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Old 02-17-2009, 07:08 AM
 
27,214 posts, read 46,736,758 times
Reputation: 15667

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Quote:
Originally Posted by TampaOrNotTampa View Post
The illegal alien case seems to upset you more than the DUI cases: surprising. Personally I prefer sober drivers regardless of their immigration status.
No both shocked me equaly...I was shocked that a person who is convicted of a DUI and just is stating in court that he needs his car, can keep the car to drive to work...who is checking if the person isn't driving all day and what when they get their 2nd DUI?

The illegal alien case upsets me since they have him in court and why not have him taking to customs to have him leave the country...he was in court for driving without a license and than on top he is illegal and they have him in court and he gets treated like nothing is going on....if you compare it to driving 10 over the limit or not making a 100% stop but a 95% stop at a stop sign and geting a ticket for it, while nobody else was at the stop sign or street...that upsets me..
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Old 02-17-2009, 09:41 AM
 
1 posts, read 3,296 times
Reputation: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by beadedflower View Post
If you have been caught driving on a suspended license 3 times, there is a penalty of max 5 years and prison and having your license taken away for 5 years. What are the chances of getting prison time? When you go to your court date, will there be someone there to talk to that will defend you?
I can't afford the 1500 dollars in tickets I owe. I have been barely scraping by with my job and just have not been able to afford them. I have been saving up and have about 500 to be able to put towards it, is it going to look horrible if these arent paid by the time I go to court? I am so scared I will have to go to jail. I have never been in a situation like this before and am terrified. I just work late at night so I can't ride the bus, and I live in a bad area of town and am afraid to walk home. I can't afford a bike.
Am I going to prison?
What I don't understand is why no one has really seen the big picture here. First you were caught and admitted this was your third time being caught. Why? You should not be driving in the first place.
Second, if you haven't made good on any of your tickets, then jail time seems to be the only course the judge has for you. Save your money, it's a good guess he will hit you with a fine that day as well. If you can show that you can pay some of this fine it may be to your favor.
When you go to court, dress nice, answer yes sir and no sir. And atleast show that you will make some sort of payment agreement for the other fines or the next time (and I am sure there will be a next time) he will not be so kind. And get a friend to take you to work. Get family. And damn, get a bike. If you can afford a car, or the gas in it, you can afford a bike!
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Old 02-17-2009, 09:47 AM
 
27,214 posts, read 46,736,758 times
Reputation: 15667
Quote:
Originally Posted by bubblefairy62 View Post
What I don't understand is why no one has really seen the big picture here. First you were caught and admitted this was your third time being caught. Why? You should not be driving in the first place.
Second, if you haven't made good on any of your tickets, then jail time seems to be the only course the judge has for you. Save your money, it's a good guess he will hit you with a fine that day as well. If you can show that you can pay some of this fine it may be to your favor.
When you go to court, dress nice, answer yes sir and no sir. And atleast show that you will make some sort of payment agreement for the other fines or the next time (and I am sure there will be a next time) he will not be so kind. And get a friend to take you to work. Get family. And damn, get a bike. If you can afford a car, or the gas in it, you can afford a bike!

I have the same thoughts as you but didn't want to be too harsh...I wondered if he was even insured...I hope the judge will be hard on every person who is in the same situation, since all people who keep them self to the law deserve that...
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Old 02-20-2009, 01:54 AM
 
Location: In the sticks, SC
1,639 posts, read 5,099,126 times
Reputation: 1094
beadedflower, you better hire yourself a good attorney. Even if you luck up and don't get any jail time, you will more than likely be labelled a habitual traffic offender (5 year revocation) The judges are not playing around anymore. Also depends on why your license was suspended originally.
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Old 02-20-2009, 11:32 PM
 
Location: In the sticks, SC
1,639 posts, read 5,099,126 times
Reputation: 1094
Oh one more thing.......once your habitualized you have to wait a year before you can apply for a restricted license.
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Old 02-21-2009, 07:24 AM
 
Location: Currently in Oscoda!!
274 posts, read 627,663 times
Reputation: 144
Not to alarm you, but I have also read on the news sites that cities/counties/states are increasingly cracking down on traffic violations as a way to get more money to bridge the gap for budgets. They say studies are showing that more moving violations are being reported and some counties/states are actually increasing the amount of the fine to help with budget issues also. I know a few people who got pulled over for doing 5-6 miles an hour over the speed limit and actually got tickets! One of the tickets for doing 6 over was $78!

First thing I would do is get the yellow pages and make some calls and find the lawyers that will give you one free consultation. When I was going through my divorce I went and got 7 different free consultations from 7 different lawyers. Get a couple of them lined up and see what they have to say. If they say they don't offer free consultations, ask them if they can recommend someone who will. A lot of lawyers are friends/acquaintances and from my experience they have no problem with referrals.

And here is a question, what were you doing to keep getting stopped while driving on a suspended license? I have been driving for 17 years and I have been pulled over a total of 3 times. If you had a suspended license, you should have been smart enough to follow simple traffic laws and not given the cops any reason to pull you over...Sounds like you don't take the law serious until you find out your freedom may be snatched from you.

But definitely dress nice and use proper responses like mentioned with the yes sir/yes ma'am, etc. Stay positive but prepare for the worse. And what ever you do, don't make any excuses. I'm sure there are hundreds of people in your situation who find other modes of transportation to make it to work. The judges have heard every excuse you can think of and they maybe they will lenient if you own up to your mistakes.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Last edited by I_Want_Snow; 02-21-2009 at 07:41 AM..
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Old 02-22-2009, 12:57 PM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
2,637 posts, read 12,630,802 times
Reputation: 3630
Quote:
I know a few people who got pulled over for doing 5-6 miles an hour over the speed limit and actually got tickets! One of the tickets for doing 6 over was $78!
In Tampa???
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Old 02-26-2009, 10:05 AM
 
5 posts, read 20,416 times
Reputation: 12
Default Update

Went to court. The judge was really cool to everyone and said I had to pay up all my tickets and have my license back within 2 months or they will charge me as a habitual traffic offender. Gave me a court fee and I was on my way.
I live about 15 miles away from my job and while I can ride a bike a little ways, I couldn't make it all the way to work as I have a hurt knee. I am not even supposed to walk on it until i have surgery but, my health insurance will only cover so much and I can not even afford to obviously pay my tickets.
This whole find family thing. I ran away from an abusive household when I was 14 and never looked back. Last I heard my older brother had tried to hang himself and was in the hospital still in critical condition. For those of your commenting, you are lucky to have family. Cherish it. It's tough being this alone. Everyone treats you like trash because you got a speeding ticket you are only allowed to get if you have money. Things go downhill from there.
And yes, I do and did have car insurance. I work hard to live a legit life.
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Old 02-26-2009, 10:16 AM
 
419 posts, read 602,784 times
Reputation: 82
No you arent going to prison. I know a person that got 2 duis in a year and caught driving on a suspended license twice. They didnt go to jail

Have you been caught 3 times in the past 5 years driving on a suspended license?
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Old 02-26-2009, 10:51 AM
 
27,214 posts, read 46,736,758 times
Reputation: 15667
Quote:
Originally Posted by beadedflower View Post
Went to court. The judge was really cool to everyone and said I had to pay up all my tickets and have my license back within 2 months or they will charge me as a habitual traffic offender. Gave me a court fee and I was on my way.
I live about 15 miles away from my job and while I can ride a bike a little ways, I couldn't make it all the way to work as I have a hurt knee. I am not even supposed to walk on it until i have surgery but, my health insurance will only cover so much and I can not even afford to obviously pay my tickets.
This whole find family thing. I ran away from an abusive household when I was 14 and never looked back. Last I heard my older brother had tried to hang himself and was in the hospital still in critical condition. For those of your commenting, you are lucky to have family. Cherish it. It's tough being this alone. Everyone treats you like trash because you got a speeding ticket you are only allowed to get if you have money. Things go downhill from there.
And yes, I do and did have car insurance. I work hard to live a legit life.

Sorry for your past...I understand that nobody can choose their family...you are born into one!

But a traffic ticket for speeding can be avoided by keeping to the rules and most cars have cruise control so if you are on a road that last a few miles I always use it just to avoid being distracted and driving to fast or too slow.

Some things people can't help...getting a traffic ticket is not one of them!
getting 3 is even more stupid....and no one else to blame than your self!
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