Some Traffic Ticket Fighters Are Stupid & Incompetent (Cousin Charged)

[Pegassus]

So rewind back to early last year and my cousin was making a left turn into a TD bank (at Weston and Steeles ave), a car on the opposite direction stopped to let her go through but another car in the other oncoming lane did not and she was broadsided highly enough to render her vehicle a write-off. Cops showed up and asked the other driver what happened and wrote a report, they never asked my cousin anything just her basic information. I came to the accident scene to comfort my cousin and a cop came over and asked her if she wanted to say her side of the story but warned us that whatever we said was going to be used against us in any legal contest so we declined to say our side of the story because I told my cousin that would give us more time to think about it. Anyways, based on what the other driver said the stupid cop charged my cousin with "careless driving" a charge that is the 2nd most serious in the HTA after drunk driving and killing a person, in fact even drunk drivers who cause accidents seldom get this charge.

Anyways, I get the phone number of an "excellent" traffic ticket fighter (from my co-worker) and this paralegal claimed he was a police officer in the 1980's. His office is in Richmond Hill and he's not cheap, it costed my cousin $450+ tax for him to go fight the ticket. Anyways forward some months later and there were 2 days left for trial, we called the traffik fighter and made sure he knew there was a trial coming up on behalf of us and he said on the phone "What's your case and what's your name?" We told him and he said "Oh yeah, I got your papers right here and I'm aware, don't worry we are going to fight this on Thursday". Anyways we anxiously wait for thursday to pass and nobody called us with any news of what transcurred. Then comes friday and nobody calls us. Nobody calls saturday. On sunday the offices are closed. On monday we called them and his partner told us that our traffic fighter had not brought his papers from his house so he wasn't sure how our case turned out and to call back in the evening.

We called back on monday evening and finally we spoke to the guy, this is where the anger started. He jubilantly exclaimed "We got it reduced to 'Unsafe Left Turn' !!, we took a plea bargain deal!..." We were like WTF? Who in hell told you to take plea bargains? We could have done that ourselves and not pay you $450. The paralegal then went on to remark "Well the cop and his witness showed up so we would have lost the case if we went to trial so we took the best available option which was to accept the plea bargain". I was like, WTF are you retarded man? I had a bad feeling about these guys even before the trial because they NEVER asked my cousin how the accident happened, how in hell were these idiots going to fight such a serious driving charge without asking those involved how and why it happened? Pedestrians were crossing the sidewalk when my cousin tried to drive in so she had to stop in the middle of the street and the other guy wasn't even paying attention when he slammed into her, there were no brake skid marks on the road, yet this stupid professional paralegal did not asked us for details?

Guys don't ever go and give your money to these traffic ticket guys, they are just like you and me and have no "special powers" or "inside friendships", all they want to do is get rid of you get as many cases processed to make more money, this is why they are eager to accept plea bargains that will screw you up. These guys have a professional office at the corner of Yonge @ Major Mackenzie, STAY AWAY FROM THEM, they are useless and are not there for you, they just want to get rid of you quikcly because they have 100 other dolts in their portfolio that they have to "represent" that day.

 

[hondahhh]

Yeah they're a total joke, basically you're paying them so you don't have to go. They don't have any special powers other than nice clothes and half decent vocabulary.

I paid one once... long time ago, same deal 4-500 down the drain hahahaha. It's funny now atleast.

Had a careless charge around 2 years ago, I couldn't take the day off work so I begged my brother to go for me. I gave him the ticket, wrote a note authorizing him to represent me(names, date, licence #, signatures, etc.) He called me later that day and said they threw the charge out! SWEET! I tripled his salary for the day, win win.

 

[turbodish]

my cousin was making a left turn into a TD bank (at Weston and Steeles ave), a car on the opposite direction stopped to let her go through but another car in the other oncoming lane did not and she was broadsided highly enough to render her vehicle a write-off.

Clearly the car that your sister hit in the second oncoming lane had the right of way. So how would YOU have defended against your sister violating that right of way?

 

[Pegassus]

First of all learn how to read, it was my cousin, and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that? She had no choice but to stop in her tracks to avoid killing 2 pedestrians,

"Sir I did not violate his right of way, I was forced to violate it when I suddenly saw the two people crossing my path and this gentleman had a LOT of time to stop and let the record show that there were no skid marks on the road which shows you that the oncoming driver wasn't paying attention, in his place when someone besides me makes a stop in the middle of the road I also stop because maybe children or geese are crossing the street, so Mr.Judge I do not deserve this charge since the cop was not even present to see the precarious situation and why all this happened".

 

[klr_guy]

First of all learn how to read, it was my cousin, and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that? She had no choice but to stop in her tracks to avoid killing 2 pedestrians,

Or, crazy concept I know, she could have checked to make sure it was clear to make the left turn before making the left turn?

 

[hondahhh]

Haha this has already gotten pretty entertaining.

In some states, florida specifically, the driver who stopped and waved for you to go could have been charged.

I thought we were cutting up the "fake lawyers" not bad driving?

 

[imnothng]

The person making the left turn is 100% at fault for ANY accident that occurs, even if the other car was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit her, it's her fault. Sorry, but them's the rules.

 

[turbodish]

First of all learn how to read, it was my cousin, and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that? She had no choice but to stop in her tracks to avoid killing 2 pedestrians,

"Sir I did not violate his right of way, I was forced to violate it when I suddenly saw the two people crossing my path and this gentleman had a LOT of time to stop and let the record show that there were no skid marks on the road which shows you that the oncoming driver wasn't paying attention, in his place when someone besides me makes a stop in the middle of the road I also stop because maybe children or geese are crossing the street, so Mr.Judge I do not deserve this charge since the cop was not even present to see the precarious situation and why all this happened".

Ok, so it's your cousin. Different variation on the same gene pool, such that it is. In some places your cousin could still be your sister, depending on how closely you're "related". And in some families you have to wonder.

Back to your "cousin". Your defence makes your cousin appear even more negligent. Not only did she fail to see or give way to an oncoming car that had the right of way, but she also started a left turn without ensuring that her intended path was clear of pedestrians. Your "defence" would simply have reinforced the fact that your cousin was the one who wasn't paying attention, and not the innocent oncoming driver who was hit by an errant left-turner.

 

[AGAVE]

Or, crazy concept I know, she could have checked to make sure it was clear to make the left turn before making the left turn?

The person making the left turn is 100% at fault for ANY accident that occurs, even if the other car was driving on the wrong side of the road and hit her, it's her fault. Sorry, but them's the rules.

My thoughts exactly.

Sorry Pegassus, but you and your cousin should study the rules of the road again.
You couldn't be more in the wrong unless it was painted on the side of the car.

 

[Jayv]

Who to blame.
In order

1, Cousin(unless she's hot) post pics.

2, You, for getting involved....unless she is not of an adult age(if this is the case, disregard above request for pics)

3, Co-worker, obviously a sketchy recommendation given by him.

4, Paralegal rep, he could have at least used some lube after taking your money.

 

[yamahar1]

Anyways, based on what the other driver said the stupid cop charged my cousin with "careless driving" a charge that is the 2nd most serious in the HTA after drunk driving and killing a person, in fact even drunk drivers who cause accidents seldom get this charge.

Drunk driving is NOT the "second most serious HTA offense". In fact, it is NOT even an HTA offense at all. It is a Criminal Code Violation, that penalized very seriously. Drunk drivers who cause accidents "seldom get this charge" , because often they are NOT driving "carelessly" (by HTA definition), but rather simply drunk (CCC drunk driving definition).

 

[macrider]

Turbo is right, your cousin was 100% at fault.
Put yourself in the other car drivers shoes, you are driving along in you car OR bike and all of a sudden out of nowhere a car pulls a left right in front you .
Your cousin was charged accordingly, your cousin was lucky it was reduced to a lesser charge.
Your cousin needs to take a defensive driving course and be more aware of his/ her surroundings.

 

[promac]

Her failure to yield to pedestrian traffic got her into trouble with oncoming traffic. Another driver can easily and reasonably expect that she would clear the roadway and has no interest in pedestrians that are not in their path - cousin has no lawful excuse to block oncoming traffic that has the right of way. Agony of the moment could have got her out of it had she not failed to yield in the first place. Depending on the situation, the other driver could have used that defense - hit another car or pedestrians - there was no failing on their part to begin with.

 

[TwistedKestrel]

Few paralegals are worth the money. Redline is the only one I've had positive experiences with so far, but they're not cheap (so far, worth it IMO). If I've learned anything at all about handing over stacks of cash - if you've got a bad feeling about a business, walk away IMMEDIATELY and don't give it a second thought.

 

[Rob MacLennan]

First of all learn how to read, it was my cousin, and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that? She had no choice but to stop in her tracks to avoid killing 2 pedestrians,

"Sir I did not violate his right of way, I was forced to violate it when I suddenly saw the two people crossing my path and this gentleman had a LOT of time to stop and let the record show that there were no skid marks on the road which shows you that the oncoming driver wasn't paying attention, in his place when someone besides me makes a stop in the middle of the road I also stop because maybe children or geese are crossing the street, so Mr.Judge I do not deserve this charge since the cop was not even present to see the precarious situation and why all this happened".

Here's the problem with that statement: "He who looks, but doesn't see, is negligent." It's a basic legal principle. You are not supposed to initiate a turn, unless you can complete it in safety. Getting it reduced to 'unsafe turn' is a win, in a case in which damage and possible injury has occurred.

 

[apstndp]

all I have to say is redline. All i do is call Forch and tell him what's the ticket and never bother him again until he calls me and says" charges dropped".

 

[Mistero2009]

and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that?

Aaaa, the truth card!
Truth of the matter is, it wouldn't have worked.
You just sink yourself even more by describing the way the accident happened and leaving yourself at the mercy of JP.
I think every driver/rider needs a mandatory 100 hours of a traffic court-room observation!

 

[bear22099]

First of all learn how to read, it was my cousin, and second of all she could have defended herself by saying... the TRUTH, how about that? She had no choice but to stop in her tracks to avoid killing 2 pedestrians,

"Sir I did not violate his right of way, I was forced to violate it when I suddenly saw the two people crossing my path and this gentleman had a LOT of time to stop and let the record show that there were no skid marks on the road which shows you that the oncoming driver wasn't paying attention, in his place when someone besides me makes a stop in the middle of the road I also stop because maybe children or geese are crossing the street, so Mr.Judge I do not deserve this charge since the cop was not even present to see the precarious situation and why all this happened".

Ahh,, Pegasus logic, almost a guarantee of jail time.

 

[Pegassus]

Or, crazy concept I know, she could have checked to make sure it was clear to make the left turn before making the left turn?

Oh Im not denying its her fault, Im saying she should had not been charged at all with anything and especially "careless driving"?? C'mon....

 

[Rob MacLennan]

Oh Im not denying its her fault, Im saying she should had not been charged at all with anything and especially "careless driving"?? C'mon....

I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing it. Can you explain why the person, who was responsible for causing a collision with property damage, should not be charged with SOMETHING?