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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    2

    Default Should I Contest a Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Ticket

    My question involves a traffic ticket from the state of: Massachusetts

    Last night (Thursday) at 12:20 am I was driving on my college campus and my friend and I were on our way to get food since we were cramming for finals. The officer pulled me over seconds after I turned left at the stop sign.

    I'm very sure that I stopped at this stop sign since it is at the bottom of a hill I drive every day and also I made a left turn at the bottom.

    The ticket is 105$ and I'm more worried about insurance costs going up or it going on my record. I'm wondering what to do, this was my first time being pulled over and I've never had to do this before. Also I'm an out-of-state student from New Jersey in Massachusetts so I'm not sure if that could change anything.

    Thank you in advanced for your help

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: Should I Contest a Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Ticket

    Your being "very sure" doesn't mean the officer didn't observe you failing to make a complete cessation of motion BEFORE the stop line/crosswalk/intersection.
    Nothing you say is likely going to be compelling in light of the officer's expert testimony that you broke the law. Massachusets doesn't have a formal "take traffic school to get out of the ticket" option. Feel free to go to court, expect to lose unless something amazing happens.

    You will get TWO POINTS on your NJ license for the out of state conviction. Your insurance company will hear about it. Whether they raise their rates is up to them (NJ doesn't have any mandatory scoring on these things). You may be able to offset the rate increase by taking a defensive driving course. Again, you'll have to ask your insurer.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
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    2

    Default Re: Should I Contest a Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Ticket

    Quote Quoting flyingron
    View Post
    Your being "very sure" doesn't mean the officer didn't observe you failing to make a complete cessation of motion BEFORE the stop line/crosswalk/intersection.
    Nothing you say is likely going to be compelling in light of the officer's expert testimony that you broke the law. Massachusets doesn't have a formal "take traffic school to get out of the ticket" option. Feel free to go to court, expect to lose unless something amazing happens.

    You will get TWO POINTS on your NJ license for the out of state conviction. Your insurance company will hear about it. Whether they raise their rates is up to them (NJ doesn't have any mandatory scoring on these things). You may be able to offset the rate increase by taking a defensive driving course. Again, you'll have to ask your insurer.
    Thanks for your quick response. I assumed it would be a he said/she said thing. I've also never gone to court and have no idea how this would work. Would you recommend just paying it and moving on with life then? I don't want to pay court fees and go through the stress of the court system if I have a very low chance of proving anything.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2016
    Posts
    1,131

    Default Re: Should I Contest a Failure to Stop at a Stop Sign Ticket

    Quote Quoting PearlLiason
    View Post
    I'm very sure that I stopped at this stop sign...

    Everyone says that. EVERYONE.

    I used to think that people were just trying to get over on me by saying that when I stopped them for a stop sign violation. After the first few hundred stops I became convinced that people are just stupid and convince themselves that they stopped even though they did not.

    Try parking on the street by a stop sign for a while and observe the behavior of drivers. NO ONE stops at stop signs, or at least 98% don't. But if you stop them they will argue up and down and say "I DID stop!".

    In jurisdictions where there is plea bargaining I always advise motorists to go to court and take their chances. The only "stress" involved is caused by your own imagination.

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