• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Given ticket in driveway!??

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

BigCobra22

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? WA

I was given a ticket (RCW 46.37.050 (1)) for having my taillights out. Here's the situation. I was going to pick up some friends at the bar (4+ inches of snow on the ground) and a cop pulled me over and told me my taillights were out. I said sorry, I didn't realize that, I will go fix it right away. He said to drive home, park the truck, and if he sees my driving at night again, he'll give me a ticket. So on my way home (small college town) I passed the cop, pulled into my driveway, and as I was getting out of my truck, he pulled drove up along the street, told me to get back into my truck, and he wrote me a ticket for no taillights.

I don't think I can contest that he told me to go home, then gave me a ticket on my way home. But I have two other options. First, by proving that I fixed the taillight problem can I get it dropped? Second, can he give me a ticket while I'm on private property? I've been looking up RCW's all morning, and can't find anything.

My only other option is to go down to the station and see if a cop will write me a note. Thanks in advance.
 


BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
BigCobra22 said:
What is the name of your state? WA

I was given a ticket (RCW 46.37.050 (1)) for having my taillights out. Here's the situation. I was going to pick up some friends at the bar (4+ inches of snow on the ground) and a cop pulled me over and told me my taillights were out. I said sorry, I didn't realize that, I will go fix it right away. He said to drive home, park the truck, and if he sees my driving at night again, he'll give me a ticket. So on my way home (small college town) I passed the cop, pulled into my driveway, and as I was getting out of my truck, he pulled drove up along the street, told me to get back into my truck, and he wrote me a ticket for no taillights.

I don't think I can contest that he told me to go home, then gave me a ticket on my way home. But I have two other options. First, by proving that I fixed the taillight problem can I get it dropped? Second, can he give me a ticket while I'm on private property? I've been looking up RCW's all morning, and can't find anything.

My only other option is to go down to the station and see if a cop will write me a note. Thanks in advance.
Just because one officer let you go doesn't mean you can't be written by another. And yes, even in your own driveway. As long as you operated the vehicle under a violation of the vehicle code the officer can ticket you anywhere.

Your only 'out' is to get the problem fixed and offer the court proof of the fact. It may not get you off, but this is not a moving violation, only a vehicle code violation.
 

racer72

Senior Member
First, by proving that I fixed the taillight problem can I get it dropped?
It will be up to the judge. It will cost you $50 to have the vehicle inspected by the state patrol. This is the only acceptable proof that will be accepted by a court that a fix it ticket has been taken care of.

Second, can he give me a ticket while I'm on private property? I've been looking up RCW's all morning, and can't find anything.
You can't find anything because it's not illegal. If all it took was pulling into a driveway to avoid a ticket, everyone would be doing it. It is where the infraction takes place, not where the ticket is written.
 

BigCobra22

Junior Member
First, I was not given a fix it ticket. Second, the same cop who warned me earlier gave me a ticket. Not two different cops. I was warned by one cop to go home, and given a ticket by the same cop 5 minutes later.

I guess my only way out is have the officer who gave me the ticket write a note for me. Thanks.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top