Last September 25 2008 I recieved a ticket for Obedience to Offical Traffic Control Devices. What this means is I went on a road with a weight limit. I did not see the sign posted. A police officer pulled me over and I recieved a ticket. It cost me $50. I was told that if I did not pay the ticket I would have 4 points on my license. I paid it the very next day and was told that I now had 2 points on my license because I paid the fine. Upset, but glad to be done with it. At least I thought I was. My personal vehicle insurance bill came and I noticed that the amount instead of going down like I had hoped went up, alot. I then went through the pages and found out that the violation was now on my insurance. It had not gone through on the last one. So now more than one year later it has shown up. I was told that it would not affect my insurance on my personal vehicle. I called my insurance agent and she told me that it should not have and that she would check into it futher. About 6 hours later I get a phone call stating that I had 4 points on my license and that was the reason why it was so high. So I get home and pull out the citation and look for a phone number of the police department that wrote the citation. Called them and left a message. I actually recieved a phone call the same night that told me what was needed to be done and what must have went wrong and I was told that they would take care of it tomorrow and that I would recieve a phone call when the problem was ironed out.

I have learned two things out of this ordeal. One is that you should know what you are being cited for before you pay anything to see what the ramifacations of it could be. Two is to make sure everything on your driving record is the way it should be with the citation. It took me over a year to figure it out.

I should have asked to recieve a citation for being overwieght instead of disregarding a traffic sign as my company would have paid it then and it would not have gone on my driving record.

So the company should pay because you did not see the sign? That is the fair thing? o.0

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I am a Camaro Girl because IROC!

You have unlimited chances to go too slow, but only one to go too fast.

No, it is company policy since the company told me to go that route in which I recieved the ticket.

if they told you to drive off a bridge would you so that too?

Sportster,
In the future-never just pay a ticket, always consult with an attorney FIRST (its free). However, hindsight is always perfect. But you can still consult an attorney- about getting it cleaned-up. Depends on where it happened, what agency wrote it, etc. Good Luck........

the 3rd thing you should've learned - DON'T believe what the cop tells you! cops can and DO lie! it's perfectly legal for them to do so. however, if YOU lie to a cop - you've committed perjury! welcome to modern day America. don't do anything hastily. there is NO reason to hurry to pay a ticket. talk to a lawyer. not sure where you'll find one who will work for free though.

No I would not, you are generalizing my statements. It really bothers me that people say that particular phrase when in fact it is easier to play "armchair quarterback". Haven't you ever been given wrong directions? Haven't you ever turned down a wrong street? If you haven't I sure would like to meet you if you have not done any of those and shake you hand and congratulate you on your sucesses. Seeing how I had never been to that particular area I did not know any better. Now I do, but I still listen to my comapny. The police officer was sitting 150 feet in from the turn just behind the sign. He would have given me a ticket regardless of whether or not I tried to turn around.

To the rest of you thank you for your comments.

oh, the 4th thing you should have learned in a situation like that - KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. you should have "asked to receive a citation for being overweight?" huh?!!??! in case you didn't know, they were sitting there WAITING for you so they could cash in. my first company told us if you ever get in a situation where you come to a bridge with a weight restriction, just STOP. don't cross it. if you can't turn around, call dispatch and let them know. they'll bring a helicopter in and pick the truck up and turn you around if they have to (I'm sure they're not actually going to do that, but I'm not sure what their answer would be.)

you said you didn't see a sign prohibiting commercial vehicles from this road. I don't know how they could site you if it wasn't posted. but if you're pulled over, don't try to argue or reason with the cop. the less you say, the better. the time to argue is when you're in court.

You are right - The cops will say whatever they think will minimize problems for them : "I have no idea what the fine is" - "this is a misdemeanor" (when it isn't) - "Do you want a citation for violation A or violation B?" - "Just let me check out this paperwork" (as they go back to write out a citation before you have a chance to discuss it). As I heard a judge tell a new cop in court once, "You have to 'sell the ticket' ".

And as a professional driver, it is your job, your duty, to verify the route you're going to take, whether it was "assigned" as part of your fuel route or not. If the company happens to send you down a road (very rare) with a 13' bridge, are you just going to say "screw it, this is the route they told me to take" and then gun it?

A professional driver, by my definition, is someone who takes any action that is reasonable despite the actions of others or conditions around you