Paying Speeding Ticket and AA

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I wonder if one of those cards you can load with cash like Visa green dot can be used instead.....When you charge something to one of those, does the payment go through instantly like a credit card?  Or does it take a few days for the money to be pulled from the card, like a bank draft?

---

Sure!  No AA with a pre-paid!

[Uborrow-Upay]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

I wouldn't be so fast in believing that it can't result in AA.

Although the odds may be slim on a non AmEx card, one of our near and dear moderators was just sent to FR hell by AmEx because he used the card to pay legal bills.

When in doubt, that's why God invented checks or check cards.

---

+1

I  recently had some work done by a tax attorney.   

I'm somewhat paranoid about some of this stuff anyways, and I did think to myself, "Hmmm... attorney...taxes....yup, think I'll just write a check instead."  No reason to give even the appearance of something else going on when it's not. 

I am curious though, urgent_help_needed...did you go to court on this ticket, and try to talk to the prosecutor before court?  Or did you just mail in the fine?

[Anonymous]

The court date hasn't happened yet.  I pled not-guilty via mail.  I'm trying to think of ways to negotiate it so that no points show up on my license. Any tips? Unfortunately driving school is not an option in this state.  It's not reckless driving or DUI ticket, just a normal speeding ticket.  But I can't think of how to fight it or negotiate it.  Also, I may have inadvertently admitted to speeding during the traffic stop.  Later I read somewhere that this may have sunk my chances to fight it if the trooper kept notes on it.  I don't know.

[Anonymous]

By the way, the court said if I didn't show up for my court date the judge would either issue a warrant OR else label me as defaulted.  I'm confused about what would happen if they consider me defaulted....would it immediately show up on my credit report?   I have never dealt with court before.

By the way, everybody be careful, the roads seem to be crawling with cops these days....probably because the government needs the revenue from tickets.

Anybody use one of those wal-mart moneycards to pay a bill? I guess they're just like debit cards?  I'm confused about whether the money comes instantly off the card or whether it takes a few days to process.  The court only accepts immediate payments methods I think over the phone.  They only mentioned credit cards, I wonder if a debit card is not considered immediate payment method because it takes processing time?  Dumb question, but I don't even have a debit card because I was concerned that someone could drain it if I ever got robbed.

[MrShush]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Has anybody experienced adverse action or credit limit decrease from paying a speeding ticket fine on a BOA card? just wondering, thanks for any insights

---

Yeah, I wouldn't worry--I paid a moving violation with another FIA backed card and nothing.

[Uborrow-Upay]

urgent_help_needed, sometimes you can show up at the courthouse an hour or so before the time the court actually convenes, and get in a long line to speak to the prosecutor for that day. 

I don't know how things work in your state, but in CT, the prosecutor has the discretion to reduce the speeding violation to something less than speeding, as long as there wasn't any DUI or accidents involved or injuries.  A common substitute violation is "failure to observe a traffic control sign", another is "improper driving".  Each of these is much less of a fine, and many less points against your license.

Most of the time, if a reduced charge is offered, you accept the reduced violation, and you just write a check then and there to pay the fine for the reduced charge.  Then you go home.

Sometimes, that check you write is to the "charity of the day", such as the Red Cross or another good cause, and not to the court.  That's even better, if it's offered, because there won't be any ding against you whatsoever on the books.  They've basically just decided not to prosecute in exchange for your donation.

This is not legal advice by any means, but this is my experience in dealing with some tickets I've received in the past.

Hope this helps, and go a little easier on the gas pedal.  It can get expensive if you don't!

BTW, don't even think about not showing up or not paying.  Why anyone would compound his/her problems over a simple traffic ticket by doing that is beyond me.

[Anonymous]

We haven't done this with BofA, but we have put thousands of dollars in attorney and court fees on our Alliant CU cc.  No AA from them. 

[Uborrow-Upay]

P.S. to what I wrote, above.

The prosecutor will know exactly why you are waiting to see him, so when you do get to see him, you don't have to explain.  He'll know you're there to cut a deal.

He'll ask your name, grab your case file, and then give it a quick look.  If he asks anything, be nice, and look him right in the eyes when you answer.  If your driving record is fairly clean, you've got a good shot at the lesser charge or the donation scenario.  

All of this is done for the expediency of the court, so there's nothing underhanded going on.  Just wanted to make that clear, too.

Good luck!!   

[BungalowMo]

Who knows...maybe after you talk to the prosecutor, they'll let you take a 5 minute drive up the street & get yourself a money order.  You can use your cc, they get the $$ immediately & you get the deal of the day.

Think of it as your own, personal episode of Law & Order. (sans Lenny, of course )

[hemi961]

If you use a debit card online or over the phone at any business I think they consider it to be instant.  It sure comes out of a bank account faster than it posts to a credit card, so I think they would accept it.  You can always call and ask but when I have done business over the phone no one has ever asked if it was a debit or credit card as long as it was Visa or Mastercard.