Nightmare end to my first week
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 22
Nightmare end to my first week
So, after a brilliant start to my first week in Atl, I got myself into a car accident on Sunday and was issued a failure to yield citation which requires me to turn up in court
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
#2
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
So, after a brilliant start to my first week in Atl, I got myself into a car accident on Sunday and was issued a failure to yield citation which requires me to turn up in court
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
Get in the car and drive...don't think about it...just do it. The longer you leave it and the more you think about it...the bigger the obstacle will become.
#3
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,652
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
Was this "failure to yield" to a pedestrian?
If so, hubby did the same thing about three weeks into his entry to the US.
He was waiting for an appointment at DMV for a driving test, so was driving on his UK licence. He paid the fine by post (did not go to court, this was in CA) and had no points on his (eventual) US driving licence)
Can you just mail in the fine?
The police are somewhat zealous when it comes to pedestrians walking across the road - they are very precious - even when the pedestrian is in the wrong.
Don't beat yourself up too much - much worse things happen.
If so, hubby did the same thing about three weeks into his entry to the US.
He was waiting for an appointment at DMV for a driving test, so was driving on his UK licence. He paid the fine by post (did not go to court, this was in CA) and had no points on his (eventual) US driving licence)
Can you just mail in the fine?
The police are somewhat zealous when it comes to pedestrians walking across the road - they are very precious - even when the pedestrian is in the wrong.
Don't beat yourself up too much - much worse things happen.
#4
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 22
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
No, it was failure to yield to traffic.
Apparently it can't be paid online or by post, I need to turn up and (I'm guessing here) plead one way or the other.
Apparently it can't be paid online or by post, I need to turn up and (I'm guessing here) plead one way or the other.
#5
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
The citation will probably be posted against your UK license since it was written against that license even if you have a state license when you go to traffic court. In most states, you can erase the record of the citation and the points against your driver's license if you attend a few hour traffic school (someone from a private company that lectures about safe driving) which normally can be done about once every 18 months.
#6
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
While the notice that you signed and the citation that the court may or may not send to you (and which you may or may not receive) will go to great lengths to explain how and where you must "appear", there is usually some small print about "paying and forfeiting bail in a certain amount" - which is there way of saying "paying a fine".
Call the court and find out what you really have to do.
#7
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 946
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
I got a ticket last week (wrong lane to turn left) and freaked out about having to turn up at court too. But apparently if you do not contest the ticket, you pay the fine online (takes a few weeks to get in the system, I'm still waiting for what my fine will be). Someone told me that you can pay the fine and then there might also be an option to voluntarily do traffic school which can be done online - if you do the latter you don't get points.
#8
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Joined: Mar 2008
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 4,913
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
I got a ticket last week (wrong lane to turn left) and freaked out about having to turn up at court too. But apparently if you do not contest the ticket, you pay the fine online (takes a few weeks to get in the system, I'm still waiting for what my fine will be). Someone told me that you can pay the fine and then there might also be an option to voluntarily do traffic school which can be done online - if you do the latter you don't get points.
#9
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
A while back husband-chog got caught out by the pull over law. (you have to pull out a lane to give emergency vehicles space on the road or slow down to a crawl when passing if that's not possible). it was BS but that's another story.
He wasn't able to pay online. he went to court (Dekalb county I think)paid a fine and did a day of safe driving school to avoid points on his license.
I think the idea of some lessons is probably a good one.
Lx
He wasn't able to pay online. he went to court (Dekalb county I think)paid a fine and did a day of safe driving school to avoid points on his license.
I think the idea of some lessons is probably a good one.
Lx
#10
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
Which county was this in?
Makes a difference as to where it's handled within the courthouse system. Many are handle by the Superior Court Clerk. Larger counties like Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Gwinnett, etc. may have a different department. That could make a difference as to how it's dealt with.
Also, exactly what happened? Failure to yield is obviously a worse offense if it caused a wreck (I hate the word accident, which implies that no-one was at fault!), but even still, there are degrees.
Makes a difference as to where it's handled within the courthouse system. Many are handle by the Superior Court Clerk. Larger counties like Cobb, DeKalb, Forsyth, Gwinnett, etc. may have a different department. That could make a difference as to how it's dealt with.
Also, exactly what happened? Failure to yield is obviously a worse offense if it caused a wreck (I hate the word accident, which implies that no-one was at fault!), but even still, there are degrees.
#11
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
So, after a brilliant start to my first week in Atl, I got myself into a car accident on Sunday and was issued a failure to yield citation which requires me to turn up in court
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
I'm just wondering if anyone knows how this will work as I was in a hire car driving on my UK licence. So i don't know how it would work with points etc. The police guy was fairly blasé, saying I'd just turn up & pay a fine, but obviously I'm a little concerned.
Needless to say I'm not remotely eager to get back in a car over here, having never before been in an accident or given any kind of ticket. I'm thinking of taking a few lessons just to get my confidence back up etc before I have to take possession of my car from IAS. Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
I was involved in a minor RTC within my first year of living here, I just chalked it up to not being used to driving amongst arseholes here in MA. My insurance actually went down upon renewal (I switched insurers), and now I continue to drive absolutely fine, just with the knowledge that people won't yield to let you out here.
#12
Banned
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 5,154
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
It's examples like this why I fit front and rear dashcams in my car. If there's any dispute I have full video evidence. They're becoming popular in England.
#14
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Joined: Feb 2010
Location: Temecula, CA
Posts: 4,759
Re: Nightmare end to my first week
So, after a brilliant start to my first week in Atl, I got myself into a car accident on Sunday and was issued a failure to yield citation which requires me to turn up in court[...] Any advice anyone could give would be great, no need to berate me, I'm doing enough of that to myself.
I've wanted those for some time. How's your setup, like recording device etc? Make sure you have the date/time recorded in the images.