# Do I have to pay this ticket? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 9, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285 "2012-04-09T18:29:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/21 "2012-04-10T14:38:32Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Why not just pay the fine and stop driving in the bus lane in the future? :dubious: Why the moralising? Maybe that’s just what he plans to do. The OP is simply asking if he HAS to- wether or not the system has a way to track such a circumstance- and is curious about the details surrounding this potentiality. So- Why not just answer the OP and stop moralising? ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/22 "2012-04-10T14:53:28Z")
> [@Bamboo\_Boy](#): > > Why the moralising? Maybe that’s just what he plans to do. The OP is simply asking if he HAS to- wether or not the system has a way to track such a circumstance- and is curious about the details surrounding this potentiality. > So- Why not just answer the OP and stop moralising? Because he is basically asking and planning on how to beat the ticket and trying to think of ways of justifying his wrong doing. I say wrong doing because he admits he did wrong; that’s not moralizing that’s a statement of fact. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/23 "2012-04-10T15:00:33Z")
I once contested a ticket for a burned out brake-light (seriously) because the officer described the light tan colored car as brown. I took a picture of the car and had it blown up to use as evidence. I had a color palette to show how different light tan was from brown. The judge found my defense humorous (and questioned why I got a ticket in the first place) but pointed out that the error was harmless and not pertinent to my case. I argued that the officer’s error brought into question his general powers of observation, and his ability to assess the operation of my brake light. I lost. ---
**Author:** ![Bamboo\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@Bamboo\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bamboo_Boy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/24 "2012-04-10T15:07:26Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Because he is basically asking and planning on how to beat the ticket and trying to think of ways of justifying his wrong doing. I say wrong doing because he admits he did wrong; that’s not moralizing that’s a statement of fact. He (She?) never said anything of the sort, as far as I can tell- you seem to be of the ilk that one doesn’t or can’t contemplate such things without acting on them. I guess we disagree on this. I think it is PERFECTLY possible to explore potentialities and possibilities without any intention of acting on them. If we restricted discussion to only things we PLANNED to do and did away with hypotheticals, the world would be a less interesting place. IMHO. I remember when I was a little kid the USPS fascinated me. The whole system. It occurred to me one day while daydreaming that perhaps it was possible to cheat the system by reversing the sender and receiver address, neglect to slap a stamp on it, and in theory it would be “returned” to the address you intended on sending the piece of mail to all along. Now I discussed this with my Dad, we laughed about it, I NEVER even entertained trying it (not because I think it’s a heinous crime- it simply didn’t seem worthwhile), and have to this date not tried it out. No foul, right? This whole process allowed me to undergo a thought exercise, and even though it wasn’t earth shattering, I can’t help thinking a person who forgoes all such thought experiments because ACTING on them would be wrong would be impoverished, if marginally for the lack of it. Perhaps you can’t imagine contemplating something like that without acting on it. Many, nay, MOST I think, can. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/25 "2012-04-10T18:01:14Z")
> [@Bamboo\_Boy](#): > > He (She?) never said anything of the sort, as far as I can tell- you seem to be of the ilk that one doesn’t or can’t contemplate such things without acting on them. > > I guess we disagree on this. I think it is PERFECTLY possible to explore potentialities and possibilities without any intention of acting on them. If we restricted discussion to only things we PLANNED to do and did away with hypotheticals, the world would be a less interesting place. IMHO. > > I remember when I was a little kid the USPS fascinated me. The whole system. It occurred to me one day while daydreaming that perhaps it was possible to cheat the system by reversing the sender and receiver address, neglect to slap a stamp on it, and in theory it would be “returned” to the address you intended on sending the piece of mail to all along. > > Now I discussed this with my Dad, we laughed about it, I NEVER even entertained trying it (not because I think it’s a heinous crime- it simply didn’t seem worthwhile), and have to this date not tried it out. No foul, right? > > This whole process allowed me to undergo a thought exercise, and even though it wasn’t earth shattering, I can’t help thinking a person who forgoes all such thought experiments because ACTING on them would be wrong would be impoverished, if marginally for the lack of it. > > Perhaps you can’t imagine contemplating something like that without acting on it. Many, nay, MOST I think, can. Perhaps you didn’t bother to read post number three where the OP states that they intend to fight it? Jezz 😕 > [@secretsmile36](#): > > Thanks. I do intend to fight it. I’m also wondering if the cop screwed up and put my plate # on someone elses ticket. And then the OP admits to guilt later on in the thread. ---
**Author:** ![secretsmile36](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@secretsmile36](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/secretsmile36)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/26 "2012-04-10T18:04:19Z")
> [@Bamboo\_Boy](#): > > Why the moralising? Maybe that’s just what he plans to do. The OP is simply asking if he HAS to- wether or not the system has a way to track such a circumstance- and is curious about the details surrounding this potentiality. > So- Why not just answer the OP and stop moralising? Thank you 🙂 I’ve done the MORAL thing and paid the ticket 😛 ---
**Author:** ![lawbuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@lawbuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawbuff)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/27 "2012-04-10T18:10:57Z")
> [@secretsmile36](#): > > Thank you 🙂 > I’ve done the MORAL thing and paid the ticket 😛 Yes, but as long as the method used as a defense is not what a Philadelphia lawyer would use, I personally see nothing immoral about raising it. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/28 "2012-04-10T20:48:33Z")
> [@secretsmile36](#): > > Thank you 🙂 > I’ve done the MORAL thing and paid the ticket 😛 Fool, you could have beat that ticket. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/29 "2012-04-10T21:08:46Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I once contested a ticket for a burned out brake-light (seriously) because the officer described the light tan colored car as brown. I took a picture of the car and had it blown up to use as evidence. I had a color palette to show how different light tan was from brown. > > The judge found my defense humorous (and questioned why I got a ticket in the first place) but pointed out that the error was harmless and not pertinent to my case. > > I argued that the officer’s error brought into question his general powers of observation, and his ability to assess the operation of my brake light. > > I lost. You sure that wasn’t a Seinfeld episode? ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2012, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/30 "2012-04-10T22:52:28Z")
There’s nothing immoral about requiring the State to make its case, **Si Amigo**. –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/31 "2012-04-11T10:33:16Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > You sure that wasn’t a Seinfeld episode? Was it argued first before a magistrate, then appealed to district court? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/32 "2012-04-11T11:22:37Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Where I live, if you plead “Not Guilty”, you go talk to the DA (or whoever) first. That is where you get the best deal. Simple mistakes can allow you to call into question the attentiveness of the officer and work a deal. The last thing this guy wants is to have to drag the cop into court (in front of the judge) and have him answer why he made such a rookie error on the ticket. Wastes everybodys time. > > I’ve beat 2 tickets this way. 😃 It really depends on your jurisdiction. If he simply transposed the numbers on the plate or you are arguing over brown or light tan, those are generally harmless errors that a court will likely not throw out the ticket.. If he wrote down the plate of the guy behind the OP? Meh, that might work depending on the jurisdiction. In some places, they can amend that at trial. The bottom line though is that the OP would be standing in court with ticket in hand. How did it get in his hand if he wasn’t there driving? The question for the judge would be is the license plate number an essential identifying element for a conviction on the traffic offense. That depends on jurisdiction. In WV, where I live, it means nothing if the judge is convinced that the citation is substantially correct. Traffic courts across the country range from eminently fair to kangaroo. ---
**Author:** ![secretsmile36](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@secretsmile36](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/secretsmile36)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285/33 "2012-04-11T16:14:24Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Fool, you could have beat that ticket. 😃 At least no I’m not going to hell 🆒 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-have-to-pay-this-ticket/618285.md?page=1)