Nate505 makes the cut...

[babe]

Best wishes to Nate in the new endeavor.

Two bits of advice: Remember, sometimes the only way to keep your sanity is to laugh everything off.

and, If all else fails, sit down in a cool place, eat a good meal and listen to some good music. . . . the best revenge is to live well. . . . . or else take a nap.

 

[calijazz]

Have fun, Nate.

 

[Scat]

The very same! To be more accurate, it was a red left turn signal that I ran, and I ran it because I was on the tail end of it turning yellow and thought I could make the light. Oh, I never paid the stupid camera ticket and the city has done nothing, and that was over a year ago.

Dude, this is the type of thing that you think has blown over and 5 years later you get pulled over for speeding only to find that you have a bench warrant out for your arrest accompanied with a $5K fine. Do not think for a second that they have forgotten about you. It will bite you in the ***!!

 

[colton]

So if we advertise for a new moderator in a week or two, I guess you all will now know the reason why. ;-)

 

[TroutBum]

I'm a fan.

 

[VINYLONE]

Dude, this is the type of thing that you think has blown over and 5 years later you get pulled over for speeding only to find that you have a bench warrant out for your arrest accompanied with a $5K fine. Do not think for a second that they have forgotten about you. It will bite you in the ***!!

This is solid advice.

 

[Nate505]

Dude, this is the type of thing that you think has blown over and 5 years later you get pulled over for speeding only to find that you have a bench warrant out for your arrest accompanied with a $5K fine. Do not think for a second that they have forgotten about you. It will bite you in the ***!!

A bench warrant for a camera ticket? No way. In fact I was just in court a couple months ago for another weak ticket the city of Aurora gave me (this time it was for not using a right turn signal when I was in a right turn only lane) and there was no mention whatsoever of the red light ticket. Legally they can't issue you a bench warrant for the ticket, as they don't even know it was me in the vehicle driving, nor do they know if I actually received the ticket (as opposed to getting pulled over where the cop can attest to the person driving and that he did give the person a ticket). For all they know it could have been my brother, cousin, good friend, car thief, etc. All they know that it was my car that violated the law.

Here is the city of Denver's own website. Granted, it's not Aurora but I'm quite sure they follow the same state law:

https://www.denvergov.org/CountyCourt/Divisions/Divisions5/tabid/383397/Default.aspx

By law, a warrant can never issue and a person can never be arrested for outstanding photo speed enforcement citations. In order to enforce outstanding citations where a person failed to pay, or if the person set a court date and failed to appear, the city is authorized to forward the case to a collections attorney to have the fine amount collected.

So screw the city of Aurora. If they were smart they'd find other ways of making money instead of reaming the taxpayer.

 

[VINYLONE]

Oh, I was going off the idea that you were pulled over. You're all good dude.

 

[babe]

Oh, I was going off the idea that you were pulled over. You're all good dude.

Well, we can hope, and it sounds like Nate has his facts. . . . . . but my habit is don't count on the gov following the law. Esp when there's $ in it. They have staff, lawyers, judges all lined up to collect. You at least need to be prepared to make the case, and even appeal a wrong decision. . . . . or am I just way too negative about it all????

Maybe they will cave on a smile.

My experience is with the Vegas courts, and there the house holds all the cards that matter.

 

[Scat]

A bench warrant for a camera ticket? No way. In fact I was just in court a couple months ago for another weak ticket the city of Aurora gave me (this time it was for not using a right turn signal when I was in a right turn only lane) and there was no mention whatsoever of the red light ticket. Legally they can't issue you a bench warrant for the ticket, as they don't even know it was me in the vehicle driving, nor do they know if I actually received the ticket (as opposed to getting pulled over where the cop can attest to the person driving and that he did give the person a ticket). For all they know it could have been my brother, cousin, good friend, car thief, etc. All they know that it was my car that violated the law.

Here is the city of Denver's own website. Granted, it's not Aurora but I'm quite sure they follow the same state law:

https://www.denvergov.org/CountyCourt/Divisions/Divisions5/tabid/383397/Default.aspx

By law, a warrant can never issue and a person can never be arrested for outstanding photo speed enforcement citations. In order to enforce outstanding citations where a person failed to pay, or if the person set a court date and failed to appear, the city is authorized to forward the case to a collections attorney to have the fine amount collected.

So screw the city of Aurora. If they were smart they'd find other ways of making money instead of reaming the taxpayer.

Great, so a bench warrant can't be issued. Apparently they can still collect on the unpaid ticket. The problem with all of this is it will be YOUR responsibility to prove that you are innocent if the city comes knocking. You will have to prove it was not you or you will be paying the original fine amount plus any and all collection fees.

In these types of situations they usually pop up a few years after the fact when some clerk finally addresses the issue and by that time the $50 ticket has mushroomed into several thousand dollars. You can still fight it but that will mean hiring a lawyer. The amount of money you spend at this point will easily dwarf the cost of the original infraction. That's the problem with fighting city hall. You can do it and you can win... but at what cost? They have lawyers working for them already. For you it will be an out of pocket expense.

Not saying it will ever happen but it would not shock me in the least. That's the risk you take when exercising a little civil disobedience.

 

[Nate505]

They can collect by sending it to a collection agency. A collection agency that has the authority of butkus, unless maybe they bring a lawsuit. Then the question remains, will they bring a lawsuit over a $50 infraction? I sort of doubt it myself (my ex-gf owed thousands of dollars in various debts and was never sued for any of it), but hey, stranger things have happened I guess. It's right there on the city's website, and I believe that is a state law, not a city/county of Denver law. Frankly, I've already waived my right of guilt/innocence by not sending in the ticket or asking for a court hearing.

 

[GoJazz]

Nate,
Have you considered the hit your credit may take? I know alot of people don't care about credit scores but something like this can really take a toll on you later in life like when you want to buy a house or you pay higher interest rates on a car/credit cards ect.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

Nate,
Have you considered the hit your credit may take? I know alot of people don't care about credit scores but something like this can really take a toll on you later in life like when you want to buy a house or you pay higher interest rates on a car/credit cards ect.

This.

 

[Sloanfeld]

$50? Just pay the damn thing.

 

[Nate505]

Nate,
Have you considered the hit your credit may take? I know alot of people don't care about credit scores but something like this can really take a toll on you later in life like when you want to buy a house or you pay higher interest rates on a car/credit cards ect.

The economy and my current unemployed status (well, I do work part time) has given my credit a far bigger hit than this stupid thing will. Not that either have appeared on my report at all. If they are going to bother to put it on, they are slow as hell. Believe me, I know all too well about what credit scores are about and what the effect. I'm not some uneducated 19 year old. I actually research things and understand the consequences of my actions. I'm glad I bought my house before all this crap happened. And I already own my car outright.

 

[Nate505]

$50? Just pay the damn thing.

Hell no. The idea of giving this money grubbing city and the morons who run it any money is nauseating.

 

[franklin]

You mean you didn't choose the endless quest guy? Didn't he bribe you enough?

 

[Nate505]

This.

Yes, if this is reported this could give my credit rating a hit. So could the number of loans I have out, my debt to credit ratio on my credit cards, a company that took me to collections because they changed a credit card that was maxed out and didn't get their money, an urgent care clinic who wanted to charge me $200 for a fee that my insurance company decided to deny as a company policy a week before I went into the clinic and wouldn't negotiate with me to pay it in full, and a whole bunch of other things.

I'm quite sure I know every inch of my credit report and the negatives and positives on it, and what each action and subsequent action will bring. I also know that if I don't get a higher paying job soon to deal with some of the debt that bankruptcy becomes the regrettable but most prudent course of action.

 

[Gyp Rosetti]

Yes, if this is reported this could give my credit rating a hit. So could the number of loans I have out, my debt to credit ratio on my credit cards, a company that took me to collections because they changed a credit card that was maxed out and didn't get their money, an urgent care clinic who wanted to charge me $200 for a fee that my insurance company decided to deny as a company policy a week before I went into the clinic and wouldn't negotiate with me to pay it in full, and a whole bunch of other things.

I'm quite sure I know every inch of my credit report and the negatives and positives on it, and what each action and subsequent action will bring. I also know that if I don't get a higher paying job soon to deal with some of the debt that bankruptcy becomes the regrettable but most prudent course of action.

I hear ya man. I wasn't judging, just agreeing with that poster. I was at about 22K in debt and thankfully have it all paid off. However, in hindsight, it wasn't the debt that bothers me as much as I was able to pay off that off. It was the marks that have remained on my credit report which annoy me because I was simply irresponsible. Thank God I think there's only one (maybe two?) black mark left from about four years ago. Anyway, I'm not saying you've been irresponsible either. Obviously, you're trying your best to do your thing. I just know how it can be tight money-wise even with a full-time job so I empathize and didn't want you to have another mark on your CR for what is only $50.

 

[VINYLONE]

I hear ya man. I wasn't judging, just agreeing with that poster. I was at about 22K in debt and thankfully have it all paid off. However, in hindsight, it wasn't the debt that bothers me as much as I was able to pay off that off. It was the marks that have remained on my credit report which annoy me because I was simply irresponsible. Thank God I think there's only one (maybe two?) black mark left from about four years ago. Anyway, I'm not saying you've been irresponsible either. Obviously, you're trying your best to do your thing. I just know how it can be tight money-wise even with a full-time job so I empathize and didn't want you to have another mark on your CR for what is only $50.

Right there with you Patrick. I was 23k in the whole and will be done paying my consolidation loan this coming March. I am going to ****ing celebrate like a mother ****er. As much as I love my parents, they never talked to me about anything financial. We since touched on the subject and I dont blame them. I learned the hard way and if I ever have any kids, I will wholeheartedly sit them down and talk to them about the pitfalls of consumer debt.