S: Traffic Ticket (Rolling Stop)

[AmRivlin]

On my way home today I made a rolling stop on my street in Irvine. Was very courtious with the officer, and asked for a warning, was issued a ticket 25 feet from my door.

I am 24 and have never been pulled over before in my life.

Should I get a court date and ask for a continuance?
Go to traffic school?
Just pay it and be done?

Use www.ticketbust.com

[Jenny]

Ouch, suck. :(

And damn, that site costs $99! lol

[speedracer120]

Hahaha. Sorry man, but I've been hit with that one before, but luckily it was in LA county where they have online traffic school. Irvine is in OC, which doesn't allow online traffic schools (yet, hopefully sometime soon). You should just pay for traffic school and keep this off your record instead of chancing it with a point on your record. But that's just my humble opinion.

[AmRivlin]

Probably right, it just sucks! What a bitch, I slowed and just made a second error when i saw no cars at the other stops. Well it was just dark and the cop was waiting on my parking lot. GRRR>

[speedracer120]

Well you're probably still just adjusting to your neighborhood. You just need to think about how the Irvine cops operate. I've heard my friends rumble about their heavy handedness, but luckily I have yet to experience it first hand.
But then again, I hate Irvine and try to stay away as much as possible.

[bachviet]

Irvine cops have nothing better to do than giving out tickets. :D My co-worker got a "front window tinted" ticket right outside of work parking lot. Your ticket is going to cost you around $200 + traffic school fee. You have to go to one of the 5 courts in OC for traffic school (either a 8-hr session on Saturday or two 4-hr sessions on two Wednesday).

[Daedalus]

I would consider fighting it. What if you were to get another ticket within 3 years? If you fight both of them you'll have 2x the chance of beating one of them, than if you only fight the next one. Depends on the odds of beating this particular offense, which you would have to look into. Some offenses are easier to beat than others. I might be willing to pay more up front now to reduce the risk of my premium going up if I get pulled over again within 3 years.

[zero2dash]

Irvine cops have nothing better to do than giving out tickets. :D

I think this applies everywhere. :heh:
Am I the only one who thinks (when I'm having problems and need police assistance, or when I see something ie crazy drivers) that cops aren't around when you need them, yet they sure are everywhere when it's not necessary? :)

Sorry about your ticket AmRivlin...I'd probably do school if you can since it'll be cheaper than the ticket (probably) and let you avoid the points. Fighting it - you could end up being found guilty so then you still pay plus you get the points. Hiring a lawyer or a ticket firm will cost...lots.

[Grimm]

Fight it and if you lose, take traffic school.
Pay the $99, it's good odds to get it dismissed.

[Daedalus]

you could end up being found guilty so then you still pay plus you get the points.

I didn't think fighting a ticket and losing makes you inelligible for traffic school. Paying the ticket is an admission of guilt up front, or no? Fighting it is simply paying more up front for risk mitigation...playing the odds and considering expected payouts. And, if you win, the cost will probably about equal fine + school. Much cheaper than years of higher premiums IF you were to get another infraction.
Aren't there attorneys who post here? Speak up!

[speedracer120]

I was led to believe that if you choose to fight you give up the "privilege" of attending traffic school, at least that's how West Court in OC operates.

[Grimm]

I was led to believe that if you choose to fight you give up the "privilege" of attending traffic school, at least that's how West Court in OC operates.
Who told you that? the cop? the one who just wants you to admit guilt?

Fighting the ticket has always paid off for me. When it wasn't dismissed outright the fine was reduced and I was allowed to attend traffic school, even though I wasn't elegible for another month.
I wasn't elegible because I paid the fine after getting stuck by a traffic camera. If I had fought that and lost, I would have been able to get it reversed later when the system was found to be illegal since they had illegaly shortened the yellow lights (I got caught when the light changed after 2 seconds, the law requires it be yellow for 3).
Always pay the $99 to fight the ticket.

[speedracer120]

Not the cop, I believe it was the mailing that the court sent me to notify me that I've been cited. Plus I like to avoid conflict :hihi:

[Grimm]

Not the cop, I believe it was the mailing that the court sent me to notify me that I've been cited. Plus I like to avoid conflict :hihi:
Hmmm... so, if you believe you are innocent of the charges you are denied traffic school... that might not hold up in court. You have a right to defend yourself. Penalizing you for defending yourself is wrong.

Besides, you won't ever be "found guilty". What will really happen is the lawyer will stall the trail date as much as possible, then try to get it in whern the cop can't be there. When the cop doesn't show it is dismissed. If the cop shows up he will ask for a continuance. If the cop keeps showing up he will plead it out, unless there is a solid chance he can get it tossed on a technicality or actualy win. These guys don't want to fight a case though, they are making only $99 a ticket, it's all about volume.
When they plead it out they will change your plea to guilty in exchange for a reduced fine and traffic school. Since the lawyer is probably holding a dozen cases, the judge and prosicuter like that they can settle 12 cases in a few minutes and are usually willing to be more lenient on the fees and school.
Judge gets 12 cases done, prosicuter has 12 ticket convictions, state has some cash from the convictions, cop has tickets upheld, your lawer has $1,188 in his pocket and you and 11 other people are paying less for your ticket and keeping it off their records. Everybody wins (well, you lose less). Even if you end up paying the same or a little more, the posability of having a ticket tossed out is well worth it.

The $99 is cheap. If you handled it yourself it would take at least a full day of lost work and you probably wouldn't do as well as the lawyer. No economy of scale and you don't know all the tricks, so the court can screw you.

[MrGreg]

Back when I first got my MR2 I was working long hours in Irvine. After getting off work (11 pm or later) I would treat those nice wide city streets as my own personal racetrack. It was AWESOME. I got very good at sliding the back end around 90 degree turns. Luckily I never ran into Johnny Law.

Although I did see a Jaguar XJ220 one day.

[TofuNinja]

Irvine cops have nothing better to do than giving out tickets. .

Irvine PD just plain sucks. They can and will ticket you for anything and everything. I mean Irvine is one of the Safest cities in the US... what else are they going to do? I stay away from Irvine as much as possible too, horrid Drivers (usually Azn ;) ) and a bored PD.... not fun.

[AmRivlin]

So, this company ticketbust.com is based in Northern Cali, how will they defend me. I would gladly pay it, I just dont want to pay them, and then pay to be sent to traffic school.

Either I A. Go to Traffic School or B. Pay 99 and hope they beat it and get points removed

[Merlin]

I wouldn't bother with traffic school. Your insurance rates don't change with one ticket. So why bother? If you get a second ticket sometime over the next three years then go for that one.

[Grimm]

I wouldn't bother with traffic school. Your insurance rates don't change with one ticket. So why bother? If you get a second ticket sometime over the next three years then go for that one.
Because if the second ticke is one that does not allow for traffic school, you are screwed. For example, driving 26 in a school zone. No tollerance and no traffic school.
Plus, insurance companies hold onto that record for years. A second ticket years later could mess you up, espcialy if you get a couple in a row. Then your earlier non-traffic school ticket makes a difference, because you can only take taffic school for one of the new tickets.

[ShawnLee]

My brother's right. I was in traffic school last night (the two Wednesdays option) and it was explained this way. As a procedural matter, you lose the privilege of traffic school. Now, if the judge or commissioner is so inclined (and not a jerk) he can order that you be given the option as well.

[irwin]

So, this company ticketbust.com is based in Northern Cali, how will they defend me. I would gladly pay it, I just dont want to pay them, and then pay to be sent to traffic school.

Either I A. Go to Traffic School or B. Pay 99 and hope they beat it and get points removed

I filled out the form online last night and they called me this morning. They don't represent you in court. They only do the TBD paperwork for you.

[AmRivlin]

What is TBD Paperwork, and how does this allow the ticket to be disqualified. Can't I do the paperwork on my own?

[irwin]

What is TBD Paperwork, and how does this allow the ticket to be disqualified. Can't I do the paperwork on my own?


Trial by Declaration

Yeah, you can fill it out on your own. Info hurr:
http://ticketassassin.com/fight.html

[AmRivlin]

hey wird, that still doesnt help me understand how the fine / points are commuted or dismissed. If filling out a form makes it get dismissed why doesnt everyone do it. What am I getting for 99 bucks?

Edit- Nevermind, I went to that site, does it really work?

[ShawnLee]

hey wird, that still doesnt help me understand how the fine / points are commuted or dismissed. If filling out a form makes it get dismissed why doesnt everyone do it. What am I getting for 99 bucks?

Edit- Nevermind, I went to that site, does it really work?It used to be that cops wouldn't be paid for the time to fill out those declarations. Whereas in normal trials, they'd be subpoenaed and would be paid for their time, many weren't compensated for their time in doing this, so would choose not to.

Some departments now set aside time on duty to fill these out, or pay overtime for filling these out. So there's a mixed bag to this, if the cop responds, it'll be the same as if you went to court (his word vs. yours), if not, you get off.

By the way, I'm not a lawyer, you should talk to one if you want knowledgeable, everything I say is hearsay and could be wrong. I'm what we used to call ****-can/barracks/foxhole lawyers back in the Army. I don't know crap, but that which I've heard I pass on to you.

[irwin]

WHOO! TICKETBUSTERS ROCKS. Just got a letter today from Placer County Superior Court notifying me of the pending refund of my citation fee. Phew. That would've been my second ticket within 18 months and a point on my license. :P

So here's how it went down:
1) Filled out form at www.ticketbust.com
2) TB dude called me and said I was to pay my citation first.
3) I paid and TB sent me Trial by Declaration forms that I signed and returned back to them.
4) TB dude calls me again and asks me questions about my ticket (what time, why I was speeding, etc.) TB fills in all the blanks on the TbD forms and mails them to the court.

Pretty painless. Definitely recommended.

[AmRivlin]

www.ticketassasin.com is the one I ended up using.

Basically it is free (25 dollar donation) He explains the entire system in laymens terms and has you do it yourself. I submitted my forms on Monday, I will know if I am good enough at writing my defense in 4 weeks.

[brainsmile]

keep us posted

[AmRivlin]

Guilty :( Now I am out 140 dollars... boo hoo

[Jane83]

totally happened to me too.
a block away from home
damn pasadena police

[AmRivlin]

It sucks, really sucks, cause I stop longer than some stupid Lexus with spinners... GRR

[Houdini]

Guilty :( Now I am out 140 dollars... boo hoo

Wow...sorry to hear about that. Especially for a rolling stop in a neighborhood without any other cars around.

I got pulled over a few weeks ago for making a left turn on green. It seems the cop interpreted the law to mean that if you turn left on green, you run a read light. (er....duh...that's why your light's green. The traffic 90 deg from you has to have a red). After a discussion about how it's not that way everywhere else in the country (where I got the distinct feeling this guy had NEVER left the city, ever) and discussing a few other legal matters regarding some other things, the guy luckily let me off, with a big warning "STOP AT RED LIGHTS, PLEASE."

I wonder how one can make a left turn, when there's no "no left turn" sign, without "running a red..."

[nickel]

Wow...sorry to hear about that. Especially for a rolling stop in a neighborhood without any other cars around.

I got pulled over a few weeks ago for making a left turn on green. It seems the cop interpreted the law to mean that if you turn left on green, you run a read light. (er....duh...that's why your light's green. The traffic 90 deg from you has to have a red). After a discussion about how it's not that way everywhere else in the country (where I got the distinct feeling this guy had NEVER left the city, ever) and discussing a few other legal matters regarding some other things, the guy luckily let me off, with a big warning "STOP AT RED LIGHTS, PLEASE."

I wonder how one can make a left turn, when there's no "no left turn" sign, without "running a red..."
wait. so you proceeded as the light was green and traffic allowed you to turn and he couldn't comprehend that?

was he a rookie? i had a guy who looked about 18, and had a mouthful of braces, stop me once for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign ironically. his braces made him have speech impediments like he'd just got them on, and i was laughing at him to myself because it made him sound inebriated. :P

i negotiated and got out of the impending ticket. wish you could've too AmRivilin. :(

[Markel]

I got pulled over a few weeks ago for making a left turn on green. It seems the cop interpreted the law to mean that if you turn left on green, you run a read light. (er....duh...that's why your light's green. The traffic 90 deg from you has to have a red). After a discussion about how it's not that way everywhere else in the country (where I got the distinct feeling this guy had NEVER left the city, ever) and discussing a few other legal matters regarding some other things, the guy luckily let me off, with a big warning "STOP AT RED LIGHTS, PLEASE."
I would be VERY tempted to write a letter to the police department, including that cop's name and/or badge number, asking if his interpretation of the law was correct. To me it looks like he's trying to meet his quota or shine his star by writing a bunch of bad tickets.

[starkiis]

On my way home today I made a rolling stop on my street in Irvine. Was very courtious with the officer, and asked for a warning, was issued a ticket 25 feet from my door.

I am 24 and have never been pulled over before in my life.

Should I get a court date and ask for a continuance?
Go to traffic school?
Just pay it and be done?

Use www.ticketbust.comIrvine cops are stricter then most comunities I really don't know why but most likely if you take it to court you will lose sorry to say. I've gotten two tickets for really stupid reasons there.

[Memo]

Sometimes the ticket quotas for the month ahve to be filled and you're SOL :(

[Houdini]

wait. so you proceeded as the light was green and traffic allowed you to turn and he couldn't comprehend that?

was he a rookie? i had a guy who looked about 18, and had a mouthful of braces, stop me once for not coming to a complete stop at a stop sign ironically. his braces made him have speech impediments like he'd just got them on, and i was laughing at him to myself because it made him sound inebriated. :P

i negotiated and got out of the impending ticket. wish you could've too AmRivilin. :(

Well, to be fair, it was one of those wide intersections, but there wasn't a no-left-turn sign, and I've always just rolled though them if traffic wasn't coming my way. He also, when I discussed another issue with him, advised me that I was wrong on another law too. I read the statute when I got home and proved him wrong. Now I carry it in my car at all times JIC I get pulled over again for something stupid. But that's an unrelated issue. I still think I'm right on the left-turn thing. And it really pissed me off when he threw in the condescending "Please don't run red lights" line as he walked away. That was asking how my driving record was (perfectly clean) etc.

[yippiekiyeh]

Down with the power tripping police! Dang them!

Sorry about the tix amrivlin, it happens. But that's the whole point about them... it makes you become more careful! Though it sucks to be on the cash.

[wolverine07]

doesn't tbd allow for an appeal??? so i thought with ticketassasin.

they helped two of my co-workers. one got one of two tickets off and the other got her ticket dismissed........