Hey Sean, I don't know what it's like where you live, but here in Massachusetts the axiom is Deny Unto The Death. Every time I've been pulled over -- every time -- the cops themselves tell me "you should contest the ticket in court, and it'll probably be dismissed". And they are right: every time I've contested a ticket (which is most of the time) they are dismissed, rubber-stamp style. The traffic courts here are so swamped that basically anyone who bothers to show up in court has their case perfunctorily dismissed, not because they're (we're) in the right, mind you; but because the magistrates and judges don't have the time to so much as listen to you explain how the light was yellow, and it was raining, and your kid just dropped his pacifier, etc. Rubber stamp, and off you go. Deny, unto the death. Massachusetts writes a lot of tickets too, and our insurance rates are among the highest in the country. So you really do have to keep your safe driver rating as high (or low, or whatever) as possible or it can multiply your premiums by a shocking degree. So depending on where you live, and which way the winds blow there, I recommend you don't automatically pay the ticket, but rather risk the court appearance. It could save you cash in hand, and wasted time in traffic school, and future insurance hikes. I think it's worth risking the potential increase in penalty, to have a chance to avoid all that BS, don't you? -Isaac in Cambridge |
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