vB Easy Archive - Traffic Tickets

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Traffic Tickets
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Posted by: Lagos

just got a ticket for disobeying a sign in downtown toronto. Bay st was extremely busy and I made a 'safe' left turn to temperance st. to go to yonge st. of course as soon as I turned, the police car was waiting there to catch anyone who turns. The sign says no left turn between 7am and 7pm. I mind you I didn't do anything to put anyone at risk since the oncoming traffic was at a red light and there were no others cars coming in that direction.

the ticket is for $110 and it's my first ticket ever.

On the back of the ticket there are 3 options.

Basically,

1-Accept and pay the ticket

2-Plead guilty with explanation and attend the court office within 15 days.

3-Trial option: Attend the court office and see the prsecutor.

my question is what's the difference between option 2 and 3? I know in option 3, I can plead not guilty but what's some other differences?

Also, would you guys pay this ticket or go to court and fight it?

Posted by: b_rad94

you wont be able to fight it, you broke the law so its completely valid. You might be able to get it reduced though. Good luck.

Posted by: celeron_266

i rather pay....its a pretty obvious violation and the police see it...so you dont have many arguments to fight aginst the charge ("it was safe to turn at that time" is not a legit reason IMO...you still violate the rules and make a turn at where you shouldnt)..so going to the court may waste you time and more $$ (if you get a lawyer or something)

Posted by: ice512

Go check how bad will it affect your insurance. If it doesnt, just pay the fine. OR go to court no matter what if you have extra time on your hands. Wont cost you anything even if you lose. May even save you the $110 if you're lucky.

If it hurts your insurance by adding 1or2k a year, then get a lawyer.

Posted by: Lagos

checked the quick quote from my insurance website and it makes only $85/year difference.

BUT, I just noticed one error on the ticket. he put down my car's model year as 2005 instead of 2004.

Would this automatically drop the charge? I had something like this in a parking ticket and they just dropped it.

Posted by: celeron_266

i think the ticket directs to the driver licence...not to the car...so car year doesnt make a difference

how come you always want to not pay the fine...its pretty obvious that you have done a violation...

Posted by: JimmyC

Please don't get any false hope, it's not like the police are able to distinguish every single car from every single year... Whether it's 2004 or 2005, chances are you are done for this one.

If the ticket is for a black 4x4 SUV and you drive a white sports coupe, then yeah, things might change a bit.

I suggest pay it, and move on.

Posted by: Lagos

I know I have done a violation but it's obviously nothing major.

I am still unsure of option 2 and it's meaning. I guess what I want to know is what happens when I plead guilty with explanation and what's going to happen when I go to the court office?

Because eventhough it was a violation but I still have a right to explain myself and maybe they will reduce it. Going to the court is not a problem since I live right in downtown.

oh celeron_266, did you even read my first post. how come I ALWAYS want to NOT to pay? it's my first ticket and where did I say I do NOT wanna pay it.

Posted by: Kremithefrog

Take it to court. You have nothing to lose and judges often dismiss tickets or lower fines if you have valid reasoning. Not sure that it'll happen in this case, but like I said you have nothing to lose.
Do number 2. It's obvious your guilty. I did something like that for my first speeding ticket though it was called something else here and I got the ticket dismissed (nice judge, straight A student at the time, and was having a stressful week and was headed home from the hospital visiting my grandfather). Just dress nice, be respectful, mention it's your first offense and you're sorry and it won't happen again and you don't want insurance to raise.

Posted by: celeron_266

sorry man..just some mis-interpretation

i guess you can give it a try...tell us how it goes though will you?

Posted by: ice512

w/ only $85 difference a year, you're VERY lucky.

Posted by: WoNGsTeR

Quote:

Originally posted by Lagos
I know I have done a violation but it's obviously nothing major.

I am still unsure of option 2 and it's meaning. I guess what I want to know is what happens when I plead guilty with explanation and what's going to happen when I go to the court office?

Because eventhough it was a violation but I still have a right to explain myself and maybe they will reduce it. Going to the court is not a problem since I live right in downtown.

oh celeron_266, did you even read my first post. how come I ALWAYS want to NOT to pay? it's my first ticket and where did I say I do NOT wanna pay it.

option two you plead guilty, but try to give a good enough excuse so they can reduces the fine if its good enough..

option three you can fight it and maybe win if you have a good arguement..

but if not going to affect ur insurances that much.. just pay it..

Posted by: Lagos

Quote:

Originally posted by WoNGsTeR
option two you plead guilty, but try to give a good enough excuse so they can reduces the fine if its good enough..

option three you can fight it and maybe win if you have a good arguement..

but if not going to affect ur insurances that much.. just pay it..

ok thanks wongster. I think I am gonna plead guilty with explanation thing if I can find a time, otherwise I am just gonna pay it and get it over with.

you know I am not pissed off that I got a ticket, but I am pissed that the cop was just waiting to catch couple of people in order to give them a definite ticket rather than try to patrol the downtown traffic. I don't know what was going on today but it was extremely busy in downtown and taxi cabs were doing u-turns on red lights to go into the opposite direction. Also, I have seen 2 busy intersections got blocked for like two lights in a row. I think they should go try to do something about these instead of trying to make some money for themselves.

Posted by: c^2

I saw a taxi do a U-turn on Yonge right behind a cop and the cop did nothing.

Posted by: Kremithefrog

Lagos you suck. No thanks to me?

Posted by: Lagos

I am not talking about a U-turn like you would do in a normal traffic.

The first taxi cab I have seen was the at the front at the lights and he made a U-turn on a red light blocking the incoming traffic from the left.

the second cab half way turned into bay st. from king, and then decided to stay on king so he made a semi-U-Turn to king again. you tend to get a little pissed off when you see this kinda s h i t right before you get a stupid sign ticket.

Posted by: Lagos

Quote:

Originally posted by Kremithefrog
Lagos you suck. No thanks to me?

oh man I am sorry dude. Thanks a lot to you too, it's just that I have been mainly looking for an explanation for the difference between option 2 and 3.

thanks anyhow bro..have a drink on me

Posted by: chrix

did the sign have French on it?

Posted by: WoNGsTeR

Quote:

Originally posted by Lagos
ok thanks wongster. I think I am gonna plead guilty with explanation thing if I can find a time, otherwise I am just gonna pay it and get it over with.

you know I am not pissed off that I got a ticket, but I am pissed that the cop was just waiting to catch couple of people in order to give them a definite ticket rather than try to patrol the downtown traffic. I don't know what was going on today but it was extremely busy in downtown and taxi cabs were doing u-turns on red lights to go into the opposite direction. Also, I have seen 2 busy intersections got blocked for like two lights in a row. I think they should go try to do something about these instead of trying to make some money for themselves.

lol that cop prob knows thats a sweet spot for giving tickets so he prob goes there everyday and waits.. and then he sees you...

Posted by: Lagos

Quote:

Originally posted by chrix
did the sign have French on it?

it said 7AM-7PM and a no turn sign on top of that.