Careless Driving Ticket in Oregon, what do I do?

Question

It started to snow abunch and my friends and I were haveing a ball.

I decided to have them jump into the back of my truck and drive around. Well after stopping by the skate park and a store. I came up to a stop next to a school and got pulled over.

There were 3 in the back of the bed and I was driveing with no one else in the cab. After the cop did the cop thing where he sits in his car for a while while looking at all our licences. He came back with a ticket for $427. He said that the caless

This is what i understand about oregon law:
811.135 Careless driving; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of careless driving if the person drives any vehicle upon a highway or other premises described in this section in a manner that endangers or would be likely to endanger any person or property.

Not too sure about what to do, should I plea not guility and and do the whole court oredeal.
Or no contest and tell them my story.
This is my first ticket and i have no idea what to do.
HELP!

Maybe I typed wrong but i was not driveing fast at all when i say haveing a ball I meant before they got into the back of the truck.
School was out and i was next to my school not within the school zone.
We were not doing any thing they were sitting i was driveing. No snow balls nothing i was going back home.

Answer 1

you can win sometimes just by showing up. -sometimes the cop doesn't show so it is thrown out.

you can win sometimes by asking the judge for leniency. -if you have a good driving record, etc. then he might throw it out or defer it.

you can win sometimes by working out a deal with the DA before you go in front of the judge. -these days the courts just want your money so a 5 over speeding ticket could be brought down to impeding traffic which carries with it only a fine and no points.

you can win sometimes by actually fighting it. get a lawyer and show em you mean business. - have charts and graphs and 10 x 12 glossy photo's of the crime scene....lol

......I bet if it reached all the way to the juror's decision you would win because those people drive and get tickets too. In my world people should stick together on this ticket issue we have going on...seems states are using the police to make money to balance their budget instead of fighting crime for which our taxes pay for already. jerks.

Answer 2

You had three people in the bed of your truck. These people did not have seat belts on, or had no access to seat belts. The bed of the truck is not meant for passenger seating so that is probably why he gave you the ticket.

Some officers will let you off with a warning and explain that you are not allowed to have people back there. Especially if you were driving slowly, respecting the road conditions and all other traffic regulations. And if this is the first traffic ticket, it helps your case.

My guess is that we are not given the entire story. You may have been spinning the tires or otherwise making the trip more "enjoyable" for your passengers? Is this the meaning behind "having a ball"?

Whatever the cop saw, he felt it warranted a heavy fine. My advice would be to pay the fine, and learn from the mistake. Then get familiar with the local bylaws and traffic regulations concerning your pick-up.

You can try to fight it if you want, but that means taking time to go to court and protest the ticket, you have to swear before a judge what you are telling is the truth, and then it will be your word against the police officer who probably has you on video.

Answer 3

Reckless Driving Oregon

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Careless Driving Ticket in Oregon, what do I do?
It started to snow abunch and my friends and I were haveing a ball.

I decided to have them jump into the back of my truck and drive around. Well after stopping by the skate park and a store. I came up to a stop next to a school and got pulled over.

There were 3 in the back of the bed and I...

Answer 5

Driving in the snow with people in the back of the pick up truck is EXTREMELY careless! Especially if you were "having a ball" while you were driving. What if you'd have hit a patch of ice and lost control of the vehicle? Those in the bed would either have been thrown to their deaths... or the truck could have rolled over on top of them...

Inclement weather calls for safer driving... you WERE being reckless and endangering the lives of your passengers, as well.

Answer 6

Pay the fine, your guilty. Driving isn't a joke or a game, it is a huge responsibility which is to be taken seriously. There are other ways to have fun. When you drive and act like an idiot on the roads, especially weather hazerdous roads, you put innocent peoples lives at risk.

Answer 7

I don't know about your laws but here in Canada it's illegal to have people riding in the back of a pickup.It's careless on your part because if you got in an accident they would probably be killed.So I'm sorry but you got what you deserved.

Answer 8

First contact the oregon state patrol or what ever they are called there. Ask them if it is illegal to ride in the back of a truck.
Contact the the legal attorney or who ever is in charge (you didn't say county or city cop) and find out if riding in the back of the truck is illegal in that city or county. If not you have them by the balls.
I would contess this fine. If you hav emoney you could probly get an attorney and collect from them. If you were being careless than you should pay other wise why would he pull you over?
You may even locat him and his superior and ask why he even pulled you over.
I fit is illegal to have passengers in the rea of a truck he has you but the penality seems too steep to me. sounds like he needs the hell kicked out of him.

Answer 9

Dude having three of your friends in the cab of a pick up while going through a school zone is pretty fu**ing careless. You deserved that ticket.

Answer 10

Don't plead not guilty. Plead no contest and show up in court at the scheduled date. Usually the judge reduces the fine amount if you explain that this is your first ticket and you didn't realize you were breaking the law.