The 3rd worst part of getting a traffic ticket

[nile455]

Got a traffic citation last week... everyone knows the two obvious consequence: $$ fine, and points to your license (or the need for traffic school to avoid the points).

But the forgotten nuisance....

Today my mailbox was filled with 7 different pieces of junk mail from attorneys to traffic schools. Between yesterday and today, I count ELEVEN different pieces of mail relating to my traffic ticket.

How and why are these 3rd party companies able to know I got a ticket?? Does the state just give them all my personal information so they can fill my mailbox with this crap?

 

[christineann]

Many counties in SC have clerk of court records that are posted on line. Maybe your county's records are on line, and the attorneys are monitoring the site for potential clients.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My 2 obvious things are fines and paying an attorney to get it reduced so I don't have points on my license.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I got into an a car accident. The next day in the mail I got a letter from a lawyer along with a copy of my police report anda dvd and vcr tape about the law firm.

I was happy with the police report since it was out of town and I didnt have to mail money in for it.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Got a traffic citation last week... everyone knows the two obvious consequence: $$ fine, and points to your license (or the need for traffic school to avoid the points).

But the forgotten nuisance....

Today my mailbox was filled with 7 different pieces of junk mail from attorneys to traffic schools. Between yesterday and today, I count ELEVEN different pieces of mail relating to my traffic ticket.

How and why are these 3rd party companies able to know I got a ticket?? Does the state just give them all my personal information so they can fill my mailbox with this crap?

Because we live in Florida where all records are released to the public Just take the traffic school on line, fast and easy. Oh, and about that mailbox-wait a few months and start looking for the jury duty notice...

 

[j's m]

This happened to my DH last year. He got a ticket and was planning on paying it in cash so I wouldn't find out. But sure enough, a lawyer's letter came and since I open all the mail, I read it. He was so mad that they would rat him out.

 

[preshi]

Woah! I'm glad I live in California where I canjust go online, do traffic school there to avoid points, pay the fine and never think about my ticket again!

 

[HaleyB]

This happened to my DH last year. He got a ticket and was planning on paying it in cash so I wouldn't find out. But sure enough, a lawyer's letter came and since I open all the mail, I read it. He was so mad that they would rat him out.

Yeah, that is how I found out about my sons ticket. He was not happy either.

 

[schlepsnort]

My sophmore year in college I got a ticket but the officer wrote the WRONG YEAR on my date o birth on the ticket. So while i had to wait to get my license back I could use this wonderful ticket at bars and get served since she just made me LEGAL !!

And you know what, until I turned 21 I used that puppy often!

Thank you Ms.Policewoman, whereever you are! You made my time in college VERY MEMORABLE!! I was so popular, lol!

 

[nile455]

Oh, and about that mailbox-wait a few months and start looking for the jury duty notice...

Why do you say that?

Pardon my ignorance, but this is my first traffic citation in about 14 years.

 

[jcsbama]

If you want to just pay the ticket, there is a "trick" to not have your insurance go up. This is something an attorney my sister used to work for told her about 7 years ago. I don't know if it's the same in all states or if it still works today. But it's worth a try if you ever get a ticket.

Send in a check for the fine, but write it for a few dollars more than the actual cost of the ticket. When the local or state government sends you a refund for the overpayment, rip up the check and throw it away. Never cash it. It's not reported on your insurance until your account is closed. Your account can't be closed until the refund check is cleared.

 

[jfulcer]

If you want to just pay the ticket, there is a "trick" to not have your insurance go up. This is something an attorney my sister used to work for told her about 7 years ago. I don't know if it's the same in all states or if it still works today. But it's worth a try if you ever get a ticket.

Send in a check for the fine, but write it for a few dollars more than the actual cost of the ticket. When the local or state government sends you a refund for the overpayment, rip up the check and throw it away. Never cash it. It's not reported on your insurance until your account is closed. Your account can't be closed until the refund check is cleared.

False. http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp

Not to be blunt to the OP - but the trick to not having tickets cause your insurance go up is to not get them.

 

[jcsbama]

False. http://www.snopes.com/autos/law/ticket.asp

Wow, I sincerely apologize. The only time I've ever heard that was through my sister. I can't stand it when people automatically believe everything they hear without verifying the facts. I'm so embarrassed I believed something so bogus. I guess I just believed it because of the source it came from.

 

[ChristmasElf]

Why do you say that?

Pardon my ignorance, but this is my first traffic citation in about 14 years.

I recently got a jury duty summons in the mail. I was telling a friend about it and she mentioned she had gotten one too about 6 months after she got a ticket for rolling through a stop sign. I always thought they used Voting registration? She had thought the same thing until she had mentioned her ticket to a lawyer.
So that's why I said it!!!

 

[golfgal]

Minnesota doesn't have a point system for traffic violations which can be good and bad I suppose. I wish there was a "do not mail" list out there like there is a "do not call" list for telemarketers!

 

[nile455]

Minnesota doesn't have a point system for traffic violations which can be good and bad I suppose. I wish there was a "do not mail" list out there like there is a "do not call" list for telemarketers!

This is my main gripe. We all get tickets in our lifetime, and we pay the fine and we do the school and we take care of it. But it shouldn't ruin all the work I did to block my mailing info from marketers. Now I bet all these attorneys and traffic schools will send my info to other companies and back I am to getting junk mail and credit card applications every day and having to sift through all that junk to find my "real" mail.

 

[lucas]

um.....

Yes, you probably will be getting a notice for jury duty. Take my word for it. But that is all I'm gonna say

 

[jfulcer]

Wow, I sincerely apologize. The only time I've ever heard that was through my sister. I can't stand it when people automatically believe everything they hear without verifying the facts. I'm so embarrassed I believed something so bogus. I guess I just believed it because of the source it came from.

Don't sweat it. I've heard it dozens of times before (I've got a cousin who forwards everything on to everyone she knows) so knew where to look.