primitive questions traffic ticket

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024293435

Oh my.

reflection (5,340 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:37 PM

Question re: traffic ticket

My wife's boss (hereafter referred to as MWB) took her car in for repair a few days ago and got a loaner from her insurance agency.
 
The loaner turned out to have expired tags. MWB got pulled over yesterday and the cop informed her about it. She showed him all the rental paperwork and the cop said "too bad, you're driving it" and wrote her a ticket, which also requires a mandatory court appearance.
 
MWB was complaining to my wife about it. She thinks it was a shitty move by the cop (as do I). The insurance agency told MWB not to worry about it, that they would pay the ticket and show up in court in her place. They both asked me what I thought. I told them I wouldn't be comfortable counting on some 3rd party to show up for a court appearance with my name on it, both because they could drop the ball and also because the judge may not take too kindly to it. Either way I don't think it would end well.
 
Am I being unnecessarily paranoid? Any other thoughts?

Lefta Dissenter (5,287 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:42 PM

1. I'd still show up for sure

I've known a few people whose own attorneys have forgotten to appear on their behalf, which leads to a default judgment. MWB should ask for name/contact information for the attorney, and arrange to meet with him or her prior to the hearing, and BE AT THAT COURT APPEARANCE NO MATTER WHAT! HER name is the one on the citation and court case.

LeftofObama (3,609 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:44 PM

2. MWB needs to show up in court her self. Also, she should get it in writing that the insurance company said they would pay for it.

treestar (47,307 posts)   Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:46 PM

3. Not at all

Showing up is 99% of it. Not showing up means judge can order by default. Undoing default orders is more of a pain than going.

TreasonousBastard (22,411 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:47 PM

4. She got the ticket, so she has to show up anyway...

if they show up and pay, good. If they don't show up, she can still plead her case that it's not her car or responsibility to keep the tags up to date.
 
The situation sucks, but this stuff happens all the time-- and at the end of the month cops will use any excuse to write a ticket to make the quota everyone says they don't have.

Hassin Bin Sober (9,821 posts)   Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:56 PM

7. Putting myself in the cop's shoes for a second.....

..... (yuk) I figure he figures who else is he going to ticket if not the rental customer as they are the only people driving the cars.
 
I suppose he could have written a non-moving violation as if the car was parked but he probably gets more "points" for writing movers <---- one of many reasons the majority of cops are thought of as pricks.
 
At a dealership I worked in years ago, the kid working as service writer was written a ticket for the same thing while test driving a customer's car looking for a squeak or rattle <----- see above statement regarding cops.

reflection (5,340 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 01:47 PM

13. I think there are times when no ticket is called for

and this would be one of those times. Although I understand that the purpose of a ticket is to modify behavior, so maybe the rationale is that by giving MWB a ticket, she will raise holy hell with the insurance agency and they will make sure it doesn't happen again. So I'm genuinely conflicted, now that I think it through a little.

1StrongBlackMan (7,757 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:52 PM

5. Best that she show up ...

as the ticket was written in her name.

Though I would be surprised if the "judge" would assess her the fine.

I, also, would be on the insurance company regarding having to take her precious time to answer for their error. She'll probably get a free rental out of it.

reflection (5,340 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:54 PM

6. the thoughts here seem to mirror my own.

Cool. I thought I was thinking it through properly but DU is a great place to bounce ideas around. Thanks to all so far who have answered.
 
I assume there are no long term ramifications to MWB as this was not a moving violation.

jberryhill (32,671 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 12:58 PM

8. This is easy

Have your wife tell her boss that not only should she show up in court, but she should make sure to be there early and stay all day.
 
Then, your wife can take the day off and her boss won't notice.

Remember, there is no problem so complex that can't be easily solved by working from "What's in it for me?"

Aerows (20,158 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 01:07 PM

9. I'd show up

No way I'd rely on a company that let the tags expire in the first place. Incompetency that resulted in her getting a ticket isn't exactly a sign that they are very concerned in the first place.

hunter (18,054 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 01:21 PM

11. Good God, where do you live???!!!

Anybody who bothered a judge in my county about an expired car registration would be spanked.

reflection (5,340 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 01:38 PM

12. Bum****, TN.

loli phabay (5,282 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 02:00 PM

14. the name on the ticket is the person the judge will expect to show up

when there she can explain its a loaner and it will probably be dropped. nothing annoys the court more than having to issue show cause, or people who dont turn up and then appeal.

yellowcanine (24,995 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 02:16 PM

15. Good reason to be vigilant on rental cars

Not just the tags but the condition of the car also - too easy to get blamed for some damage that isn't yours. Take a picture of any damage and make sure the damage is noted on the rental agreement. And if the tags are expired ask for another car or a temporary registration certificate - takes about 5 minutes to renew a registration on line in most states and the rental agency should be able to do that.
 
It actually is a moving violation on the driver to drive an unregistered vehicle in most states. Just as it would be to drive a car with bald tires, etc. even if it is not your car. It is the driver's responsibility to make sure the vehicle is roadworthy. So I would definitely show up in court regardless of what the insurance company says.
 
That said - yes it was a pricky move on the part of the cop, because this was not a safety issue. Many cops will only issue a warning in this instance, even if it is your car. Same even for safety issues sometimes, such as a burnt out light.

reflection (5,340 posts)    Tue Jan 7, 2014, 02:23 PM

16. I always do a video walkaround when I rent a car

For damage purposes. I never thought of doing it for a tag. Live and learn.

<<<still has stickers that expired in November 2013 on license-plate of personal vehicle (I use other vehicles too).

<<<paid the registration on the last day of November, got the stickers to November 2014, put them in the glove compartment.

The day after I did that, it got too damned cold to go out and apply any stickers.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Sure it was your wife's boss.  Just fess up and tell us the truth.

[jukin]

As Coach would say, the DUchebag is leaving a lot out of the story. My guess is that the DUche got in the cop's grill which is always a bad move for your wallet.

Hopefully the DUchebag will not go to court and get a bench warrant issued for failure to appear. Then the next time it gets pulled over they get an all expenses paid over night vaco.

[Carl]

An insurance company had a loaner car???

[liana]

An insurance company had a loaner car???

Dummy is obviously making it up for attention.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Some offenses are mandatory court appearances, it depends on the jurisdiction.  Expired tags is usually a minor infraction though it may be a mandatory appearance some places, but in some jurisdictions they'll dismiss it if you show up with proof of registration before the court date.  The intelligent thing to do (Which, naturally, didn't occur to any of the DUmmtards), and baselessly assuming the story told was actually true, would be to contact the Clerk of Court and run what the insurance company said by them...if the Clerk says the insurer has the drill down right, then go with it, and if the Clerk gives you a "WTF are they talking about," you'd better show up in person.

[diesel driver]

It's YOUR responsibility to make sure the car YOU are driving is legal, be it owned, leased, or borrowed. 

You wouldn't drive a car with a flat tire, would you?  Nice of the insurance company to offer to pay for the ticket, but if DUmmie boss had any brains, she'd checked for herself and point out the problem to the insurance company.  Hell, I'm sure she's rented a car or 2 in her lifetime, where you INSPECT THE CAR YOURSELF and note any visible damage, because if you don't, you pay for it when you return it.

(We are talking about a DUmmie boss, so this could possibly be true.)

[CollectivismMustDie]

It's YOUR responsibility to make sure the car YOU are driving is legal, be it owned, leased, or borrowed. 

You wouldn't drive a car with a flat tire, would you?  Nice of the insurance company to offer to pay for the ticket, but if DUmmie boss had any brains, she'd checked for herself and point out the problem to the insurance company.  Hell, I'm sure she's rented a car or 2 in her lifetime, where you INSPECT THE CAR YOURSELF and note any visible damage, because if you don't, you pay for it when you return it.

(We are talking about a DUmmie boss, so this could possibly be true.)

Yes, but you forget, nothing is ever their fault. Report to the pink room for adjustment immediately!   

CMD

[Maxiest]

It's YOUR responsibility to make sure the car YOU are driving is legal, be it owned, leased, or borrowed. 

You wouldn't drive a car with a flat tire, would you?  Nice of the insurance company to offer to pay for the ticket, but if DUmmie boss had any brains, she'd checked for herself and point out the problem to the insurance company.  Hell, I'm sure she's rented a car or 2 in her lifetime, where you INSPECT THE CAR YOURSELF and note any visible damage, because if you don't, you pay for it when you return it.

(We are talking about a DUmmie boss, so this could possibly be true.)

I have to admit, I probably wouldn't notice expired tags on a rental.

Anyway, to the story... 

I know around here all you have to do is show proof of new registration and they will drop it.  And any Judge in my area would drop it if explained nicely to him/her about the situation.  Why do DUmmies complicate every ****ing thing.

[Purple Sage]

I have to admit, I probably wouldn't notice expired tags on a rental.

Anyway, to the story... 

I know around here all you have to do is show proof of new registration and they will drop it.  And any Judge in my area would drop it if explained nicely to him/her about the situation.  Why do DUmmies complicate every ****ing thing.

I wouldn't have noticed either.  After receiving my ticket (and cursing both myself and the RENTAL company), I would have taken my paperwork over to the county clerk's office to have it dismissed. Small inconvenience, but not earth shattering. 

[liana]

Something similar happened to me in GA. Our rental's tag was apparently expired ( Alamo ). We didn't get a ticket or even a warning. The cop let us go immediately after he realized it was a rental vehicle.