

[Broomjockey]

*singing* Leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again.

Good luck, and don't crash! Flying's fun! I never understood these "nervous nelly flyers"

[Banrion]

* Turns out a store waited about 9 months to cash a check I'd written them, and in the mean-time I'd moved to where I am now and closed the account... which means I have an outstanding charge for a Misdemeanor Worthless Bad Check sitting out there. The flight is going to cost me more than the legal fees and check put together, and the court costs alone are about twice what the check was.

Yeah, I'm pissed they wouldn't just let me send them a wire-transfer or certified check.

If you have to go to court DO NOT plead guilty. After 6 months the check is worthless through no fault of yours. It is what is called stale dated, and regardless the bank shouldn't cash it. Don't let them get away with blaming you for their laziness.

[Broomjockey]

If you have to go to court DO NOT plead guilty. After 6 months the check is worthless through no fault of yours. It is what is called stale dated, and regardless the bank shouldn't cash it. Don't let them get away with blaming you for their laziness.

I was going to mention something like that, but I thought it was only stale-dated after a year? *chalks it up to regional differences* Things like that should really be standardized.

[protege]

I was going to mention something like that, but I thought it was only stale-dated after a year? *chalks it up to regional differences* Things like that should really be standardized.

Most places will only cash a check up to 120-180 days after the date on it. After that, it's worthless.

[digilight]

A check is considered stale after 6 months. The bank that the check is written on has the option to cash it at their discretion though. If it is cashed you until the end of the next banking day to contact you're bank and have it declared stale and begin the process of getting you're money back. If the account is open, and the stale check is cashed successfully and you don't contact you're bank within the 24 hours, then you are SOL on that case.

In a case where the account has been closed I couldn't find anything about that. But I would guess that since the bank it was written on couldn't cash it, and the check was stale, then you should be OK. I'm sure that you will have to show proof that the account was closed, and when it was closed (how long after the check was written was it closed).

Good luck, and happy flying.

[Andara Bledin]

Contrary to popular belief, checks do not "expire."

Banks can choose to either let the check go through or to stop it based on the date (usually referred to as having gone "stale") at their discression and at their whim.

The short of it is this: If you have a check that hasn't been cashed out by the 6-month mark, it is up to you to either keep the account open for it, cancel the check and/or make arrangements with the original payee.

^-.-^

[JustADude]

Well, I made it back (obviously) and I'm just fine. Though I had to spend about 6 hours going through hoops before I was allowed to pay them the money and spend the rest of my brief vacation enjoying the town. I got to take a look at the check and, really, I probably could've fought it since my late fiancee wrote them. She had access to my account legitimately, but she had a bad habit of signing MY name on the line instead of hers. If I'd pressed for handwriting analysis the charge likely would've been dismissed, but it would've been a lot more detrimental to have to make multiple flights back to North Carolina to deal with the proceedings than to cop to a single misdemeanor that's rated about even with a parking ticket as far as class of charge goes.

The whole thing, really, is the state acting as a debt collection agency for businesses... only instead of giving a discount they threaten you with arrest and slap on MORE fees.

In a lighter, if uncomfortable, note, I've discovered that a person who is 6'5" and often described as a "Brick Wall" is not compatible with standard airline seats in both leg-room and hip accommodation.

[Seshat]

In a lighter, if uncomfortable, note, I've discovered that a person who is 6'5" and often described as a "Brick Wall" is not compatible with standard airline seats in both leg-room and hip accommodation.

I was once on a trans-Pacific (the full diagonal length of it!) flight, and my seating assignment put me next to two weightlifters. And I have 'good child-bearing hips'.

The stewardess took one look at the three of us, and invited me to move to a nearby empty seat instead.

[Geek King]

In a lighter, if uncomfortable, note, I've discovered that a person who is 6'5" and often described as a "Brick Wall" is not compatible with standard airline seats in both leg-room and hip accommodation.

6' 4-5'' (depends on time of day...no, really), high-school nickname was Ogre (damn you, Revenge of the Nerds!). I feel your pain brother. Company never could understand why I chose to drive to training locations instead of fly.

[Broomjockey]

In a lighter, if uncomfortable, note, I've discovered that a person who is 6'5" and often described as a "Brick Wall" is not compatible with standard airline seats in both leg-room and hip accommodation.

6' 4-5'' <snip>Company never could understand why I chose to drive to training locations instead of fly.

Come on guys, quit it. You're scaring me! I have an international flight next week!

[Emrld]

Glad that you are back safe and sound.
Did you even get a chance to mention to the judge that you attempted to make other arrangements for payment due to the fact that you now live in another state? (or is that too nosey of a question?)

I have been riding on airplanes since I was an infant . . .only in the last couple of years has the take off bothered me . . . I think it has more to do with the pressure in my ears than anything.

For long/ International flights . . .please make sure you get up and stretch out your legs.

[JustADude]

Glad that you are back safe and sound.
Did you even get a chance to mention to the judge that you attempted to make other arrangements for payment due to the fact that you now live in another state? (or is that too nosey of a question?).

Actually, as I said, it was, literally, the equivalent of a parking ticket. I didn't even see a judge except for the magistrate I got served the summons by. It took so long because they couldn't get their heads out of their asses to find the charges and paperwork even though I had the case numbers. After wading through the sea of red tape, and being bored to tears in no less than three separate waiting rooms, I got the papers and went to a different building, waited in two more lines, and paid off the checks and court costs.

According to the documentation I have, which is signed and official, payment in full means I don't have to show my face again. I'm keeping it in a safe place stapled to the receipt of payment I got from the Clerk of Court's offices.