I presume you mean in the state Nevada, or in Las Vegas area? Does that apply to all other states and locales? For purposes of discussion here, suggest to change “parking ticket” to “minor non-violent offense”.
California.
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Good news, no arrests for parking tickets in Calif. Unfortunately I have no parking tickets, either paid or unpaid. I don’t recall ever getting a parking ticket here.
I take that back. When I lived in Colorado many years ago I got a parking ticket in the mail from San Diego. Seriously. They said my car got a ticket parked on a San Diego street. I actually was in San Diego on that day, but driving a rental car. But my own car (the one that was supposedly ticketed, license plate number ) was in Colorado, keys in my pocket. Still wondering how that happened? San Diego traffic folks made the common sense decision to dismiss that parking ticket when I showed them proof I had flown to San Diego, and used a rental car. Further proof clerical errors like this are common.
I have had a couple of parking warning notices in Calif, parking 4 days in a residential area in the same spot, when only 3 days is allowed. Warning notices, no fines, no arrests, for minor offenses seems a good policy.
When I was in Sioux Falls, a classmate told me not to worry about plugging the meter downtown. She said the don’t ticket out of state cars. Heh heh she was wrong. I think the ticket was 50 cents. I took biology already so I knew she was a girl and stopped listening to advice from that gender without verification. It was my first offense in South Dakota.
When I was a kid, our elderly neighbor stopped by to talk to my mother. He was just beside himself. He had gotten his first violation in his life for parking and he was crushed. She consoled him with a glass of lemonade and he felt better. Never forgot his humiliation. This was before helicopters otherwise I think he would be watching the sky. I say elderly but he was probably younger than me now. I got started early with my violations though to take the edge off.
lol … good story … reminds me of the time my dad got a parking ticket and got really upset about it. I was just a little kid at the time, but I recall he was really mad, said (to anybody who would listen) all he was doing was visiting a downtown retail hardware store to buy a package of bolts, something like that, 5 minutes in and out, and voila, parking ticket. He wasn’t interested in my opinion of course, but seemed to me he should just pay up (probably $2) and forget about it, b/c he indeed parked illegally (didn’t pay the meter, said he didn’t have change). But no, clear he’s not forgetting. Says he’ll never shop in any of those downtown stores ever again. And the truth is, he didn’t. Never shopped there again. Eventually all those stores closed when a nearby town opened a shopping mall w/a big parking lot & free parking.
Yeah I had to listen to the same type of conversation when the game warden ticketed my dad. I think dad was right though if not technically. The warden went to our church too and daughter was a classmate. $50 fine in 1961 plus prolly another $40 lost for the time to appear in court. Game warden was killed that year by a train. I felt sorry for his daughter and still do when I see her.
Interesting thread. Thanks for all the good comments here. Much better understanding now about the practical issues of being stopped for minor offense, then arrested due to police search of their arrest warrant database. . Seems the majority of posters here believe the proper compromise is to make sure the guilty go to jail, and if that causes some innocent folks to spend a couple of nights in jail, so be it.
Wondering if carrying a cashier’s check in your vehicle at all times would get you out on bail sans bail-bond? Most banks provide free cashier’s checks, if made out to you, will last 3 months or so. Then after three months cash it in, and get another one.
Let’s not over think the whole thing. I’ve never been arrested or faced with jail. If it ever happens, do you take a check,debit card, credit card, cash? No? Ok I’ll call the motor club. No need to get a new cashiers check every 90 days not knowing for how much.
Seriously, they have to be made out to someone or a business when you get one. You can’t get a blank cashier’s check.
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Planning a crime spree? If you get arrested for reckless driving or street racing you might get release on your own recognizance. Illegal parking and driving too slowly won’t get you locked-up.
Back to the present reality, police no longer drop by your house to arrest you for traffic or parking violations.
Much more efficient to drive down the street with a camera scanner that’s linked to a computer file of offenders who ignored the ticket and mailed warning and simply “Boot” the car.
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Those offenses should result in immediate arrest and taken to the country jail imo. Not saying the perps should be locked-up without the possibility of bail. Sure, if first offense, release them after they pay the bail. Currency or cashiers check from major bank. Or bail bond.
What would you do if the computer file contains inaccuracies?
Well considering that you’ve received the ticket and at least one letter, I’d say that it’s your own tough luck.
And to make it worse, if you ignored both notifications and got Booted or Towed, your fines double and instead of a nice Judge you get to deal with the clerks at Traffic Control, which is a whole lower level of Hell than Traffic Court or the DMV.
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What is your basis for that assumption?
Once again the purpose of bail is to insure you show up in court. That’s all. Traffic fine, no bail needed. Send in the fine. You only appear if you want to go to court. Offense requiring an appearance, and you pay bail unless it is obvious you will show up. I fail to see the big deal unless you are homeless, broke, no I’d, and no means of support.
It’s quite possible there was no traffic fine, no missed court date, no letters, you’ve always showed up to summons, database police use to decide to make arrest or not is simply incorrect.
Me thinks highly unlikely. The court would have to issue a warrant first for something. Warrant information just doesn’t show up out of thin air. Mistaken identity maybe. Driving uncles car who fled.
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Like I said above. No complaints from me if that’s what the majority think. This seems a good reason to have the auto-club card or cashier’s check w/car whenever driving. In the unlikely event you get caught in a database corruption problem and arrested, at least you’ll be able to post bail without incurring a bail-bond 10% fee, and can then immediately go get your car from the impound lot before they sell it off for back fees. Afterward you have plenty of time to make complaints galore about being arrested for nothing. I mean should that sort of thing ever happen.
Did you not see my post that will not work ? You can’t carry a Cashiers check for every location you drive and you can’t have a blank one . This is just a silly what if thread that really will not do anyone any good. I am out of here .
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