So today I strung about 12 sneezes together while I was driving. So I didn't see the light turn red until it was too late, and I slammed the brakes on but overshot the line by a few metres. Luckily there was my friendly neighbourhood police officer there to see it. That will cost me 3 demerit points and $341.
I don't dispute the infringement notice, I did the wrong thing, but does anyone else think the fine is a bit excessive?
I didn't stop before the line on the ground. So technically failed to stop at a red light. It's just a cash grab.
Robbery.
You failed to cause an accident. How dare you!
Haha. The particular intersection is such that I was nowhere near actually in the way of oncoming traffic either. I think it's just a cash grab.
That's exactly what it is.
So fight it! Damn the man! At least here in Canada you can fight them, usually win too. Just ask to sit with a justice of the peace, so you're basically one on one with a guy where you get a chance to actually plead your case. Explain things from your side, they'll usually at least lower fines.
Quote from: Hays413 on July 23, 2014, 10:18:02 AM
So fight it! Damn the man! At least here in Canada you can fight them, usually win too. Just ask to sit with a justice of the peace, so you're basically one on one with a guy where you get a chance to actually plead your case. Explain things from your side, they'll usually at least lower fines.
Yea but is it worth it to waste a day off or the cost of the money lost for a missed day of work.
Quote from: Hays413 on July 23, 2014, 10:18:02 AM
So fight it! Damn the man! At least here in Canada you can fight them, usually win too. Just ask to sit with a justice of the peace, so you're basically one on one with a guy where you get a chance to actually plead your case. Explain things from your side, they'll usually at least lower fines.
The problem with that in America is... You usually still need to hire a lawyer (more money) and pay costs for the court to hear your case (even MORE money). It's as ridiculous as it sounds. The first (and only) speeding ticket I got was 85 in a 65. The fine was about $32. The court costs were about 180.
If America's traffic court system wasn't so brutal if say you'd be dumb not to fight it. But I guess it's just way easier in Canada. Less the a month ago I got out of a 2800 fine, easy as pie.
I'm actually in Australia, where the law is quite fucked at times. To put it in perspective I was once fined $155 for doing 119kph in a 100 zone. And now I overshoot the line by a couple of metres and get the same number of demerit points and a fine over twice as large. Go figure. I could challenge it, but it would involve going to court for the day, and either hiring a lawyer or representing myself, then hoping the magistrate is in a good mood. I'd sooner just pay $10 per week for the next 8 months so it takes them as long as possible to get the money out of me.
Quote from: Remillo on July 23, 2014, 03:08:10 PM
Quote from: Hays413 on July 23, 2014, 10:18:02 AM
So fight it! Damn the man! At least here in Canada you can fight them, usually win too. Just ask to sit with a justice of the peace, so you're basically one on one with a guy where you get a chance to actually plead your case. Explain things from your side, they'll usually at least lower fines.
The problem with that in America is... You usually still need to hire a lawyer (more money) and pay costs for the court to hear your case (even MORE money). It's as ridiculous as it sounds. The first (and only) speeding ticket I got was 85 in a 65. The fine was about $32. The court costs were about 180.
Even if you don't go to court and pay your ticket online, you still have to pay court costs..
I know that's the case in both Illinois and North Carolina.
Quote from: bravado883 on July 28, 2014, 05:26:30 PM
So I looked up the rules in a couple different counties in Illinois, and if your violation doesn't require a court appearance you don't have to pay court costs unless you want to challenge.
We might be talking about different stuff. If you're required to appear due to the nature of your violation, you obviously have to go to court and pay costs, even if you plead guilty and pay the fine.
Ultimately I don't suppose it matters too much.
Interesting. I got a speeding ticket in Lake County back in 2011, and even though I didn't go to court, I still had to pay court costs. But oh well...
Quote from: rarehuntertay on July 28, 2014, 07:36:36 PM
Quote from: bravado883 on July 28, 2014, 05:26:30 PM
So I looked up the rules in a couple different counties in Illinois, and if your violation doesn't require a court appearance you don't have to pay court costs unless you want to challenge.
We might be talking about different stuff. If you're required to appear due to the nature of your violation, you obviously have to go to court and pay costs, even if you plead guilty and pay the fine.
Ultimately I don't suppose it matters too much.
Interesting. I got a speeding ticket in Lake County back in 2011, and even though I didn't go to court, I still had to pay court costs. But oh well...
Sometimes they let you pay extra so the violation doesn't appear on your record.