Ticket for Wearing Headphones in Both Years While Riding a Bike

[slugabedd]

My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of California. I go to school in california and live close to school. I got a ticket for riding a bike with earplugs in both ears 5 months ago. I had been in this country for 2 months and was shocked when this happened as I though this only applied when driving a car.

The cop immediately pulled me over. However, as I did not have a valid state ID or driver permit yet, he used my college ID card to write down my name and asked me for my weight and height to write down on the ticket as well, before he handed me a ticket. He said it would not be a large amount and should be under $50 or something, depending on the judge, but would give it to me anyway so that I learn my lesson. Anyway, he said the ticket will me in my mail. As I did not have any proof of address on me or any govt. documentation, he took my word for my address (i gave him the correct only obviously) for the citation.

I got the ticket 3 weeks later in my mail and it was a crazy $200. It even had my first name spelled incorrectly, with two characters incorrect. Although I am a student with no money to spare, i decided that I should just pay it off online. As I did not have a DL, the online system asked me to enter name and DOB. When I do that, it does not let me pay. To be honest, it is the worst site ever.

Being too busy at school and spending 2 straight days trying to pay online (can only pay during day and not night), I got too busy with school work and stupidly forgot about it. Now i have received another follow up for failure to appear in court and they have bumped up the amount to $879. This it says is the bail amount or something. However, it says that they will reduce it by $300 if I pay within 10 days. Seeing that they do not have DL or any other information that is official, and even have an incorrect name, that the only thing they have is my address, which is a rental, should I even bother paying the fine now. I certainly know that the online thing does not work. I will be moving out of this rental in an year, when school gets over.

What are the chances of a cop showing up at my door? What should I do? Being an international student, I am thoroughly confused. Any help is much appreciated.

[Disagreeable]

Looking to have your visa revoked? You need to address this with the court and appear in front of a judge.