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Hi! I read some of the stories that you post here.

I would like to contest the ticket that I received today for not stopping at the stop sign but I am not sure if it is worth it to contest.

Here is the story:
I was going to pick up my son from school. I always take the same street everyday and plus the fact that the street is just next street to my place Carlton avenue corner Lavoie in Montreal. When I stopped in the corner I saw a man putting some wiper fluid in his van. I even noticed the container because it has a green funnel.

The hood was up. Then I noticed the police van at the back of the van (of course hiding). So I continue driving after I stopped, when I saw the police van following me. I thought he was just going somewhere else. Then he turned on his lights and I asked…

“What seems to be the problem sir?”

Police said: You did not stop at the stop sign.

I  said: I stopped sir, I even see you at the back of the van.

Police said: No, you did not stop you slow down. Can I have you driver’s license, registration and insurance paper.

I was so pissed off because If I slowed down, I wont be able to see him at the back of the van. I won’t noticed the man that putting a wiper fluid on his van with the hood of the van was up.
The truth is I was focused on what the man was doing that I did not noticed the color of the van.

I tried to go back on the same street to ask the man to be my witness..unfortunately, he was not there anymore nor the police van. tsk..tsk..

It was Feb 12 at 16:40 p.m., when the police stopped me and told me that I did not stop at the stop sign. He said that I was slowing down and not stopping.

I hope you could help me before I contest this ticket..

Thank you very much!
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My opinion :

I really trust your story and your chance to win in court. You just have to explain your story like you did it here… Don’t discuss about the policeman attitude… Don’t worry… who cares about the van color !?

But don’t forget to ask for the Disclosure of evidence (see right menu) to have all the information that the policeman wrote on his report…

Keep it simple : You did your stop !

Hello,

I am from Gatineau but I live in Quebec City for a few years in order to complete my studies. I was visiting my family in law back in Gatineau on December the 23rd.

Unfortunately, I noticed a parking ticket on my dashboard when I was leaving. The offence was registered at 00h23 on December 24th. I was told that the law in Gatineau was that we couldn’t park in the street between midnight and 7am all winter long. It’s regulation I wasn’t aware since in Quebec City it’s only that way during when they remove the snow.So I got a ticket for night parking during the night of the 23rd to the 24th after being 23 minutes in the end of a suburban street that actually was a dead end when there was actually no snow falling or snow to remove. Merry Christmas Gatineau’s police forces.

I know that contesting is maybe not a good idea, but as a student, my budget is very limited. I prefer to get as many advices possible.

Thank you and happy holidays.
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My opinion:

I don’t think that you have a lot of chance of winning… Your host should have informed you… and that is usually written at some places when you enter in a new town…

Hello,

My first case was in Quebec City, on the Bastien de la Colline Boulevard. I was driving at a 60km/h speed in a 50km/h zone and I was looking for the highway. I was on a three-lane road : the right one was for those who wanted to continue or turn right, the one in the middle was for those who wanted to continue or turn left and the left one was for turning left only. I was in the middle lane and one of my friends (we where 4 in the car) tell my “it’s right here!” So I quickly do my blind spots and I turn left (it was a bit quick but not excessive). I drive for about 1 minute and I get pulled over.

A rather young officer, just out of the academy, asks me if I think he’s stupid. I don’t understand right away and since I don’t know what he is talking about I tell him that I don’t understand why I would think that he is stupid. He tells me “You shortcut a three-lane road and turned left on a red light! That is why you should think that I am stupid.” My best friend and my girlfriend say at the same time “The light was green!” and I add that the middle lane is also made for left turns. The officer starts screaming and I don’t exaggerate, he really taught I was thinking that he was stupid. I really wanted to get caught in his little game he started…

I taught twice about it thinking it wasn’t worth it and stayed calm. I waited for this to come to an end. He finally adds “I am sure that you weren’t driving at the speed limit since it took me a lot of time to catch up”. I didn’t say anything to keep him calm since he really tried to piss us off. He tried to make me say something I didn’t do. We all were pretty offended. Later, I received a wonderful 154$ ticket and three demerit points by express mail. I am thinking if I should go get some help or can I defend myself with my witnesses?
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My opinion :The way you are telling your story, you seem to be okay in all this, and therefore you need to convince the judge… however, try not to talk about the officer and the way he worked. Talk about why you don’t understand the ticket by affirming the facts : Green light, you turned in a lane that allowed it, quickly but in a safely. You where in control of everything around (example) no car on your left, in front or on the other side…

You probably can get out of this by using only one witness; but of course, ask without any delay, the communication of the proof.

My opinion:

Unfortunately, you did it… You will not be able to defend yourself telling the judge “While a Mustang and a Camaro speeded up on the Hamel Boulevard (steam show included)…” The fact that you were parked doesn’t change anything… It is possible that a good lawyer can find you a way to contest, but for a 50$ ticket, it is not worth it since the lawyer will cost you a lot more… However, if this ticket will be close to make you loose your licence since you lost more points, then really think about it.

Hello,

Two weeks ago, I parked my car by accident in a handicapped parking space to grab a lunch in a small bistro. While eating, I was surprise to see a police car parked in front of my vehicle. I got out straight away to say to the officer that I could park somewhere else, this of course to avoid getting a parking ticket. He refused saying that he already started to fill out the official report.

Could I have the right to park my car elsewhere in order to avoid the parking ticket ? And if that was my right, can I contest this parking ticket ?

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My opinion :I don’t believe that you have any chances of winning… It is true that the official contracts are numbered and “official”, but the officer said that in order for you to keep quiet… Therefore, the infraction was committed… whether he started to write or not…

Your question: “Could I have the right to park my car elsewhere in order to avoid the parking ticket ?” It’s just like if I was saying : “hum, it is true officer, I was speeding at 150km/h in a 70km/h zone… but don’t give me a ticket, now, I will drive at 70km/h since we are talking about it…”

I am ironic, but this is still the same…

I have a good question for you.

Where a speed limit does start ? At the road sign or when you can reed the road sign?

Here is my case. I got caught at 93km/h at the end of a 50km/h speed zone and at the start of a 80km/h speed zone. The address on my ticket is just before where the 80km/h road sign was. I really want to contest and in the worst scenario possible I can plead guilty of driving at a 93 km/h speed in the 80km/h zone.
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My opinion:I did some research on the MTQ site of the SAAQ, and in the safety road code… nothing to do. I didn’t find anything on this precise subject…

To my knowledge, the speed zone starts at the road sign.

Be carful if you contest the address… It is probably the location that the officer was standing… but if he used a radar trap, this means that he scanned you way before you drove by him. To be sure, ask for the communication of the proof… This way, you will have more information and you will be able to see if you still want to contest or not…

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Hello,
Thank you in advance for trying to help. Everyone one I have told my story to has been shocked and said they have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for this before. This was one overzealous cop. I am not sure whether I should contest or not. Can you help me decide?

Here is what happened:

A few days ago I was driving home from a dentist appointment when I hear a police siren behind me. I thought he was chasing someone else so I moved over to let him pass- but he did not. It was me he was after. I could not understand what I had done wrong: no stop sign, no speeding, I had my seat belt on etc… In total shock and confusion (I have been driving for 25 yrs and I have only received a ticket once before)I rolled down my window and asked the police officer what the problem was. He tells me in a very authoritative manner :”Do you realize that you should be 3m (I think) from the car in front of you and you were 1m at best?” I did not know what to say because he was right. The car in front of me was braking often and I probably was close. BUT I was driving at 45km/hr. The infraction states that I was following a vehicle at an imprudent and unreasonable distance. I don’t know how imprudent it is at 45km/hr. If I was tailgating on the highway I see how dangerous it would and could be. Here I was not tailgating. I honestly was not frustrated or anything by the driver in front of me but he was braking too often for me to keep a further distance. I left in disbelief that I received a ticket for this and thought that I was targeted because he must have had a quota to reach this month. He could have fined just about everyone around me. If I plead not guilty..well I am guilty if the law is 3m, but it does not say that, it says an “unreasonable” distance. At 45km/hr I felt this was not unreasonable. My ticket is for $154.00 and 2 demerit points.
What do you think I should do?
Thank you for any advice you have to offer.
Sandra
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My opinion :

So sorry for you Sandra but I think that you have no chance to win… The rules of 3m is a right one… Anda t 45km/h, 1m is really not enough if the car in front break fast…

Please…. STOP DRUNK DRIVING !

Protect yourself…
Protect your family…
Protect your friends…
Protect your childreen…
Protect our childreen…
.

Hope it shocks all that view this to share it !

There school bus drivers now have to inform in advance their intention of stopping the bus. This measure is in order to slow down the traffic in front and behind the school bus to avoid hard breaking or speeding

From now on, two steps to remember :

1. Prepare yourself to stop your car when the school bus will put his yellow flashing lights on .
2. Bring your car to stand still 5meters or more behind or ahead from the school bus when the red lights will be flashing and when his stop sign will be out.

Remember…
Over passing a school bus it his red flashing lights on means 9 demerit points and a fine between 274$ and 438$. This amount, under modification reserve, includes the fine predicted by the Code de la sécurité routière, the office fees as a contribution for the victims of criminal acts, (other fees may apply).

This stop is not obligatory when you meet a school bus in a street separated by a center divider strip.