HELP! Need traffic ticket advice

[Carolyn Andrews]

Okay I did it. It was a righteous call. I travelled in the HOV (carpool) lane -- so near the end of it yet so far. Doesn't matter how many one passenger vehicles passed me doing the same before I got the idea. The cop didn't lie. The problem is I've been away from the US a long time and I don't really know how to handle things like this and I need advice. I was ready to pay and go to traffic school and be a really good girl from now on. But I was shocked to find out that although this is my first moving violation they have put a price so high ($331 = $20 security fee) that it is above the price ceiling for offenses that you can go to traffic school for and thus I will also mess up my insurance for one offense. Seems rather brutal.

My questions are as follows: If I go to court is it remotely likely that it might be reduced at least enough to go to traffic school? What is their deal? Are they trying to get me to go to court or does that just make them more mad?
Has anybody ever tried organizations like TixNix and have any idea if they are any use?
Any suggestions, advice, and so forth will be much appreciated.

love and blessings,
CA
:dunno:

[Braggi]

Dunno about TixNix.

I suggest you go to court (don't miss the date! And don't be late even one minute. Go early so you can get a good parking spot. Bring a book but put it down once the judge comes in.). Dress nicely but don't try to look like a lawyer. Be as respectful as you can to the judge (or other court officer). Be sorry, so sorry that you'll never ever do this again! Beg for the opportunity to do traffic school so you can keep your record clean. Choking up and shedding a tear or two would not be out of order.

You got nailed on a nasty one. They really don't like people doing what you did.

Hope you get lucky.

[kazooboy]

I think you should have your day in court. There is always the possibility of a fine reduction, and, as the previous poster suggested, it can never hurt to throw yourself on the mercy of the court and even grovell (sp?) a bit.
You could also plead not guilty and get another hearing date, and if the officer who gave you the ticket doesn't show up (it has happened to me on at least two occassions in the past 25 years) the ticket will be dismissed.
However, you do run the risk of pi**ing off the judge if the cop does show, and you cannot then change your plea to "guilty w/ an explanation".
Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck.-- Kazooboy

[Dixon]

My $.02 worth--
The law you broke was one of the reasonable ones. So, you did the crime--do the time without complaint; learn the lesson, then get on with your life and have a good one.
Luv;
Dixon

[petermargolies]

Hi,
My wife once got a ticket for parking in a handicapped spot. It was ten at night, the parking lot was empty and there were plenty of other handicapped parking spaces for those who needed one. She had very good excuses for doing what she did - at least in her own mind - yet, the sign clearly stated this was reserved for handicapped people and what the fine would be. It was extremely picky of the overzealous officer to write her a ticket, she was only using the space to run in and out of a building, it's dangerous for a woman . . . she can still go on and on (and on) about this. But she had to pay the ticket. No way around it and the bottom line was, is and always will be, she broke the law and got caught.
Your situation is very similar. You broke the law and now must pay the consequences.
I think you're best solution is to pay the fine and whatever increases in insurance that may cost you and get on with your life. Or, like my wife, you could tote this baggage around for years.
I hope this doesn't sound condescending. I honestly don't mean it that way. I react the same way when I get caught violating some traffic law or other. It's really just human nature. We see ourselves as good people and if we violating some law, it was just a little one and just for a little while and nobody was harmed by it. I understand where you're coming from. Honestly I do. And I've felt the same way. But we are a nation of laws and laws tend to be arbitrary. So when we get caught we plead guilty, pay the fine and move on.
Pete

[markwjam]

My Uncle Oswald comments on this situation thusly:
** * *" Working people frequently ask us retired people what we do to make
our days interesting. Well, for example, the other day I went into town
and went to a small shop down on High Street. I was only in there for
about 10 minutes.
* * When I came out, there was a cop writing out a parking ticket. I went
up to him and said, "Come on buddy, how about giving a senior citizen a
break?"
He looked up, then ignored me and continued writing the ticket. I
called him a heartless Nazi bastard. He glared at me and then started
writing another ticket for worn tires.* So, I called him a piece of
stinking dog shit. He finished the second ticket and put it on the
windshield with the first.* I called him an asshole and a pig.* Then he
started writing a third ticket. I called his mother a slut and a whore.

** This went on for about 20 minutes.* The more I verbally abused him, the
more tickets he wrote.* Personally, I didn't give a shit.* I came downtown
by bus. I try to have a little fun each day now that I'm retired.* It's
important at my age."

[Raya]

Replying to Help with traffic ticket advice -- I got a ticket going south of Santa Rosa in a carpool land. I honestly didin't notice that it was a carpool lane. I had moved away from this area when the lanes were widened, and never used that route much anyways since I lived and now live again in Sebastopol. Anyways, I went to court and pleaded by case, and instead of having to pay a $300 fine, I got community service. I haven't started it yet, but there are many service-type jobs to pick from, and I chose to work at the Senior Center and visit homebound elderly people. The person who responded recently was much too judgmental. It is not necessary to be that way. People make mistakes, and there are some remedies for them. Raya

[Dixon]

The person who responded recently was much too judgmental. Raya

Here's some irony for ya: Isn't it possible that saying "The person who responded recently was much too judgmental" is much too judgmental?
xoxoxox
Dixon

[Sabrina]

In case no ones mentioned this, my most recent experience ( was within this year) is that if you have not had any moving violations within (I think it's the last 3 years, maybe a different time period, now I forget) you can go to traffic school to have the moving violation removed from your record, without even going to court. That's the good news. The bad news is that now they make you pay for traffic school AND the violation! Someone mentioned community service, and maybe that's some more good news. Perhaps you can go to traffic school, and go to court to ask for fine reduction and /or take care of it with community service!

Good luck,

Sabrina