[Kamui4356]

Originally Posted by Roots

Wow, except for the headlights one you are in almost the exact same situation I was 3 years ago. (Or was it 2? I dunno but I was at least 20 at the time).


The headlights one you need to pay, because its your fault and there's nothing you can do about it.


The insurance one I'm unsure about. I got caught for having no proof of insurance when I got pulled over too (I couldn't find it, but it was in my car at the time just didn't know where). At least in Arizona, all I had to do was make a copy of it and mail it into the court and I got acquitted of those charges.


The charge I got pulled over for was an "unsafe lane change" which was total BS. At 10:00PM on a deserted street I was in the middle lane, then before the light changed lanes (with blinker) to the left lane and then the lane split to the left hand turn lane (so I crossed two lanes). Two cops pulled me over and said I cut off a truck or something, but there was no truck! I checked both my mirrors and my blind spot before I turned and both were clear. I had two friends in the car with me at the time, and one of them came to court to fight it with me. I had a very nice argument I thought: since I distinctly remember turning onto the street and remembering how desolate it was (not a vehicle in sight), and that the only way a car could have been there is if it came from behind at a very high speed (I was going the speed limit) and I didn't see it because I checked my blind spot too quick.


The judge was a fucking senile asshole and basically dismissed my argument without question. Even when I directly asked the officers "Do you know where that truck came from?" and they said they didn't know. The judge was like "Meh, shutup kid". So in the end I was charged guilty and had to pay a court fee in addition to the original ticket, so I was pretty pissed. When I went down to the pay office in the court room there was a huge ass line and I was tired, and I saw a bunch of signs that said "Take this and mail in your bill instead!" so I did because I just wanted to go home. The very next day I get something in the mail that says I didn't pay my fines and that they suspended my license and charged me ANOTHER fine! I called them and was like "WTF!?!?!" and they said that I had to pay immediately after the hearing and I couldn't mail it in (yeah, thanks a lot fucking misleading signs!!!). So I was like fine, so I payed the late fee and I already mailed in the other fees before that call. It took them over a MONTH to get my license re-issued! A day to bitch at me for not paying, and a MONTH for them to do something for me!!!


So in short: the judicial system sucks ass. I'm a very good driver and I got charged for 3 things that I shouldn't have. The judge sided with the cops from the beginning and didn't even try to consider my argument. If you want to fight your charge, I say go for it, but even if you have a good argument and a witness don't expect to win.

And they wonder why people hate cops and have no confidence in the legal system. When I got pulled over for my speeding ticket, the cop himself told me to go to court and plead it down to a lesser charge. I guess it all depends on the cop and the mood he's in.
Maybe people should take a lesson from those dumbass street racers and keep video cameras in their car. That way, all one has to do is play the tape to prove their story.