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View Poll Results: Should I Pay Up?
Yes 22 91.67%
No 2 8.33%
Voters: 24. You may not vote on this poll

 
 
Old 09-03-2015, 05:02 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
424 posts, read 378,799 times
Reputation: 686

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Hi, so weird scenario that I can't find the answer to on the google: So I am from Oregon and I was driving through California in July. In San Fransisco there was this toll both on I80 that popped up randomly with no signs and I was in the lane for express (where you need a card and the state automatically bills you) and had no way to get over to one of the cash lanes. I had no choose but to drive through the express lane and now I just received a $30 ticket from California in the mail. My question is do I have to pay this sense I am not a resident of California and I really can't think of any way they could enforce it. I really think it's BS that they have no signs going up to the toll both and at the very least should have a way for people to get over (there's a divider between lanes going up to the booths). If someone knows a way to argue this, I am definitely willing to pay the original amount of I think $2.50 as I am no way trying to get out of paying the toll, I just find the fine total BS.
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Old 09-03-2015, 06:21 PM
 
Location: Airports all over the world
7,487 posts, read 7,963,323 times
Reputation: 106086
The only way they could enforce it is if you get pulled over for any reason while driving in California. If that happens you might find yourself sitting in jail until you pay it or you go before a judge. There is also the possibility it will get turned over to a collection agency who will harass you for a long time.

If it was me, since it was a legit ticket I would probably go ahead and just pay it and go on with life. However it is up to you.

FYI...if you find yourself stuck in the wrong lane at a toll booth and end up blowing thru without paying (it happens) go online and get a phone number and call them. They will take a credit card payment over the phone and you will not get hit with fines above and beyond the actual toll.
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Old 09-03-2015, 06:30 PM
 
Location: Out there somewhere...a traveling man.
44,541 posts, read 61,201,075 times
Reputation: 125501
We got a similar ticket in Colorado and as long as you don't pay it the cost goes up and up each month. Ours original$7.50 was $275.00 (reason being we were traveling for 6 months and didn't get the notice till we got home, AZ). We called to complain, got a lawyers collection agency and they said there was no forgiveness and it would continue to increase until it was paid. Apparently if we drive thru CO again and get stopped there would be a warrant waiting for us.
Not worth the unmitigated hassle so pay the thing.
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Old 09-03-2015, 06:41 PM
 
Location: Portland, OR
424 posts, read 378,799 times
Reputation: 686
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt View Post
The only way they could enforce it is if you get pulled over for any reason while driving in California. If that happens you might find yourself sitting in jail until you pay it or you go before a judge. There is also the possibility it will get turned over to a collection agency who will harass you for a long time.

If it was me, since it was a legit ticket I would probably go ahead and just pay it and go on with life. However it is up to you.

FYI...if you find yourself stuck in the wrong lane at a toll booth and end up blowing thru without paying (it happens) go online and get a phone number and call them. They will take a credit card payment over the phone and you will not get hit with fines above and beyond the actual toll.
wow, if only this had been on google this whole thing would have been avoided. I checked online when I was still in California but found absolutely nothing on this particular situation. All I found is the DMV of the state I'm in, Oregon, could collect for California if it were a speeding ticket or something like that. Now if this were a parking ticket I probably wouldn't pay because I know that's just the jurisdiction of the city. I don't really want to mess with the state government so I'll probably just pay it up. I still find it BS that there were no signs.....
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Old 09-03-2015, 06:43 PM
 
2,563 posts, read 3,656,608 times
Reputation: 3572
One time when I was moving from California, I got a speeding ticket right before the Arizona border. I think I was going 95. Anyway, I put the ticket in my glove compartment and forgot about it. Some years later, when I moved back to California, I applied for a California drivers license and the ticket popped up on the computer as unpaid. The lady just deleted it. She said it had been there too long and it was no longer valid.
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Old 09-03-2015, 06:45 PM
 
35,095 posts, read 50,952,945 times
Reputation: 62660
Quote:
Originally Posted by RipCityBassWorks View Post
Hi, so weird scenario that I can't find the answer to on the google: So I am from Oregon and I was driving through California in July. In San Fransisco there was this toll both on I80 that popped up randomly with no signs and I was in the lane for express (where you need a card and the state automatically bills you) and had no way to get over to one of the cash lanes. I had no choose but to drive through the express lane and now I just received a $30 ticket from California in the mail. My question is do I have to pay this sense I am not a resident of California and I really can't think of any way they could enforce it. I really think it's BS that they have no signs going up to the toll both and at the very least should have a way for people to get over (there's a divider between lanes going up to the booths). If someone knows a way to argue this, I am definitely willing to pay the original amount of I think $2.50 as I am no way trying to get out of paying the toll, I just find the fine total BS.
Actually what is total BS is trying to get out of paying a ticket that you earned. IF you had been paying attention while driving you would have seen the signs and been in the proper lane.
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Old 09-03-2015, 07:10 PM
 
Location: Honolulu/DMV Area/NYC
30,454 posts, read 17,876,776 times
Reputation: 34148
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alaskan Mutt View Post
The only way they could enforce it is if you get pulled over for any reason while driving in California. If that happens you might find yourself sitting in jail until you pay it or you go before a judge. There is also the possibility it will get turned over to a collection agency who will harass you for a long time.

If it was me, since it was a legit ticket I would probably go ahead and just pay it and go on with life. However it is up to you.

FYI...if you find yourself stuck in the wrong lane at a toll booth and end up blowing thru without paying (it happens) go online and get a phone number and call them. They will take a credit card payment over the phone and you will not get hit with fines above and beyond the actual toll.
There's also extensive traffic violations reciprocity between states. See, for instance: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffi...ns_reciprocity

See, also: Which states share speeding ticket information? | CarInsurance.com

The OP has more to fear than only being harmed/having the ticket enforced when driving through California.
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Old 09-03-2015, 08:03 PM
 
Location: Niceville, FL
13,255 posts, read 22,650,364 times
Reputation: 16392
$30 is a perfectly normal and reasonable fine for a toll lane violation. The value of your time spent trying to fight something that cheap is going to be more than the fine itself.
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Old 09-03-2015, 08:20 PM
 
8,272 posts, read 10,863,078 times
Reputation: 8903
Just go ahead and pay it and get a receipt or save something if paid by check or credit card and keep in car.

Decades ago I got a speeding ticket in Tennessee. I had out of state plates. And the locals on highway were all passing me. 8 lane highway/4 on one side. I was in the far right lane.
I never paid it and I just avoided Tennessee.

Present day.
I had my local chief do a complete data check and nothing came up. Too old.

But now, all/most police have 3 computers in squad car and everything, and I mean everything about you shows up.

Even if you name is listed on Ashley Madison.
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Old 09-03-2015, 08:26 PM
 
Location: Ft. Myers
19,719 posts, read 16,688,144 times
Reputation: 41861
The question is, do you want to be looking over your shoulder for a long time over a piddling $30 ? That is like one dinner out. Some things are not worth the hassle, pay the thing and move on. If you don't, sometimes small things can grow into big things and bite you in the tail.

You will sleep better at night.

Don
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