92 SC400

Anyone ever get a ticket for driving without headlights before? Im curious as to what the fine is. Also, has anyone recently attended traffic school in CA? Im curious what that costs as well. I've never gotten a ticket before so just tryin' to see what happens and what this is going to cost me.

Rollin'ES3

Aw that sucks, sorry to hear that. Which PD gave it to you?

Never gotten a ticket for driving with my headlights off. I dont think its a fix it cause the headlights were not disfunctional.

But traffic school for an 8 hour session should cost around 40-60 bucks. Maybe 80-100 for the 12 hr session for the second time offenders.

whoster

why were you driving without headlights at night??

(just ...curious...)

Woogie

haha were you testing out your night vision goggles?

92 SC400

Well, I had just pulled out of a gas station, which was well lit, so when I pulled into the street I did not notice it immediately. As soon as I turned my lights on, the cop turned his one as well...

I did a little research and found that this traffic infraction carries with it no points but could not find info on whether that fact will affects my insurance or not. If it wont affect my insurance premiums or anything I will forego traffic school and only pay the fine.

And to answer the question above is was San Jose PD.

geko29

I would be surprised if it affects your insurance rates. Things like that are generally categorized as "non-moving" violations, so they're basically like a parking ticket.

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

Talk about an a$$hole move on his behalf. I turn my lights off when i pull in to fill up gas at night. Sometimes you just forget to turn them on; theres a word for it, o ya, its called being HUMAN.

Plus either you would have noticed it like you said you did, or some other friendly drivers would have high beamed you to let you know.

I think its wrong for giving someone a ticket for this kind of thing. The cop should have done his job and PROTECTED you by letting you know your lights were off, but i guess this is as good of an opportunity as any for them to fill their quota...

np20412

why do you turn them off? Just leave them on, they turn off automatically when you turn the car off and open the door...that way when you start the car again, they will come on, unless you are one of those that leaves the engine on while filling up

RXGS

iTrader: (2)

hmm jewcano is rite, probably to meet his quota but anyways never heard of getting a ticket for that, they usually give u a warning and let u be on ur way

Jewcano

iTrader: (4)

HIDs? Unnecessary on off? When just before you turn the car on, to the acc position and the lights and everything start up. Iirc they said its bad to flash your HIDs because it wears them out quicker.

HENCE why i turn mine off when i turn the car off.

92 SC400

The more I think about this the more it pisses me off. Let me elaborate a little more on the situation as when I posted this last night I was just more shocked.

I thought cops were able to use judgment in giving tickets rather than strictly following the law to the Nth degree...

Now that I look back on the situation, what had transpired, I almost feel that I got this ticket to just prove a point to me or something. The reason I say that is, I had turned on my lights prior to stopping at a stop sign, then when I made my turn, which I signaled for, I get pulled over for the lights having been off, at this time they were on since I had noticed it. When I got pulled over I had everything ready for him to look at and then he questions me as expected (where are you coming from, where are you going, etc). He comes back to my car and asks if I had a more current proof of insurance, I had no realized mine was expired (the proof of insurance not the policy), which I did not (mine just renews itself online and I havent gotten a new one, which I should call about now...), then he asks me, "have you ever gotten a ticket before?" To which I reply, "No, never." This was before he wrote the ticket, he comes back a few minutes later, "Im giving you a ticket for driving without headlights and no proof of insurance which is correctable... blah blah blah." I was a little shocked then he went on to say, "I know it sucks getting your first ticket but you just need to be more aware and learn to drive safely," as if I drive around all the time at night with no lights for some form of entertainment. Then he went on to tell me how dangerous it is to operate a vehicle at night without lights on, oh did I mention it was almost midnight and in the 10-15 mins this took, only one single car had passed in either direction (a very nice M6 btw )? Him running the stop sign to pull me over was probably more dangerous than me driving ~300 ft on an empty street without headlights.

In response to why I dont just leave the lights on, I sometimes do, but my other cars dont have auto lights so I get used to just turning them off. I do not only drive an SC. The area was well lit as well so its just habit I guess, turn the car off, turn lights off, and get out... BTW I didnt mention to the cop the auto lights thing, not that it really mattered.

I need to find out for sure if this will affect my insurance or not because it doesnt I will contest (I dont know on what grounds; I'll be more hopeful he just wont show for such a ticket) it and just pay if I lose and forfeit traffic school possibility. If it will, I will not contest it and just pay the fine and take traffic school. However, I am a bit hesitant to contact me agent on the issue...

The more I research this too it seems like most cops give verbal warnings for this sort of thing as especially for having no prior tickets and it happening in an empty street it just seems petty.

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see and take it as it comes I suppose. Sorry for the LONG rant/vent, this is just starting to annoy me now though.

Shawnmack

Be a A-hole about it go to court if they find you guilty, appeal it 9 out of 10 times if you go futher than regular traffic court they usually throw it out.

92 SC400

Well I got the ticket in the mail today and it is $144.50 for the violation and $158.50 for driving school. I guess I am just going to pay it as I really dont have the time to deal with going to court. So looks like I will just pay it in full and then go to driving school. I was told I can do driving school online, anyone know how this works?

Zachary

i got once:/

Koma

iTrader: (3)

That's a ridiculously expensive fine for something so small.