Ticket - duh, and ouch

[koshmom.livejournal.com]

I got a ticket today in Somerville for expired registration.  The danged license plate says "SEP" and today is "OCT".  I'm going to the RMV with a friend tomorrow (she's driving her car) to get the registration up to date. 2 questions for Davis Square:

1. Ticket is for $100.  If I get my registration fixed tomorrow, is there any way I can possibly get the ticket taken off/forgiven/lessened if I show them I fixed the issue ASAP?  Who do I talk to about that possibility?

2. Do I get points on my license for this and the associated raised insurance fees? 

I haven't gotten a ticket of any kind in over 15 years.  I feel so dirty!  and Bad!

Note to all: CHECK THE DANGED MONTH ON YOUR LICENSE PLATE AND ON YOUR WINDSHIELD STICKER TODAY!!!!
also: check when your driver's license expires.  It's no fun to get a ticket for something like that which is so easily avoided.

Addendum: I got the opportunity to pay the ticket with the same check used to pay the renewal, so the ticket is paid.  It was NOT a 'Somerville' ticket, it was a MA general ticket, complete with my driver's license info.  So according to what others said below, I'm likely to be surcharged.  Which sux.  So now I likely have 2 points against me.  When does the surcharge pop in?  How many years will I be surcharged for?

Comments

[zaarwin-devolve.livejournal.com]

1)I doubt it but you won't know unless you show up to contest the ticket. Depends on how much you consider your time to be worth, I suppose.

2)I think insurance companies care only about moving violations. That being said, don't hold your breath, and wait for an opinion from somebody who has gone through this.

[ron_newman]

If this is a Somerville parking ticket, it's not going to affect your points or insurance.

[csbermack.livejournal.com]

You may have to resolve the ticket before you get the registration fixed. No idea if formally contesting a ticket counts, but if there's an unpaid ticket in the system, no sticker for you!

Also excise fees and various other things. If you can't renew online, and it's worth trying, you might try calling to find out if anything is blocking your registration.

[meflaher.livejournal.com]

The press release that let the city know these tickets would now be issued says it would be a $50 ticket so not sure why you were given a $100 ticket. I'm not sure that's a valid argument for fighting to get the price of the ticket reduced but could be worth a shot.

For reference, here's the link to the release:
http://www.somervillema.gov/news/city-begin-writing-parking-tickets-expired-registrations-and-inspections

Be glad it wasn't a moving violation

[ringrose.livejournal.com]

Be glad it wasn't found while you were moving.

Years ago, a friend was giving me a ride. She noticed a police car following her and pulled into a grocery store parking lot. Cop followed us and asked to speak with her a minute.

It turns out that (at least then, this was 10+ years ago) if he saw an expired plate he was supposed to pull you over and impound the car immediately. Getting home is then your problem.

Fortunately, the cop saw that the sticker had just expired and thought the rule was a bit harsh. He just gave her a warning.

(You're supposed to get a reminder sticker in the mail; she had just gone through a divorce and moved, and her ex didn't forward it.)

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

My recollection (which could be misremembered, as this happened to me several years ago) is that getting cited for an expired registration, even while merely parked on a public street, will indeed affect your step level, and thus your insurance premium.

[spacehawk.livejournal.com]

I doubt you'll be able to get the ticket waived, but please tell us if you do! ^_^

A couple years ago, I had the "pleasure" of trying to open a bank account and being told that my driver's license had expired over a month back. Due to budget cuts, the RMV is not notifying people.

So yes -- good advice to all!

[miss-chance.livejournal.com]

I, too, have gotten a ticket for totally forgetting about my registration. At this point what I've done has been slowly shift my vehicle inspection by one month at a time each year until it is now in the same month as my registration, which is where I intend to leave it. That way the "10" on my windshield reminds me to get the inspection *and* the registration up to date.

[prunesnprisms.livejournal.com]

I believe the state stopped sending reminder letters for registration this year or a couple years back to save on $$, and hey presto they are making money off of people doing this exact thing. Surprising, right?

Sorry for your troubles. This has happened to me too.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

1. No.
2. No. Insurance companies only give points for moving violations such as speeding.

Be glad your car didn't get towed

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

that happened to me 7 years ago: Visiting a friend in Winter Hill with my new baby, was getting ready to go home and... no car! In new parenthood mode, Hubby and I totally forgot our car registration expired. Of course, it didn't help that it was April, and we had only just got the car back from major repairs from a car accident in January.