[roadkill]

I got my first traffic ticket in 25 years last month. When I paid it yesterday... all I could think to say was. "Usually I get dinner before being screwed."
What was the ticket for? Going 35 in a 25 zone and unsafe lane change. Cost me $531.45
$440.00 for the fine
4.50 for tax
52.00 processing for traffic school
34.95 for traffic school

Why so much? The street I was on is a major east/west street with 3 lanes in each direction. Up until 3 months ago, the street was 35... Then they lowered the limit to 25 and made it a double fine zone. 35 is reasonable for that street and is consistent with the limit for other streets in the area that are only 2 lanes in each direction. It now amounts to a speed trap. 10-12 motorcycle cops sit on a side street with a radar gun and are in constant motion giving tickets.... 40-50 per hour. Then they move to the other side or down the street a ways and sit there for another hour or so giving out more tickets.

This hit me hard because my only income is Social Security Disability and this represents 2 months of savings for things like getting away to go riding and other stuff.

roadkill (broke)

 

[RemingtonSteel]

sorry to hear that. since it was just changed to a lower speed they sould of just given you a warrning may have been able to fight it with that stand.

 

[Red-N-BlackXX]

I thought you were the Director/CEO of a company? Or is that your other personality?

 

[scuzz]

Cliffs: California

 

[roadkill]

I thought you were the Director/CEO of a company? Or is that your other personality?

I am, but it's an un-paid volunteer type thing. What I do get is free room and board, no utility costs, company truck 24/7, free insurance... no living costs at all and I work the hours I want and take off when I want. Actually, I'm working right now... if you can call what I do work. Company is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
My SSI is free and clear. How many people have $1000.00 per month fun money left over after paying things like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, car payment, insurance... etc.?

roadkill

 

[jake99buell]

Holy shit that's a lot for a ticket. The most I've ever paid was 150 and that's like 20 over. I live in memphis though. Our cost of living is ridiculous low compared to yours. 500k house is a mansion to me lol

 

[92K1500]

And I thought I had an expensive ticket. My 165 in a 75 was $411.50

 

[500Rubie]

I was in the same situation when they added a stop sign on a road that never had one. Only I got a DWI. Lost my license and cost me thousands.

 

[Porno Joe]

wow, you start a thread telling us how your broke, then brag about how much money you have left over from your SSI. If you dont mind me asking, what is your disability that qualifies you for SSI yet still leaves you with the abiliity to ride a quad?

 

[roadkill]

wow, you start a thread telling us how your broke, then brag about how much money you have left over from your SSI. If you dont mind me asking, what is your disability that qualifies you for SSI yet still leaves you with the abiliity to ride a quad?

That's a fair question. I have coronary artery disease, hypertension and take meds for my heart and blood pressure. I also have to carry nitro with me at all times. I also had my second stroke last August. This left me without the use of my left side at first... couldn't dress myself let alone walk. Much of the stroke effects are gone now... but still not 100% My left side is still quite weak with poor fine muscle control... Think about slipping your clutch without good control of your left hand.
I put away $500.00 per month for long term savings and for big ticket items (my quad, Utah trip next year... etc.)
The rest is ready cash for things like gas to go riding, movies, ball game, and anything else I want to do or buy each month. This is the fund that got hit with the cost of the ticket. I don't tap into long term savings for ready cash.... Ready cash gone = no riding, no movies, etc.
I didn't mean to make it sound like I was bragging... I was just trying to draw a comparison in anticipation of a next question like... How do I live being un-paid? A harder question would've been something like why I do it? Hard to explain and harder to understand. Lets just say it's all about being happy, being fulfilled in your work. Lots of money for my work does not equal being happy. I get offers all the time (even now with economy in the toilet) for jobs with for profit alcohol and drug programs... lowest last month was for 72k. But then, the job would've been about a paycheck and not the work itself. It is the work and not the money involved that makes what I do fulfilling. All the big $$ did not make me happy or fulfilled before and didn't keep me clean and sober. Been there, done that.
As for riding a quad and being disabled... I refuse (denial) to accept that I can't do this or that... simple as that.

roadkill

 

[skier207]

How many people have $1000.00 per month fun money left over after paying things like rent/mortgage, utilities, food, car payment, insurance... etc.?

It did a bit like sound like bragging..

It's California, nothing there in the way of laws, or policy's makes sense to me.

 

[Cranedaddy]

That is a lot of money for a ticket and wtf they tax your fine??

I know plenty of people that don't have 1000.00 per month fun money. Guess you'll just have to be like the rest of us for the next 2 months.

 

[tomkat]

i swear i just read in the paper a couple weeks back that you can fight that type of ticket and win... there was a big story here in WA about basically all the roads in snohomish county (i think) and how the speed limits were off from similiar roads in other countys in the state and theres some federal regulation that all similiar roads have to maintain consistent speed limits between them or some crap....

anyway, snohomish county ended up paying back something like 250,000 tickets to the tune of $2.2 million dollars or something like that. basically for adjusting speed limits on roads without performing studies to determine if the federally set speed limits needed to be changed, the roads were constructed with federal grant money and that money came with all kinds of stipulations, to include speed limits.

i dunno... but id be tryin to get my $500+ back.

 

[jake99buell]

I for a ticket Friday night. I manage a sonic drive in and I feed all my local cops for free. pulls me over on a back road at 12:30 at night for speeding. When I mentioned I'm the guy that feeds you he said " I don't eat sonic".

 

[roadkill]

i swear i just read in the paper a couple weeks back that you can fight that type of ticket and win... there was a big story here in WA about basically all the roads in snohomish county (i think) and how the speed limits were off from similiar roads in other countys in the state and theres some federal regulation that all similiar roads have to maintain consistent speed limits between them or some crap....

anyway, snohomish county ended up paying back something like 250,000 tickets to the tune of $2.2 million dollars or something like that. basically for adjusting speed limits on roads without performing studies to determine if the federally set speed limits needed to be changed, the roads were constructed with federal grant money and that money came with all kinds of stipulations, to include speed limits.

i dunno... but id be tryin to get my $500+ back.

That would be great... except it was not a county or state road... it was a city street. One of several streets that our broke ass city declared as "special enforcement zones" (speed traps)

roadkill

 

[sgip2000]

That would be great... except it was not a county or state road... it was a city street. One of several streets that our broke ass city declared as "special enforcement zones" (speed traps)

roadkill

You could try looking for your state's "speed zone orders". Many cities will try to set a lower speed limit than the state assigns. If this happens, state law will trump city.