RCMP Ticket Question

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by JDK71

take off your plate take it in the house warm it up and clean up install sticker wait 10 min install back on unit and you are good for one year

Just don't leave the vehicle parked on the street with no plate while you are doing that, an officer might come along and see the vehicle with no plate, and charge you for no plate, and possibly even have it towed.

[tri777]

Originally Posted by sgill808

It’s been in the glove box since last March/April...

I was 1000% with you until the above..i myself get ansty about getting that sticker on after 3-4 days.
I would heavily recommend everybody slowly give your vechs a good 3min visual inspection around it every mth to see if anything is off/missing/new dents/damage etc. for these very issues.

[rem338win]

I agree that $310 is steep for ticket where its improperly displayed, but registered.

According to the regs the plate cannot display expired. If there is evidence to prove otherwise your best bet is to go into court on a traffic day before the court date and speak with the crown. Explain you want to plead but the fine is steep. If you can come to an agreement you will settle.

Pleading not guilty for a court date is wrong. Youre going to cost the courts, ie the rest of us, at least a few thousand bucks to get a 100 deduction. This was your fault, remember to put your sticker on next time. 10 months is BS.

[abenaki-warrior]

Originally Posted by sgill808

So I've never had to fight a ticket before.... the process is just go in and talk to a JP? She got the ticket today, so can i go in whenever, or closer to the date on the ticket?

Do i wear my matlock suit?

When you go to court, look poor and if you lose well ask to pay it in equal payments no interest for 6 months

[warriorboy10]

That’s a bs ticket!! So many rc’s are such &$@holes!
You could go to court and fight the ticket. Cops hate going into court for traffic violations, or you can go to the court house and see the trial lawyer and get it reduced. Check with the court house to see which days the trial lawyer is in

[tool]

I have a story like this too, except I wasn't even driving the vehicle!

In 2008 in Canmore I got a ticket for letting SOMEBODY ELSE drive my vehicle on which the sticker had expired by a matter of days...

First I ever heard of that one!

In Saskatchewan they have done away with the plate sticker things, that's antiquated technology now. Many of the cars have cameras that read the plates and send flags to the cop if there is an issue with the vehicle or driver, warrants, all sorts of things without the cop even doing anything.

[Jack Hardin]

A chintzy ticket, One that I would never give when I was in the business.

[kbobbeck]

I have a friend who is a police officer in Calgary. Yes they have quotas to make every month . My guess the RCMP are the same.

[RandyBoBandy]

Originally Posted by sgill808

It’s been in the glove box since last March/April. I had completely forgot about it. I never drive it or wash it or ever really look at it since I bought my new truck. In that time it’s driver about 3000km tops, and never been pulled over so we never even looked at the registration. I just know it was valid because I have never let it go expired.

Not sure where you get your vehicle serviced at BUT First off, every vehicle that comes in gets a walk around and check exterior lights (even for oil changes). Plate stickers checked. After every repair, every vehicle gets WASHED, person washing is responsible for checking license plate stickers.. we get many Thank You's for pointing out the obvious

[the.tru.albertan]

Originally Posted by Scott N

Personally I would go plead not guilty to that since your plate actually had not expired. That's why I was wondering if the offense might be "failure to display validation tab" or something. Let's face it, it's one thing to not to have renewed your registration, but if you've done that but failed to put the validation tab on, you're not driving a vehicle with an expired plate.

This is totally wrong. That regulation doesn't speak to registration, it only speaks to the plate being displayed.

Alberta TSA 53(1)(c):
operate or park a motor vehicle or trailer on a highway
with an expired licence plate displayed on it

The registration can be valid, but the plate is expired until the validation sticker is applied and displayed accordingly.

Motor vehicle laws are written in a way that converts minor driver mistakes or forgetfulness into dollars. The beautiful part of it is that you still get your day in court.

[sgill808]

Its not the guy who services my car's responsibility to point that out. Its mine, i get that. I should have put it on, i forgot. Thats it, no excuse. I put it in the glove box and forgot. But the fact that it was in the car, and still got 310 ticket is what gets me. I wouldve even been like okay whatever if it was 50 bucks. Or i would have paid the 310 if the sticker wasnt in the vehicle. What is getting me, is wife and 4 year old are in the car, he gave her the ticket, told her to wash the car (which wasnt even that dirty) and put it on. I got home from work, and my daughter told me "the police were after her because mommy got a ticket".

[sgill808]

Then later i heard "if you dont use stickers the right way, you go to jail".

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by sgill808

I appreciate the advice but I think I am going to fight it and at least try to save some if not all of the 310. The being pulled over was a good a lesson for us on its own. If the officer handled it differently, my respect for the RCMP would have also increased as well. Instead I am going to waste everyone’s time and fight it.

I’ve received tickets in the past, which I always own up too and pay. Hence why this is my first time going in front of a judge or JP. I just feel he could of handled it much differently instead of giving the ticket and telling my wife “it’s a nice day, wash your car and put it on” (which she just told me he said.)

Driving is a privilidge, plain and simple, whether you respect or don't respect the LEO there are reasons why these privileges have rules, regs, laws.....because if not we'll there would be more of you driving not accountable for your actions in which the roads would eventually turn into a free for all!

Now if you get you day in court and the judge calls you a hammerhead I expect you back here again.....venting how unfair our first world problems are...come in.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by sgill808

Its not the guy who services my car's responsibility to point that out. Its mine, i get that. I should have put it on, i forgot. Thats it, no excuse. I put it in the glove box and forgot. But the fact that it was in the car, and still got 310 ticket is what gets me. I wouldve even been like okay whatever if it was 50 bucks. Or i would have paid the 310 if the sticker wasnt in the vehicle. What is getting me, is wife and 4 year old are in the car, he gave her the ticket, told her to wash the car (which wasnt even that dirty) and put it on. I got home from work, and my daughter told me "the police were after her because mommy got a ticket".

And then you sit with your child and say mom made a mistake and got pulled over now has to pay a fine, life lesson for the next generation....they continue what they learn....

Don't get me wrong been caught, been upset but it was my fault or my wife's fault....after I settled down and looked at it from the other side of the table....guilty....oh and the kids got the same speech too....did you or did you not come to a stop.....ahhhh rolled through.....wrong place...wrong time....ticketed.

[liar]

sure a lot of posts lately of people getting caught breaking the law , admitting they broke the law , but yet feel that they are "entitled " to be exempt from following the law because , after all , they are special .
if your guilty of something, own it , pay your dues and move on . its called integrity .
its no wonder the courts are swamped and criminal cases are being thrown out because they drag out too long in the courts .

[horsepower]

Friend had a plate that expired 2 days previous and received a ticket in Calgary for it.

In Calgary you go to the courthouse on the day specified on your ticket and find out where you are supposed to be (ask for help if needed). You will wait in a line (more people helping to ensure correct line) to talk to someone (crown representative) regarding either reducing your ticket or getting it thrown out. In my friends case they wanted a ticket reduction so clerk stated that 50% reduction is standard. That was agreeable so crown rep took the ticket and then friend waited with everyone else. Their name was called whereupon they went to the cashier and paid the reduced ticket. DONE. Whole thing took less than 2 hours.

No Judge, court appearance, officer appearance. Now I would assume this would not be the same process if you plead not guilty, however, this is what occurred when a ticket was "obtained" in Calgary.

Hope this helps.

[elkhunter11]

Originally Posted by horsepower

Friend had a plate that expired 2 days previous and received a ticket in Calgary for it.

In Calgary you go to the courthouse on the day specified on your ticket and find out where you are supposed to be (ask for help if needed). You will wait in a line (more people helping to ensure correct line) to talk to someone (crown representative) regarding either reducing your ticket or getting it thrown out. In my friends case they wanted a ticket reduction so clerk stated that 50% reduction is standard. That was agreeable so crown rep took the ticket and then friend waited with everyone else. Their name was called whereupon they went to the cashier and paid the reduced ticket. DONE. Whole thing took less than 2 hours.

No Judge, court appearance, officer appearance. Now I would assume this would not be the same process if you plead not guilty, however, this is what occurred when a ticket was "obtained" in Calgary.

Hope this helps.

So if a 50% reduction is standard, why don't they just drop the fine by 50% for anyone that chooses to pay the fine, rather than go to court? That would likely encourage more people to simply pay the fine, and reduce the amount of people going to court.

[horsepower]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

So if a 50% reduction is standard, why don't they just drop the fine by 50% for anyone that chooses to pay the fine, rather than go to court? That would likely encourage more people to simply pay the fine, and reduce the amount of people going to court.

I am guessing that most people choose not to go to the courthouse and ask for a reduction resulting in more $$$ for those receiving money from ticket generated revenue. Population apathy is a great way for government or companies to generate revenue.

[liar]

Population apathy is a great way for government or companies to generate revenue.

if you really want to "stick it" to the man , follow the rules !

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by liar

sure a lot of posts lately of people getting caught breaking the law , admitting they broke the law , but yet feel that they are "entitled " to be exempt from following the law because , after all , they are special .
if your guilty of something, own it , pay your dues and move on . its called integrity .
its no wonder the courts are swamped and criminal cases are being thrown out because they drag out too long in the courts .

The officer can use discretion as well, and sometimes officers seem to lack common sense or have unknown vendettas to pursue. Perhaps that's their quota to meet?

[sgill808]

So i phoned in asking if i could go in prior to the date on the ticket, since Strathmore is a circuit court, i would need to go in and talk to someone during the day and time issued on the ticket.

The lady on the phone asked what the ticket was for and she started laughing when i explained it. She told me to talk to the first appearance officer and he will likely reduce the ticket, or i could mail in a not guilty plea and set a trial date.

For those of you who say pay the ticket, if you were the officer would you have even issued the ticket in the first place? Was anyone harmed in the committing of this egregious offense? Was the registration even expired? The wife did not lip off the officer, she produced all the necessary documents.

I supervise a number of practicuum students from the Criminal Justice program who aspire to go into law enforcement and a major theme that is taught in their program is humility and discretion. If i was that officer i would have asked her to get out of the car and shown her how to put the sticker on.

For those who say i am looking for special treatment, i am not. I pay my taxes, contribute to society, have never been charged with a criminal offense, and i am well within my rights to have my say in court and not stand by and take it up the butt. Im not wasting your tax dollars, they can take it out of what i have kicked in.

[Joe Black]

Originally Posted by liar

sure a lot of posts lately of people getting caught breaking the law , admitting they broke the law , but yet feel that they are "entitled " to be exempt from following the law because , after all , they are special .
if your guilty of something, own it , pay your dues and move on . its called integrity .
its no wonder the courts are swamped and criminal cases are being thrown out because they drag out too long in the courts .

and other than gathering money for a broken law(in this case) that affects/inconveniences/upsets/hurts/hinders/impedes/ no one,,,,,

what is the purpose of enforcing it? i would much rather they(cops and the system) grow a pair and own up to the fact that they are simply taking your hard earned money for something that causes no ill affect on society.

not to much t ask i think. just admit to enforced, government sanctioned, stealing.

[Prairiekid]

if one of you can go to court without missing a day of work then I would just do that. The judge will surely knock it down a little bit. My parents forgot to renew their registration as they were in Australia during the renewal period and the papers just got filed away as completed. It was around $500 and the judge cut it in half even though that was clearly much more serious.

I live in a town where the RCMP is our law enforcement and from what I have been hearing it sounds like they are writing tickets for some pretty minor things lately.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Just a cash grab, with todays technology, they just have to punch your number into the computer and it will tell them whether the plate is current or not. Not even a need to pull you over to check. How the heck do you think they do it with non-expiring commercial trailer plates.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by liar

Population apathy is a great way for government or companies to generate revenue.

if you really want to "stick it" to the man , follow the rules !

Well, if weather conditions aren't right, it won't stick, so you throw it in the glove box and forget about it. Damn things are fragile as well, so if doesn't go on perfectly the first time, you''ll likely destroy it, meaning you'll have to buy another. There' has to be a better system.

Grizz

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by sgill808

So i phoned in asking if i could go in prior to the date on the ticket, since Strathmore is a circuit court, i would need to go in and talk to someone during the day and time issued on the ticket.

The lady on the phone asked what the ticket was for and she started laughing when i explained it. She told me to talk to the first appearance officer and he will likely reduce the ticket, or i could mail in a not guilty plea and set a trial date.

For those of you who say pay the ticket, if you were the officer would you have even issued the ticket in the first place? Was anyone harmed in the committing of this egregious offense? Was the registration even expired? The wife did not lip off the officer, she produced all the necessary documents.

I supervise a number of practicuum students from the Criminal Justice program who aspire to go into law enforcement and a major theme that is taught in their program is humility and discretion. If i was that officer i would have asked her to get out of the car and shown her how to put the sticker on.

For those who say i am looking for special treatment, i am not. I pay my taxes, contribute to society, have never been charged with a criminal offense, and i am well within my rights to have my say in court and not stand by and take it up the butt. Im not wasting your tax dollars, they can take it out of what i have kicked in.

Your wife will have her say, maybe reduce the ticket, maybe not either way guilty reduction or not and they will get funds for the offence and it will be a pain in the butt reference time spent so at the end of the day.....I fought the law and the law....won!

[Okotok]

I got a parking ticket a little while back. They put up signs for the Calgary marathon after I had parked in a legal area. Parked it there Friday afternoon and got the ticket Sunday morning, marathon day, as I hadn't gone anywhere with my vehicle. Our street was all dug up for water and sewer replacement so couldn't access my driveway. No option to explain the circumstances and was told I'd have to wait for a notice in the mail and plead not guilty.

Pled not guilty and got my court date mailed back to me. Went to court in Calgary. Stood in a line and met with the JP. She talked to the issuing officer once I explained the circumstances. They withdrew the ticket. Took less than 10 minutes. Seems that having an option to provide a written dispute would have saved everyone a bunch of time and money. I may not have even gone if my office wasn't close to the courthouse but I was miffed and subsequently exonerated!

You can likely assume 10 minutes to a couple of hours depending on how busy traffic court is that day. Go 30 minutes in advance and it will likely happen much quicker.

[sgill808]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Your wife will have her say, maybe reduce the ticket, maybe not either way guilty reduction or not and they will get funds for the offence and it will be a pain in the butt reference time spent so at the end of the day.....I fought the law and the law....won!

Sometimes you just got to stand up for yourself.

[Purple Farmer]

Originally Posted by Foxton Gundogs

How the heck do you think they do it with non-expiring commercial trailer plates.

Do what with Non-expiring plates?

This thread is more comedy gold.

OP if your time is worth that little to you go ahead and waste it. at the end of the day you know the ticket is valid, if you don't like the legislation that makes the ticket valid how much time are you willing to spend advocating to change it?

[sgill808]

Originally Posted by Purple Farmer

Do what with Non-expiring plates?

This thread is more comedy gold.

OP if your time is worth that little to you go ahead and waste it. at the end of the day you know the ticket is valid, if you don't like the legislation that makes the ticket valid how much time are you willing to spend advocating to change it?

Id still get paid for my day, i would get to spend the morning with my wife showing her that i am there to support her, i get to stand up to a bully. If it gets reduced, thats great. If it gets thrown out, even better. If they want to pay the full fine, at least i stood up for myself.