No Wifely Exceptions allowed
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No Wifely Exceptions allowed
Ronnie Polaneczky, Daily News Columnist
Last week's indictments of Philly Traffic Court judges and their lackeys sent Jon Berger smiling down memory lane.
Berger works in the IT side of Berger & Montague. P.C., the law firm founded by his late father, David Berger, who served as city solicitor under Mayor Richardson Dilworth from 1956 to 1963. Dilworth was hell-bent on cleaning the sleaze out of Traffic Court. Yes, even back then the black hole on Spring Garden St. was a den of insider favoritism that made chumps of the law-abiding.
Someone remind me: Why does this court exist?
Anyway, Jon Berger says, only two days after Dilworth announced a sweeping plan to deal with Traffic Court, Berger's lead-foot mom, Harriett, got a ticket for speeding her old gray Plymouth-with-the-stick-shift along East River Drive (now known as Kelly Drive). His dad was so worried she might get favorable treatment at Traffic Court, he sent an assistant city solicitor to the court to make sure she got convicted.
"We discussed it at the dinner table," recalls Jon Berger. "My mother was absolutely guilty. My dad wanted her to pay the fine and be done with it. He knew there couldn't even be the appearance of impropriety" if anything other than a guilty verdict reigned.
"My dad was of the 'great generation,'" he continues, describing him as a moral, upright and decorated World War II vet who met Dilworth in New Caledonia while both served in the Marines in the South Pacific. "My dad saw this handsome colonel sitting outside a tent, reading a stack of Inquirers, and he said to him, 'What's a guy from Philly doing in a place like this?'"
Thus commenced a friendship that included a vow that, should they survive the war and make it home, to end cronyism in the town that inspired and infuriated them. When Dilworth eventually was elected Philly's 91st mayor, he appointed David Berger city solicitor, a position he used to bring post-war revival and urban renewal to Philly (to quote the obit that praised Berger, after his death).
It's been six years since the elder Berger passed. But the story of that un-fixed ticket has remained part of Berger family lore, says Jon Berger.
"My dad was adamant," he says. "He would've sent the National Guard to Traffic Court to make sure my mother was convicted."
It seems like gone are the days when people with that sort of integrity exist. Mr. Berger sounds like he was an honorable man.— PotteryPete- In theory, Traffic Court exists so you can contest a ticket, and receive a fair hearing. In theory. Apparently that's not what happens. What's the alternative?— ObamaSolyndra
- Philly is a cesspool of corruption, arrogance, and goonism. So glad I'm moving out of this dump. Hope you all rot.— masterncommander
- The great generation truly was the greatest generation. We have now devolved to everyone for himself. Cheating, fraud and corruption have become a way of life. Especially in Philadelphia.— aviator
- Philly traffic court is a corrupted den of sleaze. Always has been, but ask yourself this. Why can't we fix it?
I have also heard of police who can make tickets disappear before they get sent to the traffic court. Depends on connections.— ricciaje - Yet another Philly.com article too good for "spell check." Your "moher" must be proud.— bluehaha
- A wretched hive of scum and villainy too thick for even a lightsaber to cut.— operagost
- Spell check please— Angie8803
i'm surprised a traffic scofflaw like mrs polaneckzy has an axe to grind against PPA and traffic court. she only ran up $2,000 in parking tickets and fines in disobeying with impunity the city's parking laws— hannibal barca- Hey "master commander" - don't let the door hit you on the way out. You say you hope we all rot? Wow, quite neighborly and upstanding. So glad you are leaving our city. Best wishes - especially to your next neighbors.— knebman
- This is kinda funny. "My dad was of the 'great generation,'" recalls Jon Berger..."
OK, but the very first paragraph talks about the sleaze that existed in Traffic Court back in that era, and the whole story talks about making sure the ticket wasn't fixed.
Some 'Great Generation' that is.— rounddollar
When my phone rings here at the Daily News, nine times out of ten the caller begins the conversation with, “Yeah, so what happened was…”.
Because this is Philly, the caller doesn’t say, “My name is Bob” – or Mary – “and I wonder if I could have a moment of your time?” Philadelphians are too direct for that. They just say, “Yeah, so what happened was…”, and then tumble into a tale they think oughta be shared with a wider audience. I love getting these calls (even the ones where it becomes clear, after 30 seconds, where the caller sowed the seeds of his own misery), because they give me chance to connect with fellow citizens in a way that no other job allows. Well, okay, no other job for which I’m remotely qualified.
That’s why my blog is titled “So What Happened Was…”. To me, it’s the quintessentially Philly way of saying, “Once upon a time.” When I hear it, I know a good story is coming. And I can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Ronnie Polaneczky has been an award-winning columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News since 1999, offering a front-steps perspective on every aspect of city life, from the sublime to the stupid. In her past life, she was the editor-in-chief of Atlantic City Magazine, associate editor at Philadelphia Magazine and a fulltime freelancer published in Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Reader's Digest, Men's Health, MarieClaire and others. She lives with her husband, daughter and various pets in the city's Fairmount section, where she dreams of one day singing The National Anthem at an Eagles game. In addition to her column and blog, you can enjoy Ronnie's musings in podcast form here.
Read more from Ronnie Polaneczky at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green
Reach Ronnie at polaner@phillynews.com.
