I got a damn ticket...

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mopardude318

mopardude318

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It was 7 in the morning, on the back side of the town I live in. I was going to work (construction, cash under the table) and I drive this road frequently to get there. It's a bullsh*t 3 way stop where no body is around at this time, (7am) except for this frickin cop. I was running late so I didn't stop all the way, I just slowed down and rolled through it at about 10 miles an hour...and there he was, I saw him and he saw me. So I pulled over knowing what I did and waited for him. Here he comes, license registration and insurance please. He goes to his car, comes back with a ticket. Damn, can't even get out of this one, can't even explain. lol

Got the ticket in the mail...$300 BUCKS?!?!?!?!?!?! WTF!!!? Really? I think this is outrageous....I can barely afford this expensive california rent, I'm livin on the bare necessities here, and can't /refuse to pay this...

Is there a way you think I should maybe...go to court? ask for a reduction in fines, maybe offer to do some community service to work off that fine?? Does /can the law system work like that? Do I request for an arraignment, which I'm not entirely sure what that is or do I ask for a trial and contest it?
Asking for a trial sounds expensive....is it true if the cop doesnt show, it gets excused?

anyone got any thing to say about this? lol
 
Set a court date, show up and hope the cop doesn't. If he shows, plead NoContest. The judge will take your driving record into consideration when he hands down the fine
 
You might try the reduction thing....but really, you did it. If you already knew you "can barely afford this expensive california rent, I'm livin on the bare necessities", then you knew to be careful. I drive the speed limit and obey traffic law everywhere I go because that's the absolute LAST thing I can afford right now. 300 does seem excessive, though.
 
I had a buddy that just did the same thing you did (I'm in Cali too). He went to court to contest it (he said he contests everything. His mindset is "what have a I got to lose"?).

When he entered the court room, he said the cop wasn't there, so he thought he would be getting off without paying anything and the ticket would be thrown out. Then the cop showed up and my buddy started sweating (cause he knew he was guilty). After two hours (court docket was full that day), the cop left. The judge called his case to the bench, the cop wasn't in the court room, case dismissed. My buddy left without paying a cent and the ticket was thrown out.

Is there a way you think I should maybe...go to court? ask for a reduction in fines, maybe offer to do some community service to work off that fine?? Does /can the law system work like that? - There should be some info on the ticket regarding fighting it. It up to the judge what happens to you when you get there.

is it true if the cop doesnt show, it gets excused? - See story above.
 
here in detroit you go to the court house and they drop most things down to an impeading traffic and you pay like 150.00
 
rjsjea said:
Set a court date, show up and hope the cop doesn't. If he shows, plead NoContest. The judge will take your driving record into consideration when he hands down the fine
Click to expand...

Also, can't I request for an extension somehow? I heard this is possible, keep extending it, and on the last extension, which is like 3 months away or so i think, then finally request to go to court? Then maybe he will wont show, cuz it was months ago?? lol Or do peace officers get paid extra to go to court, so they make it a point to go?

StrokerScamp said:
You might try the reduction thing....but really, you did it. If you already knew you "can barely afford this expensive california rent, I'm livin on the bare necessities", then you knew to be careful. I drive the speed limit and obey traffic law everywhere I go because that's the absolute LAST thing I can afford right now. 300 does seem excessive, though.
Click to expand...

Yep, I did it...my fault..:( If i ask for a reduction and request to do community service, is that "contesting" the violation, or will I have a chance to say something to the judge? Not sure how this works...
 
Show up to court and see if the reduce it. Normally you can set up a payment plan for up to 90 days. If you know you were in the wrong I would not try to fight it to go in be respectful and see what they can do for you.


Troy
 
I always take every ticket to court even if I am guilty but I always maintain respect. I want my moneys worth and if I tie up the officer all day he won't be writing any tickets. I never plead guilty even though I am so they have to do a trial so that makes them put the case to the end of the daily docket. One time my wife got a ticket and it took four trial dates because the judge kept recusing themself because my wife works with the judges and no one would here the case. They finally called in an out of county judge to hear the case and he had her pay $80.00 court cost and placed an order that it wouldn't go on her drivers lisense but she was really innocent because I was in the car. It seems like the same highway patrolman (same one that ticketed my wife) is the one that always gets me and for the last 10 years he only has given me a warning tickets... I wonder why?
 
Contest it?? Your word against his. Tried this once, was asked by the judge "now why would I take the word of a citizen that is trying to get out of paying a fine over the word of a sworn officer?"
 
Here in Alabama if the cop doesn't show up they reschedule the hearing to another day. If the cop doesn't show up they reschedule again. On the third time you get off scott free. BTW, the cops have the records and will use it against you that you "beat" them. They will also lie to cover for the cop that is not there. In my case they said he was off sick but I passed him on the freeway on the way to court as he was writing someone a ticket. Not wanting to push my luck I didn't tell the pruneface judge about what I had seen. She probably would have told one of the other state cops to get in their car and radio for him to show up.

On another occaison I was hit for speeding but everybody else was going the same speed as me - in fact I saw the cop sitting there on the side of the road and slowed down, piling up cars behind me. the guy gets rolling and chases me down saying I got the ticket because I was in front. Computerized ticket from the cop - nothing in the mail. Turns out they did not have the ticket in their records and I didn't even have to show up. Still waiting for that one to bite me but since I was stopped in a "license / insurance but really DUI" checkpoing maybe I really am off the hook on that ticket.
 
if the judge is having a bad day he can charge you for the ticket plus court cost so it may end up costing you double (of course this usually happens to people who piss off the judge)
 
inkjunkie said:
Contest it?? Your word against his. Tried this once, was asked by the judge "now why would I take the word of a citizen that is trying to get out of paying a fine over the word of a sworn officer?"
Click to expand...

Because his job is to generate revenue for the city/county/state.
 
a traffic ticket can cost alot, even for a minor ticket now!.
here is what to do. there should be a court appearance date on the front. you must call the court to plea not guilty, this way, you will only have to go to court one time. if you do not ple not guilty, the day you are sceduled to go, alll the judge will ask you is guilty or not. if then at that time, you plea not guilty, the judge will set a new date, this way they will have the cop there on the new "trial day".

however, while you are there in court, look for the prosucuters office or desk. talk to him, and if you do not have an exstensive record, he will lower it to a non moving violation ( this way you will not get points on your licience, therefore, your insurance will not go up!)
also, if you are out of work, ask him if he could set minuminm fines, and let you do community service, since you have no job.
if you talk to the prosacuter with respect, i am sure you will be fine

oh, yes, trust you me, the cop will be there when you have to speak in front of the judge!. he is on the clock to do so
 
caferacerx said:
if the judge is having a bad day he can charge you for the ticket plus court cost so it may end up costing you double (of course this usually happens to people who piss off the judge)
Click to expand...

Luckily any ticket in Oklahoma has the court cost alraedy built in so that isn't any issue. I guess Kansas must be that way also because when I got tickets in the rollback wrecker towing a trailer I took them to court to prove the officer wrong on the fuel tax, trailer lisence plate issue and the DOT number requirements. I was setting on the side of the road looking at a map when he passed me so he must have seen the oklahoma plate on the truck and no plate on the trailer. I did get stuck paying $85.00 for speeding even though I had a witness and I wasn't speeding. By the time it was through the Kansas trooper knew the law because the DA had to take a recess to look everything up. Officer, DA, Judge and the Court reporter tied up for 3 hours so I think I got my moneys worth while educationing the trooper to the real law. $85 / 3 hours = $28.33 per hour. $28.33 / 4 employees = $7.08 per hour per employee not to figure in the troopers driving time and expenses.

BTW, these posts make me sound like I am a PITA but I am only that way towards the ticket writers.
 
mopardude318 said:
Also, can't I request for an extension somehow? I heard this is possible, keep extending it, and on the last extension, which is like 3 months away or so i think, then finally request to go to court? Then maybe he will wont show, cuz it was months ago?? lol Or do peace officers get paid extra to go to court, so they make it a point to go?

..
Click to expand...

Officers usually get OT for going to court, unless they are already at work. Seems that may be the case since you got the ticket in the morning. Extending it wont make it less likely for him to show up....they usually write down notes about the T-stop on their copy of the ticket
 
crackedback said:
Because his job is to generate revenue for the city/county/state.
Click to expand...
Exactly....one of the small towns up up here, Reardan, is a real bad about ticketing people. 1 mph over and he will write you. He is known to sit right where it drops from 60 to 30 and write you up for speeding in the 30 zone while you were still in the 60 zone. Recently wrote a neighbor up for a plate light being out in the morning and wrote him up again on his way home at night......I no longer go thru there, I cut thru the backway thru the farmers fields.....
 
Here's my story, you decide how you want to handle your ticket.
Waaaaay back in 1973 during my younger and crazier days, I got a phone call telling me the new '74 TransAm I'd ordered had been delivered and was ready for me to pickup. Naturally I'm really in a hurry to go get it after work. At the time my daily driver was a really stout '69 Swinger 340 with a reverse-pattern manual shift 727 - and no, it didn't get traded in for the T/A.
Anyway, after work I needed to make a left turn out of the company parking lot. Two of my co-workers stepped into the crosswalk to stop traffic so I could make the turn. Just to show off, I jumped on it as soon as I made the turn and lit up the tires big time. Just as I shifted to 2nd and the tires broke loose again, I looked over and there was a cop going in the opposite direction with eyes as big as saucers.
I made a right turn at the next intersection, pulled over to the curb and waited for him. He came around the corner like he was chasing Bonnie and Clyde and almost went passed me. Bottom line: I got a ticket for Exhibition of Speed.
I went to court the day before the court date and got put on the docket. Of course the cop wasn't there. I stood in front of the judge and pled "Guilty with an explanation". I told the truth, the whole truth, and only what the judge needed to know. I told the judge I needed to make a left turn across traffic on a busy street (truth), two of my friends stepped off the curb to stop traffic (truth), I must have had a little dirt on my tires from the construction going on in our parking lot (truth), and the arresting officer must have seen me fishtail a little due to the dirt (what the judge needed to hear).
He hit me with a $25 fine and said, "Next".
Like I said, you do what you need to do.
 
Well around here cops have cameras mounted in their cars that record everything. So if the camera recorded what you did and you plea not guilty, and then the camera proves you wrong your fine instantly triples (its done because you lied to the court. Oh yeah, there is no getting out of it either).
 
mopardude318 said:
It was 7 in the morning, on the back side of the town I live in. I was going to work (construction, cash under the table) and I drive this road frequently to get there. It's a bullsh*t 3 way stop where no body is around at this time, (7am) except for this frickin cop. I was running late so I didn't stop all the way, I just slowed down and rolled through it at about 10 miles an hour...and there he was, I saw him and he saw me. So I pulled over knowing what I did and waited for him. Here he comes, license registration and insurance please. He goes to his car, comes back with a ticket. Damn, can't even get out of this one, can't even explain. lol

Got the ticket in the mail...$300 BUCKS?!?!?!?!?!?! WTF!!!? Really? I think this is outrageous....I can barely afford this expensive california rent, I'm livin on the bare necessities here, and can't /refuse to pay this...

Is there a way you think I should maybe...go to court? ask for a reduction in fines, maybe offer to do some community service to work off that fine?? Does /can the law system work like that? Do I request for an arraignment, which I'm not entirely sure what that is or do I ask for a trial and contest it?
Asking for a trial sounds expensive....is it true if the cop doesnt show, it gets excused?

anyone got any thing to say about this? lol
Click to expand...

Hey i feel bad for you and i would go to court any little thing might help ( But remember the old saying IF YOU CAN'T DO THE FINE DON'T DO THE CRIME) good luck how every it works out
 
mopardude318 said:
Yep, I did it...my fault..:( If i ask for a reduction and request to do community service, is that "contesting" the violation, or will I have a chance to say something to the judge? Not sure how this works...
Click to expand...

Kitty has a heavy foot.....and an Escape with a 24 valve V6. She got popped 83 in a 55 and did community service. She cooked for the jail in Jones County 5 weekends in a row. But she also knows the court clerk. Still though, you might ask for community service.....tell him you cannot afford it. Idon't think you'll see jail time for a run stop sign.
 
rjsjea said:
Set a court date, show up and hope the cop doesn't. If he shows, plead NoContest. The judge will take your driving record into consideration when he hands down the fine
Click to expand...

That doesnt work. The judge will just reschedule and make the cop show. Ask to take defensive driving and ask for payments.
 
Dusteriffic said:
I had a buddy that just did the same thing you did (I'm in Cali too). He went to court to contest it (he said he contests everything. His mindset is "what have a I got to lose"?).

When he entered the court room, he said the cop wasn't there, so he thought he would be getting off without paying anything and the ticket would be thrown out. Then the cop showed up and my buddy started sweating (cause he knew he was guilty). After two hours (court docket was full that day), the cop left. The judge called his case to the bench, the cop wasn't in the court room, case dismissed. My buddy left without paying a cent and the ticket was thrown out.

Is there a way you think I should maybe...go to court? ask for a reduction in fines, maybe offer to do some community service to work off that fine?? Does /can the law system work like that? - There should be some info on the ticket regarding fighting it. It up to the judge what happens to you when you get there.

is it true if the cop doesnt show, it gets excused? - See story above.
Click to expand...

It dont work like that in tx.
 
But really what is there to contest? This is why I play safe and careful. You tried to hurry to get to work it cost you $300 and you were still late.
 
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