Traffic Ticket Help!

[Flames89]

Alright. Here's the story:

I was driving along a non-major road in London, ON, and I guess I was completely daydreaming about life 'n' sh't (recruiting, etc). I guess my focus was a block ahead where the major intersection light was - because all of a sudden I look up, see a red light, and hit the breaks (hard, but not skidding-to-a-stop hard). So I stop with my nose about 5 feet past the cross walk.

Who is on the crossing intersection? A nice, shiny, police cruiser.

Needless to say, he turns the corner, we roll down our windows and he tells me (albeit nicely) to turn the corner and pull over. So I do, I apologize (seriously, first time I have ever been this absent minded while driving. Have a AAA rating otherwise) - I actually even nervously-chuckle about how stupid it was.

So he takes my license, etc. And I get a ticket for $180!! - for not stopping on the line.

Ok. While I agree I deserve a ticket (and am thankful for nothing worse happening). I am now back in school and that cash HURTS.

So ... is there any way of getting this reduced?? I know you guys as a collective have some insight.

[Vulcan]

Ontario may be little different from out west but I'd get a trial date and see if you can bargain with the prosecuter. Worked for me. There are good tips on the internet and I was looking for a site for you put up by Ontario motorcycle riders but alas I can;t find it. CMGonline may have it somewhere. You can try phoning places like trafficpoints or xcopper to defend you, but I don;t know what they charge.

[Alpha_Q]

Here in Calgary you can go down to where you pay the ticket immediately and plead guilty - they usually (USUALLY) reduce the fine quite a bit and won't give you any demerit points. Be respectful though, and don't make any jackass comments and you should be fine. That's Ontario though, might be a whole other story...

[Bobblehead]

I grew up in London and I don't know of anyone who actually tried just getting a ticket reduced. Have you tried Points, any anything like that? Or do they charge as much as the ticket?

And which intersection?

[Incinerator]

Consult this page, it's written by a guy mainly for Ontarians:

http://www.magma.ca/~fyst/

[return to the red]

I'm with others and show up on your court date and just ask for a reduction in the fine. I've done it *cough* ONCE and as long as you are admitting that it happened and willing to pay something they are usually pretty understanding and easy to work with