I opened a letter yesterday from the city in which I reside.
It contained three pictures--two of my vehicle, complete with license plate; one of the driver that was impossible to identify.
Oh, and there was a citation for running a red light, with a price tag of $242!
My problem is threefold: I have no memory of ever running a red light, and certainly not on the day and time in question; I never let anyone else, including my children drive my car; and I do NOT have an extra $242 laying around!
I've gotten speeding tickets before--while I don't like them, I've never felt that they were undeserved. But running a red light? That's just something I can't believe I did or would ever do!
My court date isn't until November. I will appear in court because that almost always results in a lowered fine. I won't plead "not guilty" because my memory notwithstanding, I don't see how it could be anyone else driving my car.
Still I'm ticked off. The difficulty is, my anger doesn't have a target!
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Contact Grace: Gracefulretire@aol.com
Getting a late start on retirement saving and debt reduction in middle age with a middle class income.
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Contact Grace: Gracefulretire@aol.com
About Me
- Grace.
- I'm 63, a single mom, getting a late start on my retirement. Travel along as I reduce debt, increase savings and get myself situated for retirement one of these days.
Personal Finance and Retirement Blogs I Read
- A Gai Shan Life
- All Financial Matters
- Always the Planner
- Bargaineering
- Beach Girl's Budget Blog
- Blogging Away Debt
- Boxcar Kids
- Buck$omeboomer's Financial Path to Retirement
- Cents To Save
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- Digging Out From Our Mess
- Fabulously Broke In The City
- Financially Free To Be Me
- Frugal Texas Gal
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- Grumpy Rumblings of the Untenured
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- Just A Backpack And A Rollie
- Last Third of My Life
- Life Doesn't Begin at Retirement
- Man v. Debt
- Mighty Bargain Hunter
- Mortgaged Life
- Musings of a Midlife Mom
- Mutant Supermodel
- My Journey to Eliminate Debt
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- Noho'ana Hau'ole: Life is Good
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- Retirement Daze
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- Surviving and Thriving
- Tessie's Awesome Blog
- The Next Stage: Women & Retirement
- The Retirement Planning Community
- Time Cheapskate Blog
- Tough Money Love
- Towards Retirement With Debt
- What Fresh Hell Is This? A Winsome Look at Life after 50
- Yes, I Am Cheap
8 comments:
Was it possible that you were going right on red and did not come to a full and complete stop? I can assure you from experience that will also get you a ticket.
I live in MN, and they went to all the expense of setting up the cameras and sending out a gazillion tickets to people, then someone challenged the law, as they said the same thing as you, "How can a person tell who was driving?" And the court(s) struck it down. The city has to give the people back their money and the cameras (as of right now) are sitting unused, at least until they find a way to rewrite the law....I'm not sure how much time you have to look into this stuff (I know, unfortunately that I wouldn't), but it might be worth doing a little research before your court date...
You certainly want to challenge it b/c it's not the fine that's the problem, it's the possible points that will jack up your insurance, etc. In my state it's a 3 point offense. My DH got a similar ticket (not by camera) 3 years ago. He went to court and did get the points dropped but still had to pay the fine. Bummer... good luck!
A.M..B.A.
Grace,
Ugh. My boss just received one in the mail (at work). It was going through a toll booth without paying the toll (he has a fastpass). The funny thing is the toll was $.35 and the administration fee is $25.00. Good grief. Good luck on this one, I think you can certainly win...or at least get a lesser fine. But what a big pain and time waster!
Maybe it was yellow and the camera caught the back of you after the front of the car was under the traffic light (in which case you wouldn't have seen it turn red)?
Such a pain. I got one years ago but, at the time, the technology was brand new and they weren't actually fining you and adding points. It was a warning and then a couple of months later they started with the fines etc.
Tons of drivers talk on their phones constantly when they drive. If you were on the cell, chances are you weren't paying attention.
Personally, that kind of thing drives me nuts. Especially when i see people chatting at intersections where YOU REALLY NEED TO PAY ATTENTION.
If this wasn't you, please don't take offense.
No offense taken. But it wasn't me on a cellphone--I use a Tracfone which is way too expensive for chatting (but cheap for folks like me who want the safety of a cell, yet hate to talk on it!). That's not to say it couldn't just be me being oblivious!
Off topic, but how do you like the Tracfone? I'm thinking of going that route once my cell phone contract is up. I'm like you - hate having the darn thing but do like the option of having one (especially since I also drive an older car).
A.M.B.A.
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