$300 ticket???

[C Squared]

Originally Posted by HelloHockeyFans

Just an observation while reading through this thread which I found sorta funny... various stories about personal experiences and each and every one is pretty much the same thing... "I did something which I know is against the law and got caught for it, and therefore ticketed for it... outrageous!"

Also slightly troubling when someone warns others to not speed in a particular playground zone, because cops are always there to catch the speeders... shouldn't your motivation to not speed be... well, because there might be children playing in this playground zone?!

One of the best points in this discussion. However I do know that some playground zones are very stupid where they are placed. I agree that if you get a ticket and you believe it is wrong in anyway then you should fight it. Then again a person should not fight it just for the hell of getting it knocked down or thrown out just because it can happen. Perhaps if the courts actually made you have a better case rather than just showing up to fight it for no reason this would not be happening as much. Just my two cents.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Dion

The other possibility is hoping the officer doesn't show up at your court appearance with the ticket getting tossed. Regardless it won't stop drivers from fighting their tickets. It will result in more offciers showing up in court as opposed to being on the street doing their job.

How often does an officer not show up though? They either go during work, or go on their day off, and get paid for the full day as far as I know. Pretty good incentive to go if you ask me, and I'm sure their department wouldn't be overly happy if they continuously miss court dates.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

How often does an officer not show up though? They either go during work, or go on their day off, and get paid for the full day as far as I know. Pretty good incentive to go if you ask me, and I'm sure their department wouldn't be overly happy if they continuously miss court dates.

If the officer feels a driver isn't going to fight his or her ticket they have no reason to show up. Think about it, the vast majority of drivers just pay the ticket.

I went to fight a ticket 4 years ago. Paid someone to act on my behalf. Showed up for court and the officer was absent. Prosecutor said he was on holidays and asked for another court date. Judge said no.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Dion

If the officer feels a driver isn't going to fight his or her ticket they have no reason to show up. Think about it, the vast majority of drivers just pay the ticket.

I went to fight a ticket 4 years ago. Paid someone to act on my behalf. Showed up for court and the officer was absent. Prosecutor said he was on holidays and asked for another court date. Judge said no.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you plead not-guilty isn't the court date set for a different time and the officer is notified of this time, thus knowing you are going to fight it?

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you plead not-guilty isn't the court date set for a different time and the officer is notified of this time, thus knowing you are going to fight it?

The person who represented me plead not guilty on my behalf. The case was then to be heard but was tossed due to the officer being on holidays.

It could be different for more serious charges such as drunk driving.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Dion

If the officer feels a driver isn't going to fight his or her ticket they have no reason to show up. Think about it, the vast majority of drivers just pay the ticket.

I went to fight a ticket 4 years ago. Paid someone to act on my behalf. Showed up for court and the officer was absent. Prosecutor said he was on holidays and asked for another court date. Judge said no.

If you were on your day off, but could get paid for an entire day just for going to court, ESPECIALLY if you think the other party won't be there, wouldn't you go forsure? Being on holidays is one thing, but I would never count on a police officer not to be there.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

If you were on your day off, but could get paid for an entire day just for going to court, ESPECIALLY if you think the other party won't be there, wouldn't you go forsure?

Nope. I value my time off and prefer to spend it with family and friends.

Being on holidays is one thing, but I would never count on a police officer not to be there.

It happens far more often than you think.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Dion

The person who represented me plead not guilty on my behalf. The case was then to be heard but was tossed due to the officer being on holidays.

It could be different for more serious charges such as drunk driving.

That scenario was different than an officer feeling like you won't fight it and not bother showing up. It happens, as court dates are set after vacation dates.

You say officers not showing up happens far more often than we think. Fill me in... how often are we talking about here?

[Language]

With regards to my first post that started this thread, when I said I snapped at the police officer, well, I didn't necessarily snap to the extent that my own mother would be embarassed by what I was saying. I was just basically very opposed to the way that the manner in which she handed me the ticket was handled.

Even after I failed to completely stop at the stop sign, she still hadn't pulled me over. Instead, she followed me for a good couple hundred metres, waited behind me until I reached the next stop sign (which had traffic flowing in both directions), so I had to wait about a minute or two before I made the subsequent left turn, and only then did she pull me over on the main road no less, when she could have just pulled me over minutes before that. Now I understand that I broke the rules as they are written in the rule book, but it just seemed like one of those things where she was out to get me no matter what I did, and was just waiting for me to make another "mistake" according to her.

Now I'd just like your opinions on what I should do. I've never been to court before, so it'll be a novel experience for me. I guess I could plead not guilty, even though I clearly was, but like I said, I was ticketed $300 for such a common and minor detail that they may as well ticket me everytime I go 52 km/h when the speed limit is 50. Now I understand that reasoning won't go over well with the prosecutor, but these kinds of tickets just tick me off and I'm worried I may say something that I shouldn't in the court room.

Anyways, thanks for all the advice so far.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by leonk19

Even after I failed to completely stop at the stop sign, she still hadn't pulled me over. Instead, she followed me for a good couple hundred metres, waited behind me until I reached the next stop sign ...and was just waiting for me to make another "mistake" according to her.

The police officer was probably running your plate during that time so she knew what she was getting into. For example, if it came up stolen the officer would call for backup.

[Language]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

The police officer was probably running your plate during that time so she knew what she was getting into. For example, if it came up stolen the officer would call for backup.

Could have been, but after she pulled me over she went back to her car and spent a good chunk of time there, so I think she was doing that after she pulled me over. Regardless, that's just semantics. I'll probably just go before my actual court date and try to get it reduced.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

That scenario was different than an officer feeling like you won't fight it and not bother showing up. It happens, as court dates are set after vacation dates.

Imagine if police officer showed up in court for evey ticket they wrote. They'd be spending more time in court than out on the street doing their job.

You say officers not showing up happens far more often than we think. Fill me in... how often are we talking about here?

Co workers and friends showing up to fight tickets. I realise it's not the exact number you may be looking for.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by leonk19

Could have been, but after she pulled me over she went back to her car and spent a good chunk of time there, so I think she was doing that after she pulled me over. Regardless, that's just semantics. I'll probably just go before my actual court date and try to get it reduced.

BlackArcher is right in this case.

She was also doing a check on your insurance and regsitration to see if they are vaild.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Dion

Imagine if police officer showed up in court for evey ticket they wrote. They'd be spending more time in court than out on the street doing their job.

This is what I was trying to say earlier. Not every ticket goes to court and the ones that do, have the dates set for a further time. This gives advanced notice to the officer that he is to attend court. As others mentioned, this officer would get paid OT if not on shift or would otherwise not have to take his normal duties during this time. I'm going to go out on a limb and say the likelihood that an officer will show for court is going to be higher than a no-show.

I personally know a few people that have plead not guilty in the hopes that the officer wouldn't show. This has never worked for them (at least in Calgary).

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

I personally know a few people that have plead not guilty in the hopes that the officer wouldn't show. This has never worked for them (at least in Calgary).

I guess we will agree to disagree on this.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by Dion

I guess we will agree to disagree on this.

Apparently so. I wish there were some stats/numbers out there on this. You'd think there would be eh? Maybe I'll ask my lawyer friend tomorrow.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Apparently so. I wish there were some stats/numbers out there on this. You'd think there would be eh? Maybe I'll ask my lawyer friend tomorrow.

How much it happens is not a concern with me.

[metallicat]

Originally Posted by Dion

How much it happens is not a concern with me.

LOL. He's just trying to figure it out. I am curious as well, because I think the argument about hoping for a cop to no-show is overused.

Police are required to appear in court just like civilians and get subpeona's as well. The ramifications are the same if they dont show with the addition of an internal Police Act charge. It is rare, but it can happen.

Lemme run a quick scenario and you can see why at times an officer may not show:
Officer receives subpeona several months before court- court is at 9:30 AM. Day before court, shift starts @ 9 PM. Very busy. No breaks, no rest. Shift time ends at 7 AM. Officers than gets tied up on a nasty call at 5 or 6 AM. Overtime is EXTREMELY common. Officer gets off shift at 10 or 11 AM, thus missing court. And than goes home, gets sleep (hopefully) than goes back to work for a short shift change @ 6 PM. Sounds like fun eh?

It's a good thing guys like Soulchoice only look out for themselves and change court dates as many times as possible to screw with an already screwed up schedule and lifestyle.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by BlackArcher101

Apparently so. I wish there were some stats/numbers out there on this. You'd think there would be eh? Maybe I'll ask my lawyer friend tomorrow.

Because my last name starts with a letter towards the end of the alphabet, any time I've had to go to court I have to sit there as they call everybody else ahead of me. It's been a few years since going to traffic court, but I would say more than half of the people don't show up; defendants and police officers. Heck, the last time I had a court date I missed it because I was so ill, I decided to heck with it; I'd rather pay $100 then get out of bed. (Fortunately I was found not guilty even without showing up.)

I can see one possiblility though; the percentage of police officers not showing up might be high enough that they don't want to make that info public; otherwise everybody would plead not guilty to play the odds.