# Traffic Ticket - Urban Legend or true?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 15, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411 "2000-08-15T09:01:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jrishaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5fc32e/32.png) [@jrishaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrishaw)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/1 "2000-08-15T09:01:14Z")

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I recently received an e-mail, probably for the fourth or fifth time in my 10 years or so with e-mail (I feel old, yet “only” 25).

It details a process in which you can have no points assessed on your drivers license if you follow a simple procedure:

- Receive a traffic ticket
- Pay a random amount over the ticket (e.g. $80. for a $75 fine)
- Receive the refund check of difference in the mail;
- Do not cash the check.

The mail claims that cashing the check is the final closure, at which a point after, points are assessed, etc, on your license.

The more I think about it, the more it sounds like typical Internet trash, but it’s worth a shot. Does this sound logical? On the surface, yes, but in reality,?

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**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/2 "2000-08-15T09:11:15Z")

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Here is an article about this very e-mail from Snopes. I’m afraid its just another urban legend. Would be nice though, huh?  
[http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore/ticket.htm](http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore/ticket.htm)

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**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/3 "2000-08-15T09:11:34Z")

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It’s an urban legend.  
Take a look at [http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore/ticket.htm](http://www.snopes.com/spoons/faxlore/ticket.htm)

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**Author:** ![2nd\_Law](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/f475e1/32.png) [@2nd\_Law](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2nd_Law)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/4 "2000-08-15T09:12:36Z")

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Durn, three bunny. Similpost!

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**Author:** ![bunnymom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c4cdca/32.png) [@bunnymom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bunnymom)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/5 "2000-08-15T09:14:39Z")

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Wow, my very first!

2nd law, you will always be special to me, now that we’ve shared this. 😉

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**Author:** ![Jimpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@Jimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimpy)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/6 "2000-08-15T09:22:04Z")

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According to [url=“[http://www.snopes.com/](http://www.snopes.com/)”]The Urban Legend Reference page–no, it won’t work and Yes, it is an Urban Legend.

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**Author:** ![Chas.E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e99b99/32.png) [@Chas.E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chas.E)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/7 "2000-08-15T19:12:38Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by three bunny mama \*  
> \*\*Wow, my very first!
> 
> 2nd law, you will always be special to me, now that we’ve shared this. 😉 \*\*

In your rush to pat each other on the back, you guys have missed one incredibly important thing: the link you both posted is BROKEN.

Here’s a working link to the info:

[http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.htm](http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.htm)

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**Author:** ![Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/258eb7/32.png) [@Wonko\_The\_Sane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wonko_The_Sane)\
**Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traffic-ticket-urban-legend-or-true/29411/8 "2000-08-15T20:14:45Z")

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This was covered in another post not 3 weeks ago…

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Whap! Whap! Whap!\*\*\*