Washington DC traffic ticket

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 10:04 AM

My friend gets a ticket from Washington DC Dept of Motor Vehicles. It was from a traffic cam.

He's never been in DC. He and his wife didn't even know where DC was, until I showed them on the map. I looked up the citation and it's no car he ever owned. Believe me, nothing like a car he's ever owned.

How on earth does this happen? I've found quite a few articles about those controversial traffic cams...things being wrong with them and such, but nothing about getting someone else's ticket, identified as you, and sent to your home email address in Podunk OH.

They've already sent a letter that it's not them. I'm researching it for them as they have no computer access/skills.

Any advice on what to do next? Is there a way to track tag numbers?

It was funny because his wife was freaking out about "he never speeds! he doesn't have that tag number! He only had the Durango back then!"

I'm like "calm down...you're dwelling on these inconsequential details when all you gotta say it HE'S NEVER BEEN IN DC!"

orthodoc · 10-11-2012, 12:27 PM

This happened to my son, who lives in DC - he got a ticket for parking on some street several blocks away from where he actually parks (with a permit), in a no-parking zone. He went over to look at the spot and he's never been there.

But the machines are NEVER wrong, according to the law ...

(This also happened in Ontario when we were back there for two years, and there was no defense permitted against the machine's output.)

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 12:30 PM

Did he have a copy of the camera output?

I mean, there IS a car with an OH back license plate and it IS in the 600 block of new york avenue...but it ain't my friend.

I get mistakes, but attributing it to someone who's never been there?

Maybe if I ask again someone can tell me: is there a way to determine tag numbers/owners or at least location of owner?

glatt · 10-11-2012, 12:37 PM

I knew a guy who used to pay cops to run license plates for him when he was a private eye. It's against the rules, but some cops will do it for $.

Even if you had that info, how would that help?

They should write a letter saying "the license in the picture is xxx-xxxx, and mine is yyy-yyyy"

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 12:44 PM

I don't know. I guess to show that whoever was in that spot at that time wasn't my friend, it was someone else.

It's 150 bucks plus 150 late fee. WTF? I mean, sounds like DCs motor vehicles is running a damn scam.

glatt · 10-11-2012, 01:15 PM

And if they don't pay, what happens? DC puts a boot on their car if they ever visit?

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 01:16 PM

Hahahahaha. True.

It is weird, but it's hard to communicate to them it's not a huge deal.

glatt · 10-11-2012, 01:27 PM

http://dmv.washingtondc.gov/serv/tic...ntrespond.shtm

Quote:

Photo Enforcement

If you don't pay or contest the Photo Enforcement ticket within 30 calendar days, a penalty equal to the fine amount is added (the ticket doubles).

If you don’t pay or contest the Photo Enforcement ticket within 60 calendar days, the ticket goes into default (i.e., it becomes delinquent), you are no longer eligible for a hearing, and you must pay all fines and penalties.

If you have Photo Enforcement tickets that are in default, you will be unable to receive services from the DMV until tickets are paid.

If you don't pay, it goes into default. If it's in default, the DC DMV won't wait on you until you pay the ticket and late fees.

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 01:31 PM

Well hell, I guess R ain't ever going to run for a high public office (if you knew him, you'd giggle.)

Thanks, I'm going to print that and give it to them with the other stuff I've found.

Happy Monkey · 10-11-2012, 01:31 PM

You can dispute the ticket on the DC DMV website. I've gotten a couple of DC parking tickets and a couple of red-light camera tickets from DC and VA, all for cars that weren't mine. In your friend's case it was probably some sort of database mismatch between the databases of DC and your friend's state DMV.

infinite monkey · 10-11-2012, 01:33 PM

Thanks HM!

Gravdigr · 10-12-2012, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

Maybe if I ask again someone can tell me: is there a way to determine tag numbers/owners or at least location of owner?

You can get Private Investigators/Detectives to do background checks, some charge per check (Some as low as $15-$20.), others will let you pay an annual fee for unlimited checks. You can do this from the internet. 100% legal.

Perhaps they do plate/tag checks also?

infinite monkey · 10-12-2012, 03:21 PM

Hmmmmm. Thanks Grav. I have an idea now.

Happy Monkey · 11-21-2012, 10:39 PM

Just got a postcard voiding my last mistaken-identity ticket.

SamIam · 11-21-2012, 10:54 PM

They could always drive on over to DC and contest it in traffic court. What is it? Like only 300 - 400 miles or something? Maybe they could make a day of it and watch Congress run over the fiscal cliff like a bunch of lemmings. That would probably cheer them up.

10-11-2012, 10:04 AM	#1
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Washington DC traffic ticket My friend gets a ticket from Washington DC Dept of Motor Vehicles. It was from a traffic cam. He's never been in DC. He and his wife didn't even know where DC was, until I showed them on the map. I looked up the citation and it's no car he ever owned. Believe me, nothing like a car he's ever owned. How on earth does this happen? I've found quite a few articles about those controversial traffic cams...things being wrong with them and such, but nothing about getting someone else's ticket, identified as you, and sent to your home email address in Podunk OH. They've already sent a letter that it's not them. I'm researching it for them as they have no computer access/skills. Any advice on what to do next? Is there a way to track tag numbers? It was funny because his wife was freaking out about "he never speeds! he doesn't have that tag number! He only had the Durango back then!" I'm like "calm down...you're dwelling on these inconsequential details when all you gotta say it HE'S NEVER BEEN IN DC!"

10-11-2012, 12:27 PM	#2
orthodoc Not Suspicious, Merely Canadian Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 3,774	This happened to my son, who lives in DC - he got a ticket for parking on some street several blocks away from where he actually parks (with a permit), in a no-parking zone. He went over to look at the spot and he's never been there. But the machines are NEVER wrong, according to the law ... (This also happened in Ontario when we were back there for two years, and there was no defense permitted against the machine's output.) __________________ The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated. - Ghandi

10-11-2012, 01:31 PM	#10
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	You can dispute the ticket on the DC DMV website. I've gotten a couple of DC parking tickets and a couple of red-light camera tickets from DC and VA, all for cars that weren't mine. In your friend's case it was probably some sort of database mismatch between the databases of DC and your friend's state DMV. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

11-21-2012, 10:39 PM	#14
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	Just got a postcard voiding my last mistaken-identity ticket. __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

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10-11-2012, 12:30 PM	#3
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Did he have a copy of the camera output? I mean, there IS a car with an OH back license plate and it IS in the 600 block of new york avenue...but it ain't my friend. I get mistakes, but attributing it to someone who's never been there? Maybe if I ask again someone can tell me: is there a way to determine tag numbers/owners or at least location of owner?

10-11-2012, 12:37 PM	#4
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I knew a guy who used to pay cops to run license plates for him when he was a private eye. It's against the rules, but some cops will do it for $. Even if you had that info, how would that help? They should write a letter saying "the license in the picture is xxx-xxxx, and mine is yyy-yyyy"

10-11-2012, 12:44 PM	#5
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	I don't know. I guess to show that whoever was in that spot at that time wasn't my friend, it was someone else. It's 150 bucks plus 150 late fee. WTF? I mean, sounds like DCs motor vehicles is running a damn scam.

10-11-2012, 01:15 PM	#6
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	And if they don't pay, what happens? DC puts a boot on their car if they ever visit?

10-11-2012, 01:16 PM	#7
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Hahahahaha. True. It is weird, but it's hard to communicate to them it's not a huge deal.

10-11-2012, 01:33 PM	#11
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Thanks HM!

10-12-2012, 03:21 PM	#13
infinite monkey Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 13,002	Hmmmmm. Thanks Grav. I have an idea now.

11-21-2012, 10:54 PM	#15
SamIam Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Not here Posts: 2,655	They could always drive on over to DC and contest it in traffic court. What is it? Like only 300 - 400 miles or something? Maybe they could make a day of it and watch Congress run over the fiscal cliff like a bunch of lemmings. That would probably cheer them up.

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