Fighting a traffic ticket

[crunchie46]

Too much zoom zoom. I just recieved a traffic ticket with 3 points going 70 in a 50 comunity safety zone.
Questions:
-What's the best way to fight the ticket?
-If i take it to court, whats the best way to negotiate to get rid of the points?
-The cop wrote down the wrong licence plate number on the ticket. Instead of AJRZ it was ARJZ. (Can this in any way void the ticket?)

Thanks.

[Caz]

Call pointts

[MattC]

i don't think the wrong plate matters too much, if they wrote your licence info down wrong then you might be in business.

the best defence is a good offence.

First, did you get caught by a gun? or by a patrol?
go back to where u got the ticket, and make sure all the signs are fully visible and clearly marked.
When you go to fight it, IMO don't try to fight the speeding, try to play down the whole "wreckless driving" aspect of it, say I was speeding and I have learned my lesson.

Also, depending on how many tickets you have previous for speeding. If you dont have any, or have 1-2 maybe try to play it against your good record, say that you usually don't speed and this was a rare occourance.

IMO. judges want to hear that you learned from it and you realize what you did was against the law. thats the only reason they drop points, is to make you realize its stupid to speed, and to always watch the posted limits.

EDIT: yes also call Points.

[crunchie46]

The cop was standing at the side of of the road and caught me with a radar gun. I actually have no previous tickets on my record at the moment. Also how much would it cost for 'pointts'.

[Caz]

They win or its free!

Try www.pointts.com

[crunchie46]

I Just applied for an online quote. Let's see how much its going to cost.

[little_wheelz]

I had a very similar ticket last year (75 in a 50 community safety zone). I "fought it" myself. Basically went to see the prosecutor, walk in the room, before i could say anything, she said " how about 60 in a 50 zone, no points and a $50 fine?" I said "OK" and paid the ticket. No need to see the judge if you just want the fine reduced.

So if your main concern is points then that is what i would do, but keep in mind the insurance company doesn't look at points, but looks at tickets (as far as I know).

[Xerox]

go back to where u got the ticket, and make sure all the signs are fully visible and clearly marked.


That doesn't matter. Unmarked streets are automatically 50km/h.
I'm usually extra careful in school zones/cummunity zones. Common speed traps and it doesn't hurt to be safe in that kind of an area.

As little wheelz stated, the ticket goes on your record even if it doesn't involved demerit points which means your insurance company will see it.
Take it to court and fight it. Most likely you can talk to the prosecutor and get it reduced to 15 over which is a fine without demerit points (but remember what I said above about that). If you're really lucky the officer will not show and the ticket is void.

Calling a company like Pointts doesn't hurt either. But I don't think it's as simple as "they win or it's free." It's not black/white like that. Win could mean no demerit points but still a fine - but I believe they charge you less because of the fine .... something like that.

[Wild Weasel]

Fight it to have it removed completely, not just to have the points taken off. If you drop it down a bit and end up paying $100 less, it hardly matters when your insurance goes up for the next 3 years.

As an example, my insurance company just told me that if I only had one minor ticket, I'd be paying $700 less THIS YEAR. Instead, I'm paying the extra $700 because I have a 2nd minor ticket.

They can cost you a fortune in the long run. Call POINTS or someone.

[dentinger]

the "we win or its free" is kinda a scam..
their idea of winning is anything less than what ur ticket is.

i went to this ex-coppers place and i got my careless driving charge (6 pts, $325 fine, 30 day suspension) lowered to 3 pts, no suspension, and a way smaller fine.

[JonsMazda]

just go to court and if the cop doesnt show up...u win!

[Triplebogey]

The cop was standing at the side of of the road and caught me with a radar gun. I actually have no previous tickets on my record at the moment. Also how much would it cost for 'pointts'.



Just pay the friggin tkt. If you use points your best bet is a reduce fine and the conviction still stays on your record plus you have to pay a fee for the service. If you had 2 or 3 tickets already on your record then it might be in your best interest to fight it.

[Mazdalissa]

DONT PAY THE TICKET!!! ALWAYS ASK FOR A COURT DATE....if the cop doesnt show you get off completely!!! Also police officers are now NOT recieving time and a half to go to court anymore, cause they were skipping it, so there is more of a chance of them NOT coming now!! Good luck and P.S. the scammers like Points and EXcoppers are plea bargin companies...meaning they will talk to the cop/JP get you a plea bargin and then charge you their $300 fee....better off fighting it on your own! Even if the cop shows you will be able to lower the ticket with the JP.(Justice of the peace) Ciao and GOOD LUCK!!!

[sunset_orange]

DONT PAY THE TICKET!!! ALWAYS ASK FOR A COURT DATE....if the cop doesnt show you get off completely!!! Also police officers are now NOT recieving time and a half to go to court anymore, cause they were skipping it, so there is more of a chance of them NOT coming now!!

Is this true? where did you get this information?

Hope you're right because I have a court date coming up this sept...for two tickets! crap.....

[Mazdalissa]

I have had to fight 4 speeding tickets in one year...I am no stranger to Court room drama....P.S. None of the tickets were mine...lol I was a wiz kid in law class...always argue...be nice about it...but argue your point....I will post the book I have if I can find it...just keep checking back...its about fighting tickets from Radar Guns...but the best way to stay out of court is SLOW down...at least for the majority of the time :P

[Wild Weasel]

Just pay the friggin tkt. If you use points your best bet is a reduce fine and the conviction still stays on your record plus you have to pay a fee for the service. If you had 2 or 3 tickets already on your record then it might be in your best interest to fight it.

If I could just pay the ticket and be done with it, I'd be happy to do so.

As I said... I have 2 tickets and because of them, my insurance is $700 more per year. Both minor tickets.

Talk about the punishment not fitting the crime!!

[chaser]

How to fight your speeding ticket (http://www.magma.ca/~fyst/)

[chinsterr]

When i got pulled over by OPP last year for speeding the officer wrote the date on the ticket as Nov 15/06 rather than Dec15/06. I didn't think anything of it at first and paid the ticket anyways (no points were taken off, as it was just 10 over the limit).

After paying the ticket, I received a letter from the OPP a month after with my cheque in it stating that my ticket has been thrown out. Apparently Officers have 1 week to file all tickets otherwise they are thrown out, and because the office wrote the wrong date on my ticket it was automatically thrown out.

I just have one question, does the insurance company still "see" this ticket?

BTW: I would take it to court

[Xerox]

I don't think they will see the ticket if it's "thrown out."
I do believe however that they see it even if it's 10km/h over (in otherwords, they see it even if it doesn't involved demerit points).

[majic]

I don't think they will see the ticket if it's "thrown out."
I do believe however that they see it even if it's 10km/h over (in otherwords, they see it even if it doesn't involved demerit points).

"innocent until proven guilty"

the ins co will NOT see a ticket that has been thrown out of court (never made it on your record) as you were never convicted for that offence..

even if you were convicted, they would have to pull your abstract to see the conviction (and they do it randomly like CRA checks your taxes, or when you make some major changes to the policy)