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I was way up on Rock Creek Parkway today, further than I've ever been, and guess I didn't see a stop sign. I wasn't familiar with the area; the sign was lower and out of place; I didn't know where to look for it. No tickets in like 8 years.
An officer chased me down and told me I didn't stop for it etc etc.
Either way, he came back and said, "okay you've got a $100 fine for not coming to a complete stop." and told me the rules. I'm a VA driver and he said DC doesn't report to VA.
Funny thing is, I was looking over the ticket and the place where you're supposed to sign, the " not admision of guilt" part, he never asked me to sign it, so it was blank there.
Is this normal in DC?
Usually, I've seen if you go to the judge you can ask that the charge be reduced to something like "improper driving" or something, on account of a good record, or maybe get a dismissal with driving school.
But now I'm wondering if I should contest it just on the merits that the officer didn't ask me to sign/acknowledge the charge.
What has your experience been in DC with moving violations? DC's a busy city; I've seen cases thrown out just because the officer didn't show, even in small towns.
Any recommendations? I know this isn't legal advice, but I was just wondering what your experiences have been.
I doubt it matter if you signed or not. Not like they'd just let you off because you refused to sign. I would just pay and move on since they don't report to VA.
Not reporting to Virginia is good, but all that does for me is it helps me out if I all of a sudden get a ton of tickets back to back, it could keep me from getting a suspended/revoked license or keep me out of jail (depending on the severity of one of the tickets) because those points wouldn't be there.
I don't plan on that because again, no tickets in 8 years.
But insurance companies have their own ways of finding out what you've been convicted of, and I don't want my rates going up.
Someone in my office told me if you go to court, even if you're ultimately found guilty, you'll likely get a lesser fine.
The ticket is invalid since they have no acknowledgement that you received it. Ignore it. You will eventually receive letters from DC DMV. Ignore them. They will send it to their internal collection agency. Ignore this as well. When it shows up on your credit report, file a claim asking them to verify and validate. Since DC will not respond in the required 30 day period, it will all just go away as if it never happened. And there is no reciprocity between DC and VA, so VA will not know or bother with it. And nothing will show up to be reported to your insurance company.
DC has caught me on their photo speed cams and this has worked out on making it disappear every time.
It is not invalid. Either pay or schedule a hearing.
And if he does neither, my scenario is a viable option. Why pay DC a single dollar when it's not necessary and there are no repercussions? Do you see a moral obligation to pay? Scheduling a hearing hardly seems wise considering the adjudicator is being paid from the funds collected and is anything but fair and impartial.
The claiming you never got the letter sounds totally valid for the camera tickets. But an actual in person officer witnessing you and writing you a ticket and then handing you the ticket, might be a little different, I know I was the one asking for the advice here, but I'm not sure that I can just not respond.
The officer will turn in the ticket just like he did all of his others for that day, a court date will occur or a certain date will pass, it will come before some official or judge will say, ok what's next on the docket, and they'll say rolling through a stop sign, and be tried in absentia, (in mt absence) same fine same everything penalties, am I wrong here?
By the way, the back of the ticket does say that if you do not respond to a DC moving violation ticket, you will lose your driving privileges within the district, or license.
It's obvious that that last part applies to people with DC licenses, but I would hate to be taken to jail just because I didn't pay or respond to a California roll and then I get pulled over for a tail light out a yearfrom now when I drive into DC for dinner.
I did acknowledge to DC DMV that I had received their letters. I responded with "it wasn't me". They replied that I must tell them who was driving my car that day. I said that's up to them to figure out. Having worked in the city for a number of years, I despise the corruption in DC, all the way from the meter maids and police farce up through the judges and all the way to the City Clowncil. But that's my story, and does not address your situation.
If you're concerned about future bad interactions, then by all means pay it if it'll help you sleep at night. I wouldn't expect any reduction in fines with a hearing. Remember DC's push for a commuter tax. They see their traffic and parking revenues as a way to make VA and MD residents pay, and will maximize any opportunity to do so. Good luck with a resolution you're comfortable with.
Life *is* better on our side of the Potomac.
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