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Ticket for dropping a friend off at the bus stop

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O

Orangeblossoms

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA


I'm writing because I was given a ticket after I dropped a friend off at a bus stop. While I know now that it was a stupid thing to do, at the time I thought it was ok. The bus stop was just before an intersection and the light was red, so I pulled to the curb, let my friend out, put on my signal and when the light turned green I safely merged back into traffic. The officer giving me the ticket only said that I wasn't supposed to stop in bus zones and handed me the ticket. It wasn't until I got the courtesy notice that I found out how much the ticket was, $921.00. I was floored. I know that I was probably in the wrong, but $900! It seems like that is a bit much. I'm wondering if there is ANYTHING I can do to either, decrease the amount of the ticket or change it into community service. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
 


CdwJava

CdwJava

Senior Member
That sounds ridiculously high. There IS no Vehicle Code violation in California that has so high a fine and fee amount for what you indicated. What violation codes are on the ticket?

- Carl
 
H

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Orangeblossoms said:
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? CA


I'm writing because I was given a ticket after I dropped a friend off at a bus stop. While I know now that it was a stupid thing to do, at the time I thought it was ok. The bus stop was just before an intersection and the light was red, so I pulled to the curb, let my friend out, put on my signal and when the light turned green I safely merged back into traffic. The officer giving me the ticket only said that I wasn't supposed to stop in bus zones and handed me the ticket. It wasn't until I got the courtesy notice that I found out how much the ticket was, $921.00. I was floored. I know that I was probably in the wrong, but $900! It seems like that is a bit much. I'm wondering if there is ANYTHING I can do to either, decrease the amount of the ticket or change it into community service. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?
Click to expand...


**A: are you sure you were nailed for just one infraction?
 
O

Orangeblossoms

Junior Member
Thanks for your quick replies! I was shocked by the high amount of the ticket as well, but both the courtesy reminder and the online information said my ticket was $921.00. I also double checked to see about the infraction and only one is listed, 22500I. I looked it up on the LA Superior Court website and it seems that $250.00 is what it normally costs. Any other tips for my court appearance are GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks again,
Rebecca
 
C

CourtClerk

Senior Member
Orangeblossoms said:
Thanks for your quick replies! I was shocked by the high amount of the ticket as well, but both the courtesy reminder and the online information said my ticket was $921.00. I also double checked to see about the infraction and only one is listed, 22500I. I looked it up on the LA Superior Court website and it seems that $250.00 is what it normally costs. Any other tips for my court appearance are GREATLY appreciated!

Thanks again,
Rebecca
Click to expand...
The bail schedule only has the base fine... so if the base fine is $250.00, then $921 is absolutely right on target if you add the penalty assessments to it.

If they allowed you to convert it to community service, you'd be looking at somewhere between 200 and 300 hours that you would have to complete in just about 6 months - and community service isn't free. You have to pay the agency that registers you. Albeit, it's cheaper than $900
 
CdwJava

CdwJava

Senior Member
Okay, I stand corrected ... when looking on the California 2008 Bail and Fee schedule, you find that the the offense normally carries a total cost of about $950!! A $250 base fine, the remainder being state and local fees and assessments! A note indicates that per CVC 42001.5 the fine has a minimum of $250.

42001.5. (a) A person convicted of an infraction for a violation of
subdivision (i) or (l) of Section 22500, or of Section 22522, shall
be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred fifty dollars
($250).
(b) No part of any fine imposed under this section may be
suspended, except the court may suspend that portion of the fine
above one hundred dollars ($100).
(c) A fine imposed under this section may be paid in installments
if the court determines that the defendant is unable to pay the
entire amount in one payment.
​
Wow! This is a new one to me! But, I have never been to court on one of these before, so I had no clue. Parking in a handicapped spot is much, much, cheaper.

EDIT: Courtclerk, I guess we crossed paths - I was composing my reply when you posted yours.

- Carl
 
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C

CourtClerk

Senior Member
CdwJava said:
Parking in a handicapped spot is much, much, cheaper.
Click to expand...
If I may Carl... don't know about your neck of the woods in CA, but down here in LA County, run of the mill traffic cops usually don't cite for parking in a handicapped. They have parking patrols, the Sheriff has their patrol and the City of LA has the "meter maids" that do all the citing for that stuff. There are no P&A's added to parking tickets (which those are).

Traffic tickets though... are big business in LA County. My first assignment when I came to the courts was at the largest traffic court in the US (which is in Downtown LA). They bring in more revenue than you can imagine.
 
CdwJava

CdwJava

Senior Member
CourtClerk said:
If I may Carl... don't know about your neck of the woods in CA, but down here in LA County, run of the mill traffic cops usually don't cite for parking in a handicapped. They have parking patrols, the Sheriff has their patrol and the City of LA has the "meter maids" that do all the citing for that stuff. There are no P&A's added to parking tickets (which those are).

Traffic tickets though... are big business in LA County. My first assignment when I came to the courts was at the largest traffic court in the US (which is in Downtown LA). They bring in more revenue than you can imagine.
Click to expand...
Smaller jurisdictions don't have the luxury of dedicated parking enforcement units.

And, when you follow the money, the cities receive a pittance from any moving violation ... for the city, it would have made better sense to issue it as a parking offense (even without the P&A almost all the fine goes to the city). But, with a $250 base fine, the city might receive up of $65 ... before costs ... and up to the cap set by law, which most cities in L.A. County reach 8 months into the fiscal year anyway.

- Carl
 
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CdwJava

CdwJava

Senior Member
cyjeff said:
At that fine level... I would bring a lawyer to the party.
Click to expand...
That might just double the hit ... if the curb was marked or signed, then it's going to be a pretty easy case to make. He might be better off just hoping that the officer doesn't show.

- Carl
 
C

cyjeff

Senior Member
CdwJava said:
That might just double the hit ... if the curb was marked or signed, then it's going to be a pretty easy case to make. He might be better off just hoping that the officer doesn't show.

- Carl
Click to expand...
This just solidifies what I always knew...

Stay away from mass transit.
 
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