Tickets tonight, any advice?

[extm88]

This isnt about complaining about the tickets but more so looking to see if anyone has had any luck fighting such tickets.

1) Operate motor vehicle without license plate properly displayed.
The bolts are broken off where the plate normally goes and the car isnt going to be driven much longer. I have been driving around for the past month with the plate in the back window. I was asked by a cop while parked not to long ago why it was in the window and i told him to which he replied with no concern about it but was more so curious. I took pictures so if I decide to fight it I can show how visible it really is and it just isnt in the "traditional spot".
2)Fail to produce valid insurance card.
This is completely my fault for not having the new one with me. The one I gave him expired and I had not brought the new one into the car with me (which I do have).
I asked him if i prove that I have it if it would make a difference and he said no. I can understand this as it was my lack of attention but at the same time feel that a break should be given to anyone whom can prove after the fact that it was a honest error that was not going to harm anyone.

Both of these are checked off as a traffic safety act...does this mean demerits?

Thanks in advance and once again, not complaining but looking for opinions or advice.

[JordanAndrew]

Both are just fine so no demerits. You can come down and plea your case and they might lower the penalty.

[frizzlefry]

Can't speak to the plate issue but I did get pulled over once for running a yellow (yes, they enforce that if you are at a standstill when the light turns yellow and then go through, traffic was backed up) and I provided my current registration, license and an old insurance card...opps...new one at home. The cop said that it was old, I told him my bad but the insurance was current under the same company and policy number. All I got was the ticket for running the yellow. It seemed that he put my policy number in his computer, showed as current/active, did not care that the card was from the previous year. Guess I got a break. But as far as I know, you have to have all current papers with you. But Calgary is not like "Parking Wars" (Philadelphia) where it’s impossible to get your info without the paper. All the police need is the policy number etc and they can look you up in the computer. But again, law says.....

[Grogador]

There's no demerits for either. You can at least get them reduced to half price, maybe even get one dismissed if you ask nice. You're lucky that the cop believed that your insurance was valid, otherwise it would have cost you a tow, potential $2500 fine and a lot more hassle to get cleared up.

Use the savings to invest in some bolts+nuts for your plate and a couple photocopies of your pink slip.

Originally posted by frizzlefry
It seemed that he put my policy number in his computer, showed as current/active, did not care that the card was from the previous year.

I don't think cops can look up insurance policies (of every agency/broker out there??) on their terminals. In my encounter, the officer specifically told me that he wouldn't give me a no-insurance ticket because my registration was valid and recently renewed. The way the dates lined up, I wouldn't have been able to renew without a new valid policy... I got the "fail to present proof of insurance" reduced to $74.

[CUG]

You got looked after pretty well here dude. There coulda been a large mother ticket. Tell the crown you're broken and raising kids or whatever.

[mikey_mo_love]

Fail to produce insurance isn't the same as not having the vehicle insured. In the TSA, all motorists must provide their DL, registration, and proof of insurance on demand of a peace officer. It doesn't matter if the vehicle is actually insured, you still failed to produce. For me, anyways, I call the insurance company to see if the vehicle is in fact insured, and I let the driver go on their way....If you got a ticket saying that you were driving an uninsured motor vehicle, on the other hand, you can produce your valid insurance at the district office and have the ticket scrapped.

As for the plate improperly displayed, that's a pretty weak ticket. Not sure what you can do about that one. My advice? Go to Rona and get some bolts so you don't get hassled.

[extm88]

thanks for the 0.02 everyone.
Im thinking I will get the plate issue resolved and when I go in I can say not only was it visible before but I have also made changes.
As for the insurance, it was not about not having insurrance but about not having the slip. Which my policy and everything is the same so shouldnt he of been able to see on his computer? After all I sat in my car for over 15 min while he was in his....he had to of been doing something.

[Tik-Tok]

Location of plates

70(1) The owner of a vehicle shall attach a licence plate securely as follows:

(a) if the vehicle is not a truck tractor or a motor cycle, to the rear of the vehicle so that the lower edge of the plate is not lower than the axle;

(b) if the vehicle is a truck tractor, to the front of the vehicle;

(c) if the vehicle is a motor cycle, on the rear mudguard or rear fender so that it is clearly visible.

[Grogador]

Originally posted by extm88
As for the insurance, it was not about not having insurrance but about not having the slip. Which my policy and everything is the same so shouldnt he of been able to see on his computer? After all I sat in my car for over 15 min while he was in his....he had to of been doing something.

Not sure what you're trying to argue here, perhaps you should read our "0.02" again cuz it looks like you got some personal experiences and even some advice from a cop...

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Grogador


Not sure what you're trying to argue here

He seems to think the CPS have information on his insurance carrier in their system. Pretty sure they don't have this information, unless it was supplied by you at an earlier point in time (while getting a ticket on a previous day)

[extm88]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


He seems to think the CPS have information on his insurance carrier in their system. Pretty sure they don't have this information, unless it was supplied by you at an earlier point in time (while getting a ticket on a previous day)

This is what I was unsure of however thought someone posted above that they can enter in your policy.
Possible mis read.

I do not understand the person who posted the rules for a plate....not allowed to be below the axle is the opposite of having it in my window is it not?

[FraserB]

You might be able to reduce the fine but I dont see them pulling the license plate ticket. You did infact have it displayed improperly at the time. Did you have the plate illuminated as per the law?

[extm88]

Well it was half behind the window brake light (so that i had a window brake light and it was technically illuminated lol???

[mikey_mo_love]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
He seems to think the CPS have information on his insurance carrier in their system. Pretty sure they don't have this information.

Bingo. We can call the insurance carrier and ask if the vehicle that we just pulled over has valid insurance, but this is only during business hours. But that's still not the point of the ticket he gave you...fail to produce, not fail to have insurance.

[spikerS]

Originally posted by extm88


I do not understand the person who posted the rules for a plate....not allowed to be below the axle is the opposite of having it in my window is it not?

pretty simple. your plate was higher than the axle, but was it affixed to the rear of the vehicle?

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by extm88
Well it was half behind the window brake light (so that i had a window brake light and it was technically illuminated lol???

Doesn't matter. License plates aren't allowed to be covered by anything in Alberta, so you can't have it behind the glass.

[Scuderia]

Originally posted by 95EagleAWD


Doesn't matter. License plates aren't allowed to be covered by anything in Alberta, so you can't have it behind the glass.

300% wrong. Temporarily hanging your plate from the back window is not illegal, the excerpt Tik-Tok quoted merely mentions it not being allowed to be lower than the axle, it doesn't mention height. I've done it more times than I can remember, got pulled over for something else, and most times the cops didn't even ask about it if it's obvious why it's like that, ex: broken screws, just bought the car, dealer plates, etc. IF they want to be assholes (which is 99.9% of the time), they will bother you about it and can give you a ticket for it, but it's on the same grounds as the fucking retarded tickets they give when their is snow or dirt on your plate. I had some cop give me a ticket for having snow on my plate, in the middle of a heavy snow, and I got it thrown out without the Crown even questioning me.

[95EagleAWD]

Originally posted by Scuderia


300% wrong. Temporarily hanging your plate from the back window is not illegal, the excerpt Tik-Tok quoted merely mentions it not being allowed to be lower than the axle, it doesn't mention height. I've done it more times than I can remember, got pulled over for something else, and most times the cops didn't even ask about it if it's obvious why it's like that, ex: broken screws, just bought the car, dealer plates, etc. IF they want to be assholes (which is 99.9% of the time), they will bother you about it and can give you a ticket for it, but it's on the same grounds as the fucking retarded tickets they give when their is snow or dirt on your plate. I had some cop give me a ticket for having snow on my plate, in the middle of a heavy snow, and I got it thrown out without the Crown even questioning me.

I'm not wrong at all, it's illegal.

Just got a text back from an EPS friend... "With out posting the section, The plate cover, even clear is considered obstruction of the plate, they are NOT legal. Same with putting the plate in your rear window. Sorry, rushed answer... busy at work "

So, they CAN give you a ticket for it, like I said earlier. Whether they will or not is up to the cop.

[Feruk]

If it's illegal, then why do dealers put it there for test drives?

I've always been told it's perfectly legal to do. The exerp by Tik-Tok above seems to indicate it's legal too. In rear window: is "to the rear of the vehicle" (it says nothing about having to be at the VERY rear, or mounted) and above the axle. Perfectly legal as long as it's visible me thinks.

[Tomaz]

as long as the plate is visible, unobstructed, and lit.

Throwing the plate in the back window breaks 2 rules.

Dealers can get away with it because it is the nature of the business to need to put a plate on anything in the lot in a heartbeat. If the OP is a dealer and was selling the car as such, he probably wouldn't have been hassled.

Originally posted by Feruk
If it's illegal, then why do dealers put it there for test drives?

I've always been told it's perfectly legal to do. The exerp by Tik-Tok above seems to indicate it's legal too. In rear window: is "to the rear of the vehicle" (it says nothing about having to be at the VERY rear, or mounted) and above the axle. Perfectly legal as long as it's visible me thinks.