California speeding ticket problem

[crashing_sux]

I flew down to Sacramento a month and a half ago to buy my Syclone. On the way back up I was speeding (isn't speeding in a new vehicle required on day 1?) and ended up with a ticket. The officer at the time told me to expect a notice in the mail in approximatly three weeks with further instructions on what to do. Seemed odd to me but I figured it was because I am from Washington. It's been 6 weeks now and I still haven't received any notice in the mail from them. I verified that the officer wrote my address down correctly on the ticket.

I decided to follow up on this so I don't wind up with the ticket going to collections or with something negative on my driving record (I intended to hire a lawyer to fight the ticket). So here's my problem, the ticket has faded after being folded up in my wallet for weeks, I now can't read the city I got the ticket in, or the name or address of the court that is responsible for handling it and unlike every other ticket I've ever received, there is no mailing address or phone number on the ticket. It just says California Highway Patrol.

Any ideas how in the hell I'm going to take care of this? Maybe someone knows a number I can call to get further information on the ticket. At least once I know where it is I can look for a lawyer that can handle it, if it's not allready too late.

 

[SyTyJedi]

Do you plan on going back to California? If not, then forget it! :rotf:

 

[crashing_sux]

I know a lot of states share that information now and I'd hate to have the ticket on my record but I'm even more concerned about it going to collections.

I forgot to pay a ticket once in Washington and without sending me a second notice or anything they immediately sent it to collections. It's the only collection item I have on my record and the only thing preventing me from having great credit. The last thing I need is it happening again.

 

[J_SULLIVAN]

I heard a lil trick to make it not show up on your insurance is when you get the ticket, make your check out for a $1 more than the total amount and when they send you your $1 check back, never cash it...? Day 1 rulez :rock:

 

[JustBeachin]

http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp

 

[4C FED]

:flash:

 

[crashing_sux]

I heard a lil trick to make it not show up on your insurance is when you get the ticket, make your check out for a $1 more than the total amount and when they send you your $1 check back, never cash it...? Day 1 rulez :rock:

Urban legend, it simply doesn't work.

 

[J_SULLIVAN]

Just don't drive like Kurt (TY0279) and you will have it made :rotf: :tup:

 

[bigtime]

I'm not allowed to drive in NC anymore. no collections or points. did i mention I don't care!

 

[TyGuyJeff]

If you don't have a CDL, then you still have a little time to clear this up without a hassle.

 

[TRE24]

re

re

i live in the sacramento area and what was mentioned:

In CA it won't go to collections, it becomes a FTA (Failure To Appear) which in turn becomes a bench warrant.

is true i personally have forgot to pay a ticket and got a FAT and was threatened to have a warrant out for me if i didnt apear in court and pay the ticket the FAT was $300 too. But basically like most every one else said if you want to drive in california again get in contact with the CHP and if you dont plan on going to cali again dont worry about it. one more thing sometimes tickets never get processed like a buddy of mine got a ticket for speeding and nothing ever happened maby the ticket fell through the cracks as well. if you call and your ticket is not on file they cant do a thing.good luck man :tup:

 

[ThaJokr]

The officer might not have filed your ticket, they only have a certain amount of time to file it. Sometimes it's a week and soemtimes it has to be the same day, depends where you are.

 

[Ty0279]

Just don't drive like Kurt (TY0279) and you will have it made :rotf: :tup:

F that. Lately I've been driving like an old lady in a Buick.

I'd try to contact the CHP and give them a ticket # or plate number and explain what's going on. If you're going to fight the ticket and were planning on getting a lawyer, you might want to get in touch w/ one now and explain your situation.

If all else fails, don't go to CA anymore.

 

[MRKING]

dont know

dont know

Maybe since you are from out of state with no lisence there , It got mixed up somewhere . You might not want to try to help them process your ticket so quickly . There is only so long they have to process everything for it to follow proper protocal . Ask Fiveoh here on the bb , he knows how this stuff goes .

 

[matty67]

if its like my ticket i got in washington youll get several love notes. they sent an agency after me even when it was paid for. i still get bs from them. it happened almost 2 years ago, and in august i got some letter about how a recent ruling had done something. ive called them numberous times all on my dime as theres no collect numbers to call. i learnt that speeding in washington is a bad idea, especially when its appleblosom weekend.
public drinking and all sorts of crazy shit was goin on too :/

 

[HighPerformanceTrucks]

You can go to court by affidavit of defense aka trial by written declaration.

Basically this means you can fight your case if you choose to do so, by a letter. You will have to post bond on the ticket first with a letter of your intentions to go to trial by mail.

Keep in mind you loose your right to cross examine the witness or police officer, so you need to have all of your evidence clear within the letter.

One advantage to the trial by mail is if you loose, you can motion the clerk of the court or judge to have the trial reset and reheard in person.
That means you get two chances!

I've fought every ticket in CA this way and won every time.

 

[SeattleSy#1255]

I say just pay the ticket and forget about it...saves a lot of time, effort, irritation, BS, court, lawyer, etc. Probably will be cheapter too.
You'll be pissed for a few weeks after you pay, then you'll forget about it.

 

[MyGMCSyclone]

I heard a lil trick to make it not show up on your insurance is when you get the ticket, make your check out for a $1 more than the total amount and when they send you your $1 check back, never cash it...? Day 1 rulez :rock:

Sorry I tried that and it did not work. I made it out for $5 more and the F'n ticket still showed up on my record. No refund either.

 

[Mephisto]

this is a common trick used by the court/CHP/Police.

cop feeds you BS about how theyre gonna send you a courtesy notice in the mail with directions on what to do, only it doesnt arrive until after the due date of the ticket. then when you go to court to argue, the judge says 'well its a courtesy notice, we dont have to send that out, the date is on the ticket, and you chose not to take care of it.'

right then your $85 ticket jumps to $335 because of these so called civil assessment fees. this is a very common trick used in LA,Ventura, and Orange County to get more revenue... the sad thing is that it works, and people just pay it cause youd lose more money taking time off work to fight it. ive actually received bench warrant notice saying that if i dont reply by such and such a date, ill be fined etc... meanwhile the postmark on the envelope is dated after the due date of which im supposed to comply.

to see if the ticket has gone on your record, youll have to blow $5 at the dmv and get a printout of your driving record. if its been processed, youll probably have 1 point for speeding, and however many for a failure to appear.

best of luck! and hope you enjoy californias judicial system :roll:

 

[ROSEDOGGYDOG]

trial by written declaration.

First time I did that, it started a beautiful streak for fighting and winning ticket/cases against me! :tup: Started in So.Cal and still going in Washington.

If you lose, no biggie pay your fine, sux (haha couldn't resist) but you knew it was coming. If you win, bonus to you!