crytical point

My friend was driving at night and got pulled over for having no tag lights, he came straight to my house and I had him turn the lights on ans both of them work but are not as bright but its a 22year old car. Since both lights worked and the cop issued a 76$ fix it ticket about something that was never broken is there any way to fight it?

jimdutro

iTrader: (1)

Sounds pretty "iffy", it would be your friends word against the cop who wrote the ticket. He may want to find out what the cost would be to fight it and if there are any court costs associated with it and go from there. Once they write a ticket they never take it back but anything is possible. I live in Southern Cal and had a similar thing happen when I was driving my `69 RoadRunner late one night. The cop pulled me over and said the reason was no brake lights but he cut me loose with no ticket. I checked them later and they both worked. In some states they need a reason to pull you over, sometimes hoping to find something that may or may not be there, like drugs, guns etc.

Stephen

iTrader: (12)

My suggestion is ALWAYS get out, look for yourself, to verify. He certainly couldn't prevent you from getting out to look, as he heads to his car afterwards. Cell phone that takes pics? Snap a shot ofit working, with the cop car still there. Dispute to the judge that is WAS working, as is obvious in the pic, and your not sure WHY the cop is lying about it not working!

It may be as simple as a iffy connection. With a simple wiggle, it comes back on. If you got it to turn back on, he mightlet you go with a simple warning, & you could look at it later. Maybe just a bit of corrosion or dirt.

tonys91rs

iTrader: (17)

do not get out of your vehicle unless he asks you to step out or you ask to see the lights. this is for your safety and for the officers safety. if you did not see the lights at the time of the stop then you do not know if they were working. its very possible he did not see them on, they were flickering, or he was lying. i do not suggest you go to court and say he was lying.
if you go to court, bring with you proof that the lights are currently working. receipts, pictures, etc. will you have to pay the fine? possibly. if you want to contest it, plead not guilty, present your evidence at the time that the light was working and good luck.

DCOWBOYS1975

That is true. If you are going to get out of the car ASK FIRST!! I got out once to argue a ticket and ended up getting my a$$ kicked for it. As far as the ticket goes chalk it up and pay the $76.

DyingYoung138

I'd just contact the cop and TRY to have a peaceful conversation about it. I mean be like "Hey, you issued me a ticket over my lights not working... well, they were actually working when checked them... it's just that they aren't nearly as bright as they need to be so you didn't see them." and go from there. Stay calm if he's being an ***, but try and reason with him.

Worst comes to worst, you have to pay $76 lol. Not that bad, honestly.

xxxbubba4life

I did this for a break light ticket on my pickup. i went down the road after i got and it was working fine, so i was like what the hell. called the sheriffs office and talked to the officer, apparently i looked suspicious, and he needed a reason to pull me over. He dropped the ticket, and that was it. just make sure you stay friendly and respectful with the officer. if you argued it when he gave it to you, then it would be harder and you would have to go to court probably. but all the patrol cars here in Jax have on board cams that run. so unless the officer didn't run it, or deleted it to hide himself you got evidence there as well. but just remember its a 70$ ticket, and if you **** the cops off, or the court off over sumthing stupid, when sumthing big happens and you have to win, well they will remember you and may not be so gracious as you may want. juss advise i was always told... always worked for me. but still a stupid as hell thing to deal with...

89RS_82Z

iTrader: (2)

your tail lights need to be visable from "X" distance away or "X" bright you need to talk to a random cop and ask him the law (dont metion you have a ticket).....now if it comes down to it and they are to dim to be legal than check your ground and the contacts, they do sell brighter bulbs on the net (not the LEDs) may invest in that.....but mainly find out the law from a good source

and if that is a fix it ticket, they will normaly throw it away if you go up to the office and prove they now work