Traffic Ticket

[willsterstyle]

Just wondering if I could get your opinion on this ticket:

Eastbound on Steeles right before the Southbound 404 on ramp.

You know how there's the right turn lane at Townsend but most people use it to just go straight onto the ramp. I swear everyone does it..but that's beside the point I guess.

A cop was at the onramp (I should of known..but I always take Finch to go south on the 404 so I wasn't familiar with the cop traps) and I got booked.

Offense: Fail to obey lane sign
The lane that I was on is apparently a right only lane and not a straight away.

So the question is: Pay the $110 fine, plead guilty with explanation option (what is that anyways?), or trial option.

Thanks!

[phht]

Just wondering if I could get your opinion on this ticket:

Eastbound on Steeles right before the Southbound 404 on ramp.

You know how there's the right turn lane at Townsend but most people use it to just go straight onto the ramp. I swear everyone does it..but that's beside the point I guess.

A cop was at the onramp (I should of known..but I always take Finch to go south on the 404 so I wasn't familiar with the cop traps) and I got booked.

So the question is: Pay the $110 fine, plead guilty with explanation option (what is that anyways?), or trial option.

Thanks!

If you need people help, please post more infornation such as what were you booked for? contrary to what section of the Highway Traffic Act?
As for plead guilty with explanation, it's the same as plead guilty to make it easier for the city to collect your money without having to work on the case, so don't get trapped the second time for this bureaucratic nonsense.
your options:
1. plead guilty, pay the fine, easy way out no headache, no time spent, possible impact on insurance premium (if more than 1 conviction on your record)
2. Fill out "Notice of Intention to appear" form, get a court date and plead guilty at trial date for a lesser charge without point, less fine (possible impact on insurance premium)
3. Fight it all the way, get court date and disclosure then draw a strategy of defence from there

[willsterstyle]

updated the original post

Offense: Fail to obey lane sign

So for option 2. If I go into court, plead guilty and just explain the reason as negligence...will they reduce the fee?

Has anybody gone through option 2?

[mystery]

If you are going to court, may as well plead not guilty. Anything else is free money for them.

If the cop doesn't show, you are off the hook.

If he does, you can always ask if there's anything he and the prosecutor can do i.e. reduce fine and/or demerit points before court (arrive early).

If your court date (which gets mailed to you in about 6 months) is 'inordinately' too late from offence date, you might be able to ask for it to be quashed based on your rights being violated i.e. not given a speedy trial.

[ferkel]

in this modern age of computers, what makes people think police don't show up for court ? the court dates are scheduled together for the officers convienence.. well.. you'll see i guess.

[willsterstyle]

Yah I don't think I want to go through court. I've heard that most of them actually go nowadays.

I was just curious about this option 2 if it actually helps. If not, I'll just pay it off whatever :S

[peter__p]

updated the original post

Offense: Fail to obey lane sign

So for option 2. If I go into court, plead guilty and just explain the reason as negligence...will they reduce the fee?

Has anybody gone through option 2?

If you choose option 2 on your ticket you still have to show up in court and plead to a lesser charge, less fine, no point, but you loose the leverage to negotiate with the prosecutor and you may not be able to reverse your plea if you decide to do so in the next 6 months.
For option 3 on the ticket, the outcome will be the same as option 2 if you show up at trial date and reverse your plea from "not guilty" to "guilty to a lesser charge" (nothing to worry about the plea reversal here because that will please everybody involved in your case: Judge, prosecutor, cop and mayor). Plus you have the leverage in bargaining with the prosecutor, plus the cop may not be there (don't count on it at the 1st trial, but it's a possibility), plus you may change your mind to fight it all the way.
So the logical choice here is option 3 on the back of the ticket.