{
(set: $restartDisplay to 0)
(set: $started to 0)
<!--------------- character setup - "L" --------------->
(set: $name to "L")
(set: $numChildren to 2)
(set: $chanceID to (random: 0,1))
<!--------------- money tracking --------------->
(set: $bankAccount to 300)
(set: $gas to 40)
(set: $carinsurance to 119)
(set: $dailyWages to 85)
(set: $daysScheduledToWork to 5)
(set: $maxWeeklyWages to $dailyWages * $daysScheduledToWork)
(set: $moneyGoal to 1000)
(set: $regularExpenses to 350)
(set: $motelRate to 85)
(set: $motelStay to 3 * $motelRate)
(set: $payDay to $dailyWages * (2* $daysScheduledToWork - $daysOfWorkMissed))
(set: $payDay1 to 0)
(set: $payDay2 to 0)
<!--------------- fines tracking --------------->
(set: $finesIncurred to 0)
(set: $brokenLightTicketA to 200)
(set: $brokenLightTicketB to 340)
(set: $suspendedLicenseFine to 400)
(set: $vehicleFine to 240)
<!--------------- fees tracking --------------->
(set: $feesIncurred to 0)
(set: $impoundFee to 250)
<!---------------law enforcement tracking --------------->
(set: $citationCount to 0)
(set: $misdemeanor to 0)
(set: $tailLight to "broken")
(set: $tailLightCost to 180)
(set: $licenseSuspended to 0)
<!---------------calendar--------------->
(set: $month to "October")
(set: $date to 2)
(set: $daysPassed to 0)
}{(set: $started to 1)<h1>
</h1>}
Hello and welcome to <em>Drive It Home</em>. Let's begin.
You are a single mom, with $numChildren kids. Since you were evicted last month from your home, you are currently using your 2004 minivan as a roof over your head.
Your daily routine consists of dropping your kids off at school and then getting to work. You also have to find somewhere safe to clean up and then park each night so that you can sleep.
[[Continue|Display dyk 2]]
You've just dropped your two kids off at school and now you're off to work. On the way there, you approach a stop sign and hear a loud siren go off.
(live: 2s)[(stop:)
<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/police_light.gif" alt="animated GIF of police siren changing from blue to red" title="police siren animated GIF" />
[[Pull your car over to the side of the road.|Scenario 1B]]
]
You check with your local car dealership, and it is going to cost $$tailLightCost to get your tail light fixed.
You have $$bankAccount in your bank account right now. That isn't enough to cover the ticket and get your tail light fixed. And you are still trying to save up towards the $$moneyGoal you need to secure an apartment.
(set: $daysPassed to it + 3)
{[[Pay $$tailLightCost to have your tail light fixed.|Fix Tail Light]]
[[Consider paying the $$brokenLightTicketA traffic ticket instead.|Pay ticket]]}(display: "dyk 02")
[[Continue|Start 2]]<section id="didyouknow">
<h1> Did you Know </h1>
<article> Article goes here </article>
</section><section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know </h1>
<img class="dyk-img dyk-img-portrait" src="http://poornotguilty.org/stat/stat_housingGap.png" title="The affordable housing gap has created a 7.2-million-unit shortage of affordable rental units." alt="The affordable housing gap has created a 7.2-million-unit shortage of affordable rental units." />
<article> The affordable housing gap has created a 7.2-million-unit shortage of affordable rental units available to our nation’s lowest income renters.</article>
<article class="source">Source: National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC)'s <a href="https://homelesslaw.org/housing-not-handcuffs-2019/" target="_blank">Housing Not Handcuffs</a> report</article>
</section><section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<img class="dyk-img" src="http://poornotguilty.org/stat/stat_livingInVehicle.png" title="39% of surveyed cities prohibit living in vehicles." alt="graphic showing 3 people in an orange car plus text that says 39% of surveyed cities prohibit living in vehicles." />
{
<article class="source">Source: National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC)'s <a href="https://homelesslaw.org/housing-not-handcuffs-2019/" target="_blank">Housing Not Handcuffs</a> report</article>
</section>
}{<section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<img class="dyk-img" src="http://poornotguilty.org/stat/stat_livingInVehicle_increase.png" title="The number of cities that ban living in vehicles has increased by 143% in the last 10 years." alt="The number of cities that ban living in vehicles has increased by 143% in the last 10 years." />
<article class="source">Source: National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC)'s <a href="https://homelesslaw.org/housing-not-handcuffs-2019/" target="_blank">Housing Not Handcuffs</a> report</article>
</section>
}<section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<article>Research by Rutgers University found that 42% of people with a license suspension lost jobs as a result, and of those, 45% could not find other employment. This effect was most significant for seniors and low-income people.</article>
<article class="source">Source: Coalition on Homelessness report on <a href="https://www.cohsf.org/Punishing.pdf" target="_blank">Punishing the Poorest: How the Criminalization of Homelessness Perpetuates Poverty in S.F. (March 2015)</a></article>
</section>You head to Goodwill to get the best price you can. Even so, it's going to cost $55 to get proper sneakers and 2 pairs of gym shorts for each of your kids.
You have $$bankAccount right now and pay day is more than a week away. (if: $tailLight is "broken")[Plus, you still have that broken tail light to fix.] And there's that ticket to pay off eventually, too.
{(link: "Hold off on buying the gym clothes for your kids.")[(set: $gymClothes to "false")(goto: "Don't buy the gym clothes")]
(link: "Buy the gym clothes for your kids.")[(set: $gymClothes to "true")(set: $bankAccount to it - 55)(goto: "Buy the gym clothes")]}<section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<article> Many cities tow and impound vehicles for unpad tickets, causing people experiencing homelessness to lose their shelter, transportation and personal belongings. Loss of transportation can also mean reduced or no access to employment and education, and/or medical care. Towing fees alone are often hundreds of dollars, and impound fees accrue daily, making it virtually impossible for people to retrieve their vehicles.</article>
<article class="source">Source: National Homelessness Law Center (NHLC)'s <a href="https://homelesslaw.org/housing-not-handcuffs-2019/" target="_blank">Housing Not Handcuffs</a> report</article>
</section>(display: "dyk 05")
[[Continue|Car towed 2]](if: $started is 1)[{
<header id="player-info">
<section id="stats">
<article class="header-img">
<img class="calendar" src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Calendar.png" alt="calendar icon" title="calendar icon" />
</article>
<article class="current-values">
<article class="data">
<article class="label days-passed">Day $daysPassed</article><article class="value days-passed">$month $date</article>
</article>
<article class="header-img">
<img class="wallet" src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/wallet-full.png" alt="image of wallet with money" title="full wallet" />
</article>
<article class="money data">
<article class="label balance">Balance</article><article class="value balance">$$bankAccount</article>
</article>
<article class="data">
<article class="label rent">Rent Goal</article><article class="value rent">$$moneyGoal</article>
</article>
(if: $finesCount > 0)[<article class="data"><article class="label debt">Fines Due</article><article class="value fine"> $$finesIncurred</article>]
(if: $feesCount > 0)[<article class="data"><article class="label debt">Fees Due</article><article class="value fee">$$feesIncurred</article>]
(if: $licenseSuspendedKnown > 0)[<article class="data"><article class="label debt">License</article><article class="value license">Suspended</article> ]
</section><!-- end #stat -->
(if: $restartDisplay is 1)[<article id="restart"><a href="javascript:history.go(0)"><img id="refresh" src="https://poornotguilty.org/play/img/restart.png" title="restart button" /></a></div>]
</header><!-- end header -->
}
<section id="passageName">
<em>Passage Name (for feedback purposes only)</em>: (print: (passage:)'s name)
</section>
]
One of your kids needs to use a computer for their homework this week, so you head to the public library after picking them up from school. You are able to access a computer for a couple of hours and help with your child's assignment.
By the time you leave, it's later than when you usually go to find a place to park for the night. You pick up some fast food and end up at a supermarket parking lot that you've had luck parking at in the past.
Normally, you go inside and buy some food for the night since the parking lot is technically for 'customers only'. But not tonight - it's late and you've already eaten.
[[Go to sleep for the night.]]<span class = "netBalance">Final Balance: (print: ($bankAccount -$finesIncurred - $feesIncurred))</span>
(if: $ending is "end of month")[You end up spending (if: $bankAccount >= 1000)[another month](else:)[another 3 months] living in your car before you are able to secure a new apartment. Even though you eventually are able to move back into permanent housing, the time you and your children spent living in the car took its toll.(if: $gymClothes is "false")[(if: $chanceID is 0)[You weren't able to get your kids the gym clothes they needed so they both had to take a failing grade for gym for the quarter.](else-if: $chanceID is 1)[One of your kids ended up spraining their ankle in gym class, which wound up being a stressful and expensive medical visit.]]
You had a few run ins with the police for parking in areas you weren't supposed to, but thankfully you were eventually connected with a local church that had a designated safe parking lot where you and others experiencing mobile homelessness were able to park each night.]
{
(else-if: $ending is "car towed")[Without your car, your situation grew exponentially worse. You relied on it for transportation to work and a place where you and your kids could safely stay together. It took you another month to save up all the money you needed to get your car back. During that time, you stayed at local shelters and encampments. You nearly lost your job because you were frequently late to work. After walking your kids to school each morning, you had to catch two different buses to get to your job, but the bus schedule was not very reliable. (if: $gymClothes is "false")[(if: $chanceID is 0)[You weren't able to get your kids the gym clothes they needed so they both had to take a failing grade for gym for the quarter.](else-if: $chanceID is 1)[One of your kids ended up spraining their ankle in gym class, which wound up being a stressful and expensive medical visit.]]
After getting your car back, you were so behind on finances that you had to remain living in your car for months before getting a new apartment.]
}
Nothing about your situation is just or right.
(if: $ending is "end of month")[[[Continue|Epilogue A]]]
(if: $ending is "car towed")[[[Continue|Epilogue B]]] <section class="days-passed">4 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).] (live: 4s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 4s)[(stop:)You pick up the kids from school. They tell you that the gym teacher says their P.E. sneakers are unsafe. They need shoes with proper ankle support. They also need new gym shorts since the ones from last year don't fit.
[[How much is this going to cost me?]]]<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/shoe.png" alt="image of a yellow sneaker" title="gym shoe" />
You hate to spend the extra money, but your kids really need the shoes and shorts for gym class. You just hope you'll be able to make the money up some other way and get the $$moneyGoal that you need to secure housing soon.
{
(set: $daysPassed to it + 5)
(set: $gymClothes to "true")
[[You just have to keep moving forward|Payday 1]]
}Everything you earn right now has to go towards the $$moneyGoal you need to secure housing. Of course you want your kids to have what they need for gym class, but you can't really justify the extra expense right now. Once you get a new apartment figured out, you can hopefully buy whatever your kids need for school.
{
(set: $daysPassed to it + 5)
(set: $gymClothes to "false")}
[[You just have to keep moving forward.|Payday 1]]You currently have $$bankAccount in your bank account. You work $daysScheduledToWork days per week and earn $$dailyWages a day, adding up to a weekly income of $$maxWeeklyWages. This month, you'll get paid on the 14th and the 28th.
You also have regular{<span class="text_link">(link:"expenses")[(goto: "Expenses")]</span>}like food and gas to keep in mind, which costs you $$regularExpenses each pay period.
You're hoping to save up enough money for your first month's rent and a security deposit on a new apartment so that you and your kids can have secure housing again. You will need $$moneyGoal to make that happen.
[[Continue|Scenario 1]] Every payday, you have to factor in your regular expenses for your budget.
You pay a total of $$regularExpenses each pay period towards:
<ul id="expenses">
<li>Groceries</li>
<li>Toiletries and household items</li>
<li>Health insurance</li>
<li>Car insurance</li>
<li>Gasoline</li>
<li>Taxes</li>
<li>Phone bill</li>
</ul>
(link-goto: "<< Go back <<", (history:)'s last)(set: $month to "October")
(if: $daysPassed is 30)[(set: $date to 1)]
(if: $daysPassed is 0)[(set: $date to 2)]
(if: $daysPassed is 1)[(set: $date to 3)]
(if: $daysPassed is 2)[(set: $date to 4)]
(if: $daysPassed is 3)[(set: $date to 5)]
(if: $daysPassed is 4)[(set: $date to 6)]
(if: $daysPassed is 5)[(set: $date to 7)]
(if: $daysPassed is 6)[(set: $date to 8)]
(if: $daysPassed is 7)[(set: $date to 9)]
(if: $daysPassed is 8)[(set: $date to 10)]
(if: $daysPassed is 9)[(set: $date to 11)]
(if: $daysPassed is 10)[(set: $date to 12)]
(if: $daysPassed is 11)[(set: $date to 13)]
(if: $daysPassed is 12)[(set: $date to 14)]
(if: $daysPassed is 13)[(set: $date to 15)]
(if: $daysPassed is 14)[(set: $date to 16)]
(if: $daysPassed is 15)[(set: $date to 17)]
(if: $daysPassed is 16)[(set: $date to 18)]
(if: $daysPassed is 17)[(set: $date to 19)]
(if: $daysPassed is 18)[(set: $date to 20)]
(if: $daysPassed is 19)[(set: $date to 21)]
(if: $daysPassed is 20)[(set: $date to 22)]
(if: $daysPassed is 21)[(set: $date to 23)]
(if: $daysPassed is 22)[(set: $date to 24)]
(if: $daysPassed is 23)[(set: $date to 25)]
(if: $daysPassed is 24)[(set: $date to 26)]
(if: $daysPassed is 25)[(set: $date to 27)]
(if: $daysPassed is 26)[(set: $date to 28)]
(if: $daysPassed is 27)[(set: $date to 29)]
(if: $daysPassed is 28)[(set: $date to 30)]
(if: $daysPassed is 29)[(set: $date to 31)](if: $payDay1 is 0)[<section class="days-passed">5 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).] (live: 4s)[(stop:).] (live: 5s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 5s)[(stop:)<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Income.png" alt="Image of a paycheck" title="paycheck" />
It's pay day! You've earned $$payDay, but remember, $$regularExpenses of it goes towards your regular{<span class="text_link">(link:"expenses.")[(goto: "Expenses")]</span>}
You're that much closer to the $$moneyGoal that you need to get an apartment! (if: $tailLight is "broken")[Unfortunately, your tail light is still broken.](else-if: $finesIncurred is not 0)[Unfortunately, you still have that traffic ticket to pay off.]
(set: $payDay1 to it + 1)
[[Don't remind me.|Reset 1]]]](else:)[<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Income.png" alt="Image of a paycheck" title="paycheck" />
It's pay day! You've earned $$payDay, but remember, $$regularExpenses of it goes towards your regular{<span class="text_link">(link:"expenses.")[(goto: "Expenses")]</span>}
You're that much closer to the $$moneyGoal that you need to get an apartment! (if: $tailLight is "broken")[Unfortunately, your tail light is still broken.](else-if: $finesIncurred is not 0)[Unfortunately, you still have that traffic ticket to pay off.]
[[Don't remind me.|Reset 1]]]Unfortunately, luck isn't on your side tonight. A store employee calls the police on you around midnight. You're woken up by a police officer knocking on the driver side window. You wake up with a start and roll your window down.
<span class="dialogue police"> "You can't sleep here. This parking lot is for supermarket customers only." </span>
[[Look for an old receipt in your car.]]
The police officer approaches your window.
<span class="dialogue police"> "One of your taillights is broken, so I'm going to have to issue you a ticket. You need to get that fixed as soon as possible to keep everyone safe on the roads." </span>
{
You are given a $$brokenLightTicketA ticket.
(set: $finesIncurred to it + $brokenLightTicketA)
(set: $finesCount to it +1)}
[[Check how much it will be to get your tail light fixed at the shop.|Check Tail Light Cost]]<section class="days-passed">3 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 3s)[(stop:)You bring your car in to have the tail light fixed as soon as you are able to and pay the $$tailLightCost bill.
You'll have just enough money to hold you over until your next paycheck, but you'll need to eventually pay off the ticket you received and save enough money for rent. At least you don't have to worry about getting pulled over again.]{
(set: $tailLight to "fixed")
(set: $daysPassed to it + 4)
(set: $bankAccount to it - $tailLightCost)
}
(live: 3s)[(stop:)[[Things will be tight, but you can manage.|Pick kids up from school]]] <section class="days-passed">3 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 3s)[(stop:)After thinking things over for a few days, you decide that having an unpaid ticket could cause problems that you can't deal with right now. You pay the $$brokenLightTicketA towards your ticket and just hope that you won't be pulled over for your broken tail light again.]
{
(set: $daysPassed to it +4)
(set: $finesIncurred to it - $brokenLightTicketA)
(set: $bankAccount to it - $brokenLightTicketA)
}
(live: 3s)[(stop:)[[You just have to keep moving forward.|Pick kids up from school]]]As you look around for an old receipt to prove that you are a supermarket customer, the officer peers into your car and sees your kids and belongings.
<span class="dialogue police"> "Are you aware that living in your car is prohibited in this state? Unfortunately, I'm going to have to write you a citation." </span>
You can't handle another citation right now! (if: $TailLight is "broken")[You just paid off your last ticket and still have a broken tail light to pay for.](else:)[You already spent all that money getting your tail light fixed and still haven't paid off your other ticket.]
[[Try to reason with the officer.]]<span class="dialogue player">"Please, officer. This is just temporary. I've had a really rough month, and I will have housing arrangements before next month. I promise." </span>
The officer decides to let you off with a warning and doesn't issue you a citation...This time.
[[That's a relief! What a night.|Display dyk 3]]{(display: "dyk 03")
(set: $daysPassed to it +4)}
[[Continue|Parking 2]]<section class="days-passed">4 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).] (live: 4s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 4s)[You've been rotating through a few different lots to park and sleep each night over the past few days, but you've had a hard time sleeping at all ever since your close call with the police in the supermarket parking lot.
You've thought about getting a motel for a few nights so that you don't have to worry over receiving a citation for sleeping in your car. The cheapest rate you've been able to find is $$motelRate per night. You've considered doing a 3 night stay, which would cost $$motelStay total.
On the one hand, you don't have very much money to spare right now and need to get together that $$moneyGoal for an apartment as soon as possible. On the other hand though, you aren't sure what will happen if you get caught sleeping in your car again. Plus, you and your kids would really benefit from having someplace to decompress for a few days and get better sleep.]
{
(set: $daysPassed to it + 3)
}
{(live: 4s)[(stop:)(link: "Stay at a motel for a few days.")[(set: $bankAccount to it - $motelStay)(goto: "Stay at a motel for a few days.")]
[[Skip the motel and keep parking in different lots each night.|No Motel]]]}
<section class="days-passed">3 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 3s)[(stop:)It is hard to see the $$motelStay go, but you have to admit that taking a few days to recharge at a motel is a breath of fresh air. You and your kids are all able to sleep more deeply and recooperate away from the car.
By the end of your stay, it's hard to go back to living in your car, but you also feel recooperated and more able to tackle the challenges ahead of you. Even so, you hope you made the right choice and that taking these few days won't end up preventing you from getting a new apartment.]
(set: $motel to "yes")
(live: 3s)[(stop:)[[Time to get back to the car.|Display dyk 1]]]<section class="days-passed">3 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).] (live: 3s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 3s)[(stop:)Staying at a motel would be nice, but you can't justify the extra cost. The longer you live in your car, the more likely you are to be caught and given a citation. That being the case, it makes the most sense for you to save everything you can towards getting a new apartment and getting out of your car once and for all.
You'll just have to be extra careful with picking where to park each night.]
(set: $motel to "no")
(live: 3s)[(stop:)[[Carry on with business as usual.|Display dyk 1]]]{(display: "dyk 01")
(set: $daysPassed to it + 2)
}
[[Continue|Payday 2]]<section class="days-passed">2 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 2s)[(stop:)One afternoon a few days later, you can't find your kids waiting out front of the school where they normally are when it's time for them to be picked up.
You drive around the corner and up the block to the community park, thinking that they might have gone to play while they waited. Sure enough, you can see your kids on the playground as you approach, laughing and talking with some friends.
You need to get going soon so that you can take care of your nightly tasks like getting food, cleaning up, and settling in somewhere to park overnight... but your kids do look like they're enjoying themselves, and it's a beautiful day outside.
{[[Park the car and join your kids while they play.|Hang out at park]]
[[Call to your kids from the car that it's time to go.|Time to go]]}]<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/park-bench.png" alt="image of brown park bench with 3 slats at the back and metal legs" title="park bench" />
You find a safe spot to park the car on the side of the road and get out to join your kids. They wave to you as you approach and keep playing.
You find a seat on a nearby bench near some other parents and chat for a little while. You're really glad that you decided to get outside for a bit and let the kids play. It really is such a lovely day out.
After about an hour, you and your kids say your goodbyes and head back to the car.
(if: $licenseSuspended is 1)[(link: "Get in the car.")[(goto: "Car Towed 1")]](else:)[(link: "Get in the car.")[(goto: "Ticket 2")]]You pull up along the side of the park and honk to get the attention of your kids. When they look over and see you, you roll down the window and beckon for them to come over. They wave goodbye to their friends and walk over to the car, hopping into the backseat.
Once in the car, your kids explain that they had lost track of time while they were playing. Then, they tell you all about their day at school while you drive.
[[It seems like they had a pretty good day.|Ticket 2]]As you are driving, you keep a look out for possible places to park for the night.
(live: 2s)[(stop:)Suddenly, you hear the blare of police sirens behind you and have no choice but to pull over to the side of the road. Not again!
<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/police_light.gif" alt="blue police siren light with rotating white spot to indicate its signaling someone to pull over" title="police siren animated GIF" />
Nothing happens for a few minutes, as the officer seems to be just sitting in their cruiser. Finally, they get out and approach your car where you are waiting with your window rolled down.
[[Ask the officer why you have been pulled over.|Ticket 2 Consequences]]
]...Wait...What is happening to your car!?
You run over to where your car is being hooked up to a tow truck. A police officer is standing next to his squad car nearby. The officer approaches you when they see you arrive.
<span class="dialogue police"> "Excuse me, is this your vehicle?" </span>
You nod and ask the officer why your car is being towed.
<span class="dialogue police"> "You have an unpaid ticket for a traffic violation on this car, so you've been driving on a suspended license. That is a misdemeanor in this state. Your car will be towed and I am going to write you a ticket. You will also have to appear in court and may face jail time." </span>
[[What are you supposed to do without your car!?|Display dyk 5]]<section class="days-passed">2 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 2s)[(stop:)A few more nights go by without incident, and you are starting to feel a little less stressed out about having the police called on you again.
Your kids are running behind on their homework tonight, so you look for somewhere that has good lighting that will allow them to work once the sun goes down.
You end up deciding on a strip mall parking lot which gets good light from the street lamps on the main road. There's also a taco shop with affordable food and a nice restroom that you are able to use to clean up.
[[Settle in for the night.]]]You are awoken a little after one in the morning by police lights flashing through your windsheild. Not again!
A police cruiser drives into the parking lot off the empty road before pulling into the spot next to your car. As the officer steps out of their vehicle, you roll down your window and ask if everything is alright.
<span class="dialogue police"> "I can't help but notice that you and these kids seem to be living out of your vehicle. That's prohibited in this state. I am going to give you a $$vehicleFine citation. I also need to run your license." </span>
{(set: $finesIncurred to it + $vehicleFine)
(set: $finesCount to it + 1)}
[[Hand over your license.]]Doing your best to stay calm, you ask the officer why you've been pulled over.
(if: $tailLight is "broken")[<span class="dialogue police"> "You have a broken tail light. I ran your plate and it seems that you've been written up for this before, which means the cost of your ticket is higher. The ticket for driving with a broken tail light is $$brokenLightTicketB this time." </span>](else:)[<span class="dialogue police"> "I ran your plate and it seems that you've been driving on a suspended license. That is a misdemeanor in this state. Your car will be impounded, and I am going to write you a ticket. You will also have to appear in court and may face jail time." </span>]
(if: $tailLight is "broken")[(set: $finesIncurred to it + $brokenLightTicketB)(set: $finesCount to it + 1)]
(if: $tailLight is "broken")[[[This is all just too much!|End of the Month]]](else:)[[[What are you supposed to do without your car?!|Display dyk 5]]]<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/suspended_license.png" alt="image of a driver's license with red text across the front that says SUSPENDED" title="suspended license" />
You are fined S$suspendedLicenseFine total for driving with a suspended license and now you don't even have a car. You can only get your car back on the condition that you pay your previous fines including the new one you received today. In addition, the jurisidiction is charging you an impound fee of $$impoundFee that you have to pay on top of everything else before having your car released back to you. (set: $ending to "car towed")
{(set: $feesIncurred to it + $impoundFee)
(set: $finesIncurred to it + $suspendedLicenseFine)
(set: $finesCount to it +1)
(set: $feesCount to it +1)}
[[What now?! |Transition]]You can't believe that you just keep getting hit with these fines over and over again. It's impossible for you to save up enough money to get a new apartment, which is the only thing that would help you to avoid getting fined in the first place!
It's nearly the beginning of a new month. Thanks to everything that you owe now, you're going to have to be in your car for at least another month, maybe even longer. (set: $ending to "end of month")
[[Keep on driving.|Transition]]You give the officer your license, which they take back to their car. They return a few minutes later and tell you (if: $licenseSuspended is 1)[that you have been driving on a suspended license due to unpaid traffic tickets. You are given an additional $licenseFine fine and are told that your car will be impounded!](else:)[that everything looks clear. That's a relief, but you still have this new ticket to worry about...]
(if: $licenseSuspended is 1)[<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/suspended_license.png" alt="image of a driver's license with red text across the front that says SUSPENDED" title="suspended license" />]
(if: $licenseSuspended is 1)[[[What are you supposed to do without your car!?|Display dyk 5]]](else:)[[[Things can't get much worse.|End of the Month]]](if: $payDay2 is 0)[<section class="days-passed">2 days later (live: 1s)[(stop:).] (live: 2s)[(stop:).]</section>
(live: 2s)[(stop:)<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Income.png" alt="Image of a paycheck" title="paycheck" />
It's pay day! You've earned $$payDay, and as always $$regularExpenses goes towards your regular{<span class="text_link">(link:"expenses.")[(goto: "Expenses")]</span>}
(if: $bankAccount >= 500)[Looks like you've hit your goal of having $$moneyGoal before the end of the month!](else:)[You're still saving towards the $$moneyGoal you'll need to get an apartment by the end of the month.] (if: $tailLight is "broken")[If only your tail light wasn't busted, you'd have less to worry about in terms of money.](else-if: $finesIncurred is not 0)[If only you didn't have that traffic ticket to pay off.](if: $bankAccount >= 500)[Still, you should be able to get into a new place on the 1st of the month, and you can deal with everything else later.]
(set: $payDay2 to it + 1)
[[Carry on with business as usual.|Reset 2]]]](else:)[<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Income.png" alt="Image of a paycheck" title="paycheck" />
It's pay day! You've earned $$payDay, and $$regularExpenses goes towards your regular{<span class="text_link">(link:"expenses.")[(goto: "Expenses")]</span>}
(if: $bankAccount >= 500)[Looks like you've hit your goal of having $$moneyGoal before the end of the month!](else:)[You're still saving towards the $$moneyGoal you'll need to get an apartment by the end of the month!] (if: $tailLight is "broken")[If only your tail light wasn't busted, you'd have less to worry about in terms of money.](else-if: $finesIncurred is not 0)[If only you didn't have that traffic ticket to pay off.](if: $bankAccount >= 500)[Still, you should be able to get into a new place on the 1st of the month, and you can deal with everything else later.]
[[Carry on with business as usual.|Reset 2]]]<section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<img src="http://poornotguilty.org/images/drive_it_home_challenge.png" alt="Image of a white car with exhaust coming out the back" title="car in motion" />
Vehicle residency is one of the fastest-growing forms of homelessness (<a href=
"https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/12/covid-unemployment-layoffs-foreclosure-eviction-homeless-car-rv/6713901002/">USA Today, 2021</a>). It is often the best option for those who would otherwise be without a roof over their heads, since a vehicle provides protection, privacy, and mobility.
However, there are often laws that restrict living in vehicles or that make it impossible for those who live in their vehicles to park anywhere safely.
These laws do not reduce vehicle residency or homelessness, but waste taxpayer dollars to levy punishment. Criminalization laws create impossible situations for those caught in the loop of imposed fines and fees, prolonging or exacerbating homelessness instead of addressing underlying causes, like the need for affordable housing.
To learn more about laws that criminalize homelessness, visit the National Homelessness Law Center <a href= "https://homelesslaw.org/criminalization/" target="_blank">(NLCHP)</a> website.
</section>
[[What are some ways to help?]]Vehicle residency is one of the fastest-growing forms of homelessness (<a href=
"https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/12/covid-unemployment-layoffs-foreclosure-eviction-homeless-car-rv/6713901002/">USA Today, 2021</a>). It is often the best option for those who would otherwise be without a roof or their heads, since a vehicle provides protection, privacy, and mobility.
Listen to Stacy and Harold talk about their first night experiencing mobile homelessness:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/usNUFBlgv9g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Those who rely on their vehicles for residency have many considerations, like keeping their car in working order, making sure their license and registration is up to date, figuring out somewhere to receive mail, and staying off the police's radar (<a href= "https://invisiblepeople.tv/challenges-for-people-living-in-cars/" target="_blank">Invisible People</a>).
Having a license suspension is particularly detrimental for those who live in their vehicles, since it can cause them to lose not only their mode of transportation but the roof over their head as well.
[[Tell me more about license suspensions.|Free to drive 1]] <h1>Ways to help</h1>
If you want to take a stand against policies that criminalize homelessness, endorse the Housing Not Handcuffs campaign and check out their resources for writing op-eds, creating testimony, or other activities on their <a href= "http://housingnothandcuffs.org/get-involved/">website.</a>
Help Housing Not Handcuffs amplify their message:
<ul><li><a href= "https://twitter.com/HNHCampaign">Follow</a> @HNHCampaign on twitter to stay up to date.</li>
<li><a href= "https://ctt.ac/WG5s8">Share</a> about the Housing not Handcuffs campaign on Twitter.</li>
<li>Speak to your community leaders about the HNH Campaign.</li></ul>
Listen to Stacy and Harold talk about their first night experiencing mobile homelessness:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/usNUFBlgv9g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
If you want to center real stories from real people talking about their own lived experiences with homelessness, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh4pyZUB0mNzieaKv831flA" target="_blank">follow Invisible People</a> on YouTube.
[[Anything else I can do?|Share your Fines and Fees Challenge]]<h1><em>Want to learn more about how debt-related driver's license suspensions make everyday life impossible?</h1></em>
Watch this video and then visit <a href="https://www.freetodrive.org" target="_blank">freetodrive.org</a>
{
<section class="visual-sidebar">
<article class="visual">
<a href="http://freetodrive.org" target="_blank"><img class="freeToDrive" src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/Free-to-Drive_logo.png" alt="Free to Drive organization logo which has an abstract road curving from left to right" title="Free to Drive's organization logo" /></a>
</article>
<article class="freeToDrive">
<article><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b94MPIwNd9s" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></article>
}
<p><hl><em>How does your state handle debt-related driving restrictions?</em></hl></p>
<p>Check out the <a href="https://www.freetodrive.org/maps/#page-content" target+"_blank">story maps</a> on Free to Drive.</p>
<p><hl><em>Do you want to show your support for ending debt-based license restrictions?</em></hl></p>
<p><a href="https://www.freetodrive.org/take-action/" target="_blank">Go and sign our petition!</a></p>
<p><h1><em>Are you a member of an organization interested in joining the Free to Drive Campaign?</em></h1></p>
<p>Visit <a href="https://www.freetodrive.org/contact-us" target="_blank">Contact us</a> and sign up to join our coalition.</p>
</section>
[<div id="restart"><a href="javascript:history.go(0)"><img id="refresh" src="https://poornotguilty.org/play/img/restart.png" title="restart button" /></a></div>]
[[Anything else I can do?|Share your Fines and Fees Challenge]]<section id="didyouknow">
<h1>Did You Know</h1>
<h2>Debt-related driver’s license suspensions make everyday life impossible</h2>
<img class="license-img" src="http://poornotguilty.org/play/img/driver-license.png" alt="icon of driver license with suggested photo and text" title="icon of a driver's license" />
<article>Currently, 37 states and D.C. still suspend, revoke or refuse to renew driver’s licenses for unpaid traffic, toll, misdemeanor and felony fines and fees. The result: millions of people are struggling to survive with debt-related license suspensions.</article>
<article>Driver’s license suspensions cost people their livelihoods. 86% of Americans drive to work and many jobs require a driver’s license. Without a license, you can’t take your children to school, buy groceries, or get the healthcare you need. Many people have no choice but to continue driving — meaning they risk more fines and fees, a criminal conviction, and incarceration.</article>
<article>Suspending licenses cuts economic growth. People who can’t work or who lose income due to a suspended license have less money to contribute to the economy and less money to pay off their initial fines and fees — leaving them saddled with court debt for years.</article>
<article>License suspensions undermine public safety. When law enforcement uses valuable time to cite, stop, fine and arrest people for driving on a suspended license due to unpaid fines and fees, they have less time to investigate and focus on crimes that endanger people’s lives.</article>
<article class="source">Source: <a href="https://www.freetodrive.org" target="_blank">Free to Drive Coalition</a></article>
</section>
(set: $restartDisplay to 0)(display: "Free to Drive stats")
[[Continue|Free to Drive 2]] Share your Fines and Fees Challenge experience with others!
Thanks for playing.(set: $bankAccount to it + $payDay - $regularExpenses)
(set: $daysPassed to it + 6)
(goto: "Parking 1")(set: $daysPassed to it +2)
(set: $bankAccount to it + $payDay - $regularExpenses)
(if: $motel is "yes")[(goto: "Looking for kids")](else-if: $motel is "no")[(goto: "Parking Lot 2")](set: $netBalance to $bankAccount - $finesIncurred - $feesIncurred)
(goto: "Keep on driving.")
↶↷
Hello and welcome to Drive It Home. Let's begin.
You are a single mom, with 2 kids. Since you were evicted last month from your home, you are currently using your 2004 minivan as a roof over your head.
Your daily routine consists of dropping your kids off at school and then getting to work. You also have to find somewhere safe to clean up and then park each night so that you can sleep.
Continue