TTC Fine --> Early Resolution - Meet with Prosecutor option

[johanscott]

So on Monday, I was running to Scarbourough Center Station from YMCA when I tripped on the curb and I fell. When I fell, my TTC token pouch fell out and fell between the sewer grates (luckily, my PSP didn't). I couldn't get it so I just decided to wait in front of the station and ask for a token or some change but no one would decide to give me, which I understand. I didn't have any money on me to buy tokens since I was coming back from my friend's place who lives in the condos around there to swim (Couldn't go back to ask him since he left for work the same time I did and my phone was at home since it had no battery). I explained the TTC worker my situation and he didn't really want to listen to my story and denied me entry. At that point, my stomach was hurting (not to the point where I had to go that moment, but where I can hold it enough to get home, a 15 min ride from the station), probably from accidentally drinking some of the pool water. So then, I just decided to sneak in and the police men were hiding behind the corner and caught me. I got a $235 ticket for entering while refusing to pay fare.

The officer told me that if I pick option 2 (Early Resolution - Meet with Prosecutor), I'll be pleading guilty with an explanation. I understand I was 100% wrong to do so, but I was wondering if there's a chance I can get my fine reduced? Or is option 2 only regards to serious stories? I was told that if I go, the prosecutor can increase or decrease my fine and knowing I was guilty, I don't really want to face a higher fine, which can possibly happen.

[onetruguju]

did the crime... pay the fine....

[EPcjay]

Man, you story has so many excuses. You better get your flame suit on. http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i156/OldsRocket442/Smileys/sterb082.gif

You can probably tell your story to the prosecutor, and they will cut a quarter to half off. Good luck

[Ghiness]

did the crime... pay the fine....
Typical RFD response...


And chances are they won't increase fine, most of the time they will decrease it so go and see the prosecutor.

[johanscott]

did the crime... pay the fine....

I'm not arguing that I should pay a fine. I'm asking if there's a possibility that I can get a reduced fine.

[thechampion116]

you got caught, just pay the fine.

your story is a bit weird on first read though. You fell and tokens went into the sewer drain but you said your lucky your phone didn't. Then you later mention your phone was at home.

[johanscott]

you got caught, just pay the fine.

your story is a bit weird on first read though. You fell and tokens went into the sewer drain but you said your lucky your phone didn't. Then you later mention your phone was at home.

Ahh. Sorry. Not my phone. I meant my PSP.

Also, I'll most likely pay a fine. Just wondering if I can get a reduced fine.

[johanscott]

Man, you story has so many excuses. You better get your flame suit on. http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i156/OldsRocket442/Smileys/sterb082.gif

You can probably tell your story to the prosecutor, and they will cut a quarter to half off. Good luck


Typical RFD response...


And chances are they won't increase fine, most of the time they will decrease it so go and see the prosecutor.

Thanks for the responses. I was wondering if you guys have had any experiences regarding a reduced fine after seeing a prosecutor. This is the first time I've ever been in trouble for anything (practically never in school or with the law) so I'm really nervous/scared and don't know what to expect.

[chemical_echo]

I don't know much about getting your fine reduced, but there were other options you could have taken before sneaking into the TTC.

You said you had to go to the bathroom; if you were at Scarborough Centre Station, why not go into the mall and use the bathroom? You'd still need money to get onto the TTC, but that's where idea #2 comes into play.

You said you had no money on you to buy tokens, but what about a bank card? I don't know anybody that goes out without their wallets. Why not take out a $20 from one of the ATMs at the mall and use that to buy new tokens? Even if your bank doesn't have an ATM near by, the small fee for using another bank's machine will still be much less than your fine.

[Luckyinfil]

Plead 11b

[Luckyinfil]

Ask for disclosure

and ibTrevorK

[appleb]

Early resolution probably means you plead guilty and you get a reduced fine for helping expediate the case. Your excuse of losing your tokens and having need of a washroom will likely have no bearing on reducing the fine any further.

[johanscott]

I don't know much about getting your fine reduced, but there were other options you could have taken before sneaking into the TTC.

You said you had to go to the bathroom; if you were at Scarborough Centre Station, why not go into the mall and use the bathroom? You'd still need money to get onto the TTC, but that's where idea #2 comes into play.

You said you had no money on you to buy tokens, but what about a bank card? I don't know anybody that goes out without their wallets. Why not take out a $20 from one of the ATMs at the mall and use that to buy new tokens? Even if your bank doesn't have an ATM near by, the small fee for using another bank's machine will still be much less than your fine.

I just went to my friends condo for a swim and maybe play basketball at a basketball court at his friends house about 10 mins by walk. So I didn't really feel the need to bring my wallet.

Also, I figured I could have used the washroom. I didn't need to go ATM but my stomach was starting to be upset at the time.

[flashy_mcflash]

I just went to my friends condo for a swim and maybe play basketball at a basketball court at his friends house about 10 mins by walk. So I didn't really feel the need to bring my wallet.


Well here's a $235 lesson in bringing some cash or your phone or your wallet with you next time you leave the house. Sneaking in is never the answer.

[johanscott]

Early resolution probably means you plead guilty and you get a reduced fine for helping expediate the case. Your excuse of losing your tokens and having need of a washroom will likely have no bearing on reducing the fine any further.

The option says I have to meet with a prosecutor to tell my side of the story determine whether or not I can get a fine reduced or not. That will be my side of the story. I understand that my story isn't something life and death serious but I was wondering on what other cases where my fine can get reduced.

[johanscott]

Well here's a $235 lesson in bringing some cash or your phone or your wallet with you next time you leave the house. Sneaking in is never the answer.

I understand that. But I mean when I left my house, I had a pouch full of TTC tokens. An unfortunate situation just occurred where I tripped and lost the pouch.

[goob3r]

You chose to bring a PSP and a pouch full of TTC tokens instead of a wallet or a cell phone? I guess you didn't want to weigh down your pockets at the pool and gym...

[johanscott]

You chose to bring a PSP and a pouch full of TTC tokens instead of a wallet or a cell phone? I guess you didn't want to weigh down your pockets at the pool and gym...

PSP to play a game or listen to music on the bus and TTC tokens to pay for my fare. My phone was near dead battery when I left and I didn't plan to spend any money. Had everything gone to plan, I would have used my token to pay the fare and go home. Or if an incident occured where I needed money to do something, I would have gone home to get my wallet then go to where ever I need to be after.

[Usuyami]

Out of curiosity, how did they even give you a fine if you have no identification on you? Just make up a name and address.

[joepoonie]

Out of curiosity, how did they even give you a fine if you have no identification on you? Just make up a name and address.

Easy. They call the cops. I've seen that before at Finch with idiots smoking on the bus platform. They claimed that they didn't have ID and the cops showed up...

[johanscott]

Out of curiosity, how did they even give you a fine if you have no identification on you? Just make up a name and address.

I assume lying to a police officer can get you in worse trouble than entering the TTC turn style. I rather not take the risk of lying just after being caught taking another risk of entering without paying.

[cho it up]

2 wrongs don't make a right, but yeah, i'd do the prosecutor, nothing lost. but make sure you are concise with your story and don't just go into full excuse mode. if you are sincere and can communicate it properly, i would imagine your fine may be reduced. i don't think you approached the collector in the right manner to begin with or talked to the right person, i would have just asked for a supervisor instead of the collector alone and tell him your situation (they are less robotic than collectors and should be trained to make exceptions like this).

what's with all the posts trying to discredit his story and ask more explanation? his explanation won't change the fact that he didn't have his wallet and phone, obviously now that he explains everything else it's a bit more clear and ridiculing the dude. not everyone is going to do the most ideal thing in this situation, it didn't turn out good for him, but perhaps it won't be as bad if we can offer some advice.

hell i might even send in a complaint or e-mail to ttc (or call them) just asking them standard procedure in emergencies like this, maybe the collector didn't follow a protocol or something. could help ya out.

[johanscott]

2 wrongs don't make a right, but yeah, i'd do the prosecutor, nothing lost. but make sure you are concise with your story and don't just go into full excuse mode. if you are sincere and can communicate it properly, i would imagine your fine may be reduced. i don't think you approached the collector in the right manner to begin with or talked to the right person, i would have just asked for a supervisor instead of the collector alone and tell him your situation (they are less robotic than collectors and should be trained to make exceptions like this).

what's with all the posts trying to discredit his story and ask more explanation? his explanation won't change the fact that he didn't have his wallet and phone, obviously now that he explains everything else it's a bit more clear and ridiculing the dude. not everyone is going to do the most ideal thing in this situation, it didn't turn out good for him, but perhaps it won't be as bad if we can offer some advice.

hell i might even send in a complaint or e-mail to ttc (or call them) just asking them standard procedure in emergencies like this, maybe the collector didn't follow a protocol or something. could help ya out.

Yea, I will most likely talk to the prosecutor, though it's not necessarily 'nothing lost' as they have the power to increase the fine and I am guilty of the act.

Thanks for the advice. I mainly brought up my situation because I was looking to see if anyone faced any sort of ticket and brought it to the prosecutor to see what the results were. Was hoping someone here had a situation and had their fine waived fully as I don't really have any money to spare for a fine.

[joepoonie]

hell i might even send in a complaint or e-mail to ttc (or call them) just asking them standard procedure in emergencies like this, maybe the collector didn't follow a protocol or something. could help ya out.

How is it an "emergency?" He chose to leave his wallet and phone at home.

[BornRuff]

The biggest problem with your story is that it sounds like a bunch of lame excuses. You tripping and having all your tokens fall down a sewer grate doesn't sound very real, and the diarrhea part is a classic excuse that people use to try to get people who are uncomfortable with the subject to get off of their case. It's like girls who try to use their period as an excuse since they know most men are too uncomfortable talking about it to push them on the subject. The assertion that you had no possible way to get money seems unlikely for a younger person these days, since most people never go anywhere without some sort of card.

You should work on your story before talking to the prosecutor.

[Superboot]

2 wrongs don't make a right, but yeah, i'd do the prosecutor, nothing lost. but make sure you are concise with your story and don't just go into full excuse mode. if you are sincere and can communicate it properly, i would imagine your fine may be reduced. i don't think you approached the collector in the right manner to begin with or talked to the right person, i would have just asked for a supervisor instead of the collector alone and tell him your situation (they are less robotic than collectors and should be trained to make exceptions like this).

what's with all the posts trying to discredit his story and ask more explanation? his explanation won't change the fact that he didn't have his wallet and phone, obviously now that he explains everything else it's a bit more clear and ridiculing the dude. not everyone is going to do the most ideal thing in this situation, it didn't turn out good for him, but perhaps it won't be as bad if we can offer some advice.

hell i might even send in a complaint or e-mail to ttc (or call them) just asking them standard procedure in emergencies like this, maybe the collector didn't follow a protocol or something. could help ya out.

And maybe the correct protocol was for the collector to let this one time slide because he had no fair and his stomach was hurting LOL

[johanscott]

The biggest problem with your story is that it sounds like a bunch of lame excuses. You tripping and having all your tokens fall down a sewer grate doesn't sound very real, and the diarrhea part is a classic excuse that people use to try to get people who are uncomfortable with the subject to get off of their case. It's like girls who try to use their period as an excuse since they know most men are too uncomfortable talking about it to push them on the subject. The assertion that you had no possible way to get money seems unlikely for a younger person these days, since most people never go anywhere without some sort of card.

You should work on your story before talking to the prosecutor.

Yea, I understand that it sounds like excuses, but that's how it happened. The best I can do is to tell my story short and to the point, but outside of that, I can't do anything.

[mysticalinfluence]

you got caught, just pay the fine.

your story is a bit weird on first read though. You fell and tokens went into the sewer drain but you said your lucky your phone didn't. Then you later mention your phone was at home.

He should become a downtown Toronto bagger with the ability to make up sob stories like that. I agree he should pay the fine but first we should call the waaaambulance for him.

[CSR]

So did you poopoo your pants after being apprehended? I assume it would have taking longer than 15mins.

[johanscott]

He should become a downtown Toronto bagger with the ability to make up sob stories like that. I agree he should pay the fine but first we should call the waaaambulance for him.

If you didn't believe my true story, you could have easily just skipped the thread...

[johanscott]

So did you poopoo your pants after being apprehended? I assume it would have taking longer than 15mins.

Diarrhea and upset stomach is not always the same thing.

I also wasn't apprehended in case you couldn't read the original post.

[rjones416]

if you plead guilty they reduce the fine by like 50%. i got caught trying to sneak on the back of the queen streetcar on yonge street and only had to pay like $45 or something. if you try to fight it you'll have to go to court and pay more money for those fees if you lose which you probably will. your sob story doesnt mean ***** . it wont give you a criminal record or anything so who cares just pay it.

[johanscott]

Does that mean you went with meeting a prosecutor to get it reduced?

I wasn't going to say the whole story if I do meet the prosecutor. I would have probably said something short like "I lost my TTC token pouch, had no way to pay for a token and sneaked in as a way to get home".

[Ojam]

How did Babe the blue ox fit on the train? Hell why didn't you just ride your blue ox home?

[can2000]

Any follow up, OP? good luck!

[longitude]

Fight. It.

[RolandCouch]

LOL.....I'd love to hear the end of this.

[stealth]

of course, theres always a chance.
Thats the whole point of that process. Go and find out if they buy your story or not.

But if youre looking for guarantees from RFD, you wont be getting any. How would we know?
But my advice for you would be to keep your story simple.. .the more you add in , the more it leaves openings for attack the validity of it.
And maybe add some way to reassure them that it wont happen again.

[stealth]

Yea, I understand that it sounds like excuses, but that's how it happened. The best I can do is to tell my story short and to the point, but outside of that, I can't do anything.

Isnt it great when OP's can answer their own questions?
:)
/end thread

[Electricute]

are you sure your mom didnt just call u and u had to go to the emergency room? but then stopped cause you saw some guy rob a little girl and run intot he subway, and had to chase him inside, and you threw your phone, wallet money and shoes at hime, but missed and they landed in a moving train, then closed its doors on them and drove off with them?