Got my first ticket...

[mav1178]

Originally Posted by pinski

Paying a ticket is an admission of guilt.

Not exactly...

Paying a ticket can either mean
1) you are paying the fine and are admitting guilt
or 2) you are paying the bail amount (same as fine) and not admitting guilt.

Just because you pay the amount on the ticket doesn't mean you are admitting guilt.

-alex

[NWFRS]

Originally Posted by WNDSRFR

Anyway, that's my story. I want to know what you think I should do? Should I just pay the fine and forget about it or should I take it to court?

Neither.

Find an attorney who specializes in traffic violations and pay them to turn it into a non-moving violation. You'll pay a little more upfront but you'll save money on your insurance in the long run.

Ask me how I know...actually never mind...don't ask.

[Impureclient]

Sounds like your cop was on his period? Maybe jamming on the brakes when the lights came on and him rear ending you wouldn't have made the situation better?

LOL .... our court system is really working well when $60 attorneys can turn your guilty offense into being innocent.

That's because probably half the tickets they give out are garbage and they are either meeting their quota or just getting extra funds for their department: http://blog.motorists.org/traffic-ti...-big-business/

I think I am on maybe number 5 or 6 on paying an attorney a small fee and making red light camera tickets go bye bye. Not plowing through a steady red light like that but simply slowly turning and not fully stopping at a red light and barely getting the red. The first one I fought, I got the entire county to change the timing on the light . I went to the DOT and found they had the wrong amount of time for the yellow. Of course a shorter yellow equals more cash for these turds. Now after changing the timing to the correct timing, the revenue has dropped significantly for the red light tickets and they are talking about removing the red light cameras. Always fight tickets.

[soulreapersteve]

Originally Posted by Impureclient

Sounds like your cop was on his period? Maybe jamming on the brakes when the lights came on and him rear ending you wouldn't have made the situation better?


That's because probably half the tickets they give out are garbage and they are either meeting their quota or just getting extra funds for their department: http://blog.motorists.org/traffic-ti...-big-business/

I think I am on maybe number 5 or 6 on paying an attorney a small fee and making red light camera tickets go bye bye. Not plowing through a steady red light like that but simply slowly turning and not fully stopping at a red light and barely getting the red. The first one I fought, I got the entire county to change the timing on the light . I went to the DOT and found they had the wrong amount of time for the yellow. Of course a shorter yellow equals more cash for these turds. Now after changing the timing to the correct timing, the revenue has dropped significantly for the red light tickets and they are talking about removing the red light cameras. Always fight tickets.

What I bolded. I got my very first ticket (4 years of driving) on 4th of July weekend and cop wrote me up for 65 in a 60mph zone. Got frustrated and didn't think it through, paid the ticket. Everyone told me that I could have gotten it thrown out easily.

Learned my lesson and fighting every ticket that I get in the future (hopefully none but there's always a chance).

[chas3wba0]

I just paid $490 for rolling a right turn at a red light... $169 is chum change in comparison. Just pay the fine, count your blessings, and do traffic school to get rid of the points.

[Namuna]

Originally Posted by UchihaFanBoy

No lawyer its a waste of money

Let me disagree with that argument with an example.

I recently fought a bogus ticket (Cop originally gave me a written warning, but at some point he mistakenly put it into the system as an actual ticket). I'm also in NJ, same as you.

I got a lawyer and went to the courthouse on the appointed day and time. When I got there several things became evident base on observation:
* In the waiting area, before the court proceedings started, people without lawyers had to get a numbered ticket and would be called up to the judge based on the numbers. People with Lawyers didn't have to get a ticket because the lawyers were given direct access (through a door marked 'Lawyers Only') to speak with the prosecutor about the case.
* Then the court proceedings start and you go into the actual court room. Upon entering the court you'll see at the front is the Judge's bench, then there's several "For lawyers only" leather cushioned chairs and then to the back, for the general public are the folding chairs. When the room starts filling in, you can see most of the lawyers present greeting each other as they've seen each other around before.
* Once the proceedings actually starts, the Judge goes through all the cases that involve a lawyer first, and then he goes to the numbered tickets.

So, based on those observations it was and is evident to me that while you can certainly fight the ticket on your own, you increase your chances of success exponentially by having the lawyer as it's damned obvious that the court favors them.

[Namuna]

You know what, your plan of action should actually be based on overall cost. Every infraction and what state is different. For me, it was worth getting the lawyer.

For you, find out how many points buzzing the stop sign will get you, then contact your insurance and find out how much of a surcharge and for how long that will be. Add that to the cost of the ticket. That's what you'll be paying if you don't fight it and just send a check in.

Now try calling a couple of lawyers (consults should be free) and find out what they can do for you. Don't forget that if you have to go to court, you lose that days worth of work pay too.

Now compare the 2 outcomes and decide what action to take.

[UchihaFanBoy]

Originally Posted by Namuna

Let me disagree with that argument with an example.

I recently fought a bogus ticket (Cop originally gave me a written warning, but at some point he mistakenly put it into the system as an actual ticket). I'm also in NJ, same as you.

I got a lawyer and went to the courthouse on the appointed day and time. When I got there several things became evident base on observation:
* In the waiting area, before the court proceedings started, people without lawyers had to get a numbered ticket and would be called up to the judge based on the numbers. People with Lawyers didn't have to get a ticket because the lawyers were given direct access (through a door marked 'Lawyers Only') to speak with the prosecutor about the case.
* Then the court proceedings start and you go into the actual court room. Upon entering the court you'll see at the front is the Judge's bench, then there's several "For lawyers only" leather cushioned chairs and then to the back, for the general public are the folding chairs. When the room starts filling in, you can see most of the lawyers present greeting each other as they've seen each other around before.
* Once the proceedings actually starts, the Judge goes through all the cases that involve a lawyer first, and then he goes to the numbered tickets.

So, based on those observations it was and is evident to me that while you can certainly fight the ticket on your own, you increase your chances of success exponentially by having the lawyer as it's damned obvious that the court favors them.

Well it depends on what town. Each town does it differently. My Judge didnt do that. The judge called out randomly.

[chaoskaze]

I have no idea why you didn't stop... It's a stop sign. Even if you wanna be rolling u still have to get down to almost 0 then move. ( have to look like u atleast stopped for a sec)

2 things I wanna point out thou.

1. If you are stopped by a cop. Put on your hazard light immediately & proceed to the nearby parking, don't park on busy road.
You need to let him know wit u gonna do & be assertive. Not like wut u did, stop then drive on? Are you trying to run or something? (That's wut the cop gonna think & results in giving you attitude.)

2. Stop your car, roll all windows down, have ur license & registration ready and have both of ur hands outside/where he can visibly see them.

You will have less trouble with them.


One more thing in case you don't know. If you wanna turn right @ a red light you need to treat it like a stop sign instead of rolling through. I got a ticket like that before.

Lastly, take your ticket to the traffic ticket lawyers/places. Less point = less increase in insurance.

[Turbo95eg6]

Go to court and tell the judge the cop was being a big meanie.

[Bergen23]

ITT: OP breaks the law and whines about the cop being mean after looking like he was trying to evade the 5-0

Edit: I got pulled over by the SWAT team and they were very nice to me

[stevesnj]

Just stop at the Stop sign's with the white border around it. Easy

[ajaxthebetter]

Wow. Everyone really comes to a complete stop at signs in the middle of nowhere? Would almost guarantee it is the hard stoppers who actually get involved in more accidents.

Traffic cops are a joke. One can often drive down the streets and find pedestrians high on drugs/ drunk, but it is easier to save the world by writing tickets for petty infractions.

Best thing I ever heard was my Grandmother's friend getting pulled over for a rolling stop. Cop comes up to her and asks her why she rolled through sign. Her reply: it says stop, not park.

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by ajaxthebetter

Wow. Everyone really comes to a complete stop at signs in the middle of nowhere? Would almost guarantee it is the hard stoppers who actually get involved in more accidents.

Traffic cops are a joke. One can often drive down the streets and find pedestrians high on drugs/ drunk, but it is easier to save the world by writing tickets for petty infractions.

Best thing I ever heard was my Grandmother's friend getting pulled over for a rolling stop. Cop comes up to her and asks her why she rolled through sign. Her reply: it says stop, not park.

And what is the definition of a stop?

Fuck, being a cop is probably the hardest fucking job now a days. So many entitled **** heads in society. But, complain about it when you get a ticket, and call them when your house gets broken into, your daughter gets attacked or someone steals your car. Funny how that works. I've seen multiple people get hit by drivers who roll through stops, and I've been thrown in the drunk tank for being intoxicated in public. But hey, I guess America is a different story, right? Cause you guys with your guns and shit can police yourselves better than the people who are currently doing it.