Mike Murphy

When it comes to tickets on my record, I always try to find out if the ticket is a "moving violation." If the ticket isn't, then it won't stick on your record and the insurance companies don't get notified. So I normally just pay the ticket.

But as someone pointed out, this is a local ticket, so I would just go to court, explain to the judge that your record is "spotless" and ask for the fine to be reduced. Explain that you have a long history of paying these renewals on time. Your bill will probably get reduced. Say, "yes, your honor," and "no, your honor." Golden.

theiceman

pay it ....move on .... think yourself lucky it wasn't a speeding ticket ... coming from a guy that owes about $700.00 in speeding tickets ..

GothingNC

I spoke to two of my neighbor cops and said they would not waste their time pulling someone over for expired tags.

He probably was trying to meet his racial profile quota for the month and had to even it out.

They told me to just go to court, plead not guilty and expain that it was a simple oversight and it should be tossed.

John

KC911

My experience in NC for "non-moving violations" like this are that you get the proper registration (or whatever you were ticketed for fixed), show up in court with documentation, and the magistrate (DA, or whomever is processing the "cattle") will dismiss the charge. Good luck!

Keith
'88 CE coupe

Gary R.

In CT not only would you get a ticket but your car would be towed as it isn't legal for it to be on a public road. I'm quite surprised he let you drive away at all!

mo_gearhead

Be glad you aren't in VA!

QUOTE:" Virginia is for lovers, or so the state slogan has declared since 1969. Starting Sunday, Virginia also will be the home of the $3,000 traffic ticket.
In an effort to raise money for road projects, the state will start hitting residents who commit serious traffic offenses with huge civil penalties.

The new civil charges will range from $750 to $3,000 and be added to existing fines and court costs. The civil penalty for going 20 mph over the speed limit will be $1,050, plus $61 in court costs and a fine that is typically about $200."

KC911

He wouldn't have to worry, he's not a resident . That't the irony of VA's new stupid penalties...if you're a non-resident, just passing through, they don't apply!

srf506

Well, I'm glad they got another hardened criminal off the streets and away from us decent folks! Imagine, expired registration! What some people won't stoop to!

Why didn't the cop make both your days, smile pleasently and just give you a warning while you profusely thanked him for pointing out your obvious oversight and allowing you to immediately remedy the situation after reaching your destination? It would've been a win-win. And the police wonder why no one likes them?

GothingNC

I would have apologized but the first workd out of his mouth were "License & Registration , I'll explain why I pulled you over later" and 20 minutes later he hands me the ticket and informs me the tags were expired.

Oh well.

If I have to pay, I'll be hauling 14,500 pennies in a sack to the court house so they can earn the fee

http://www.wral.com/news/strange/story/1704040

MUNCIE, Ind. — A landlord said he wanted people to see the pain of his property tax bill when he hauled $12,656.07 in coins and $1 bills to the county treasurer's office. Malchow's protest prevented the office from making its daily bank deposit, costing the county an estimated $1,135.90 in interest that would have otherwise accrued overnight, Beebe said.

nicklouse10

That one doesn't wash in the UK.
The law here says that if you were travelling on the public highway in excess of the speed limit you have broken the law, regardless of whether you were aware of it or not. It's not compulsory to have a working speedometer fitted in the UK so pleading yours was misreading doesn't cut it. I know this from personal experience from years back after being ticketed shortly after changing my tyre sizes, thus causing my speedo to underead

Nick

Kurt V

This is some good advice. Call the county prosecutor's office where you got the ticket and ask to speak with whomever handles traffic offenses. Most places with dismiss the ticket or reduce the fine is you can show proof of compliance on registration/proof of insurance tickets.

r911

I doubt that stupidity will last very long. It appears to have not just one but TWO Constitutional violations:
1. equal protection
2. the requirement to give <what was it...> full faith & credit (?) to citizens of other states

The latter is why the gay marriage thing bugs the intolerant so much. Other states are required to recognize marriages in tolerant states.

Mike Murphy

Hmm, there is a disconnect there...I think I read somewhere that most serious criminals are usually caught because they got pulled over for small infractions, such as failed tail light or running a stop sign. The cops then "do their job" by running the plates and license and find that the person behind the wheel is wanted in 6 counties...

IMO, A good cop is someone who will pull you over for something that is illegal, but then give you a warning. I have been pulled over 35+ times, ticketed only 20% of those times, but it was a good thing they "set me straight" with a warning.

dvkk

I believe it would be within your rights to demand to know why you were being detained before surrendering your licence and registration.

Can you further explain this?

bpoteat

Jesus, dude. That's gotta be a record or something.