Ever payed a "Cash bond" on a speeding ticket in USA?
Discussion
So like a dick I managed to get stopped at about 30 over the limit somewhere in the south east USA. Although I had my UK license on me I didn't have proof of ownership or insurance and also an expired dealer TAG on the car. Now I am legal here on my UK license and I do have full insurance. Also an expired dealer tag shouldn't be a hanging offense (especially when state law prevents you getting one!) but I was not in the best position you can imagine.
The cop told me I was getting a $300+ ticket and I could either pay a cash bond to him or he'd have to take me to jail. I had visions of being locked up overnight in some butt
town jail waiting for a magistrate to throw the book at me for upsetting his little part of the world. I followed the cop to an ATM where another cop he called took the money and put it in an envelope address to the court. I had my doubts at the time but I would rather they kept the money and keep 4 points off my insurance.
This "bond" is definitely not how it worked when I got tickets in florida and all the yanks I know say you never pay a fine to a cop. According to the internet nearly everywhere else in US they give you a ticket with a court date on. You then decide wether to mail payment to the court, atend the court date and plead innocent or just throw it in the bin and get a warrant put on you. I also found a story about a town very near to where I got done where a cop was convicted for taking cash bonds for tickets and keeping them! I looked at the ticket I got and there was no court date written in the space where it should have been. Also on the back of the ticket in capitals it says "Police officers in this department may not request cash bonds for speeding tickets" So now I am thinking its a pretty safe bet these guys decided to pay themselves a christmas bonus with my $300.
I looked at the map where I got done and its one of those small towns with a big highway going thru where the cops probably hang out all day busting people for speeding. They are probably fairly used to seeing out-of-state and out of country licenses and maybe work this little scam on the tourists.
I'd be intersted in knowing if anyone else has been scammed like this or who knows maybe its legit?
I am not realy interested in protesting this since I am hoping it won't show up on my insurance!
The cop told me I was getting a $300+ ticket and I could either pay a cash bond to him or he'd have to take me to jail. I had visions of being locked up overnight in some butt
town jail waiting for a magistrate to throw the book at me for upsetting his little part of the world. I followed the cop to an ATM where another cop he called took the money and put it in an envelope address to the court. I had my doubts at the time but I would rather they kept the money and keep 4 points off my insurance.This "bond" is definitely not how it worked when I got tickets in florida and all the yanks I know say you never pay a fine to a cop. According to the internet nearly everywhere else in US they give you a ticket with a court date on. You then decide wether to mail payment to the court, atend the court date and plead innocent or just throw it in the bin and get a warrant put on you. I also found a story about a town very near to where I got done where a cop was convicted for taking cash bonds for tickets and keeping them! I looked at the ticket I got and there was no court date written in the space where it should have been. Also on the back of the ticket in capitals it says "Police officers in this department may not request cash bonds for speeding tickets" So now I am thinking its a pretty safe bet these guys decided to pay themselves a christmas bonus with my $300.
I looked at the map where I got done and its one of those small towns with a big highway going thru where the cops probably hang out all day busting people for speeding. They are probably fairly used to seeing out-of-state and out of country licenses and maybe work this little scam on the tourists.
I'd be intersted in knowing if anyone else has been scammed like this or who knows maybe its legit?
I am not realy interested in protesting this since I am hoping it won't show up on my insurance!
Edited by danwww on Monday 24th December 20:01
Chances of getting your money back is next to zero.
Maybe the cops spent it on their kids university fund, maybe they used it to fund their drug dealing.
Either way you paid £150 for it to go away. In this country such services to make traffic violations disappear cost about £4000 for Nick Freeman.
I pretty good deal I would say!
Maybe the cops spent it on their kids university fund, maybe they used it to fund their drug dealing.
Either way you paid £150 for it to go away. In this country such services to make traffic violations disappear cost about £4000 for Nick Freeman.
I pretty good deal I would say!
If a foreigner would get pulled over in my old country (Holland) they would have to pay a fine on the spot as well, and those rules applied to us as well.
I've been stopped a couple times in germany and had to follow them to an ATM and pay the fine cash before i could go on my way.
I take it you got a receipt for paying them that money ?
Medic-one said:
If a foreigner would get pulled over in my old country (Holland) they would have to pay a fine on the spot as well, and those rules applied to us as well.
I've been stopped a couple times in germany and had to follow them to an ATM and pay the fine cash before i could go on my way.
I take it you got a receipt for paying them that money ?
What happens if you believe you weren't speeding? Do you still have a right to a court hearing or are the police judge, jury and hangman? If you refuse, do they imprison you until your case is heard?I've been stopped a couple times in germany and had to follow them to an ATM and pay the fine cash before i could go on my way.
I take it you got a receipt for paying them that money ?
Everyone stop getting your panties in a bunch, paying a cash bond at the roadside is common practice in various States in the US.
Here's a example from a Tennessee county website.
"The Murfreesboro City Court has a cash appearance bond schedule for speeding, parking, and most other violations. You may pay the cash appearance bond before court and avoid the court appearance and court costs.
The minimum cash bond for speeding offenses is $116 plus $1 per mile in excess of 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. The maximum amount is $161."
Here's a example from a Tennessee county website.
"The Murfreesboro City Court has a cash appearance bond schedule for speeding, parking, and most other violations. You may pay the cash appearance bond before court and avoid the court appearance and court costs.
The minimum cash bond for speeding offenses is $116 plus $1 per mile in excess of 10 miles per hour over the posted speed limit. The maximum amount is $161."
biglepton said:
What happens if you believe you weren't speeding? Do you still have a right to a court hearing or are the police judge, jury and hangman? If you refuse, do they imprison you until your case is heard?
It's then your word against theirs and because they are police officers and have sworn this "ambts eet" (no idea what it's called in English, it's some sort of oath to say they always tell the truth or something) their word counts as higher then that of any normal civilian.So you will have to pay on the spot, and have to fill in lots of forms afterwards if you want to appeal against it.
danwww said:
I can see why for out-of-towners some places do this but on the back of this ticket it says:
"XXXXXXXXXXX Police Department ARE NOT authorized to set of accept Cash Traffic Bonds"
It repeats it again on the their website.
Did you get a receipt and the officer's badge number?"XXXXXXXXXXX Police Department ARE NOT authorized to set of accept Cash Traffic Bonds"
It repeats it again on the their website.
Medic-one said:
It's then your word against theirs and because they are police officers and have sworn this "ambts eet" (no idea what it's called in English, it's some sort of oath to say they always tell the truth or something) their word counts as higher then that of any normal civilian.
So you will have to pay on the spot, and have to fill in lots of forms afterwards if you want to appeal against it.
So you have to pay up there and then and then try to get your money back? What if you refuse to pay - do they imprison you until your court case, or do they confiscate your car or both? It seems very harsh treatment for an offence which is as yet unproven. What if you haven't enough money to pay the fine there and then? Does Dutch law include innocent until proven guilty and a right to trial?So you will have to pay on the spot, and have to fill in lots of forms afterwards if you want to appeal against it.
Sorry for all the questions, but it seems that if you ever went for a drive without several hundred euros in your bank account, you could end up imprisoned for 35 in a 30 zone!
biglepton said:
So you have to pay up there and then and then try to get your money back? What if you refuse to pay - do they imprison you until your court case, or do they confiscate your car or both? It seems very harsh treatment for an offence which is as yet unproven. What if you haven't enough money to pay the fine there and then? Does Dutch law include innocent until proven guilty and a right to trial?
Sorry for all the questions, but it seems that if you ever went for a drive without several hundred euros in your bank account, you could end up imprisoned for 35 in a 30 zone!
Not wanting to pay / unable to pay = car confiscated.Sorry for all the questions, but it seems that if you ever went for a drive without several hundred euros in your bank account, you could end up imprisoned for 35 in a 30 zone!
Though have to admit that the fines for a couple miles over the limit aren't very high. For 35 in a 30 zone you would have to pay around 40-50 pounds so that's not to bad.
From approx. 20 mp/h above the limit it starts getting expensive, and if you can't pay they will tell you it's not their problem and take ur car away untill you can pay.
Medic-one said:
... because they are police officers and have sworn this "ambts eet" (no idea what it's called in English, it's some sort of oath to say they always tell the truth or something) ...
Did you mean "ambts eed"? That means: "sworn oath", or "oath of office". Wouldn't "ambts eet" translate (in the City idiom) as "al desko" - i.e. eating at ones desk? 
- StreakyMedic-one said:
biglepton said:
So you have to pay up there and then and then try to get your money back? What if you refuse to pay - do they imprison you until your court case, or do they confiscate your car or both? It seems very harsh treatment for an offence which is as yet unproven. What if you haven't enough money to pay the fine there and then? Does Dutch law include innocent until proven guilty and a right to trial?
Sorry for all the questions, but it seems that if you ever went for a drive without several hundred euros in your bank account, you could end up imprisoned for 35 in a 30 zone!
Not wanting to pay / unable to pay = car confiscated.Sorry for all the questions, but it seems that if you ever went for a drive without several hundred euros in your bank account, you could end up imprisoned for 35 in a 30 zone!
Though have to admit that the fines for a couple miles over the limit aren't very high. For 35 in a 30 zone you would have to pay around 40-50 pounds so that's not to bad.
From approx. 20 mp/h above the limit it starts getting expensive, and if you can't pay they will tell you it's not their problem and take ur car away untill you can pay.
streaky said:
Medic-one said:
... because they are police officers and have sworn this "ambts eet" (no idea what it's called in English, it's some sort of oath to say they always tell the truth or something) ...
Did you mean "ambts eed"? That means: "sworn oath", or "oath of office". Wouldn't "ambts eet" translate (in the City idiom) as "al desko" - i.e. eating at ones desk? - StreakyForums | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff