Automotive

Got $350 worth of tickets while driving for work..Any ideas? Please help me out.

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  • Sep 10th, 2010 9:32 am
Newbie
Jul 20, 2009
19 posts
3 upvotes

Got $350 worth of tickets while driving for work..Any ideas? Please help me out.

Hi. I used to work for a car dealership as a driver/lopboy. A car was being picked up by a customer around 3:00, and around 2:40, we noticed a slight nick in the paint of the car. My manager told me to go to the Honda dealership and buy a matching touchup paint, so knowing that we're in a rush with time, I ran, got in the car and left off the dealership to get to the Honda.

At honda, I got the paint, with the receipt, and on the way back, I got a call from my supervisor to hurry up..In a bit of a panic(since I had been working there only a few weeks, I didn't want to mess up or leave a bad impression), I guess I sped too much and got pulled over..According to the cop, I was doing 74km on a 50km zone. Then it all happened...He asked for my driver's license, but I had left my wallet at the dealership so didn't have it...Asked for the ownership of vehicle, but the ownership (which was supposed to be in the glovebox since it was the dealership's car) was not there either...And I guess I don't even need to say about the insurance...(my supervisor had forgot to provide me with work insurance since day one..being my first time working at dealership, I didn't even realize I needed it..) The cop reduced my speeding fine to 60, making it a 60KPH speeding in a 50KPH zone...But in total, I got 4 tickets for 1. No insurance, 2. No License, 3.No permit, 4. Speeding..totaling up to amount of around $350 (which is like my paycheck lol)..This happened back in July, and the cop had told me that I could probably get the other 3 tickets, except for the speeding one, taken off at the court...

Now if any of you guys could give me any tips or suggestions as to how to proceed with this situation, it will be really appreciated. I have taken all the tickets and set up a court trial (though not sure exactly when..they have yet to contact me with the date). I want to make sure that I am ready with all the required documents, etc..For now I have received:
1. a copy of the work insurance my dealership was supposed to have given me
2. a copy of the plate registration/permit of the company's vehicle I was driving at the time
3. a copy of the receipt from honda for the touch up paint

Do I need any more documents...? I'm afraid my manager's going to forget this whole thing by the time I actually attend the court so I would like to get all the requirements done ASAP..For example, do I need some kind of a letter from my supervisor or whatnot ?

Please help me out if you have experience into this sort of situation. Thank you in advance
9 replies
Sr. Member
Aug 17, 2009
557 posts
45 upvotes
Ottawa
costumenationale wrote: Hi. I used to work for a car dealership as a driver/lopboy. A car was being picked up by a customer around 3:00, and around 2:40, we noticed a slight nick in the paint of the car. My manager told me to go to the Honda dealership and buy a matching touchup paint, so knowing that we're in a rush with time, I ran, got in the car and left off the dealership to get to the Honda.

At honda, I got the paint, with the receipt, and on the way back, I got a call from my supervisor to hurry up..In a bit of a panic(since I had been working there only a few weeks, I didn't want to mess up or leave a bad impression), I guess I sped too much and got pulled over..According to the cop, I was doing 74km on a 50km zone. Then it all happened...He asked for my driver's license, but I had left my wallet at the dealership so didn't have it...Asked for the ownership of vehicle, but the ownership (which was supposed to be in the glovebox since it was the dealership's car) was not there either...And I guess I don't even need to say about the insurance...(my supervisor had forgot to provide me with work insurance since day one..being my first time working at dealership, I didn't even realize I needed it..) The cop reduced my speeding fine to 60, making it a 60KPH speeding in a 50KPH zone...But in total, I got 4 tickets for 1. No insurance, 2. No License, 3.No permit, 4. Speeding..totaling up to amount of around $350 (which is like my paycheck lol)..This happened back in July, and the cop had told me that I could probably get the other 3 tickets, except for the speeding one, taken off at the court...

Now if any of you guys could give me any tips or suggestions as to how to proceed with this situation, it will be really appreciated. I have taken all the tickets and set up a court trial (though not sure exactly when..they have yet to contact me with the date). I want to make sure that I am ready with all the required documents, etc..For now I have received:
1. a copy of the work insurance my dealership was supposed to have given me
2. a copy of the plate registration/permit of the company's vehicle I was driving at the time
3. a copy of the receipt from honda for the touch up paint

Do I need any more documents...? I'm afraid my manager's going to forget this whole thing by the time I actually attend the court so I would like to get all the requirements done ASAP..For example, do I need some kind of a letter from my supervisor or whatnot ?

Please help me out if you have experience into this sort of situation. Thank you in advance

Disclaimer is that I'm not an expert and I don't have first hands experience with your particular issue. But some of my friends and my dad even, has been in your situation. I know for a fact that the 3/4 tickets you mentioned (all but the speeding one) could have been voided if you submitted proof that you we're a thief, essentially all the documents that you didn't have in your possession at the time, within 72 hours of the ticket issue. So in terms of what to do now... I don't think it should be much of an issue once you're in court to clear up those charges. With the documents you listed above, it seems all good. I recommend just as a precaution to provide proof and documentation that you at the time were an employee at the dealership (the judge can make the connection that you were new or you can state it), and a letter signed by your at the time supervisor backing up your story (Quick formally written paragraph with a signature supporting your claims, and contact info if they choose to follow up). With all that, I believe you should be on your way to a legit and good start. And if you present your case well enough, perhaps the judge will void or lessen the speeding ticket too.

Good luck with it all and when you get your court date (which could be forever) let us know what's up.
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 2, 2003
17117 posts
3872 upvotes
GTA
i fought a lot of tickets... won 14 of my own so i guess that makes me a bigger expert than the guy above. plus the fact i really care about fighting tickets with a passion, that prolly makes me even more qualified that professional ticket fighters who just want your money.

most people will tell you to get rid of 3 of those 4 tickets. my advice? do whatever it takes to get rid of the speeding ticket, even if it means you have to plead guilty to and pay three of four tickets.

most insurance companies I've talked to do not care about non moving violations. there's been a lot of argument and controversy on this forum regarding this observation of mine, some citing insurance companies don't "dig" and just see a minor ticket as a minor ticket whether moving (speeding) or non moving (document offense). i'll leave that up to your personal research with your insurance company to find out what their policy is. if they give you grief, just ask them how not being able to find the pink insurance slip in your glovebox on ONE particular day increase your risk to the insurance company. it's not like you were running red lights or not wearing seat belts. not having a piece of paper on you does not increase the risk of accidents/injuries/payout.

all in all, you should try to fight all the tickets and get them all thrown out.
failing that, you should plead guilty to as many tickets as needed to get the speeding thrown out.
Banned
User avatar
Apr 27, 2010
6280 posts
448 upvotes
Help me
I feel sorry for you, this is a tough situation for you. I hope it gets resolved in your favour.

I guess you've learned in the future, to always make sure the cars you work with have proper paper work. Tough way to learn, but you know how it goes.


In any case, I would talk to the manager about it. Tell him that the insurance slip that should have been in the glove box was not in there and you don't think that the entire responsibility should rest on you. Someone else needs to be partially accountable for that one.

As for no license and speeding, thats on you.

What does no permit refer to?
Member
Dec 25, 2003
280 posts
15 upvotes
Toronto
Assuming all the documents that were missing do exist you can probably get those ones dropped easily by simply presenting them to the judge. As for the speeding ticket, that's your own fault. If your supervisor literally told you to "speed up" or "drive over the speed limit" then you should report him to his higher up for telling you to break the law.
Newbie
Jul 20, 2009
19 posts
3 upvotes
Thank you all for such kind support..means a lot since I had no idea if I was in the right direction or not...the thing is I never got any ticket in my life, except for a single parking ticket, and suddenly I got so rich in terms of tickets.. :( I'll keep you guys posted..I hope it all turns out well, but I highly doubt I could get the speeding off..

An idea I thought of was my manager did in fact tell me to "get back to dealership ASAP"..could I work around with that..?

Anyways, thanks a lot guys !
Deal Expert
User avatar
Nov 2, 2003
17117 posts
3872 upvotes
GTA
costumenationale wrote: Thank you all for such kind support..means a lot since I had no idea if I was in the right direction or not...the thing is I never got any ticket in my life, except for a single parking ticket, and suddenly I got so rich in terms of tickets.. :( I'll keep you guys posted..I hope it all turns out well, but I highly doubt I could get the speeding off..

An idea I thought of was my manager did in fact tell me to "get back to dealership ASAP"..could I work around with that..?

Anyways, thanks a lot guys !

nope. for several reasons...

1. you are your own boss. if he told you to go kill someone, would you do it? if you did it, you would still be guilty of murder.
2. speeding is an absolute offense. there is virtually no legal defense to an absolute offense, if the prosecution is able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you did in fact commit the act of speeding. the earth could be ending, you could be on the verge of s***ting your pants and you had to rush to a toilet, nothing really excuses you from breaking the law (of speeding).
3. even if the above two points were somehow not valid, quite literally "get back to the dealership asap" does not mean speeding. it just means, don't go joy riding or picking up chicks or slurpee at 7-11, come back to the dealership asap.
Deal Fanatic
Jul 4, 2004
7534 posts
792 upvotes
Toronto
I don't think the prosecutor has heard the "I was rushing to get somewhere" excuse before...
Moderator
User avatar
Sep 30, 2001
30160 posts
10147 upvotes
Toronto
costumenationale wrote: An idea I thought of was my manager did in fact tell me to "get back to dealership ASAP"..could I work around with that..?
sorry but that has to be the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard of.
Be kind and civil with one another
Banned
User avatar
Apr 27, 2010
6280 posts
448 upvotes
Help me
MrDisco wrote: sorry but that has to be the absolute dumbest thing I've ever heard of.

relax, the OP is a young man. trying to be creative with his legal defense.

not everyone is a 40 year old virgin.

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