I Got A Parking Ticket During my AP Exam. Advice?

Parents Forum
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<p>Another angle: We're not the judges. The judge is the judge.</p>

<p>You are at the age where most everything is a new learning experience. Someone above suggested that your evening is worth more than $25. I disagree, because (in my own Mom's words): "As long as you're learning something, your time is never 'wasted'." </p>

<p>In my own lifetime, I've had to appear in court 5 times, as a witness, a plaintiff, a defendant. And I'm the most boring, law-abiding person imaginable.
Each time I've had to appear before a judge or jury to state my case, it was
a difficult challenge, but I actually got better at it. You have but a few minutes, must speak in sound-bytes, answer focussed questions and hope to convince before the gavel comes down BANG with a verdict. </p>

<p>At the most serious of them all, and thes last of these 5 experiences, we were being sued by a handyman on a BOGUS charge which, had he won, would have taken away everything we'd ever worked for. I did my level best on the witness stand to testify, as did my H. Originally, the lawyer didn't want to put me on the stand, but I convinced him I could testify well, although I had been too excitable in our phone dealings.
At the trial, which took 2 days, we were completely vindicated. Our lawyer wanted to accompany us to the courthouse door and parking lot, but along the way we encountered some jurors leaving. He asked the jurors, informally (this was normal in his practice, so he could get better each time),
"What helped you decide your verdict?" They mentioned a few pieces of evidence, but said that the wife's testimony was one of their turning-points.</p>

<p>SO, I say all this to emphasize that in your lifetime, you may have to deal in court. If YOU think it's worth spending $25 just to find out what an evening in court feels like, then even if you lose, you haven't wasted the time or money.</p>

<p>LIFE IS A JOURNEY.</p>

<p>Most here are saying you'll lose and have to pay it in full. Logic is with them.
But adults already have a lot of experiences under their belts and you don't. </p>

<p>As I say, it's a different angle. If you'd find it humiliating or traumatic to lose, then don't go. Also you're checking to make sure you don't get "court costs" for challenging the ticket..I'd be surprised if that were the case, but check.</p>

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<p>I wish I lived in a place where parking tickets are only $25. Jeeez, pay it.</p>

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<p>I agree, pay it. I assume your school provides buses for seniors, and on a day like this, it would have been a wise option. You really don't have a valid excuse.</p>

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<p>I was talking about wasiting the City's or County's time and resources for a fine...some times a person is just wrong and broke the rules, and that is the time to accept it</p>

<p>If mom had gone into labor and student had to leave the car to deal with that, fine, fight it, but a test?</p>

<p>We waste alot of court time with trivial matters like this</p>

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<p>
[quote]
We waste alot of court time with trivial matters like this

[/quote]
</p>

<p>A ticket is actually a summons to appear. "Paying the fine" is a lot like posting bail and agreeing to forfeit it in exchange for not having to appear. It's every citizen's right to appear in court and hear the charges against them. I, for one, would never want to give up my rights in exchange for quietly paying any fine a police officer wants to levy. I am disappointed that any citizen of a democracy would go along with your "the police are always right -- pay the fine" attitude.</p>

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<p>^^^^refreshing!!</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I assume your school provides buses for seniors, and on a day like this, it would have been a wise option.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>Possibly not. Afternoon AP tests tend to run way past the usual school dismissal time, and many school districts do not provide alternative transportation.</p>

<p>This has nothing to do with the ticket, but I do sympathize with kids taking tests who do not have the option of taking the school bus.</p>

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<p>But in this case the police were clearly right. Exercising your right in futility I guess.</p>

<p>Frankly it would not be worth my time even if I was right. Pay the fine and move on.</p>

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<p>WashDad, Well sometimes the police are right. In my view paying the ticket is the same as pleading guilty. I'm generally guilty, so I pay the tickets. Sometimes it's like gambling: How long will it take to file a building permit? Yesterday I guessed wrong. It took more than 20 minutes, but I got lucky and didn't get the $20.00 ticket. Our town lets you pay half the cost on parking tickets if you pay with the first business day. Do other towns do that?</p>

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<p>I was reacting to the notion that going to court was a bad idea because it was clogging up the courts. Personally, I would have mailed the $25 the next day.</p>

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<p>I had a student many years ago who had never had a speeding conviction. Every time he got one (and he did like to drive fast), he went to court and took his chances that the arresting officer wouldn't show up. That worked four times. Then, as a senior in HS, he got one more ticket for speeding; when he showed up, so did the arresting officer. The judge gave him a warning and no fine because "you have a clean record."</p>

<p>I repeat my assertion that it is worth while to learn how the system works. Whether or not it is appropriate for an adult to contest a parking or speeding ticket is irrelevant. At this point in history, the schools no longer run field trips through the court system, very few people actually serve on juries, and many people think the law actually works the way they see it in CSI and Law and Order.</p>

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<p>Of course you have the right to go to court and defned youself, but I am looking at the bigger picture</p>

<p>When you havve people going in to fight tickets that they know they deserved, then we use up court time for other more serious cases, and delay in others getting justice and getting their more important cases handled in a more timely fashion</p>

<p>I of course do not believe the police are always right, but if I don't put enough money n my meter, or park over the 2 hour limit that is clearly posted, or don't plan well enough to avoid the possibility of a ticket, how is that saying the police are always right?</p>

<p>We have limited resources in our courts, and frankly, for a whiney kid to come in and say, well, it was a long test is a waste of everyone's time, which could be better spent dealing with real crimes.</p>

<p>The kid was wrong, he should just pay the fine...to equate that with believing the police are always right is absurd...</p>

<p>If he doesn't like the two hour parking rule, then by all means protest the rules, but the OP knew full well he broke the rules and wants to find a way out</p>

<p>Sometimes consequences are necessary</p>

<p>My D got a ticket for failure to pay her fair, she had a buss pass, but it was in the house, the signs are clear, and I remind her to have her bus pass, but we had to pay the $100 fine....I thought it was pretty steep, but there really was no excuse, so why go to juvienele court, when they should be spending time dealing with the gang issues, etc</p>

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<p>Hold yourself accountable -- ALWAYS</p>

<p>No Excuses -- EVER</p>

<p>$25 is a small price to pay for a great life lesson</p>

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<p>Wow thanks for the replies everyone. I am going to plead not guilty, sort of just as a learning experience and to see how things work. Citygirlsmom, since it is such a "trivial matter" doesn't this give the court more incentive to either throw the ticket out or cut it down? It's my right to have both a plea hearing, and a trial. I'm going to take my chances on the court not wanting to waste time for two separate hearings on this incident, and just bargaining with me right off the bat. Thanks again for the advice!</p>

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<p>Furthermore, it's also somewhat likely that the police officer who wrote up the ticket will fail to show up to court for something this trivial. If this happens, at least where I live, the court dismisses the ticket. Thanks again!</p>

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<p>AJ,</p>

<p>That is certainly your right. Would you post here afterwards and tell us what happened?</p>

<p>Thank you.</p>

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<p>Does a cop show up for a parking ticket? really I don't think so, you were parked ILLEGALLY, and just admit it for heaven's sake</p>

<p>Do you really think they show up for each and every parking ticket? what about expired meters, parking at a fire hydrant, and if they threw out every ticket because the police needed to be there, that would be absurd, and if you think it is a good use of police resrouces to sit in court because someone couldn't plan their day right and wants to fight a legitimate ticket, guess your priorities for the safety of your fellow citizens are a bit skewed</p>

<p>personally, I would rather fight a ticket where I know I was right then try and get a pity verdict when I knew I was wrong, and not have a police officer sit in court for each and every ticket instead of being out on the street taking care of accidents, robberies, gang violence, murders, dometic violence, shootings, theft, etc...</p>

<p>Your excuse of a test is lame and it won't get thrown out</p>

<p>What is to "bargain" the sign says 2 hour parking, you parked for more than two hours, and your excuse was an test</p>

<p>Imagine if everyone went into fight a parking ticket with that excuse, and if they let you off, then they have to let everyone else off who was to lazy to walk or find a ride</p>

<p>You have no basis to fight the ticket, and if you do get off it would be because of novelty or whinyness, and I wonder about people that don't take responsibility for their own actions and try to slip out of facing the consequences</p>

<p>It is truely astounding that you don't see that you were wrong and broke the rules, and are making excuses for it</p>

<p>I have know people that have gone into the dentist, ended up having some major work done, and got a ticket, it was not their "fault", but they stood up and said yep, I broke the rules and faced the consequences</p>

<p>Maturity comes from realizing you made a mistake and accepting the responsibility for that, guess some people aren't there yet</p>

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<p>Neither I nor anyone in my family has ever paid a parking or speeding ticket. You just have to fight them all....we've saved hundreds (thousands?) of dollars over the years.</p>

<p>NEVER EVER pay the fine outright...ALWAYS fight it.</p>

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<p>[Maturity comes from realizing you made a mistake and accepting the responsibility for that, guess some people aren't there yet/]</p>

<p>He knows he made a mistake. He's taking the responsibility and willing to lose, then pay. One way to become mature is to live through experiences onesself and not take everyone else's word for it. See what happens. It is his right. Even if he's wrong. </p>

<p>To me, <em>not</em> taking consequences would be to stuff the ticket into a glove compartment and ignore the summons, letting the fine double, and hope (he-he) the plate tectonics of the nation shift tomorrow and it's forgotten (never is)</p>

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<p>Does your hostility to this kid stem from the fact that your daughter had to pay a fine after stealing her way on to a bus while this kid could get away scott free for a parking ticket?</p>

<p>It sure seems that way. I only say this because your last post seemed viscious towards the kid. You seemed to rant and rant about how he has to take responsibility etc with such anger. </p>

<p>I think you should fight the ticket and hopefully you win. I can understand the situation you were in. You had a big test, alot of studying, and frankly parking was not on the top of your mind, and when you got to school you had a choice, skip an important test or park. You chose park. You were aware of the consequences and you are not contesting the legality of that ticket, you are merely explaining the circumstances. Thankfuly we live in a society that realizes that humans are not automotans.</p>

<p>Good luck with the whole situation.</p>