People sometimes like to tie morality to legality. When we think of someone committing an illegal act, we often think of felonies. Sexual assault, homicide, or other violent crimes are obviously evidence of someone being a bad person.
But we know there are other illegal things that often don’t define you as a bad person, at least not in the same ways felonies do. These are the types of crimes some people try to get away with.
Ignoring a car hit while parked doesn’t always seem like such a big deal to the person who committed the act. If nobody is in the area, folks who get into these parking lot fender benders often leave the scene. We’ll go over this small crime and other crimes some people think they can get away with.
#1 – Tax Evasion
Doing your taxes is one of the most important things about adulthood, but it’s sometimes stressful. There are often a lot of numbers to keep track of, especially if you’re a small business owner. Add in spouses, children, other dependents, and side hustles and you might miss a number here or there.
This is perfectly fine and easy to resolve. It’s when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) knows you are trying to falsify numbers intentionally that you’ll be investigated for tax evasion. If you’re being dishonest with large quantities of money, red flags are even more likely to go up in their direction.
Tax evasion seems like a small crime, but it’s not viewed this way by the IRS. Taxes are money you owe to the government. In other words, you are stealing money from them. And you might not view shoplifting or home invasion as a small crime, so why would you view tax evasion this way?
If you feel like you’re uncomfortable with doing your taxes, contact a tax professional. Services like these can actually be quite affordable if you go with a basic package.
If you’re still unsure whether you can afford this, try talking to a family member or friend who is more experienced with crunching numbers. They can help you through the difficulties you are facing with your taxes.
#2 – Hitting a Parked Car
Parking lots can be very difficult to maneuver. If you accidentally hit a parked car while getting out of your spot, it is important to take responsibility for your actions. Some people might look around for any witnesses and leave the scene of the crime. They think this is easier than waiting for the owner of the vehicle, but the consequences of doing this can be harsh.
When you leave the scene of hitting a parked car, you can be charged with a hit and run. This results in massive fines and sometimes even prison time. When you own up to the crime, you can avoid stricter penalties. Your insurance company might raise your rates slightly, but isn’t this better than the alternative?
Another reason people may flee a parked car hit is because they are afraid of how the owner of the car will react. Try to apologize and explain the situation to the victim. Be patient if they react strongly. If the person threatens you, call the police. You don’t deserve this type of treatment if you’re an honest person owning up to a mistake.
#3 – Littering
Learning why you shouldn’t litter is one of the most important ways to educate yourself on the environment. It may seem small to throw a candy wrapper or a water bottle out the car window, but it shows a disregard for the world we live in. Don’t treat the planet with such disrespect.
Some people think they can get away with littering so often that they might start dumping large items on the side of the road. Seeing couches, refrigerators, and other appliances while driving is unfortunately not an entirely uncommon occurrence. This littering could result in much stricter fines than smaller garbage.
Littering is a seemingly small crime to some people, but imagine how horrible the world would look if everyone engaged in it. This is all a reminder people should need to have some self-control with their garbage.
#4 – Threatening Violence Online
One of the consequences of the internet age is how some people feel empowered to bully and threaten others from behind the computer screen. If you don’t agree with someone on social media, don’t think you can threaten them without consequences.
Saying you are going to hurt another person on Facebook or Instagram is considered a form of assault. It will see you facing some sort of criminal charges. You can go to prison and be fined for threatening someone online.
If you ever feel like you are getting overheated while arguing with someone over the internet, step away from the screen. Instigating violence is never the answer to anybody’s problems.
#5 – Noise Pollution
Of all of the things on this list, making noise might be the item you wouldn’t expect even to be a crime. People throw parties and they have fun. Kids scream when they are playing outside. Parents argue about money and work and other responsibilities. This is OK if the noise made is within reason.
It’s when these things go on for extended periods of time that neighbors and other people are allowed to file a noise complaint with the city. Often authorities will come to the door of the person making noise and give them a warning. Fines and other penalties will follow if the noise ensues after the warning.
Noise pollution makes it hard for people to go about their daily lives. Try to respect your neighbors and give them the quiet they deserve after a long day. It’s what you would want in return, right?
Small crimes don’t always make you a bad person, and you can often recover from committing them quite easily. Take responsibility for your actions, don’t try to get away with what you did, and the consequences will be much less significant.
Shawn Laib writes and researches for the auto insurance comparison site, BuyAutoInsurance.org. He wants to help people understand how to avoid committing small crimes by explaining the legal consequences behind them.
