disputing a translink fine...

[lil_dave]

I got hit today with a transit fine at the skytrain today. Normally I have my monthly fare card with me but this time I forgot it at home.

Thing that I don't find fair is that I haven't even taken a ride yet. As I go up the escalator, I get stopped by transit cops upon stepping off. I sift through my wallet and find my fare card missing and soon after I get slapped with a $173 ticket! $173??!! That's a bloody ridiculous amount for a one single moment's mistake. And it's not as if I went up that escalator with the intent for theft of service.

Anyways, does anybody know what are the chances that I can get this disputed? has anyone gone through the dispute process before? Any tips and advice?

 

[keiratouch]

You can always try to go to court...

you can always try to go to court over it, lol I remember years ago on halloween, I was pretty hung over (Aka still drunk) and I forgot to switch my monthly fair and I got fined, they told me all I had to do was go to court and tell them I am a broke student, they also said it would help if I wore a sheer white top and a mini skirt Also if you have proof of purchase of your fair card as well as your fair card at the date or trial that might help.

 

[niteowl]

If you had noticed on the ground at the base of the escalator or the sign above the escalator, the elevator or stairs, it would have read something like This is Fare Paid Zone.
So if it is worth your time to fight it then by all means.

 

[HeMadeMeDoIt]

Dispute it and hope that the wanna be cop doesn't show up. Like Niteowl says there's a sign I always see at the entrance to the station that says its a fair paid zone and everyone beyond this point must have a valid ticket.

 

[lil_dave]

I have a strong feeling that me wearing a sheer white top will...um...increase the fine I am charged with. But, it may be worth the cost just to see their faces.

And yes, niteowl, I have noticed the signs. What I didn't notice was my missing fare card. My point is that 173 is a ridiculously high number for a moment of absent mindedness. If allowed, I could have walked 3 minutes back home to pick it up. It also doesn't help that I just put in all my money into a downpayment for a mortgage so I literally have $0 in my accounts. So, yeah, it is worth my time to fight it.

I'm looking for tips, advice, and generally knowledge on what happens during the dispute process. The pressure usually makes me choke and I end up making my situation worse during these kinds of things.

 

[lil_dave]

What happens when the cop doesn't show up?

 

[Pantherdash]

What happens when the cop doesn't show up?

It gets thrown out of court for lack of evidence.

Panther

 

[Harmony-bc]

You could try contacting someone in motor vehicle branch and see what they say. If you get pulled over with out your licence you have 24 hrs or something to produce it. Maybe if you can prove when you bought it, etc. Bring your bus pass, if you do go to court. You can whine about how hard/expensive life is, maybe they will cut it in half or cancel it completely. If you ignore it, you could get a warrant out for your arrest, hahaha. So, buddy, what are you in here for?, lol

The reason those tickets are so expensive is to pay for all of governments stupid spending, deficit, etc.

 

[PlatformBootz]

its easy
If you get detained for not having a ticket, all you have to do is:
1. Tell the skytrain pig you KNOW you have the ticket or pass on you, and pat yourself down, checking each pocket at least 10 times. Do it slowly, make them impatient. They will eventually just get sick of the stall and start to write you a ticket. Immediately take the fine, saying that you will dispute it because you DO have the ticket, you just can't find it on you at this very moment in time.
2. Go to the court date, with the valid faresaver ticket for that day and time, or a monthly pass for that month. Make sure the times match up with your fine.
3. Show the judge the ticket or pass, walk out of there without paying the fine.
It ALWAYS helps if you don't actually have a ticket to say, when you get pulled over, that you KNOW you have it on you somewhere, you just can't find it, and you will take the ticket but immediately dispute it. The arresting officer will normally have to make a note of this, and it makes your case when you go to court a lot more better.

 

[festealth]

its easy

If you get detained for not having a ticket, all you have to do is:

1. Tell the skytrain pig you KNOW you have the ticket or pass on you, and pat yourself down, checking each pocket at least 10 times. Do it slowly, make them impatient. They will eventually just get sick of the stall and start to write you a ticket. Immediately take the fine, saying that you will dispute it because you DO have the ticket, you just can't find it on you at this very moment in time.

2. Go to the court date, with the valid faresaver ticket for that day and time, or a monthly pass for that month. Make sure the times match up with your fine.

3. Show the judge the ticket or pass, walk out of there without paying the fine.

It ALWAYS helps if you don't actually have a ticket to say, when you get pulled over, that you KNOW you have it on you somewhere, you just can't find it, and you will take the ticket but immediately dispute it. The arresting officer will normally have to make a note of this, and it makes your case when you go to court a little more feasible. This has worked twice for me.

Wow, I've never thought of that.


I was thinking that they can't really give you a ticket if you said you forgot your wallet. And it should be a common and believable mistake. I mean it's kinda hard to proof someone's identity if you don't show them your driver's licence/BCID/etc.

 

[lil_dave]

Wow, this is more of a reply than I've expected. All good information. Thanks!

I do agree that a better fare checking system would have prevented my slipup. It's so easy to simply walk through the station, board the train, ride, and not even realize I don't have a fare. It's almost as if they're intending to trap people into it.

 

[Kevin101]

Dispute it, call in sick, they give you another date.
Dispute it, call and say you have to go to the hospital(make up some sort or a decent excuse) then they give you another date.
Go to it, chances are tht the cop being there are very low.

My friends did this couple times for their speeding tickets and the cop never even showed up the 3rd/4th time.

 

[lil_dave]

ahh, yes, there's a "enf. officer's #" down at the bottom.

 

[dorian_gray]

What happened?

I remembered the days when Transit police wasn't so trigger happy. If you don't look like a bum, and you didn't have your wallet with you, chances are you're probably telling the truth and should really just let you go, maybe with a provision to show your pass within 24 hours. Maybe at the very worst, he asks you to get your pass (and wallet) before boarding again ... which kinda did you a favor.

Is it just me or is it a general consensus ... they just suddenly realized that if they didn't use their authority, they would lose it? What makes them think we are a bunch of lying, cheating, bastards? C'mon, even our mayor skipped on paying for SkyTrain a could times.

DG.

 

[Devils_Advocate]

Has anyone said they didn't have any id? Without a piece of id it's hard for them to write you a ticket. Just make sure you've go you fake name and address down pat.

 

[chiapet]

Wow, this is more of a reply than I've expected. All good information. Thanks!

I do agree that a better fare checking system would have prevented my slipup. It's so easy to simply walk through the station, board the train, ride, and not even realize I don't have a fare. It's almost as if they're intending to trap people into it.

Can you not take some responsibilty for the fact you didn't have proof of fare to show the cop? Is it anyones fault you forgot it? How many times do you think the cop hears that same excuse when they nab someone without a ticket? A better fare chacking system is you checking to make sure you have paid the fare and have the proof in your hands before heading to the platform.

 

[Jodie]

Can you not take some responsibilty for the fact you didn't have proof of fare to show the cop? Is it anyones fault you forgot it? How many times do you think the cop hears that same excuse when they nab someone without a ticket? A better fare chacking system is you checking to make sure you have paid the fare and have the proof in your hands before heading to the platform.

The man does have a point here...

You may be able to get the fine dropped if it is your first offence and you can prove that you do indeed have a valid farecard for the month. You will need to show the farecard as well as the receipt, bank statement or credit card statement showing it was purchased before the date/time of the ticket.

Saying that, I believe the violation itself is something along the lines of "failure to show proof of fare purchase." Unfortunately, if you forgot your pass, then you are in violation, regardless of whether or not you do have a pass somewhere other than on your person. It's sort of like when you park at an Impark lot and get a ticket for "failing to display a valid receipt on your dash," as opposed to a ticket for not paying the parking fee. This is how they get around all the excuses from people who say they paid but didn't put the receipt on their dashboard.

Another example of a similar offence would be with your car insurance. If you've forgotten to put your new insurance decal on your plates, you can still get a fine for failing to display proof of insurance, even if you have paid for insurance.

Good luck!

 

[lil_dave]

While he does make a good point, and I'm not arguing that I did indeed forget it. My complaint is how much the ticket is. It would be great if it was dropped, but I'm more than satisfied to have it reduced. A parking ticket is $40, a missing decal ticket is $60, forgetting your driver's license when you drive is $80, a speeding ticket of 75kph in 50kph zone is $120. Tell me how it's fair to be charged $173 for something that I've already paid for?

Yes, I know that people do cheat the system. But why must I be punished for their crimes?

Okay okay, I admit, I took two whole steps into the fare paid zone. I am completely in the wrong, right? Well, even if I do take responsibility like a good little citizen, I won't be able sit still and not feel completely cheated about it. And you have to admit, MOST people won't either.

 

[Jodie]

The fine has to be high enough to deter all the people who would simply play the odds.

But seriously, try to dispute it by showing proof of payment. If it is your first "offence" they will likely waive the fine as a courtesy. Write them a polite letter explaining the situation, and provide a copy of your pass and proof of purchase. I actually got Impark to waive a parking ticket by sending them my parking receipt that was valid during the time the violation notice was issued, and my credit card statement showing that it was indeed I who had purchased the parking. Even though I was still in violation of their policy for failing to display the receipt on my dash, they were reasonable about the whole thing... and they are a private, for-profit company.