I R Stoopid
About a year ago, after years of driving cleanly, I had a spate of 3-4 traffic tickets, mostly photo radar (in the same dang spot!) plus this silly one. I received a warning that further tickets in the next year would lead to revocation of my license for a year. Gulp. So I have been driving like a grandmother, until yesterday when I got nailed for 45 in a 30, while arguing with my kids in the back seat.
Now I will have to see if there is any way to mitigate or reduce the threatened punishment. A one year's revocation, which by the way is longer than they give first time DUI's in this state, is a pretty harsh and financially burdensome penalty. Especially given my small business requires a lot of driving to our remote locations and I contribute a lot to driving our kids. I'll let you know how it goes, but if anyone is experienced with these situations in Arizona, feel free to comment or email.
Jody:
Faced with a similar situation (not exactly similar as my "trigger" ticket was out of state, specifically in NC with license in TN), I hired a lawyer and instructed him to delay the trial for a few months while a few tickets timed out thereby avoiding the trigger event. My case came up for trial 3 times over 3 months and twice my lawyer asked for a continuance.
August 28, 2006, 10:46 amROBERT RUDZKI:
if you get a ticket in the mail you can safely toss it. unless 2 cops come to your house and make you accept service, you can say i never got it. the whole idea of photo radar is to automate revenue collection so the cops can spend more time in the donut shop... :-]
unless you sign and agree to appear, there is nothing they can do.
August 28, 2006, 12:36 pmEric:
I found this website which may be useful in the future, it contains a PDF file with a summary of the laws of AZ regarding photo tickets and a motion to dismiss.
http://photoradarlaw.com/PDFgallery.htm
August 28, 2006, 2:06 pmAgammamon:
Check out the National Motorists Association.
http://www.motorists.org/
August 28, 2006, 6:10 pmJohn:
Photo radar tickets cannot be used to impinge an individuals license, because the individual driving is not identified by an officer of the court ( ie cop) That means that if all you are getting is photo radar tickets, then your license is not going to be affected ( and it should say that on the ticket itself ) in any way, because, YOU were not caught speeding, you CAR was.
This is why they tag unpaid photo radar tickets to the vehicle registration. That way its Pay now or PAy later, but pay you must...
August 28, 2006, 11:22 pmMatt:
Unfortuneately, you needed to hear this advice about 5 tickets ago.
You should always under every circumstance hire a lawyer to fight your ticket and have it dismissed.
Speeding tickets are by and large a revenue collection scam by the state. Speed enforcement makes sense in a few places in communities but you rarely see it happening there.
The local municipality is looking for easy money and speeding tickets are it.. especially photo radar. These devices have a worrying tendancy to read higher than actual speeds and are just jackpot machines for the governments that run them.
Governments keep doing this because it so easily and reliably makes them money. That's why it is your duty to fight every ticket tooth and nail with professional legal representation. Not because i like lawyers - I don't, but because unless you've paid into the local barristers club, the judge is going to dismiss the exact same argument that your lawyer would make (because there is no objectivity in traffic enforcement - have you read the wording of the laws?).
In any case, you should be able to find an attorney in your area who will represent you in court and you'll get something in the mail a month later mentioning that the city/state failed to provide sufficient evidence for a conviction. You're still out a little money either way, but at least with representation, you choose who and how much. And you help send the message that you wont roll over and take it, and that you intend to make the government work for its plunder.
August 29, 2006, 8:44 amJessa:
I received a ticket in Wickenburg, Arizona on my way to Vegas last March. I was okay with the ticket itself, 63 in a 45. But along with the speeding, I also received a ticket for no proof of insurance (my last card expired just weeks before and I had forgotten to put the new one in). Fine. I faxed in proof after calling and checking the court's website for guidelines on how to resolve the violation. I attended traffic school and thought everything was cleared until I received a notice less than 30 days later saying that the judge had suspended my license for "failure to show three months proof of insurance (prior to violation)." They don't even do that for a DUI!
August 29, 2006, 11:26 amFirst off, I have never not had car insurance. And I demonstrated proof according to their website guidelines (and what my knowledge is of the law): I showed that I had insurance at the date and time of the violation. This wasn't good enough for the judge. So I faxed in my entire vehicle insurance history. It took the judge over two weeks to approve it! Meanwhile, I lived twenty miles away from school and work (everyday committments). Thank you Wickenburg Town Court!