by FiveShadows 18 Replies latest jw friends
ok...i havn't been able to catch up on my payments on my insurance..so most likely it's expired...but i recieved a speeding ticket...and i'm screwed! ...does anyone know what would happen if i didn't have insurance for my car? ..is it going to get towed? repo? or just a bigger fine? i don't know i'm new to this stuff...i live in San Antonio texas...Any Police officers out there?
FS
Edited by - fiveshadows on 22 August 2002 13:18:8
I missed getting my road tax once (never got the reminder ) and got pulled over for it. Had to pay for it and a fine but it was only small(ish).
I think you're best being open and upfront about stuff.
see if i get my insurance caught up...the court day is one month away..if i get the insurance caught up ..they check that ...it should be okay before the court day..cause after the court day is when they start fining right? ...but what if my insurance asks "when was the ticket given"? then i'm SCREWED! ...hmm....any advice? just be upfront and honest? ...does anyone know the legal system? insurance system? How does the insurance company's know whether or not you got a ticket? ...do the courts/police officers contact the company to let them know that i recieved a ticket by mail or phone...or do the insurance people check on driving records? ~FS
Edited by - fiveshadows on 22 August 2002 13:37:21
Pull over Five Shadows.
Don,t know Texas laws. When a sheriffs deputy in Calif. We wrote a citation for speeding and a seperate citation for no auto insurance. I assume from your post you were only cited for speeding and not cited for lack of insurance. If so keep your mouth shut and renew your insurance.
If you choose to appear rather than pay the fine, get the court appearance moved to a later time due to "unforseen -out of town at that time- situation arising" . This increases the posibility the officer will not appear in court and it will be thrown out. If he does appear then plead guilty "with an explanation" convince the judge you are a law abiding citizen and show where you have renewed your insurance and MAYBE you will get a lesser fine.
Best advice?? Quit speeding and keep your ins. paid up. Having an accident without insurance is one hell of a mess. If there are injuries or death it is the most horrible mess you can imagine.
You will still have to have an insurance card irregardless. Judges do not take kindly to people who have no insurance.
Here in Illinois the fine is quite a lot for working stiffs. Ask any officer of the area where you got the ticket how much it will be, they should tell you.
This ticket will not be on the record more than likely, because you have not been judged on it. Inocent until proven guilty.
Edited:
I assumed you had also received a citation for not having insurance. Here in Illinois the first thing they do when pulled over is to ask you for your insurance card.
Edited by - faraon on 22 August 2002 13:49:9
I think even after the fact, you are better to pay what you can to show your good intent. That's what I did - they seemed to accept it was an honest mistake as I'd gone and paid for the past tax that I'd missed (boy, did I feel a dufus explaining it in the office when everyone else was just doing a normal renewal!).
Yes the insurance co. checks driving records and your insurance costs go up or down based on that.
Your violation of the law occured on the day the citation was written and the fine is based on that date along with any other actions the court may take.
Do not try to do a snow job on the court when you appear if you choose to not just pay the fine. They do this for a living and will see right through it. It will only annoy the judge and make things worse.
Leave the country, and come to Canada as soon as possible. We don't require licenses, or insurance to drive cars -- all you have to do is hang a cabbage from your rearview mirror, or airbrush flames on your quarterpanel, then, you can feel free to disregard any laws you were bound by in the US..
Not too sure about laws in your state, but here in Virginia I burned bad for not having insurance. Oh Lord, I got speeking tickets right and left and that never became an issue at any of the court appearances. How I got burned was that the Department of Motor Vehicles in Virginia did a random check and asked me to give proof of insurance for a six month period of time about one year prior. I couldn't and they slapped me with an SR22. The fine was $400 (maybe $500). In addition, this SR22 remained on my record for three years, which meant I had to pay a very high rate of insurance. Last month marked the three-year anniversary and I'm making my final insurance payment in September under those stiff rates. In November, when my insurance renews, I won't know how to act having a decent rate. What I do know is that my car insurance gets paid as quickly as my rent each month. You need to check the laws in your state - they may not be as stiff as Virginia, or they may not do random checks.
On a similiar topic, they were talking about a brush fire on the side of the highway yesterday on the radio and a woman called in a said she received a ticket for throwing a lit cigarette out the window. The fine was over $900. Washington State. Don't do it.
I was stopped last week for driving 80 in a 55 zone. No ticket. Still don't know why he didn't give me a ticket for that. Maybe it was the fact that I was with a friend and our four sleeping children in a minivan. Took pity on us poor women.
Good luck to you. I agree that you shouldn't offer up information that isn't asked for. And say sir a lot.
Rachel
