I'll have a warrant in about 12 hours

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SkyHog

SkyHog

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Everything Offends Me
Albuquerque Metro Court sucks.

Just before I left Albuquerque, I got pulled over on my motorcycle for going 41 in a 35. I was going from work, down the street to get a pack of cigarettes at the gas station on my motorcycle, and left my backpack (which holds my registration and insurance documents) back at work. When I got pulled over, I was literally right next to work, and could have easily grabbed the documents in less time than it took to write me the tickets. C'est la vie, I was speeding, and I didn't have the proof with me, so I know I deserved the tickets.

In Albuquerque, lack of proof of registration is a mandatory court date, which was scheduled by the system on March 18th. I told the police officer that I would be out of town until the 23rd, but he simply shrugged and said "you'll have to reschedule then."

This was on Saturday. I left on Monday morning. I had no chance to go down to the courthouse to provide the proof that was necessary, as the courts are closed on weekends. I called as soon as I arrived in Colorado Springs, and was told that they did not yet have my tickets on file, but to ensure that I call every day to make sure I can reschedule before the court date. I proceeded to call everyday, and was told numerous times that I could reschedule as long as I explained that I was out of state.

Finally, today, I called and they had the tickets on file, but I was told that I could not reschedule the court date over the phone, and I had to do it in person. I tried calling back, but kept getting the same lady who repeatedly told me that there was no option but to call the judge's quarters and explain my situation. I tried, but there was never an answer nor a returned phone call.

So tomorrow at 8am, I'll have a bench warrant issued for failure to appear. How awesome is that? I'm pretty sure that becomes a guilty plea too, which means I cannot show the proof of insurance/registration and get those dismissed (which is listed as official policy at the Bernalillo County Metro Court webpage).

Sigh. I don't usually ***** about things not being fair (because frankly, life's not always fair), but man, I did EVERYTHING right here (except for the original infraction), but I'm still getting hosed. WTF?

Edit: Should I bother pointing out how retarded the proof of registration law is anyways, since I have a freaking license plate on the back of the bike that SHOWS THAT IT IS REGISTERED?q
 
SkyHog said:
Albuquerque Metro Court sucks.

Just before I left Albuquerque, I got pulled over on my motorcycle for going 41 in a 35. I was going from work, down the street to get a pack of cigarettes at the gas station on my motorcycle, and left my backpack (which holds my registration and insurance documents) back at work. When I got pulled over, I was literally right next to work, and could have easily grabbed the documents in less time than it took to write me the tickets. C'est la vie, I was speeding, and I didn't have the proof with me, so I know I deserved the tickets.

In Albuquerque, lack of proof of registration is a mandatory court date, which was scheduled by the system on March 18th. I told the police officer that I would be out of town until the 23rd, but he simply shrugged and said "you'll have to reschedule then."

This was on Saturday. I left on Monday morning. I had no chance to go down to the courthouse to provide the proof that was necessary, as the courts are closed on weekends. I called as soon as I arrived in Colorado Springs, and was told that they did not yet have my tickets on file, but to ensure that I call every day to make sure I can reschedule before the court date. I proceeded to call everyday, and was told numerous times that I could reschedule as long as I explained that I was out of state.

Finally, today, I called and they had the tickets on file, but I was told that I could not reschedule the court date over the phone, and I had to do it in person. I tried calling back, but kept getting the same lady who repeatedly told me that there was no option but to call the judge's quarters and explain my situation. I tried, but there was never an answer nor a returned phone call.

So tomorrow at 8am, I'll have a bench warrant issued for failure to appear. How awesome is that? I'm pretty sure that becomes a guilty plea too, which means I cannot show the proof of insurance/registration and get those dismissed (which is listed as official policy at the Bernalillo County Metro Court webpage).

Sigh. I don't usually ***** about things not being fair (because frankly, life's not always fair), but man, I did EVERYTHING right here (except for the original infraction), but I'm still getting hosed. WTF?

Edit: Should I bother pointing out how retarded the proof of registration law is anyways, since I have a freaking license plate on the back of the bike that SHOWS THAT IT IS REGISTERED?q
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I don't think it will become an instant guilty plea (though going to warrant will add to court costs). Before you go to court, get a record of your phone bill showing that you tried calling over and over and were staying on top of it, dress well and call the judge "Your Honor" (I had a stack of tickets thrown out for that by the judge, he straight up said to his bailiff and clerk "He called me 'Your Honor!' toss his tickets out, Dismissed" and smacked his gavel. I just said "Thank you Your Honor" and left. See, a court room packed with illegals with tickets does have benefits.:D
 
...soap on a rope? ;-)

Get a lawyer! At this point, it will still save you money, even after att'y fees.
 
Anyone wondering when we will see Nick on Cops running from the law without a shirt one?

Nick: Remember the phrase 'Don't Tase me dude!'

it may come in handy ;)
 
At the risk of too little, too late, a lawyer could have represented you in court today had you made arrangements in advance. You definitely need one now.
 
Actually, I would call a lawyer pronto. Isn't having your driver's license suspended (a possibility in this case) something that affects your medical somehow, or is that just for alcohol-related things?

The last ticket I got was about seven years ago, and the one before that maybe 25 years ago. Both were in out-of-the-way places. Both times I paid lawyers to plead to vague, generic offenses that carried no points, and neither time did I have to go to court. (The courts don't care what you plead to, it seems, as long as they get the money.)

In one case, I never even met the lawyer. It was all done over the phone. In each case, what I paid the lawyers was was less than it would have cost to take the day off, drive to the "scene of the crime," as Arlo would say, wait around in court all day, and most likely lose at the end of the day, anyway.

Rich
 
I'm already baking a cake with a file in it Nick. Say Hi to Bubba for me.



:D
 
FYI

12 reasons why prison is better than a full-time job.

  1. In prison you spend the majority of your time in an 8' X 10' cell. At work you spend most of your time in a 6' X 8' cubicle.
  2. In prison you get three meals a day. At work you only get a break for one meal and you have to pay for that one.
  3. In prison you get time off for good behavior. At work you get rewarded for good behavior with more work.
  4. At work you must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors yourself. In prison a guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.
  5. In prison you can watch TV and play games. At work you get fired for watching TV and playing games.
  6. In prison they ball-and-chain you when you go somewhere. At work you are just ball-and-chained.
  7. In prison you get your own toilet. At work you have to share.
  8. In prison they allow your family and friends to visit. At work you cannot even speak to your family and friends.
  9. In prison all expenses are paid by taxpayers, with no work required. At work you get to pay all the expenses to go to work and then they deduct taxes from your salary to pay for the prisoners.
  10. In prison you spend most of your life looking through bars from the inside wanting to get out. At work you spend most of your time wanting to get out and inside bars.
  11. In prison you can join many programs which you can leave at any time. At work there are some programs you can never get out of.
  12. In prison there are wardens who are often sadistic. At work we have managers.
 
RJM62 said:
Actually, I would call a lawyer pronto. Isn't having your driver's license suspended (a possibility in this case) something that affects your medical somehow, or is that just for alcohol-related things?

The last ticket I got was about seven years ago, and the one before that maybe 25 years ago. Both were in out-of-the-way places. Both times I paid lawyers to plead to vague, generic offenses that carried no points, and neither time did I have to go to court. (The courts don't care what you plead to, it seems, as long as they get the money.)

In one case, I never even met the lawyer. It was all done over the phone. In each case, what I paid the lawyers was was less than it would have cost to take the day off, drive to the "scene of the crime," as Arlo would say, wait around in court all day, and most likely lose at the end of the day, anyway.

Rich
Click to expand...

A DL suspension is reportable on your medical, but doesn't often carry any penalty unless it is drug/alcohol related. A history of suspensions, on the other hand, may not look good to the NTSB.
 
RJM62 said:
Isn't having your driver's license suspended (a possibility in this case) something that affects your medical somehow, or is that just for alcohol-related things?
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If your drivers license is suspended or revoked for any reason, you must report it on your next medical certificate application. In addition, if alcohol or drugs were involved, you must report that to the FAA within 60 days of the action. Thus, if Nick's license is suspended over this, he'll have to explain that to the FAA when his medical comes due for renewal. And a history (that's a lot more than one) of suspensions (even not alcohol/drug-related) can be grounds for denying your medical if it's egregious enough to indicate that you have a "personality disorder" which prevents you from conforming your conduct to the rules of law.
 
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Ron Levy said:
If your drivers license is suspended or revoked for any reason, you must report it on your next medical certificate application. In addition, if alcohol or drugs were involved, you must report that to the FAA within 60 days of the action. Thus, if Nick's license is suspended over this, he'll have to explain that to the FAA when his medical comes due for renewal. And a history (that's a lot more than one) of suspensions (even not alcohol/drug-related) can be grounds for denying your medical if it's egregious enough to indicate that you have a "personality disorder" which prevents you from conforming your conduct to the rules of law.
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Y'all are taking this way overboard. He's got a proof of registration ticket for a vehicle he has legally registered. He'll show up late, he can show he tried to handle it in good faith, he had to leave town for work related reasons, it's gonna cost him $150 tops if he is polite, probably less, much less, no suspension.
 
Henning said:
Y'all are taking this way overboard. He's got a proof of registration ticket for a vehicle he has legally registered. He'll show up late, he can show he tried to handle it in good faith, he had to leave town for work related reasons, it's gonna cost him $150 tops if he is polite, probably less, much less, no suspension.
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He's the one who seems to think there'll be a bench warrant out for his arrest. In any event, I was merely answering a question posed by someone else, not necessarily Nick's situation. But I still urge Nick to get a lawyer to do his talking in court -- not to put too fine a point on it, based on some of his posts here, I fear Nick might argue his case in a manner more emotional than most judges are willing to accept.;)
 
Ron Levy said:
He's the one who seems to think there'll be a bench warrant out for his arrest. In any event, I was merely answering a question posed by someone else, not necessarily Nick's situation. But I still urge Nick to get a lawyer to do his talking in court -- not to put too fine a point on it, based on some of his posts here, I fear Nick might argue his case in a manner more emotional than most judges are willing to accept.;)
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There may be some truth to that:D, but I've met Nick, I think he can handle being contrite and polite before the judge. This is pretty much as "No big deal" as one can get.

Oh, BTW Nick, you've got three accidents coming to you, one low speed, one high speed, and one where you aren't paying attention to something. Be careful, I don't know anyone riding who hasn't had those three.
 
Guys, essential issue is this:

The FTA (Failure To Appear) will quickly add up to more cost than the underlying offenses.
 
Ooh, ooh! Can I be the one to call when we see Nick's story on "America's Most Wanted?" :rolleyes:
 
smigaldi said:
Anyone wondering when we will see Nick on Cops running from the law without a shirt one?

Nick: Remember the phrase 'Don't Tase me dude!'

it may come in handy ;)
Click to expand...

Don't forget the barefoot part & while Piper holds the cops off....:rofl::rofl::rofl:
 
Henning said:
Don't forget the barefoot part & while Piper holds the cops off....:rofl::rofl::rofl:
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And while he may outrun the cops, he can never outrun the Cops cameraman who hopes fences with cam focused on the perp and pans back to the officer. :yes:
 
Well, I can only assume at this point that I'm a convict on the run. lol.

The reason I assume there will be a bench warrant issued is because I've had friends nailed with an FTA, and they all had warrants issued as soon as the judge called their name and they were not present. My understanding (I hope its correct), is that no one actively pursues bench warrants, but if I get caught doing anything naughty, they'll arrest me on the spot because of it.

I'm not a lawyer, but I tried to obtain one yesterday. The problem being that I'm in Colorado, and was not near a computer, so I had some difficulty tracking one down. I tried calling my mother (a retired paralegal), and she tried to find a lawyer to represent me, but apparently none of her old friends were working yesterday (or she didn't try, but I'm not gonna let my mind go there).

So now, I get to go back to Albuquerque on Sunday, then Monday, before work, spend the entire morning at the courthouse praying that I can at least still get the two droppable offenses (proof of insurance and proof of registration) dropped, and only pay the speeding ticket after pleading guilty.

Worst case, I go into the BCMC, pay $150 per bench warrant (that's $450 alone), and beg them not to put me in jail since I can't afford to drop that kind of money. Yay Albuquerque.
 
I'm just wondering what cop writes a ticket for six miles over? That seems pretty ridiculous in itself.
 
Henning said:
Most likely he was doing 16 over ad the cop cut him some slack.
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Nah, I was literally going 6 over. I generally keep it at 5 over at all times, so 6 over sounds reasonable.

edit: I should point out - this was on February 29th, so quota may have been an issue. I was wrong on my time table - this happened Feb 29th, a Friday, Sat/Sun courts are closed, and I left Monday, the 3rd.
 
KennyFlys said:
I'm just wondering what cop writes a ticket for six miles over? That seems pretty ridiculous in itself.
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We've had cops stop people here for 0 (zero) miles over!
"What law? We are the law" :O
Its not really that bad but we have had some overzealous troopers over the years.
One ticketed a friend, after they 'asked' the trooper to dim their lights via the usual flash method. "I thought her lights were kind of bright, so I flicked mine -- never thought I'd get a ticket over it, sheesh."
 
KennyFlys said:
I'm just wondering what cop writes a ticket for six miles over? That seems pretty ridiculous in itself.
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I got pulled over in Nebraska for doing 4 over (69 in a 65 zone- speed agreed with the GPS track). I had NJ plates at the time. I was polite & contrite (and didn't have drugs in the car), so I was let off with a warning and a lecture.
 
Good luck getting this resolved. My advice is that you call the court tomorrow afternoon (not morning, it takes time for the stuff from the previous day to get into the system), and then do exactly what the court tells you to do. Regardless of the fact that they apparently screwed up what they told you.

The good news is that you may not have a BW out for you.
 
From the title I this was going to be about you hitting the lady in your avatar with your motorcycle. heh.
 
Brook, I certainly would not put it past Nick to hit the woman in his avatar...

...but I am guessing the motorcycle would not be the weapon of choice! :goofy:
 
NM must be a lot different than Missouri. If you receive a citation here your court date is no less than 30 days out. If you FTA on your court date, a letter is sent to you giving you another court date and warning you if you FTA this time a warrant will be issued. Never in my 26 years have I issued a speeding ticket for less than 10 over. Must have been one with the blue flame burning bright or he thought he had him an outlaw biker.:rofl: Do as you wish, but I would save the money for the fine and forget about the attorney. Just go turn yourself in when you get home, pay the fine and chalk this one up as a lesson learned.
 
SCCutler said:
Brook, I certainly would not put it past Nick to hit the woman in his avatar...

...but I am guessing the motorcycle would not be the weapon of choice! :goofy:
Click to expand...

Hmmmmm...... Are you talking about Nick, or 80% of red-blooded single males?:goofy:(No touching the rest of us!:rofl:)
 
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