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Teen with ticket- passing school bus with red lights

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mln1327

Junior Member
I am 17. Live in Montgomery County, Maryland. Got a ticket with fine of $570 for going by a school bus with red lights flashing. I have a court date next week.
Basically, I am a high school student, in AP classes, I am an athlete, and I am applying to colleges, so I do not have time for a job, so I do not have $570. How do I explain this to the judge to get him/her to lower the fine? Also: is it possible to request that I do community service rather than pay the fine?
 


FlyingRon

Senior Member
I believe that community service for teen driving offenses is quite common (at least it was over in PG County, I don't see why Montgomery should be much different).

Here in VA we'd send you to driving school (with one of your parents).
 
Are you aware of the seriousness of the offense? Driver Training classes, Community Service, all of that means nothing without you understanding the seriousness.
 

mln1327

Junior Member
NotNaiive

Thanks flyingron

oldandtired- I am aware of the seriousness, and have learned my lesson quite thoroughly already. It just seems like there should be a difference in the fine for a 17 year old (and a beginning driver. that was the first time i had ever encountered the situation of needing to stop for a school bus) and that of an adult with a full time job (and an experienced driver)
 

davew128

Senior Member
It just seems like there should be a difference in the fine for a 17 year old (and a beginning driver. that was the first time i had ever encountered the situation of needing to stop for a school bus) and that of an adult with a full time job (and an experienced driver)
You're right. Unless you didn't take driver's education before getting your recent license and never rode on a school bus and never rode in a car behind a school bus, you should be dope slapped for abject stupidity in addition to the fine.
 
It just seems like there should be a difference in the fine for a 17 year old (and a beginning driver. that was the first time i had ever encountered the situation of needing to stop for a school bus) and that of an adult with a full time job (and an experienced driver)
Give me a few, or at least one, good reason why there should be differences because of age/experience?

Are you saying there should be discriminatory statutes because I've been driving now for 33 years and have over a million miles under me, while you just started to drive and aren't very good at it?

Get over yourself. You and I abide by the same laws no matter what age, experience, or number of miles we've driven. You pay the same for your license as anyone else. You read the same Driver's handbook as anyone else. You start the car the same as anyone else.

You screw up like anyone else, and you pay the fine the same as anyone else.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
I think it's particularly important for this new driver to face the full consequences. Word of mouth about the severity of the punishment would hopefully help teach other new drivers to not make the same mistake.
 

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