Got a red light ticket - can't afford to pay it by due date (Chicago: credit rating, live in)

[s0nginmyheart]

Originally Posted by cdubs3201

Any chance on winning it if I just explain that I had just moved, didn't see the sign the first time, and now I know it's there and I won't make the mistake again? It was during the night under the Kennedy Highway bridge....I had to look hard to find it even after going back to it.

I don't think pleading ignorance will ever win in court. Sorry. I wish "I didn't know" was enough to get out of a lot of things!

I've paid a red light ticket before... I believe there is a CC payment option... is that something you can do? I'd hate for you to get slapped with a late fee.

[Fighter 1]

Originally Posted by cdubs3201

So I got caught by a traffic camera turning right on a red light because I never saw the "no turn on red" sign being under a bridge in the city. Went back and I saw it so I know I can't contest it. Anyway, it's $100 due in 2 weeks and I can't afford that until a month from now when I get my commission check.

What do I do? I've never gotten one of these tickets before for a moving violation.

QUESTION! who sent you the ticket , the cops or was it a private company on be half of the city police ?

[Attrill]

Originally Posted by s0nginmyheart

I don't think pleading ignorance will ever win in court. Sorry. I wish "I didn't know" was enough to get out of a lot of things!

I agree that "I didn't know" isn't an excuse, but describing how it was poorly marked (while still taking full responsibility for making an illegal turn) can get a judge to halve the fine. I have a few friends who've done this in situations where they just didn't see the signage. If it really is poorly marked you won't be the first person to complain about it to a judge, just don't be a dick about it and the judge will do something for you.

[ChicagoMeO]

It helps if you be very sincerely polite - (not fakey). by saying "Sir", "Madam" "Your Honor" and such like that.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Fighter 1

QUESTION! who sent you the ticket , the cops or was it a private company on be half of the city police ?

It's issued by neither. And don't even start with your insipid "demand a verified complaint" routine. That doesn't fly here.

Originally Posted by Gemini1963

I admit I'm uninformed, but I think Drover is right. For it to affect your driving record, they would need to know that you were the driver, but the only thing that the red light violation photos can show is that the car registered in your name ran the red light (or turned right on red illegally, or whatever).

Exactly. In Illinois, camera ticket is considered a vicarious-liability offense, meaning the offense is assigned to the vehicle and its registered owner without any regard to who committed the offense. That puts it on the same legal footing as a parking ticket and legally speaking makes it a non-moving violation.

Originally Posted by Attrill

I agree that "I didn't know" isn't an excuse, but describing how it was poorly marked (while still taking full responsibility for making an illegal turn) can get a judge to halve the fine. I have a few friends who've done this in situations where they just didn't see the signage. If it really is poorly marked you won't be the first person to complain about it to a judge, just don't be a dick about it and the judge will do something for you.

Yeah, I'd be interested to know which intersection this is. It pisses me off how many "No Turn On Red" signs in this town are placed such that the sign is actually behind you once you pull up the the intersection line. So if you pull up and then look for a NTOR sign, you won't see it. That said, I do not believe the city's red-light cameras are programmed to trigger on red-light right turns. I've seen people ignore (or not notice) NTOR signs at camera-equipped intersections without triggering them. If the OP triggered one while turning right, chances are he just plain rolled through without coming to a full stop.

Originally Posted by ChicagoMeO

It helps if you be very sincerely polite - (not fakey). by saying "Sir", "Madam" "Your Honor" and such like that.

It's worth noting he'd be going before an administrative hearing officer rather than a judge, so "your honor" wouldn't really apply.

[cheehawk]

Originally Posted by Drover

First things, a red-light camera ticket is not legally considered a moving violation even though it obviously is. There are legal reasons for this -- namely it allows the city to meet a lower burden of proof -- but the bottom line is that it won't show up on your driving abstract like it would if you were pulled over and issued a ticket by a cop, so it won't show up on your insurance.

There is a certain grace period after a final determination to pay the ticket. If you don't pay by then, it doubles. If you still don't pay, they turn you over to collections. That's pretty much their only recourse for now. It's only when you have at least two outstanding tickets for more than one year that they can boot you.

Harwood Heights has been hounding me for about 3 years now for an unpaid red light camera ticket. They can hound me until Hell freezes over for all I care; I stay out of their schitty little hamlet anyway.

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Drover, you said you have not paid a red light ticket...that first it doubles, then goes to collections (that's where mine is now). Is the collections company "valid", meaning not paying the collections company means it will show up on your credit report? I'm happily not paying my ticket, but my only concern is my credit report. Thanks!

[Drover]

It might have a small impact on your credit rating, but creditors are far more interested in whether you pay bills that you voluntarily agreed to pay.

[salata87]

Originally Posted by Drover

It might have a small impact on your credit rating, but creditors are far more interested in whether you pay bills that you voluntarily agreed to pay.

Good luck with small impact, any unpaid collection is around 50 points less on your credit report. In many cases you are pre-approved by computers, if you below certain point limit you are automatically declined.

[Now What]

So I've been in situations like this a few years back. First of all, I would try and go to the little hearing in person or over the phone. Sometimes they will take a few bucks off, but they will definitely delay your due date for a bit and waive the penalty. When I was just out of school I found someone that let me have two extensions. Just showing you want to pay it goes a long way.

Second, being respectful and dressing up for any hearing are the only way to go and should be obvious. Be humble, apologetic and say you're sorry. It will be refreshing for them, since they get a lot of trash comin through there.

Last point, it can hit your credit report and it will have a major impact until paid. If it goes that far, it will be double or even triple what it is now. Learn from my mistakes and don't let it get that far.

Good luck to you man! Oh and....Fight the Power!!!

Just be cool and ask him for what you need. If you are reasonable about it all, he will be too.

[ml953636]

I received a $100.00 red light violation. I mailed the paper back requesting a hearing. I guess I was to late I just received a letter saying I owe $200.00 now as it doubled. And in the letter it says more fines are coming if I don't pay it in 6 days. What!?!? does this keep increasing until I go to jail? because I don't plan on paying it I was not driving.