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Old 12-13-2009, 08:39 PM
 
477 posts, read 1,044,708 times
Reputation: 396

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I got a ticket for running a red light while driving through Houston yesterday. I know, I was wrong, but in my defense...I got off the 610 to use the bathroom at a gas station(it was an emergency)....this was in some sort of industrial section of town...found a station but after leaving couldn't find an on ramp to get back onto the 610 b/c of all the construction....was trying to read a street sign in front of me when I accidentally went through a red light...didn't see it, since I was so preoccupied with getting out of this shady area....no other cars were around, except, of course for the cop.

I was wrong as I should have been paying more attention to the road, but like i said I am a female and was kinda worried about this area. I have no problem paying the ticket, but I would like to keep it off of my record. I read the literature the officer gave me along with the ticket and see something about a deferred disposition where I pay the fine and if I don't get another ticket in a year or something, the ticket doesn't go onto my record. I would be fine with this, but I read somewhere that this isn't available for out of state drivers. Is this true?

Are my only options either to pay the ticket by mail and risk it going onto my record and my insurance skyrocketing? Or taking 2 days off of work to drive to Houston and try to fight this ticket? (along with gas/motel bills, etc). If someone has any advice or help I'd be more than willing to listen to it b/c it kinda seems like I'm screwed here unless the deferred disposition will work for me.
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Old 12-13-2009, 09:23 PM
 
958 posts, read 2,559,887 times
Reputation: 827
There should be instructions on getting approval for defensive driving by mail.

Go that route, it is a bit cheaper.
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Old 12-13-2009, 09:54 PM
 
Location: Houston
3,565 posts, read 4,830,078 times
Reputation: 931
Quote:
Originally Posted by globe9 View Post
I got a ticket for running a red light while driving through Houston yesterday. I know, I was wrong, but in my defense...I got off the 610 to use the bathroom at a gas station(it was an emergency)....this was in some sort of industrial section of town...found a station but after leaving couldn't find an on ramp to get back onto the 610 b/c of all the construction....was trying to read a street sign in front of me when I accidentally went through a red light...didn't see it, since I was so preoccupied with getting out of this shady area....no other cars were around, except, of course for the cop.

I was wrong as I should have been paying more attention to the road, but like i said I am a female and was kinda worried about this area. I have no problem paying the ticket, but I would like to keep it off of my record. I read the literature the officer gave me along with the ticket and see something about a deferred disposition where I pay the fine and if I don't get another ticket in a year or something, the ticket doesn't go onto my record. I would be fine with this, but I read somewhere that this isn't available for out of state drivers. Is this true?

Are my only options either to pay the ticket by mail and risk it going onto my record and my insurance skyrocketing? Or taking 2 days off of work to drive to Houston and try to fight this ticket? (along with gas/motel bills, etc). If someone has any advice or help I'd be more than willing to listen to it b/c it kinda seems like I'm screwed here unless the deferred disposition will work for me.
Sounds like the Westheimer exit. As already suggested, you want to mail everything in. I don't think a red light ticket is that bad for your record. I got two and rates went actually slightly down. People keep asking this. I thought they give you a sheet explaining your options? Guess they don't do that anymore.
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Old 12-13-2009, 10:20 PM
 
Location: The Greater Houston Metro Area
9,053 posts, read 17,107,745 times
Reputation: 15226
I heard from a lawyer friend that if you mail in a few dollars more than the ticket - it screws up the system. They now have you as paid - and won't bug you. But, because they have a couple of excess dollars, they don't clear it out enough to turn it over to your insurance company. I have no idea if this is true. He swears this is accurate. Anyone?
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Old 12-14-2009, 06:16 AM
 
Location: California
10,090 posts, read 42,256,002 times
Reputation: 22173
By taking the on-line course, the ticket does not get reported to your Ins. company and rates go down because you have taken the safety course. But, you have to have permission to take the course from the court. A phone call will do. The course is 6 hrs...and you can do it at your leisure. Don't think you can have someone else take it for you...questions only you would have info for, pops up every 30 minutes or so. All first hand info from my son.
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Old 12-14-2009, 06:38 AM
 
912 posts, read 2,545,384 times
Reputation: 782
What to do? You ran a red light. Pay up.

Also take the defensive driver course, actually pay attention to it and consider purchasing a satellite navigation unit you can place in your line of site that gives spoken directions. Amazon have refurbished TOMTOMS for about $70 which is about the price of your ticket.
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Old 12-14-2009, 11:57 AM
 
Location: Lafayette LA & Canyon Lake TX
73 posts, read 270,347 times
Reputation: 63
My husband got a speeding ticket inside the city limits of Houston, and was able to use the deferred disposition. We are residents of Lafayette, Louisiana. He had to send the usual car registration, proof of insurance and copy of his driver's license, and I think the fee was about $15 more than the ticket itself, but he was approved and was on "probation" for three months. In his case, it meant if he got a ticket during those three months, it would stick, and the deferred ticket would come back to life. We were not clear if this meant a ticket in Houston, the state of Texas, or anywhere for that matter. Moot point. His six months were up in July 2009, and he was ultra careful to not get a ticket anywhere. Like you, he was in unfamiliar surroundings and wasn't paying as much attention as he should've been.
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Old 12-14-2009, 01:50 PM
 
477 posts, read 1,044,708 times
Reputation: 396
Thanks for all the replies....will definitely try the deferred disposition. According to the literature I received, I am not eligible to try for the defensive driving anyway, b/c I have an out-of-state license(Louisiana)...will call the clerk of court and see how much I need to send in ASAP.

Thanks again.
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Old 12-15-2009, 09:11 AM
 
Location: Visitation between Wal-Mart & Home Depot
8,307 posts, read 38,657,867 times
Reputation: 7184
You can probably just ignore that and they'll just send you the conviction notice through the mail. (joke)

You may not have a problem with your insurance if you pay the ticket. I'm not sure about Louisiana, but I know that Arkansas and Texas D.O.T.'s have no reciprocity so moving violations in Arkansas will not appear on your Texas driving record and vice-versa. Arkansas has gotten me for a lot of money in speeding fines but that's about it. You may want to look into it to see if the relationship between Texas and Louisiana is similar.
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Old 12-16-2009, 12:47 AM
 
Location: Beautiful Downtown Rancho Cordova, CA
491 posts, read 1,255,459 times
Reputation: 402
Google Houston lawyers that specialize in traffic tickets. Call one or several of them and explain your situation and see what they will charge to represent you. There are procedural devices that can be used to get the ticket dismissed even as an out-of-state resident. The prosecutor will plea-bargain with an attorney whereas he or she will not with an individual. It will really boil down to how much money you will have to pay for representation versus just paying the ticket and suffering the increase in insurance premiums, if any.
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