Need advice on traffic ticket I received! Please read!

[Sparkxx1]

I was riding with a friend last night and after some coldstone goodies and we decided to ride by Astoria Park, just to see if anybody was hanging out.

We found ourselves being pulled over by the cops because of my registration...I bought my FZ6Rin LATE February and after I paid my 110$ in registration fee's I thought it expired in 2012. Who the f*** gives 2 months of registration right? Well apparently mine expired on April 30th, 2011.

I don't think it's fair for me to have paid 110$ in registration fee's just for two months, NOT getting a registration renewal notice in the mail, paying a 120$ ticket, and then paying 42.50$ for a 2012 registration.

I personally drove my friend to register is Ninja ex250 the week after I registered, he paid the same 110$ as me, but he ended up with 2012 expiration date.

I ask fight the ticket and pay the 42.50.

What do you guys say? If I plead not guilty should I pay the $42.50 before or after the hearing date.

 

[dndfindley]

Not fair but who said life is fair? Wanna get away from stuff like this? Move out of NYC. Better yet - move out of New York state. David

 

[Sparkxx1]

Not fair but who said life is fair? Wanna get away from stuff like this? Move out of NYC. Better yet - move out of New York state. David

Gah I know it's not fair, but its right fucking ridiculous...I paid for a year I shouldn't get two months.

 

[2010FZ6R White Lightning]

fight it, give a sob story. they will probably void the ticket or give you a smaller fine

 

[Spitfire]

if all else fails...

...ask for a courtdate and then a week prior to the date ask to be moved the day after and you have a 50% chance of the officer having to work the next day and not showing up to court... It works lol

Source :: Officer in FL.

 

[columbus2382]

i would fight it. i believe where i live they would made it 2012 instead of for 2 months. that is crazy

 

[FZ6R29708]

...ask for a courtdate and then a week prior to the date ask to be moved the day after and you have a 50% chance of the officer having to work the next day and not showing up to court... It works lol

Source :: Officer in FL.

That's good info. I used the same technique when I lived in Houston. It generally does work. In any event, I would fight it, too. If the registration was only could for 2 months, the amount paid should have been pro-rated. Good Luck!

 

[anson650]

Definately fight it.
Anson

 

[Deputyfarva252]

That's good info. I used the same technique when I lived in Houston. It generally does work. In any event, I would fight it, too. If the registration was only could for 2 months, the amount paid should have been pro-rated. Good Luck!

It doesnt work like that here in NC . They would just moved it too another month for the officers court date. BUT here in NC that is a Fix it ticket . Get it registered before court bring in the registration and proof of insurance and talk to the DA prior to court starting and they will dismiss the ticket no cost of court or fine as long as you had insurance.......

Deputy.....

 

[bmw675]

what did the sticker you put on say?

 

[elikhom]

Something like that happened to my wife but with the cage. She got it dismissed after paying for the registration and appearing in court with the proof.

Just get this years registration, go to court and tell the truth, it's ridiculous paying full price for 2 months, the judge will most probably think the same and give you a pass.

 

[alaskanflyboy]

That is pretty ridiculous. In Washington, your registration runs 12 months from time of registration.

 

[NoDoze]

Something like that happened to my wife but with the cage. She got it dismissed after paying for the registration and appearing in court with the proof.

Just get this years registration, go to court and tell the truth, it's ridiculous paying full price for 2 months, the judge will most probably think the same and give you a pass.

+1 on this.

Just point out that it was an honest mistake because the courts are usually sticklers on facts. They will most likely state that you got your receipt, registration and sticker which all said the expiration/due date.

However, if you show up with the paid registration for this year which will prove that you aren't trying to ride registration free and also that it was a result of confusion and mistake. Plus, you can also express to them your good driving record (if you have such ) and that you've never done this in the past.

Good luck and hope that they can scratch the ticket off as a 'fix it'.

 

[Sparkxx1]

Thanks for all the advice. Does moving the date for court even matter at this point, it's not like I'm trying to prove that I didn't speed. Hopefully this all goes well since I don't mind paying the 42.50 for the new registration, whatever, but a 120$ fine is just ridiculous.

Oh and I have a clean driving record for 4 years now, that was honestly the first time I've even been pulled over...

what did the sticker you put on say?

Yellow registration sticker. This is my first bike and the only other person I ride with has the same experience as me...I had no clue that the registration sticker should have been red or else I would have bitched at the dmv as soon as I got the sticker.

 

[cavcuz05]

def fight that krap

 

[bmw675]

Yellow registration sticker. This is my first bike and the only other person I ride with has the same experience as me...I had no clue that the registration sticker should have been red or else I would have bitched at the dmv as soon as I got the sticker.

yeah, here in IL they are color coded but they also say month-year (6-11).

If i remember correctly, trailers all come due at the same time. if thats the case where you are, i think they should have pro-rated it for 2 monthes and told you to come back and get a full year when they would normally come due.

 

[ksanbon]

Wow, you have my sympathy.
Just for information.....full charges for partial registrations are common here in CA, especially when a vehicle is traded in to a dealer before the registration expires. The dealer might not sell it until months after the expiration date, so the new buyer is charged the full yearly fee and only gets the benefit of whatever's left. The State is only interested in getting its money and doesn't care who pays it. It isn't fair, but it isn't going to change.
I don't know if you bought it from a dealer, but the good ones disclose any upcoming & unexpected expenses.

Wishing you the best of luck. Hopefully, you'll get a reasonable judge.

 

[mas4489]

similar issue happened to me last year...
purchased the bike in May 2010 and my birthday was in June. I had 30 day tags but in June when i went to get the tags and registration they told me i had to pay for 2009 to 2010 and the 2010 to 2011, i was like its only a month. She said it didn't matter since i bought the bike before my birthday 2010. I bit my tongue cause i definitely wanted my tags.

this year my stepson went to get tags and registration and they prorated the him for the year and he still had 10 months to go.

I got ripped off but at least Ohio changed how they do stuff for the best.

 

[Spunky99]

I'm a little confused here.
When you registered the bike were the tags current?
If current then the year tag they issued you would have been the same as was already on the bike right?
Did they just do a owner transfer and charge you a years registration with 2 month's left on the year?
Did you just pay the ownership transfer and thought you paid for another year of registration?
Transfer fees and sales tax can be expensive.

Usually they do a transfer and you ride the current registration out and then pay the next year registration before it's due. Sounds like you paid for 2011 registration and the DMV sent you a 2010 tag. So take in the paperwork you got at the DMV for the registration to court. Look to see if it is a double 2010 registration charge or a 2011 and they sent you the wrong tag.

I just did a transfer of ownership and registered my Triumph and it was 2 weeks past 2 years late. So the $78.00 yearly registration cost me $677.00 with past years registration, current though 2012 and late fines and penalties. I live in CA so I'm used to getting buggered up the keyster as this is a liberal state. Bit my lip after the AAA counter person showed me all the accounting and paid the outrageous fees. At least I lied and said I paid $500.00 for the bike and lowered the sales tax at (9.75%) a bit.

I never try to play dumb and ask mercy from a Judge. Trying to get the Police officer not to show up is a good ploy. In CA we can also do a written trial by declaration and if that fails, request a trial and play the delay game to see if the officer doesn't show. I'd also go get my tags current but now you are going to pay late fees on top of the current year registration.
Again check the paperwork to see what you were charged for.

 

[dcBear78]

40 bucks for a year rego?!?!?! I'll swap you and pay your fines....

Got my rego bill today. A$449.70 (approx US$480).