Hey all, i just got bagged for rolling threw a stopsign...in holiston. I did a 5-10mph roll, it was 10:15 at night and no one was on the road, there was acop with his lights off (not even sure if they are allowed to do that, i thought cops must have there lights on at all times when weather is dark dangerous?) in a used car lot adjacent to the light, i rolled threw and before i knew it he drove behind me without his lights on (No head lights or strobes) then hit them all, and then another cruiser pulled up behind him. Holiston only has 3 mobile units to begin with. Then this f*cker finally comes out of his cruiser and is "i am officer so, and so, lisence and registration, then he goes back and talks to his buddies for like 20 mins then finally comes over looks over my car (Not admireing it, he was looking at my exhaust) then he tossed me my lisence and a ticket and said here is your citation fight it or pay it. then walked back to his car. The guy was a *****. He prob just got on and has a case of "tough guy" syndrome. Ok, now i look at the citation and it says failure to stop at redlight 100 bucks. Now i know the min for a civil infraction is $75 in Ma, or so i think. I have a clean record, no moveing violations, just 1 for my seatbelt when i was 16, and 1 for an expired sticker, but it doesnt go to my insurance. Since it was not a moveing violation. Other then that i am clean as a whistle. So i want to know why i got 25 dollars over the average civil infraction and given someone with my driveing history. I know a girl that rolled threw a stop light in NH and got a 30 dollar ticket!!! How come mine is double that? Anyone know of any sites that list motor vehicle infractions and there fines? I tried the RMV but they are useless. Also do you think i should fight it in, just the hopes to get it reduced?

 

my friend got a ticket for an expired sticker and he got a surcharge...he called his insurance and it was a moving violation....i got a ticket for blowing a red light and it was a 100 bucks

 

The cop that pulled me over said that it wasnt a moveing violation for the expired sticker...it was 50 bucks, but i believe that the money just goes to the town you were caught in. Not the state so i am not sure if it will go on your insurance or not. Technically they can tow and impound your car for the expired sticker. As for the 100 dollars i am just trying to see if that is the norm. I am haveing no luck in obtaining any information about it. If i do fight it, i dont want to go in empty handed...and sound like i dont know what iwas talkin about. I always thought that cops were supposed to have there parkin lights on when parked at night?

 

I'm just tryin to help you out with the info.......my buddy and i were driving down rt 1A which is kinda like a highway...three lanes each way....he got a ticket about four days later in the mail from a state trooper that saw his expired sticker while he was parked in a lot......complete BS if you ask me because how did he see his sticker while we were goin by at about 50 and the sticker was only a couple of days overdue, but it was legit...his sticker was expired and he got a fine. They even said on the ticket it was RT 1A......he got a letter from his insurance company a couple of months after saying he had a surcharge...he called them up to find out what the surcharge was for and they said that a expired sticker is a moving violation...another thing about blowing the stop sign thing....there isnt' much you can do about it....just go and say you came to a complete stop....and i've been pulled over before by a cop at night that all of a sudden hit all his lights and pulled me over. No parking lights or anything...i knew he was behind me but there was nothing i could do. As far as i know that is illegal but that would hold water in court because it's your word against his. Hope it works out for you though

 

read the ticket closer...theres a 25 dollar surcharge for the head injury fund. I have been a step 35...I know tickets well

 

oh yeah i forgot about the 25 dollar sur charge but that is usually listed on the violation isnt it? That is total BS about the sticker though. Does anyone know of a website that i can go to to look up what the normal fine ammount for this is? I mean i thinks its kinda bs that NH makes you pay 30 while here in ma we get slammed with 100. One more reason to move out of this sh!tty state. I also the cop didnt have his headlights or parking lights on when he pulled out into the road after me, arguably i ran the red and so did he without any lights on. My insurance right is is 265 a month...if it goes up any higher i am going to be screwed. I know i am still going to be found guilty..and i did go threw the red, not denying it..not whineing about it, just looking for information. Also i find it totally bogus that there is a court fee...i mean am i paying the officer to come testify against me? Cause thats sure what it feels like

 

I am a police officer. I don't want to knock a fellow officer, and I was not there when you were stopped, but I do have a couple of things to say that might be of help. First of all, we can park with all lights out unless we are somehwere where we pose a traffic hazard (so in a parking lot, or a field is fine). He wrote you up (according to your first entry) for failing to stop for a red lens. That is a different chapter and section of the law than a stop sign. This might be helpful at the appeal. The first appeal is in front of the clerk magistrate. Bring in a picture of the intersection and tell the clerk "as you can see here there is no traffic light, how did I run one where there is none?" That should be the end of it. The exception would be if he wrote you up under 720CMR9.06 Which is a commercial motor vehicle regulation that covers either or both violations (along with most anything else you can think of). It is just a different set of laws that also apply. They were written for the turnpike and state hwys but local guys also use them because the fines are usually less than chapter 90 or 89 fines for the same offense.
As far as the guy being a *****. Hey cops are like steaks. Not every one is a good one. For what it is worth, I don't consider myself, or most of the guys on our department ******, but we do have guys that are over the top with the attitude. For the most part, I treat people nicely and with respect until they give me a reason not to. I think most guys are that way. But you are right, there are some guys out there wrapped a bit too tight. Good luck with your appeal.

 

Thank you for your post. and yes it was a red light, and i called the courthouse and it is a 100 dollar fine first offence. I know cops are good and bad, my father is a cop and i am a Shift supervisor for a security company. And i dont treat people like this..but anyway thanks again for your post

 

Expired inspection sticker is surchargable. It's 2 pts. on your insurance, as well as a $50 fine. Same thing as a speeding ticket, just a cheaper fine.

 

Nice post 93RAM-AIR-BIRD.