What sucks about AZ

by **Bob Burd** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 3:43 pm

Just to catch you all up on my little experiment.

It's been 1 1/2yrs since the two tickets. A guy came to my door in San Jose last summer to serve me for one of them. The $181 fine has grown to $257.50, but since one of them was apparently forgotten, I'm still ahead by $100. Two weeks ago I got my FINAL NOTICE! (It has it just like that - all in caps). If I don't pay by today, Sep 15, they are going to turn it over to a collection agency with an additional 19% penalty. Further down the notice is this gem:

"A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED"

but down in the non-cap print below it says this:
"except in civil photo enforcement cases."

So it looks like there was no warrant issued, which was my only real concern. It's not like the collection agency is going to have any better luck collecting from me than the city of Phoenix did.

by **John Duffield** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 4:21 pm

Please let us know what happens next time you go to AZ. I think the day is coming when they'll have machines that will read the plates as they go by and track people with open warrants. One more big terrorist attack should do it.

I've gotten tickets in nearly state out west as well. Most Easterners think it's wide open but things have changed since it's become one big suburb of L.A.

by **Bob Burd** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:07 pm

Mr Leghorn wrote:but I strongly doubt anything will ever happen to you and unless pulled over by a real cop

If I understand things correctly, even this isn't a problem. Without a warrant, I would simply get a written ticket if I get pulled over in the future. I would then be obliged to pay that one, else a warrant would then be issued. It seems like the photo tickets are pretty unenforceable for out-of-staters, at least for now.

by **MoapaPk** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 6:49 pm

Bob Burd wrote:It's not like the collection agency is going to have any better luck collecting from me than the city of Phoenix did.

The collection agency can have a negative influence on your credit rating.

In many states, simply missing a court date leads to an arrest warrant; I'm actually surprised that's not pushed in AZ.

by **Augie Medina** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 7:53 pm

MoapaPk wrote:The collection agency can have a negative influence on your credit rating.

True. Check to see if the unpaid citation is on one of your free annual credit reports in a few months. And you may get a letter or call from the collection agency. What the long arm of the law won't do to collect $181!

by **surgent** » Wed Sep 15, 2010 10:42 pm

Mountain Impulse wrote:
MoapaPk wrote:The collection agency can have a negative influence on your credit rating.

True. Check to see if the unpaid citation is on one of your free annual credit reports in a few months. And you may get a letter or call from the collection agency. What the long arm of the law won't do to collect $181!

Just keep doing what you can do so that when you finally pay, they've spent more money on you than they collected. That's how to get back at the Man.

by **Bob Burd** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:49 am

Mountain Impulse wrote:
MoapaPk wrote:The collection agency can have a negative influence on your credit rating.

True. Check to see if the unpaid citation is on one of your free annual credit reports in a few months. And you may get a letter or call from the collection agency. What the long arm of the law won't do to collect $181!

Luckily I don't have to worry what it does to my credit score. And as long as it doesn't affect my National Parks Pass renewal, I'm good.

by **Wandering Sole Images** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 7:51 pm

brianhughes wrote:When I was in Switzerland, I recall somebody telling me that the fines for speeding tickets over there are based on a person's income. Guess they figure the more you can afford, the more you should have to pay.

In a way, there's a similar system here... although it's an informal one. When I drove a brand new truck, I got a ticket every single time a cop saw me going as much as 12-13 km over the speed limit (10 km over is when they start ticketing you. I've never heard of anyone getting a ticket for <10km over the speed limit). Nowadays, when I'm driving a '92 mini-van (I drive a mini-van? Ugh, what happened to my spine??!) I've never once got a ticket in the same situation. I'd imagine it's similar anywhere... young guy, new vehicle---> ticket.

by **surgent** » Sun Sep 19, 2010 8:25 pm

If you drive a more obvious vehicle, you'll likely catch the eye of the trooper. They're human too. They're gonna see the nice looking trucks or sporty vehicles first, just like the rest of us. Minivans just don't have that eye-catching appeal.

Similarly, if you want to speed a little, find someone going about the speed you want to go and get in behind them, but not so close as to make it obvious. Never get in behind the fastest person.

by **Bob Burd** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:06 am

The dreaded Collection Agency has been unleashed. The fine has now increased to $348. Near as I can tell from all the legal mumbo-jumbo, they're recommending that I don't seek employment in AZ nor play the lottery there.

by **aqua** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 1:41 am

Pay the fine, end of the crime. My question is why have you not payed the ticket? The late charges will only make the fine more and more as time goes on.

by **Augie Medina** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 3:44 am

Bob Burd wrote:The dreaded Collection Agency has been unleashed. The fine has now increased to $348. Near as I can tell from all the legal mumbo-jumbo, they're recommending that I don't seek employment in AZ nor play the lottery there.

Now the question is whether AZ has some procedure whereby they file a small claims action against you to get a judgment.

by **Day Hiker** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 4:02 am

FortMental wrote:Doesn't matter. At this point, I wouldn't pay. Let 'em come for you with a SWAT team and the evening news helicopter. Hold off those assholes with a bic lighter and a can of WD40.

As far as I'm concerned the entire state can ram red hot re-bar up its ass.... and rinse with a habanero enema.

+1

by **Noondueler** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:06 am

I rolled through a red on 19th ave. in S.F. 5 years ago. Cop pulled me over and issued. I thought it might be kinda high. What I got in the mail was a ticket for $1,077 AND SOME CHANGE. I thought I read it wrong, thought they printed an extra 7 on there but ...it was no joke! I figured the city was havin' a cash flow prob. and wanted me to share it.
Luckily I was elligible for traffic school and after school and 2 personal appearances at the mighty Hall of Justice Building in the beautiful City by the Bay I managed to get outa the whole thing for less than 3 bills.

by **surgent** » Fri Oct 15, 2010 4:17 pm

FortMental wrote:I fucking hate Ari-fucking-Zona. The only dumb-shit state with a Z in it. Other than Missouri. The worse thing about living in New Mexico is being sandwiched between the dickheads in A frikkin' Zee and the ass-tards in Tee fucking Ex. Arizona is the only state that makes Texas look like a state populated by physically fit caring honor students.

Who the fuck lives in a state where cold tap water comes out of the faucet warmer than fresh piss? Who can live in state where the only ski area makes snow out of raw sewage? And what the fuck is an Arizona Cardinal, anyway? There'a a bird that hasn't been seen in Arizona in, what, 165,000 years? If ever! And who the fuck ever thought up Evan Mecham? And then elected him governor?

You know....that's why God created the Colorado Plateau: to flush Arizona into the Mexican piss pot otherwise known as El Golfo De California. He just didn't think it would take so long....

THAT is what sucks about Arizona.

Don't forget our lovely blue skies.

By the way, stay away from Tempe for awhile. I've been dinged with two spurious camera tickets in the last month.

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