How long do you think I should be grounded for this?

Question

I got pulled over exactly a week ago for the first time. The cop said he pulled me over because I had a tailight out...

Why? ...Almost over a month ago my friend rear-ended the old car. He gave my parents the damage money (about $1500) immediately after estimates. He said he didn't care if we put it to a new car for me. I've been saving for a new car forever. My parents said they would pay for half. I spent SOO much time looking for cheap cars, taking into consideration year, mileage, and efficiency. I found a $4000 Kia Rio & had the money for it. I was excited, esp. after the damage incident, that my dad would take me to the dealer.

I don't have my 6 months driving time up, but I had my friend's brother & one of his friends in the car because I was driving them honestly, like a mile back to her house. They were hanging out at a playground and she didn't have enough room for all of them in her car. The cop let me go ahead & bring them the rest of the way home after he ticketed me

The bulb was still working (my dad replaced it), but it wasn't covered up--my mom later said that my dad told her it didn't need to be... I know...From the beginning, my parents had told me, if you drive with friends and get caught you'll pay the ticket--I just thought, of course I will, it would be MY mistake. I was just so mad that it was this One time that I would get caught; all over a stupid tailight that my parents should have gotten fixed already. My friend gave them the money for repairs a long time ago and I had the money for a new car. It's been a week since I've been grounded for that. I don't know how getting pulled over was my fault and I am just really pissed about it. I know I shouldn't have been driving other people, but it was so short a ride and that's why the cop even let me drive them the rest of the way. But I don't know...how long should I be grounded for this?

Answer 1

Sounds like to me you know what you did wrong. If you have money saved then I assume you must work and that's a plus. I think the week you have been grounded is enough. If kids get grounded too long they just get mad.

Answer 2

When my daughter turned 16, of course we had to go car shopping. We didn't have a lot of money, so she had to get a used car. It was a Ford Tempo that was almost ten years old. The agreement we had was she would take car of all repairs, tickets, insurance, etc. She was working at a Dunkin Donuts and her money went to whatever she needed for the car, dance school, new prom dresses, etc. There was only one time I had to ground her and it was the same thing, driving kids in the car when she didn't have enough time with her license. I took her keys away for a month. When she needed to get somewhere either I drove her or she walked. Maybe you think this is a long time but guess what? She got to appreciate having her car and being more responsible about following the law regarding her license. We laugh about it now because she is now 19, but her new thing is driving too fast. I have warned her about it but she continues to drive too fast and I pray every day that she get a ticket for speeding to smarten her up. Teens need to learn that driving a car is a privledge not a right, and a car can be a 5,000 pound weapon when it is not used in the right way. Good luck and be grateful I am not your mother. lol

Answer 3

I think you should sit down and talk to your parents. Tell them you know you're grounded, it's been a week. You need clarification. You understand that you should not have been driving your friends as per the rules. and you deserved to be grounded for that. Is that punishment overwith?

You understand what you did wrong.. eventhough at the time it seemed the safest option, given the fact that the other car was too small to hold everybody, which the officer agreed with, because he allowed you to take them home and only cited you for the light. But, if you had it to do over again, you would leave it to them to figure out how to get home, because the rules of your home are more important. You understand that the rules that your parents make are for your safety.......

Now.. at this point in the conversation, as a parent myself.... you've got them cornered....hehehehehehe

You were in the middle of a good samaritan act of helping others, probably at night, if the tail light wasn't working, and you were willing to risk your own butt getting grounded to help a friend. But you have just made it clear to your parents, that that will never happen again. You will follow the rules of the house to the letter. Regardless of anyone else's situation!!

They will come around at that point. But don't screw up again.

Again,..... as a parent.. this only works a couple of times. :-)

Answer 4

What was the ticket for??? the taillight?? If so, I wouldn't have grounded you.... and I would have your parents pay the ticket considering you dad didn't fix it like he was supposed to making it a hazard, and he should've known that it was illegal.. HIS FAULT, NOT YOURS... However if the ticket was for something else like driving without a license, then yeah you should've been grounded for at least a month... YOU should have known better than to do that doesn't matter how far you were going... But since you didn't specify what the ticket was for, I cannot answer you properly..

Answer 5

Look--you knew there was a a problem with the light. You, as the driver had the responsibility to make sure it was working. If you hadn't hadn't known there was a problem it would be a different situation.

There is also something here about you driving your friends--even though you knew you shouldn't be doing it.

Two offenses here in my book--I'd ground you a month for each.

Answer 6

I don't think my parents would have grounded me more than a few days. Maybe three, and maybe just Saturday and Sunday. They may not have grounded me at all even, and if it was my dad's fault for not covering the bulb, he probably would have paid the ticket for me.

Answer 7

I don't think that you would be grounded too long but honestly...I think that the reason that you're grounded is because it was irresponsible for you to drive them...whether it was 1 mile or 10...you knew that you weren't supposed to do that...meaning...you weren't responsible enough in this situation.

Answer 8

I think that you should only have been grounded for 3 days or so. Your grounding should be up by now.

Answer 9

Come on a bulb wasn't working not your fault I think you should only be grounded a week at the most.[3 days I would ground my son]

Answer 10

Perhaps, next time your parents tell you to not do something, you'll listen. Is grounding for this offense excessive. Nope! You disobeyed their orders not to be driving your friends around. How you got caught is irrelevant. Think about the consequences of your actions the next time.