Using POINTTS or another traffic ticket defence company - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Millertime · 03-13-2016, 03:14 PM

Anyone have any experience using one of the traffic ticket defence companies? Got pulled over today,(rolled a stop sign). First ticket in a decade, just don't want the conviction on my insurance.
How much do they charge?

Jason14h · 03-13-2016, 03:28 PM

Quote:

First ticket in a decade, just don't want the conviction on my insurance.

If you are not changing insurance companies the chance they would pay to pull any ticket records is slim to non. Not to mention if this is your first ticket in a decade it shouldn't have any effect.

Not worth the cost for POINTTS IMO. Basically they will just try to plead down the charge.

Millertime · 03-13-2016, 03:34 PM

What about going down to reduce the ticket muself... What are the lineups like these days? Same process as years ago? Pre-meeting to plead it down (no demerits/reduced fine) before going to a judge?

jayswin · 03-13-2016, 04:00 PM

Yep, process is still the same and you'll more than likely get a reduction if it's your first ticket in ten years, so I'd definitely head down and give it a shot.

Man, remember the old days of CP when every ticket thread had guys coming in and saying "just be a man and pay the ticket"? Glad they finally realized that nobody needs or wants to hear that or they wouldn't have started the damn thread.

KTrain · 03-13-2016, 04:03 PM

Just be a man and pay the ticket.

taco.vidal · 03-13-2016, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTrain

Just be a man and pay the ticket.

Theres so many things wrong with this statement.

llwhiteoutll · 03-13-2016, 04:21 PM

I would just go and ask for a reduction in the fine, cite your driving record when you speak to them. No real point in trying to get the demerits reduced/eliminated as insurance only cares about the conviction and as others have said, probably won't pull your record at renewal if you've been there a while.

btimbit · 03-13-2016, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llwhiteoutll

I would just go and ask for a reduction in the fine, cite your driving record when you speak to them. No real point in trying to get the demerits reduced/eliminated as insurance only cares about the conviction and as others have said, probably won't pull your record at renewal if you've been there a while.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason14h

If you are not changing insurance companies the chance they would pay to pull any ticket records is slim to non. Not to mention if this is your first ticket in a decade it shouldn't have any effect.

Not worth the cost for POINTTS IMO. Basically they will just try to plead down the charge.

Yup, I'd go with this.

TSXCman · 03-13-2016, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KTrain

Just be a man and pay the ticket.

Always fight it.

Points will give you a free quote and consultation. Call them up. I used them when I was younger a few times and always had the tickets reduced or thrown out

ken0042 · 03-13-2016, 05:52 PM

The "just pay it" debate does hinge on an important question- did you come to a complete stop? If you did- then fight it. If you didn't- just pay it.

They are talking about taking away our right to fight traffic tickets, so I don't want to see us lose that right because every ticket is being fought.

I've received 2 tickets in the last 15 months. One was BS and I successfully fought it. The other I was guilty- so I now watch my speed a little better than I used to.

That all being said- on the one I fought the clerk was surprised and questioned me; did I not want to ask for a reduction? There was a lot of people waiting for that. So reductions seem to be successful if you have the time to wait.

Dion · 03-13-2016, 05:58 PM

Can you still get the ticket reduced to a fine with no demerits?

ken0042 · 03-13-2016, 06:06 PM

I'm pretty sure that's what people were doing. That's how the clerk phrased her question- asking me if I wanted to plead guilty, or ask for a reduction of the fine or demerits.

REDVAN · 03-13-2016, 06:42 PM

I hope they don't take away the right to fight tickets. That would be terrible

btimbit · 03-13-2016, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDVAN

I hope they don't take away the right to fight tickets. That would be terrible

I'd be amazed if that happened outright, but I could see them not letting people get away with reductions as easily

REDVAN · 03-13-2016, 07:09 PM

Innocent until prooven guilty!

llwhiteoutll · 03-13-2016, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dion

Can you still get the ticket reduced to a fine with no demerits?

Unless you're close to a demerit related suspension, there isn't really a point to reducing demerits. You get more benefit from asking for a reduction in the cost.

Slava · 03-13-2016, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REDVAN

Innocent until prooven guilty!

That's exactly it though. I hardly think that they would change the underpinning of the legal system because people are fighting traffic tickets.

Johnny199r · 03-13-2016, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Millertime

Anyone have any experience using one of the traffic ticket defence companies? Got pulled over today,(rolled a stop sign). First ticket in a decade, just don't want the conviction on my insurance.
How much do they charge?

Hi, I'm very familiar with Alberta traffic court.

Don't hire one of those companies. They don't accomplish much.

If you're not guilty, set it for trial. If you are guilty, go down and speak to the prosecutor and ask for a reduction.

Those traffic ticket defence company people just negotiate with the Crown for the same thing you can ask for.

jayswin · 03-13-2016, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Hi, I'm very familiar with Alberta traffic court.

Don't hire one of those companies. They don't accomplish much.

If you're not guilty, set it for trial. If you are guilty, go down and speak to the prosecutor and ask for a reduction.

Those traffic ticket defence company people just negotiate with the Crown for the same thing you can ask for.

I've heard they're pretty good for more serious traffic violations, though. Is that true? Or is it basically a) minor offense = don't bother with any representation, or b) serious offense = hire lawyer who specializes in traffic court?

gottabekd · 03-13-2016, 09:29 PM

I've always wondered what the deal was with arguing down the ticket? I mean, if you are guilty. What good is it to show up and ask for a reduction? Is that all you do? Just say "Hey, I got a ticket. I'm guilty. But can I pay less pretty please?" and they will just reduce it on the spot for you?

Or is it more along the lines of getting a ticket for going 25 over, and lying to the judge that you were actually only going 15 over, and the judge saying "whatever, here, reduced. Next!"