Need some advice, I gotta ticket

Bmaez · 07-21-2004, 04:47 PM

I was driving down the street in Tucson, AZ and was pulled over for having a smoke colored license plate cover on my truck. I informed the officer that was visiting my mother from Savannah and I had these covers on my vehicles for the past 3 years and as far as I knew it wasnt illegal in Georgia and I was leaving the state the next day. The only thing he told me was it doesnt matter. I cant appear in court because my leave is over and I'm not going all the way back to Tucson. The ticket is worth $133 and the cover is about $3.00

Anything I can do?

BTW the best mileage i could get was about 16.8

Hemi this · 07-21-2004, 04:53 PM

Go to the courthouse tomorrow, and ask to see the judge, tell him that you've removed it, and they should waive the charges. It's simply a "fix it" ticket. We get them all the time in AZ for window tint too dark, and headlight/taillight covers.

Zardoz · 07-21-2004, 04:57 PM

Sorry Dude but you probably should just pay it. It would be more expensive
to come back than to pay the ticket. With these things being tracked on
computers the one thing I would not do is blow it off. It sounds to me like
like a revenue enhancement ticket to me. You might try writing them and
explaining things maybe they will be nice to you if you can write a good
letter. I assume since you used the term leave that you are in the military.
Might not hurt to mention that also. If you are not good at writing letters
maybe you have a friend who is. Can't hurt to try.

Good Luck
Zardoz

eakes · 07-21-2004, 05:15 PM

Write a letter to the controlling authority for the court date (it should be indicated on the ticket), state your situation and that you request a convenient court date such that you may appear. (active duty requirements prevent you from appearing on the specified date, etc).
The worse that will happen is no new date will be set and you will have to pay the fine. On the other hand they could waive or reduce the fine due to your circumstances. it can't hurt!!

Good luck.

bestatchess · 07-21-2004, 05:50 PM

Call the D.A.'s office (or whoever prosecutes these things) and wave the flag. You might be able to make a deal on the phone. The fact that the cover is legal in your home state probably won't save you.

http://www.kscourts.org/ca10/cases/2004/01/03-4084.rtf

Disclaimer: This does not constitue legal advice, just my off the cuff impression. Also, Arizona is in the 9th Circuit, and state and federal law may differ from the 10th Circuit case cited above.

bigmd10 · 07-21-2004, 05:57 PM

Most states do not allow any cover of any kind over the rear license plate. It has to do with the cover reflecting off the sun and not being able to read it while driving behind you. Thats the reason I gvie people when I tell them to take it off. Of course I would only stop someone for this if they had comitted another infraction along with it.

bestatchess · 07-21-2004, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmd10

Most states do not allow any cover of any kind over the rear license plate. It has to do with the cover reflecting off the sun and not being able to read it while driving behind you. Thats the reason I gvie people when I tell them to take it off. Of course I would only stop someone for this if they had comitted another infraction along with it.

I would imagine you are correct, particularly since one of the main purposes of these covers is to scatter the flash on photo radar so the license plate number will not be legible in the photo.

Bmaez · 07-21-2004, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigmd10

Most states do not allow any cover of any kind over the rear license plate. It has to do with the cover reflecting off the sun and not being able to read it while driving behind you. Thats the reason I gvie people when I tell them to take it off. Of course I would only stop someone for this if they had comitted another infraction along with it.

My intent of the cover was not to hide the plate, I just liked the look. I think that he could have just told me to take it off. I felt like he was being unreasonable because everything I told him his response was it doesnt matter.

I think because I was from out of state and he knew i couldnt go to the court he gave me the ticket.

bigmd10 · 07-21-2004, 06:56 PM

Ya sounds like someone took a **** in that cops coffee that morning and he took it out on you.

poblocks · 07-21-2004, 07:30 PM

that is the stupidist thing I have ever heard, what an a55hole that cop must have been!!! One its not going to be tracked and hurt your insurance... I wouldn't pay personally, it won't affect you in any adverse way unless you get pulled over in arizona again... if you drive mostly in GA don't worry about it, its nothing at all!

chazz1202 · 07-21-2004, 07:50 PM

Hey poblock you could also tell him to just drive really fast through AZ.

smcewen31 · 07-21-2004, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poblocks

that is the stupidist thing I have ever heard, what an a55hole that cop must have been!!! One its not going to be tracked and hurt your insurance... I wouldn't pay personally, it won't affect you in any adverse way unless you get pulled over in arizona again... if you drive mostly in GA don't worry about it, its nothing at all!

Speaking of stupidest things I've ever heard.....

Except that it sounds like he's in the military. And trust me, blowing off a ticket and having a warrant issued for not showing in court will definitely come back to haunt you in the military. Not to mention it makes it extremely easy to find you once the warrant is issued.

Bmaez · 07-21-2004, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smcewen31

Speaking of stupidest things I've ever heard.....

Except that it sounds like he's in the military. And trust me, blowing off a ticket and having a warrant issued for not showing in court will definitely come back to haunt you in the military. Not to mention it makes it extremely easy to find you once the warrant is issued.

This is true...it wont be a positive mark especially w/a security clearance they will probably turn me in. I think they may have my Titan talk password.

smcewen31 · 07-21-2004, 08:51 PM

Well I don't think they would take it away but depending on your commander he could definitely use it as a reason to not renew when that time comes.

LordMuut · 07-22-2004, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poblocks

that is the stupidist thing I have ever heard, what an a55hole that cop must have been!!! One its not going to be tracked and hurt your insurance... I wouldn't pay personally, it won't affect you in any adverse way unless you get pulled over in arizona again... if you drive mostly in GA don't worry about it, its nothing at all!

Ever hear of reciprocity? That means that certain states have an agreement with certain other states whereby if you blow off a ticket in one state, then they contact your home state and your home state will suspend/revoke your license. You would have to check to see if AZ and GA are reciprocal states.