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  1. #1
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    I got my first ticket...

    Hi everybody,

    Last night, around 9:30, I drove about three miles down the road to grab some dinner. After picking up my meal, I pulled out of the restaurant and on to the street. (I put my food in the trunk, I wasn't eating while driving). The street is a rather busy one with lot's of lights and traffic.

    About ten seconds after getting on the road, a cop was going in the opposite direction and passed me. Then, all of a sudden I hear SCREEEEAAACCCHHHH. He pulled a U in the middle of traffic. I looked at my speed, and I was going 55 in a 45 zone, but he followed me, so I knew it was for my speeding. So i pulled over into a church parking lot.

    After waiting for about five minutes (I was very nervous, he had his lights flashing and all), he finally came up to my window.
    Cop: Do you know why I pulled you over
    Jason: Because I was going 55 in a 45 zone.
    Cop: It wasn't even that....your lights are not on.
    Jason looks down at his light adjusting thing, its off. Do I feel like an idiot or what.
    Since area was so lit up, the thought of turning on my lights hadn't come up.
    After a long time, he finally wrote me my ticket. I was shocked he actually did it, I was expecting him to let me off.

    Anyways, I have a question.
    On the back of the ticket, it says

    Amount of fine/penalty: $10.00
    Court costs: $100.00
    Total: $110.00

    I could care less about the ten dollars, and 100 really isn't that much. But since this doesnt go to insurance, I could care less about being found guilty. It says "if you plea guilty, you agree to tender the fine/penalty and costs".

    It also says that I do not have to appear in District Court, I can just send in my payment by mail.
    It says if I do decide to plea guilty, I should send in my money "promptly, to minimize your court costs. If you delay in entering your plea you will be liable for the costs of serving subpoenas on witnesses plus witness fees".

    So, since I am going to plea guilty, do I send $10, or $110?
    I'm not going to court, so why would I have to pay the court fees?

    Thanks,
    Jason
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  2. #2
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    you ALWAYS say "No, I dont know why you pulled me over"

    Why? Because you just confessed to something he didn't know about. You dont want to get in more trouble than you already are.

  3. #3
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    Originally posted by Camp2Win
    you ALWAYS say "No, I dont know why you pulled me over"
    Well, I was trying to appear like the innocent type of person

    (Plus my food was getting cold, I didn't want to argue)
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  4. #4
    Originally posted by Camp2Win
    you ALWAYS say "No, I dont know why you pulled me over"

    Why? Because you just confessed to something he didn't know about. You dont want to get in more trouble than you already are.
    Agreed, got my out of a $200 fine + license suspension a few months back.

    Also, DONT BE A SMARTA**! Thats the worst thing
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  5. #5
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    Originally posted by Camp2Win
    you ALWAYS say "No, I dont know why you pulled me over"

    Why? Because you just confessed to something he didn't know about. You dont want to get in more trouble than you already are.
    Exactly. I was going to say this, until I scrolled down and saw that you had phrased it perfectly.

    Never, absolutely never, admit guilt to a cop. You don't know what they're going to say, so why the heck would you completely throw away the possibility of being let off with nothing or a warning by admitting guilt?! Some cops stop you for something trivial, like the one who pulled you over did, and admitting guilt to another offense is just shooting yourself in the foot.

    It seems like you've answered your own question, unless I'm mistaken:

    Quote Originally Posted by jasong
    It says "if you plea guilty, you agree to tender the fine/penalty and costs".
    This doesn't make much sense, though. As you said, why would you have to pay for the court costs if you're not even appearing in court? Perhaps the court processes it anyhow, so it's going to cost you regardless.

  6. #6
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    yeah.. never let a cop know why you were pulled over.. thats probably why you got the ticket... duh!
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  7. #7
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    Wow a court fee? What next a Cop fee? I mean it took about 5 minutes to get out and write the fine so lets add another $100.00...

    Also I do have to agree do not admit to guilt. Not to long ago (2 weeks ago at most) I was driving and it was nice out so I was not really paying really close to the speed. I was going 35 in a 25 miles an hour, and he pulled me over. He asked me you know how fast I was going? I said no, but he let me off I guess it was because of the nice weather . Though what I do not get is if it was like 100 - 150 or so more feet I would of been in the 35 miles per hour speed limit range .

  8. #8
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    You all keep speaking about how admitting to what you did gets you a penalty, but he didn't give me a ticket for speeding.
    He gave it to me for what he originally pulled me over for, so it didn't' hurt me.

    In my area, if you act like a ignorant person and don't know how fast you were going, the cop won't hesitate to give you a ticket.
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  9. #9
    I never mentioned it was because of speeding.

    If answering correctly is how it works thre, then good work.
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  10. #10
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    Originally posted by jasong
    You all keep speaking about how admitting to what you did gets you a penalty, but he didn't give me a ticket for speeding.
    He gave it to me for what he originally pulled me over for, so it didn't' hurt me.

    In my area, if you act like a ignorant person and don't know how fast you were going, the cop won't hesitate to give you a ticket.
    Making excuses is unnecessary. We were merely advising you on how to improve (pretty substantially, too) your chances of not getting a ticket written up next time you're pulled over. Just because he didn't write you up for speeding doesn't mean he -- or another cop -- won't next time, or that he would have written you up for anything, had you not admitted your guilt of something, even if it was irrelevant.

    If you've never gotten a ticket before, how would you really know how cops are and how they react to declarations of innocence? What if you really thought you were innocent?

  11. #11
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    Every location can be different. I never saw a $100 "court cost" on a traffic ticket. If there is some uncertainty over what your fine is, it would probably be best to go to the courthouse to pay the fine. The clerk can answer your question of how much to make the check for. It could be best if you know someone with local experience. You might want to ask your insurance agent whether you need to go to traffic school to keep your premiums from going up.

  12. #12
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    Or better yet...if you are going to pay the court cost, you might as well go to court and state that you didn't know the light were on so you are innocent.

    Or perhap you could call them and ask them if you do not show up in court, would you have to pay the 100$ fee. Ask them why there is a court fee? You don't have to mention who you are or your situation. I would make this call as annoymous.

  13. #13
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    Originally posted by indiaberry
    Or better yet...if you are going to pay the court cost, you might as well go to court and state that you didn't know the light were on so you are innocent.
    Yeah, if I have to pay for the court session, you bet I'll be there. It couldn't hurt.

    Or perhap you could call them and ask them if you do not show up in court, would you have to pay the 100$ fee. Ask them why there is a court fee? You don't have to mention who you are or your situation. I would make this call as annoymous. [/B][/QUOTE]
    I wonder where the closest pay phone is...they sort of took them all down in my town because everybody has a cell phone.
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  14. #14
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    Originally posted by jasong
    I wonder where the closest pay phone is...they sort of took them all down in my town because everybody has a cell phone.
    There is absolutely no logical reason for having to make the call anonymous or even having to state your identity, one way or another, in any way. What are they going to do, arrest you for attempting to clear up what fees to pay?

  15. #15
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    Originally posted by SniperDevil
    There is absolutely no logical reason for having to make the call anonymous or even having to state your identity, one way or another, in any way. What are they going to do, arrest you for attempting to clear up what fees to pay?
    You never know. I never thought you could get a $110 ticket for not having your headlights on until a day ago.
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  16. #16
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    I'm pretty sure you will have to pay the court costs regardless. Unless you fight the ticket and WIN in court then you don't have to pay court costs. Heck just call and ask.
    Gary Harris - the artist formerly known as Dixiesys
    resident grumpy redneck

  17. #17
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    Originally posted by SniperDevil
    Never, absolutely never, admit guilt to a cop. You don't know what they're going to say, so why the heck would you completely throw away the possibility of being let off with nothing or a warning by admitting guilt?! Some cops stop you for something trivial, like the one who pulled you over did, and admitting guilt to another offense is just shooting yourself in the foot.
    I disagree.

    Being honest can go a long way. In some cases, when you know your own fault, you can say that you think you might be going a little faster than the speed limit and apologize. Playing dumb and saying "I don't know" when something is blatant and obvious makes you look incompetent and dumb.

    No offense or anything SniperDevil, but I still can't grasp the concept of you giving driving advice when you're only 15? Do you even have a permit yet? I'm not sure how smart it is for any of us to take your advice or tips on driving...
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  18. #18
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    Originally posted by Dixiesys
    I'm pretty sure you will have to pay the court costs regardless. Unless you fight the ticket and WIN in court then you don't have to pay court costs. Heck just call and ask.
    So let me get this strait.
    If you don't go to court, you have to pay the court fine.
    If you do go to court, and waste an hour or two of several people's time a, you might not have to.
    Does that make sense to anybody else?
    Haven't been on WHT for 6 years!

  19. #19
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    Originally posted by jasong
    So let me get this strait.
    If you don't go to court, you have to pay the court fine.
    If you do go to court, and waste an hour or two of several people's time a, you might not have to.
    Does that make sense to anybody else?
    Nope just another way the city and state make more money off the people. Though you can call tomorrow and ask to see what they say.

  20. #20
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    Originally posted by jasong
    So let me get this strait.
    If you don't go to court, you have to pay the court fine.
    If you do go to court, and waste an hour or two of several people's time a, you might not have to.
    Does that make sense to anybody else?
    I would definitely call tomorrow and get an accurate answer. Asking people on WebHostingTalk is the wrong place to get a reliable answer which will pertain to your OWN state in the US. Keep in mind, everyone here is from a different state, let alone, different country. Good luck!
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  21. #21
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    Originally posted by Nich
    I disagree.

    Being honest can go a long way. In some cases, when you know your own fault, you can say that you think you might be going a little faster than the speed limit and apologize. Playing dumb and saying "I don't know" when something is blatant and obvious makes you look incompetent and dumb.
    There are two positions on the issue (possibly some in between, as well), but from experience, I can tell you that not admitting guilt in any way works much better than saying, for example, "well, Officer, I thought I was only going a couple miles over the speed limit."

    They can still write you up for the ticket if you admit going over by a couple miles per hour and they'll have a confession from you, should you attempt to take the matter to court. Since they've already taken the time to stop you and now they have a confession of guilt from you, hey, why not give you a ticket? Whose word has more weight in court, the cop's or yours? You can conjecture, but I think you'll arrive at the right answer. On the other hand, if you confess absolutely nothing, the officer has no confession from you and, if the infraction was relatively minor, there's a decent chance he'll let you off the hook -- provided you're a male with nothing against you, preferably with no political or social propaganda.

    Keep in mind that this is all if the potential infraction wasn't outrageous, like going insanely fast. In that case, there's virtually no way to "misrepresent" your way out of the inevitable.

    Originally posted by Nich
    No offense or anything SniperDevil, but I still can't grasp the concept of you giving driving advice when you're only 15? Do you even have a permit yet? I'm not sure how smart it is for any of us to take your advice or tips on driving...
    I have my permit, yes. I've only compiled this knowledge based on experiences, stories, and advice from drivers with multitudes of experiences.

  22. #22
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    Originally posted by SniperDevil
    There are two positions on the issue (possibly some in between, as well), but from experience, I can tell you that not admitting guilt in any way works much better than saying, for example, "well, Officer, I thought I was only going a couple miles over the speed limit."

    They can still write you up for the ticket if you admit going over by a couple miles per hour and they'll have a confession from you, should you attempt to take the matter to court. Since they've already taken the time to stop you and now they have a confession of guilt from you, hey, why not give you a ticket? Whose word has more weight in court, the cop's or yours? You can conjecture, but I think you'll arrive at the right answer. On the other hand, if you confess absolutely nothing, the officer has no confession from you and, if the infraction was relatively minor, there's a decent chance he'll let you off the hook -- provided you're a male with nothing against, preferably with no political or social propaganda.

    Keep in mind that this is all if the potential infraction wasn't outrageous, like going insanely fast. In that case, there's virtually no way to "misrepresent" your way out of the inevitable.



    I have my permit, yes. I've only compiled this knowledge based on experiences, stories, and advice from drivers with multitudes of experiences.
    Hi SniperDevil,

    I understand what you're saying, and I would probably say too that I didn't know why I was pulled over (if it wasn't blatant)...

    However, you can't rule out the fact that honesty can work too. For example, so the officer has a confession that you said you were doing a few miles over the speed limit. However, if you decide to go to court, your only option is not just disputing the ticket because you didn't do it. You can dispute the ticket many other ways also. Such as, saying that the traffic was moving at that pace, and then showing them that you are a good driver with a clean record after driving for 20 years down the same road. You don't just go to court to say that you didn't do it.

    You keep saying "from experience"...but having a permit doesn't give you much experience now, does it?
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  23. #23
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    Originally posted by jasong
    So let me get this strait.
    If you don't go to court, you have to pay the court fine.
    If you do go to court, and waste an hour or two of several people's time a, you might not have to.
    Does that make sense to anybody else?
    I got a ticket not too long ago for improper tail lights.

    Went to the courthouse and had basically this conversation:

    Me: I got a ticket for improper tail lights I fixed them when I got home it was just a crossed wire.
    Clerk: if it's fixed you can go show up for court and they'll throw out the fine
    Me: cool when is court?
    Clerk: show up at 8:30am and sometime before 4:30pm you'll get called into the courtroom, if the car's fixed you won't pay a fine and only have to pay court costs
    Me: Court costs eh? How much are court costs?
    Clerk: $115
    Me: How much is the fine?
    Clerk: $10
    Me: So let me get this straight, I can come up here and possibly spend ALL day to save myself a $10 fine? But I'll still have to pay court costs?
    Clerk: Yep
    Me: so what if I just give you the $10 now? No court no costs?
    Clerk: Nope you still have to pay court costs for the court time declaring you guilty and filing the papers etc.
    Me: Forget it no way am I wasting hours of time over $10, who do I write the check for $125 to so I can get out of here?
    Clerk: We don't take checks.
    Me: Credit cards?
    Clerk: Nope, cash or certified bank checks only.
    Me: God I'm moving outta this city as quickly as I can find a house in the county somplace.

    I did too, 4 months later roughly. Can't stand the thought that my property taxes/etc are going into a system as stupid as that one.
    Gary Harris - the artist formerly known as Dixiesys
    resident grumpy redneck

  24. #24
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    Originally posted by Nich
    However, you can't rule out the fact that honesty can work too. For example, so the officer has a confession that you said you were doing a few miles over the speed limit. However, if you decide to go to court, your only option is not just disputing the ticket because you didn't do it. You can dispute the ticket many other ways also. Such as, saying that the traffic was moving at that pace, and then showing them that you are a good driver with a clean record after driving for 20 years down the same road. You don't just go to court to say that you didn't do it.
    I can't rule anything out, but can merely state what has worked for my family and others I know. As for the excuse that "traffic was moving at that pace", that typically doesn't fly; being the ole' "sheep in the herd" is not going to save you your fine. The speed limit is the maximum legal speed limit.

    Good luck with that excuse. I'd just assume declare my innocence -- under reasonable circumstances -- from the get-go, have that going for me, and then, as a last resort, use your excuses in the courtroom if I choose to pursue a legal avenue.

    Originally posted by Nich
    You keep saying "from experience"...but having a permit doesn't give you much experience now, does it?
    I've had experience being stopped in family members' and friends' cars. Some used the excuse and others didn't. The cops seemed more inclined to pursue the matter further -- in hopes of eliciting a confession -- and my dad and cousin were simply let go after going 20 MPH over the 55 MPH speed limit. It was probably a fairly unaccurate "study", by scientific standards, but they were my observations, nonetheless.

    I've heard stories, as well, and I believe them, if only due to their logic.

  25. #25
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    Originally posted by Dixiesys
    I'm pretty sure you will have to pay the court costs regardless. Unless you fight the ticket and WIN in court then you don't have to pay court costs. Heck just call and ask.

    if you go to court, you will pay court costs regardless of whether you win or not. Court costs should not be part of the fine, the fine is 10 dollars in this case, not 110. I'm not sure as to why they put the court costs on the ticket.
    Who is General Fault, and why is he reading my disk?

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